Psychic Blast - Mental Manipulation

[Akiceter]

This is the build I'm thinking of doing. Would like feedback on the best way to slot this. Note I made this to be a pure range build. Thats why I didn't slot anything in the mele ability's. 

 

1.mbd

Edited November 20, 2023 by Akiceter

[Frozen Burn]

12 hours ago, Akiceter said:

This is the build I'm thinking of doing. Would like feedback on the best way to slot this. Note I made this to be a pure range build. Thats why I didn't slot anything in the mele ability's. 

Blaster (Psychic Blast - Mental Manipulation).mbd 27.45 kB · 0 downloads

 

Hi!  Welcome to (or back to) the game!

 

This cannot be a pure range build with 3 PBAOEs.  With your endurance sustain power (Drain Psyche) and your nuke being PBAOEs, you're going to need to go into melee some.  Psychic Shockwave is a great PBOAE power, which you've taken and slotted - so that is counter to your "pure" ranged build.  You could drop all three PBAOEs, but I wouldn't suggest that.  So, do plan to go into melee range some.  While there, your melee attacks are heavy hitters and can be useful for eliminating a boss or others quickly.  When at range, there will be those pesky mobs that refuse to stay at range and want get up on you.  Mind Probe and TK Thrust is perfect for those situations - might as well deal a good bit of damage when you knock them away, if not outright kill them.

 

Drain Psyche is a powerful buff/debuff.  Again, you'll need to go into mobs to use it and it will make mobs angry - be ready for that.  You will want Hasten in your build since Drain Psyche has a long recharge.  If there is not enough mobs or Drain Psyche is not recharged yet, you're slowed, sapped, or etc, you won't have the end you need for an attack chain - so, slotting up Stamina is wise too.  Put a Performance Shifter +End proc with two others in Stamina, and put a +recovery proc in Health (Panacea is the best, but even Numina's or Miracle are good).  If you can squeeze an extra slot, put Preventative Medicine's Chance for +Absorb proc in Health - I cannot tell you how many times this has helped save my blaster's life.  Also, Power Transfer is not a good set for Drain Psyche - it is more for an attack power.  Look to other IO sets (frankenslot if needed) and focus on getting DP's recharge and endurance up to 95%'ish.

 

I'm curious as to why the medicine pool?  If you want to heal and rez others, make a defender.  If you want the healing badges - there are better ways to get them without gimping your build.  And lastly, my belief is:  blasters are for dealing damage - not healing others.  If you're worried about healing yourself, you build and play so you mitigate/avoid damage vs. taking damage and trying to heal it back (you won't have the HPs for that).  Plus, animation and recharge times for the medicine pool are long and you will basically spend more time healing yourself and others instead of doing your job - dishing out the damage.  A Blaster's offense is their defense.  🙂  I had a friend whose main blaster had the medicine pool for years.  We finally convinced him to respec out of it and he was amazed at how much more damage he could do and how well he survived.  I highly suggest getting rid of medicine pool and using those slots elsewhere.  🙂  

 

If you're going going to take an armor from your epic pool, slot it.  It helps keep you alive so you don't need healing.  For blasters, the Defense armors work better as it is easier to soft cap Defense for survivability vs. trying to get to a 75% resistance cap and you still take damage and need healing.  This is not to say all resistance armors are bad for blasters - a blend of Def + Res is good - it's just easier to mitigate the damage entirely by focusing on Def, especially for blasters.  Scorpion Shield from Mace Mastery is a great power for this.  swapping your medicine pool for fighting pool (tough and especially weave) are great (yes, you'll have to take boxing or kick first, which are throw away powers).  Your resistance armors can be a mule for the Gladiator's Armor and Steadfast Protection +Def IOs.  And more defense powers can allow you to slot Luck of the Gambler's +Rech IOs to help make Hasten and Drain Psyche perma.  Maneuvers (from Leadership) and Combat Jumping (from Leaping) are also great powers to squeeze in for more Defense and carrying a LotG +Rech IO.  

