Spines and Ice Armor -> Which AT?

[SeraphimKensai]

So I'm thinking of pairing spines with ice armor, and incorporating foldspace into the mix. I have lots of experience with each set on multiple ATs, but I have never combined the two.

 

I don't need a build as I can make them myself, but what I am looking for is your thoughts on which AT you would do it on if you were to do so yourself.

 

I'm least likely to pick stalker despite loving stalkers, as I feel mixing quills, icicles , chilling Embrace, and pulling mobs in with foldspace would be really interesting. I'm leaning more towards tanker/brute, but I like icy bastion better than hibernate so scrapper is in the mix too. If I were to go tanker/brute I'd likely grab soul mastery for darkest night. If I were to go scrapper or stalker I'm more flexible (maybe leviathan for waterspout or blaze for melt armor, shadow meld is nice but I'll build this toon to defense cap SLENFC, so it's use would be limited).

 

So which AT would you all pick?

 

As always thanks.

[Spaghetti Betty]

I think I would go with Tank. Whenever I've tried in the past to make a Spines Scrapper, I'm always frustrated trying to pick a good spot for Critical Strikes. At least on Tank, placing ATOs is more straightforward. Ice Armor Tanks can softcap on SOs, so you have a lot of flexibility on your slotting. You can easily make a Ice/ Tank with Softcap defenses, capped HP, proc bomb'd attacks, and even throw in some tricks to give yourself superior resistances as well.

 

It may lose on damage compared to other ATs, but it will definitely be cruise control and the inflated Tanker AoEs will feel great!

[Yomo Kimyata]

My answer is almost always going to be scrapper, because that's how I roll.  Tanks are cheating.  Stalkers are hidden too much and I didn't spend that time in the costume creator to not see my character.  Brutes are all right, but scrappers are the bees knees.

 

As it happens, I do have a 50 Spines/Ice scrapper.  I think my original thought was to double down on slow.  Despite the fact that I don't like most of the spines animations (and I HATE the flip), it was a nifty little critter.  Icy Bastion is one of the two best defense powers for scrappers (Meltdown is the other).  I think I skipped Icicles, but you shouldn't have much trouble with runners once they are within slow range.

 

I also think Darkest Night is cheating!  It's a ridiculous power for survival.

 

[Frozen Burn]

All will work well, but a Tank will give you bigger AOEs and more HPs.  Gauntlet and Taunt will help keep the foes around you and in your AOEs as well.

[SeraphimKensai]

Well I ran a build for a tank, brute, and scrapper.

 

Truth be told I was leaning tank from the start, but wanted to be fair. I did settle on the tank as I'm going to play with defensive SLENFC softcaps (damn the def reduction to EA, makes getting FC to softcap require three sets of WIOs, SLEN end up being slightly over incarnate softcap). Max HP with Hoarfrost and just under 1300 absorb, 40% recharge slow (32 from chilling embrace, and another 8 from 1 spines attack, so conceivably more), 21.45% tohitdebuff with darkest night to stack on top of my defenses, should help when fighting toxic/psi, 44% damage debuff between chilling embrace and darkest night, sure it will get resisted but still a decent value.

 

So yes Yomo might think its a double cheat code, but: iddqd, idkfa.

 

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the feedback.

Edited November 19, 2023 by SeraphimKensai

[Phlushot]

On 11/18/2023 at 2:09 PM, Frozen Burn said:

All will work well, but a Tank will give you bigger AOEs and more HPs.  Gauntlet and Taunt will help keep the foes around you and in your AOEs as well.

 

Actually! In the case of Spines you don't gain anything as a Tanker.  The two cones are flagged so they don't increase and Spine Burst is 10ft (so increased to 15 for Tanker) but a 15ft already for Brute/Scrapper.

 

So my recommendation would be Brute or Scrapper.  Scrapper T9 is excellent.  Double damage auras on Brutes scaling with Rage is excellent.  Pick your poison.

[Grimm2]

13 hours ago, Phlushot said:

 

Actually! In the case of Spines you don't gain anything as a Tanker.

Tankers do get the benefit of increased target caps on Throw Spines, Spine Burst, and Ripper. Teamed it's not such a big deal. Solo/ AE farming, where the target density is high and you can take a moment to position, it's very nice. 

 

I agree that you can't go wrong. Any AT is best served by focusing a boss right off the bat, peppering Ripper and Throw Spines as they recharge. 

 

I know OP has Stalker at the bottom of the list, but their Spines is also very good. Trading sustained dot of Quills for a huge fast ST attack, constant AOE for Build Up recharges, and keeping every AOE the set has its actually a lot of fun. Add in a snipe and bosses are actually in real danger from you. 

 

.... time to dig out my old spine/stone stalker. 

[SeraphimKensai]

Well I know it's only a 2 month old thread, but I went with the tanker and it turned out to a be a beast. I've yet to have issues soloing well anything at +4x8, and I recently brought it out of the toy chest for this week's Tanker Tuesday on Everlasting.

 

Honestly it even held up in fire farms and it's an ice tanker, as I had it trail behind my rad/fire brute for a couple extra damage auras while I PL'd it.