Elec Sent vs Blaster

[drgantz]

A recent poll ranked Elec Sent as the most popular Sent, while Elec Blaster was lower ranked.

What is so great about Elec Sent?

[FupDup]

To quote someone else from that recent poll thread: 

 

On 9/18/2023 at 3:30 PM, nihilii said:

 

Sentinel Electric Blast is the best version of it that exists.

 

- proper fast activation T3 attack, you get Elec Blaze essentially

- Tesla Cage gets T4 damage (original version is a hold with micro damage)

- Thunderous Blast gets one of the biggest recharge shave in Sentinel nuke normalization, as the original TB takes longer to recharge than most nukes. On top of that, the end drain aspect which is somewhat anecdotal on a 170s base recharge power becomes something you get to use in every fight on 90s base recharge

 

To sum up, Sentinel Elec gets stat boosts everywhere while giving up none of the secondary effects. This ends up pushing it either right next to Fire Blast or slightly above, depending how much you value these secondary effects.

 

I'd also add that it has very high synergy with the very strong Energy Aura secondary that also gets some benefits compared to what other ATs get, or Elec Armor that is kinda neat too but not quite as much. And I guess there's Ice Armor too but that one is generally not well regarded...

[honoroit]

you must mean my wonderous best of 2023 threads!

 

i was surprised to see elec do so well, but the reasons outlined make quite a case.

 

elec blaster is pretty great - the shocked mechanic, especially elec/elec as you'll tale them low, works well.

 

however, tesla cage is AWFUL, AND the little proc it enables does like 5-15 damage on the splashes... its awful.

 

never tried the sentinel version.

 

Figs - highest stats, rogue isles

[Heatstroke]

5 minutes ago, honoroit said:

you must mean my wonderous best of 2023 threads!

 

i was surprised to see elec do so well, but the reasons outlined make quite a case.

 

elec blaster is pretty great - the shocked mechanic, especially elec/elec as you'll tale them low, works well.

 

however, tesla cage is AWFUL, AND the little proc it enables does like 5-15 damage on the splashes... its awful.

 

never tried the sentinel version.

 

 

 

 

I have played both and Elec/Elec Blaster to 50 and an Elec/Elec Sentintel to 50 and the Sentinel playstyle is better IMO. Everything else said here is correct but there is one factor that hasnt been mentioned. Sentinels have mez resistance. When you are immune to mez its a big deal. Depending on the Sentinel Build it is very easy to run in.. do Damage.. Drain a mobs end, which tends to make them use the weakest attacks.. and KEEP their end floored. 

 

[Frosticus]

Additionally:

Short circuit > thunderous

Gives you the shock proc on the nuke across the entire spawn (of 10 targets) making it the highest damage sentinel nuke.

 

Plus the way sentinel nukes work they normally do bonus damage in a very small aoe (much smaller than the nuke aoe). The shock proc on thunderous will cover the full 20ft.

[Underfyre]

The short is answer is because it is the highest damage set available to Sentinels.

 

The long answer is because while Blasters have a Tesla Cage that does minimal damage, Sentinels do not, and while Blasters have a secondary that can be used to further increase their damage, Sentinels do not. We have epic sets that occasionally have worthwhile attacks, but it's one or two, not an entire secondary worth of additional attacks. Then top that off with an always-on, autonomous pet that is adding damage to an already high damage set. So there's Tesla Cage, a pet, and you're largely forced to stay within your primary for attacks. Add to that the stigma that Sentinels spent the first two years being viewed as the "lowest damage" AT and you find that people will have the desire to choose the highest damage available just to keep pace with the Defenders.

[drbuzzard]

Decided to try an electric blaster after a couple of electric sentinels. I eventually stripped the blaster of IOs as it failed to impress. Underfyre has it right. There's a lot of tweaks to the set in sentinels which makes it great. 

[drgantz]

Thank you all for your replies.  I have a 50 Elec/Elec/Elec Blaster.   Since this poll  and this post, I've made an Elec/EA Sent.   I'm liking it so far, but it is still low level.

I've always liked draining End.  One problem is that when I tried that  using my blaster, I would often do Short Circuit, Power Sink, Die.

Since Sent is more surviveable, I might be able to drain without the 3rd step.