 

If you do plan to stay more at range, Psi Darts is also a cone and is worth slotting up like you did for Psy Scream and Psi Tornado for more ranged AOEs.

 

Since you're taking the Flying pool, try to fit in Evasive Maneuvers - it's more Defense and opportunity to slot another LotG +rech.

 

I like taking my mez powers on my blasters as they help for survivability.  However, Scare is one that can be skipped, if you wanted, especially since it does no damage.  You will have other powers that mez - especially scramble minds that you could drop Scare.  Those slots can be moved to a power that does damage or to a power that makes you survive all foes and not just the one.

 

Hope this helps!

 

[Akiceter]

4 hours ago, Frozen Burn said:

 

Hi!  Welcome to (or back to) the game!

 

This cannot be a pure range build with 3 PBAOEs.  With your endurance sustain power (Drain Psyche) and your nuke being PBAOEs, you're going to need to go into melee some.  Psychic Shockwave is a great PBOAE power, which you've taken and slotted - so that is counter to your "pure" ranged build.  You could drop all three PBAOEs, but I wouldn't suggest that.  So, do plan to go into melee range some.  While there, your melee attacks are heavy hitters and can be useful for eliminating a boss or others quickly.  When at range, there will be those pesky mobs that refuse to stay at range and want get up on you.  Mind Probe and TK Thrust is perfect for those situations - might as well deal a good bit of damage when you knock them away, if not outright kill them.

 

Drain Psyche is a powerful buff/debuff.  Again, you'll need to go into mobs to use it and it will make mobs angry - be ready for that.  You will want Hasten in your build since Drain Psyche has a long recharge.  If there is not enough mobs or Drain Psyche is not recharged yet, you're slowed, sapped, or etc, you won't have the end you need for an attack chain - so, slotting up Stamina is wise too.  Put a Performance Shifter +End proc with two others in Stamina, and put a +recovery proc in Health (Panacea is the best, but even Numina's or Miracle are good).  If you can squeeze an extra slot, put Preventative Medicine's Chance for +Absorb proc in Health - I cannot tell you how many times this has helped save my blaster's life.  Also, Power Transfer is not a good set for Drain Psyche - it is more for an attack power.  Look to other IO sets (frankenslot if needed) and focus on getting DP's recharge and endurance up to 95%'ish.

 

I'm curious as to why the medicine pool?  If you want to heal and rez others, make a defender.  If you want the healing badges - there are better ways to get them without gimping your build.  And lastly, my belief is:  blasters are for dealing damage - not healing others.  If you're worried about healing yourself, you build and play so you mitigate/avoid damage vs. taking damage and trying to heal it back (you won't have the HPs for that).  Plus, animation and recharge times for the medicine pool are long and you will basically spend more time healing yourself and others instead of doing your job - dishing out the damage.  A Blaster's offense is their defense.  🙂  I had a friend whose main blaster had the medicine pool for years.  We finally convinced him to respec out of it and he was amazed at how much more damage he could do and how well he survived.  I highly suggest getting rid of medicine pool and using those slots elsewhere.  🙂  

 

If you're going going to take an armor from your epic pool, slot it.  It helps keep you alive so you don't need healing.  For blasters, the Defense armors work better as it is easier to soft cap Defense for survivability vs. trying to get to a 75% resistance cap and you still take damage and need healing.  This is not to say all resistance armors are bad for blasters - a blend of Def + Res is good - it's just easier to mitigate the damage entirely by focusing on Def, especially for blasters.  Scorpion Shield from Mace Mastery is a great power for this.  swapping your medicine pool for fighting pool (tough and especially weave) are great (yes, you'll have to take boxing or kick first, which are throw away powers).  Your resistance armors can be a mule for the Gladiator's Armor and Steadfast Protection +Def IOs.  And more defense powers can allow you to slot Luck of the Gambler's +Rech IOs to help make Hasten and Drain Psyche perma.  Maneuvers (from Leadership) and Combat Jumping (from Leaping) are also great powers to squeeze in for more Defense and carrying a LotG +Rech IO.  

 

If you do plan to stay more at range, Psi Darts is also a cone and is worth slotting up like you did for Psy Scream and Psi Tornado for more ranged AOEs.

 

Since you're taking the Flying pool, try to fit in Evasive Maneuvers - it's more Defense and opportunity to slot another LotG +rech.

 

I like taking my mez powers on my blasters as they help for survivability.  However, Scare is one that can be skipped, if you wanted, especially since it does no damage.  You will have other powers that mez - especially scramble minds that you could drop Scare.  Those slots can be moved to a power that does damage or to a power that makes you survive all foes and not just the one.

 

Hope this helps!

 

For the 3 PBAOE. I didn't know they all were PBAOE. I only know of Drain. As such i took them out. Why? It's a blaster. I don't even know why they put melee range stuff in a blaster when they literally say this s a ranged class.  

 

As for Med. I do it because if it comes down to stopping for a min to prevent the whole team death to help the healer or be the healer then why not?

 

As for Hasten. I just hate it. Never going to use it.

 

I also changed the file to the new build.

Edited November 20, 2023 by Akiceter

[Procellus]

A blaster is there to do damage. I'm a range purist and don't like "blapping" builds but I can't deny that they work.

 

Drop the medicine pool. It's not necessary. As you play you'll notice that some of the best teams that you're on don't even have a healer. If you get a Force Field and Sonic Defender on your team you'll barely take any damage to heal from!

[Akiceter]

54 minutes ago, Procellus said:

A blaster is there to do damage. I'm a range purist and don't like "blapping" builds but I can't deny that they work.

 

Drop the medicine pool. It's not necessary. As you play you'll notice that some of the best teams that you're on don't even have a healer. If you get a Force Field and Sonic Defender on your team you'll barely take any damage to heal from!

Yes i know what blasters are for.   What i dont get is why they have melee abilitys when they are glass cannons. what do i replace it with then? 

[EnjoyTheJourney]

What others are trying to say is that blasters aren't necessarily glass cannons. Which is true. 

IIRC there's at least one really good guide to being a blaster somewhere in this forum. It covers how to make a blaster do better damage and how to get them to survive better as well. I've forgotten the author's name. But, somebody will probably come along and provide that fairly soon.

[Akiceter]

22 minutes ago, EnjoyTheJourney said:

What others are trying to say is that blasters aren't necessarily glass cannons. Which is true. 

IIRC there's at least one really good guide to being a blaster somewhere in this forum. It covers how to make a blaster do better damage and how to get them to survive better as well. I've forgotten the author's name. But, somebody will probably come along and provide that fairly soon.

I get what you're saying but it doesn't really work.  Because if you changing the melee abilities to range. It wouldn't change the survivability at all. Especially if the damage stays the same.

 

As for the glass cannon part. Ya that's why they are only listed in range damage play style and none of the rest. Unlike others like tank that can be found in both melee damage and tank play styles.

Edited November 21, 2023 by Akiceter

[Frozen Burn]

Range is a relative term - it can be long range, mid-range, short range, or very short range (or "melee").  "Ranged" sets are more about shooting or emitting the attack (whether far or close) vs. punching, hitting, striking the opponent.  Shooting when you're 1 foot away from someone is still a "ranged" attack, even though you are in "melee" range - the range of being able to be punched, struck, stabbed, etc. 

 

Blasters are PRIMARILY ranged attacks, but that doesn't mean they can't have short ranges or PBAOEs, or even melee attacks.  Even soldiers who fire rifles (long range) have a pistol (mid to short range), and they have a bayonet or knife for close combat melee.  

 

You WILL get foes who bum rush you and those short ranged, melee, and PBAOE abilities are there for your survival.  That's why blasters have them - they are a pure damage AT with a few tricks (controls of some kind) to help with survivability.  This is why all blaster secondaries have some level of melee or control powers.

 

You don't have to like it, but that is how Blasters are designed.  By ignoring half of your AT, you will be a low DPS blaster and not really carrying your weight as a blaster.  A blaster protects their team best, and make it easier on healers, by dishing out the damage and defeating foes - the more kill, the less healers have to try and react and heal.  As a blaster, if you stop dishing out the damage to heal with the medicine pool - you're doing a greater dis-service to your teammates.

 

But if you REALLY want to be an off-healer, it sounds like you should build a Corruptor instead (I really think this will be your jam).  Take your Psi Blast set, which will mostly be ranged attacks, and then take Empathy or Pain to do your buffing and healing.  This will eliminate the melee/control abilities in the secondary and keep you at range, while giving you stronger heals and buffs than Medicine Pool.  Your damage output won't be as high as blaster still, but it will be higher than the blaster build you are considering now. 

 

...just some more to think about.  🙂  

 

 

[Akiceter]

34 minutes ago, Frozen Burn said:

Range is a relative term - it can be long range, mid-range, short range, or very short range (or "melee").  "Ranged" sets are more about shooting or emitting the attack (whether far or close) vs. punching, hitting, striking the opponent.  Shooting when you're 1 foot away from someone is still a "ranged" attack, even though you are in "melee" range - the range of being able to be punched, struck, stabbed, etc. 

 

Blasters are PRIMARILY ranged attacks, but that doesn't mean they can't have short ranges or PBAOEs, or even melee attacks.  Even soldiers who fire rifles (long range) have a pistol (mid to short range), and they have a bayonet or knife for close combat melee.  

 

You WILL get foes who bum rush you and those short ranged, melee, and PBAOE abilities are there for your survival.  That's why blasters have them - they are a pure damage AT with a few tricks (controls of some kind) to help with survivability.  This is why all blaster secondaries have some level of melee or control powers.

 

You don't have to like it, but that is how Blasters are designed.  By ignoring half of your AT, you will be a low DPS blaster and not really carrying your weight as a blaster.  A blaster protects their team best, and make it easier on healers, by dishing out the damage and defeating foes - the more kill, the less healers have to try and react and heal.  As a blaster, if you stop dishing out the damage to heal with the medicine pool - you're doing a greater dis-service to your teammates.

 

But if you REALLY want to be an off-healer, it sounds like you should build a Corruptor instead (I really think this will be your jam).  Take your Psi Blast set, which will mostly be ranged attacks, and then take Empathy or Pain to do your buffing and healing.  This will eliminate the melee/control abilities in the secondary and keep you at range, while giving you stronger heals and buffs than Medicine Pool.  Your damage output won't be as high as blaster still, but it will be higher than the blaster build you are considering now. 

 

...just some more to think about.  🙂  

 

 

I don't think its relative. It is not really a good reason as why a blaster should have a melee attack when the way it set up on character creation design basically indicates it's a mid at closest to long range and not any closer.

 

But that's the point. On a team you are nothing but in the way of your melee fighters.  Having a range player run up to a target puts them in the way for melee fighters get between targets.  Basically, on a team you would want your melee members up front.  With all the others mixed between mid-range and long range.

 

To use your example. It would be like using a gunman fighting upfront with a swordsman. And to be honest it's pointless to use a bayonet with guns anymore even in the game. The main reason they were used is due to how bad and basically in many respects just downright useless they were.

[Without_Pause]

In game descriptions are often misleading if not terrible. There are numerous Blaster secondaries which absolutely benefit from playing in melee. You really don't need the med pool when you can instead drop it for the Fighting pool. Add Combat Jumping and Maneuvers and you can work in decent enough Def. More so for Ranged as that's the ideal for a blaster. If you are worried about melee being crowded then I can tell you it isn't that difficult to get on a team with minimal to no melee in it. I've never really has much of an issue being in melee with a non-melee character. I tend to dive in first. 🤣

 

In terms of the build. You have Fly and Teleport. Pick one. Resuscitate is 2-slotted. I can't fathom it needing anything more than 1. Electrifying Fences is an AoE, so 1-slotting it is not going to be remotely effective. 1-slotting Charged Armor is also odd. Scare is a single target Fear power. Skip it. Honestly, this screams a Blaster build which is trying stay away and do some sort of support role when things like Emp/psy Defenders or Mind/emp Controllers exist. I mean, you 6-slotted Scare and skipped the nuke on a Blaster for crying out loud. 

[Frozen Burn]

1 hour ago, Akiceter said:

I don't think its relative. It is not really a good reason as why a blaster should have a melee attack when the way it set up on character creation design basically indicates it's a mid at closest to long range and not any closer.

 

But that's the point. On a team you are nothing but in the way of your melee fighters.  Having a range player run up to a target puts them in the way for melee fighters get between targets.  Basically, on a team you would want your melee members up front.  With all the others mixed between mid-range and long range.

 

To use your example. It would be like using a gunman fighting upfront with a swordsman. And to be honest it's pointless to use a bayonet with guns anymore even in the game. The main reason they were used is due to how bad and basically in many respects just downright useless they were.

 

I get it, you don't like how the Blaster AT is set up or feel like it's what it should be... but it is as it is. 

 

But really, the point of my last post was... the Blaster AT is not for you.  Given your responses and push back on all the help you asked for on a Blaster build.... The fact you do not want to be in melee range at all and want to help heal... You clearly do not want be a "Blaster" and should make a Corruptor, Defender, or even a Sentinel instead.  Otherwise, you'll be playing a gimped toon and doing not well as a damage dealer or healer... when you could do better on both by just switching ATs and picking powersets more suited to your playstyle.  I think you'll be much happier playing one of those ATs instead.  

 

[Akiceter]

37 minutes ago, Frozen Burn said:

 

I get it, you don't like how the Blaster AT is set up or feel like it's what it should be... but it is as it is. 

 

But really, the point of my last post was... the Blaster AT is not for you.  Given your responses and push back on all the help you asked for on a Blaster build.... The fact you do not want to be in melee range at all and want to help heal... You clearly do not want be a "Blaster" and should make a Corruptor, Defender, or even a Sentinel instead.  Otherwise, you'll be playing a gimped toon and doing not well as a damage dealer or healer... when you could do better on both by just switching ATs and picking powersets more suited to your playstyle.  I think you'll be much happier playing one of those ATs instead.  

 

Its not about me wanting to heal. Its about blasters making any reason. If I have a gun would and wintered to kill a target. Would you tell me to use the back end of the gun to hit them like it was a club. No. Of course not.  But that's what Blasters basically say to do.

As for "it is as it is.".  Ya no. A bad idea is a still a bad idea. As for this build I'm most likely just going to kill the toon and remake it into a blaster that actually is a blaster and not a part time melee Wana be.

[Frozen Burn]

1 hour ago, Akiceter said:

Its not about me wanting to heal. Its about blasters making any reason. If I have a gun would and wintered to kill a target. Would you tell me to use the back end of the gun to hit them like it was a club. No. Of course not.  But that's what Blasters basically say to do.

As for "it is as it is.".  Ya no. A bad idea is a still a bad idea. As for this build I'm most likely just going to kill the toon and remake it into a blaster that actually is a blaster and not a part time melee Wana be.

 

You're getting hung up on semantics.  And I said "it is as it is" because you are trying to change Blasters into something they aren't - and you will never change it - hence what I stated.  You many think the Blaster AT is built wrong (which is your right), but many think they are great as they are and like the versatility of being in melee range and using the powers given to them as well as being at range.  You do not, and that is OK!  This is why I suggested perhaps another AT.  But if off-healing is not what you want to do, and you truly want to still be a Blaster, then yes... pick a Primary and Secondary that lend towards staying at range more than Psy/Mental.  

 

Many Primaries have a PBAOE nuke, so the ones with a RANGED nuke that you will want to choose from are:

• Archery
• Assault Rifle
• Beam Rifle
• Electric
• Ice
• Seismic
• Storm
• Water

Your Secondary set really determines whether you are better suited for being in melee or staying at range.  You should look at these secondaries as I stated previously:

• Devices
• Energy
• Tactical Arrow

All Secondaries will still have melee attacks, but you can skip, if you want.  These three above don't have the PBAOEs like the other sets.  

 

[Procellus]

14 hours ago, Akiceter said:

Yes i know what blasters are for.   What i dont get is why they have melee abilitys when they are glass cannons. what do i replace it with then? 

 

Ok think of it this way, a Tanker is there to tank the damage for the team, correct? If we follow your logic (Why do Blasters have melee when they are a ranged class) then we can ask, "Why do Tankers have attacks when they are just there to mitigate damage?"

 

For a couple reasons: 1) it wouldn't be fun to just sit there mashing taunt all day. 2) Every non-damage-oriented ATs secondary is to do damage.

 

Blasters -primary- role is ranged damage. Their secondary role is usually melee damage. Hence why most of the melee stuff is in the -secondary- powerset.

[Without_Pause]

7 hours ago, Akiceter said:

Its not about me wanting to heal. Its about blasters making any reason.
 

As for "it is as it is.".  Ya no. A bad idea is a still a bad idea. As for this build I'm most likely just going to kill the toon and remake it into a blaster that actually is a blaster and not a part time melee Wana be.

You took four powers from the Med pool including two heals. So yes, you wanted to heal. 

Blasters have never since day one been a purely ranged class. In fact, their most damaging attacks come from melee. Needless to say, I'm not sure you actually understand the intent of a Blaster from the Dev's standpoint.

[Akiceter]

5 hours ago, Procellus said:

 

Ok think of it this way, a Tanker is there to tank the damage for the team, correct? If we follow your logic (Why do Blasters have melee when they are a ranged class) then we can ask, "Why do Tankers have attacks when they are just there to mitigate damage?"

 

For a couple reasons: 1) it wouldn't be fun to just sit there mashing taunt all day. 2) Every non-damage-oriented ATs secondary is to do damage.

 

Blasters -primary- role is ranged damage. Their secondary role is usually melee damage. Hence why most of the melee stuff is in the -secondary- powerset.

No. A tank is both a damage sponge and a melee fighter. This is why they are listed in both playstyles. The fact that blasters are not in the melee playstyle. And even the description for blasters basically indicates this. 

[Akiceter]

5 hours ago, Without_Pause said:

You took four powers from the Med pool including two heals. So yes, you wanted to heal. 

Blasters have never since day one been a purely ranged class. In fact, their most damaging attacks come from melee. Needless to say, I'm not sure you actually understand the intent of a Blaster from the Dev's standpoint.

Thank you for explaining why question are asked.  Mabe you can now explain that view point in a way that makes any logic?

[Procellus]

34 minutes ago, Akiceter said:

No. A tank is both a damage sponge and a melee fighter. This is why they are listed in both playstyles. The fact that blasters are not in the melee playstyle. And even the description for blasters basically indicates this. 

Blasters aren't described as healers either and yet you take the Medicine pool.

 

[Akiceter]

45 minutes ago, Procellus said:

Blasters aren't described as healers either and yet you take the Medicine pool.

 

Power Pools are optional. No one has to have any ability in them outside of travel powers.  This doesn't prove anything.

[PyroBeetle]

While I do understand the draw of Drain Psych, and have played a Psychic Blast Mental Manipulation blaster after the changes, I do not think that the pairing works well as a ranged blaster. Ignoring the PBAoE is just handcuffing yourself, and defeating enemies while handcuffed is not easy.

 

If your goal is to make a ranged blaster, other sets work a lot better for this. The Tactical Arrow secondary in particular is strong for a ranged blaster, offering good tools to help keep mobs at range, and extra ranged damage in Oil Slick. I have played Ice/TA and Fire/TA into Incarnate levels, and found them both quite strong, though in different ways. However, I am just beginning the Incarnate journey with my Assault Rifle/TA blaster and have found this pairing to be the chef's kiss for a ranged blaster. Please keep in mind I do not farm my toons up, I level them through play, both solo and teams to get an idea as to how to play them.

 

Enjoying a set oftentimes means maximizing what it does well, otherwise you are just hurting yourself and worse, your team.

Edited November 22, 2023 by PyroBeetle

[ninja surprise]

On 11/20/2023 at 9:53 PM, Akiceter said:

I don't think its relative. It is not really a good reason as why a blaster should have a melee attack when the way it set up on character creation design basically indicates it's a mid at closest to long range and not any closer.

 

But that's the point. On a team you are nothing but in the way of your melee fighters.  Having a range player run up to a target puts them in the way for melee fighters get between targets.  Basically, on a team you would want your melee members up front.  With all the others mixed between mid-range and long range.

 

To use your example. It would be like using a gunman fighting upfront with a swordsman. And to be honest it's pointless to use a bayonet with guns anymore even in the game. The main reason they were used is due to how bad and basically in many respects just downright useless they were.

 

So if you're playing a Blaster and some mobs run up to you into melee range, do you feel like you have to stop attacking because they got too close? You have to wait for some melee ATs to come punch them?

 

What if you look at it a different way: Attacks are typed in order to match up with defense types. Instead of thinking of it as a melee attack, think of it as a short range attack? You can plan out your attack circles in distances of 7', 10', 40', 80', etc. Then you can consider all attacks as ranged attacks with different effective distances. And the Blaster's short range attacks typically do the most damage. 

 

Did you know you can completely skip the Playstyle screen and go straight to Archtypes and then you're not limited to choosing a Ranged or Melee playstyle? You can choose your Origin, then go to Archtype and pick a Blaster with intent to have melee attacks.

 

It really does sound like you'd be happier with a Corrupter, maybe a Psychic/Thermal. Then you won't have any melee attacks offered to you, and you can heal yourself and your team, and rez and buff fallen teammates.

[Akiceter]

2 hours ago, ninja surprise said:

 

So if you're playing a Blaster and some mobs run up to you into melee range, do you feel like you have to stop attacking because they got too close? You have to wait for some melee ATs to come punch them?

 

What if you look at it a different way: Attacks are typed in order to match up with defense types. Instead of thinking of it as a melee attack, think of it as a short range attack? You can plan out your attack circles in distances of 7', 10', 40', 80', etc. Then you can consider all attacks as ranged attacks with different effective distances. And the Blaster's short range attacks typically do the most damage. 

 

Did you know you can completely skip the Playstyle screen and go straight to Archtypes and then you're not limited to choosing a Ranged or Melee playstyle? You can choose your Origin, then go to Archtype and pick a Blaster with intent to have melee attacks.

 

It really does sound like you'd be happier with a Corrupter, maybe a Psychic/Thermal. Then you won't have any melee attacks offered to you, and you can heal yourself and your team, and rez and buff fallen teammates.

You're comparing two different scenarios and saying it's the same. So no. If you have a gun and they have a knife, would you go up to them and shot? No, you are most likely would stay back and shoot as far away as possible and as they come to you. You would whittle away at them as you fall back. And if mixing up the close/mid/long range is how you make this make any logic. it's a failure. Comparing the range of a bladed weapon to a gun and saying that since they both have range doesn't mean you would use a gun like a like the other.

[ninja surprise]

2 minutes ago, Akiceter said:

You're comparing two different scenarios and saying it's the same. So no. If you have a gun and they have a knife, would you go up to them and shot? No, you are most likely would stay back and shoot as far away as possible and as they come to you. You would whittle away at them as you fall back. And if mixing up the close/mid/long range is how you make this make any logic. it's a failure. Comparing the range of a bladed weapon to a gun and saying that since they both have range doesn't mean you would use a gun like a like the other.

 

Whereas you're apparently saying that because a hero has ranged attacks, they cannot have melee attacks. That because they have a gun, they cannot shoot someone nearby. You're the only one comparing knife range with gun range to justify your position, and trying to support your assertion that because one screen on the character creator says "Ranged" then the AT obviously shouldn't have any non-ranged powers. 

But it's your game and you can play how you want. People make petless Masterminds, you can make a Blaster who switches from fighting to healing when the mobs get too close.

[Akiceter]

3 hours ago, PyroBeetle said:

While I do understand the draw of Drain Psych, and have played a Psychic Blast Mental Manipulation blaster after the changes, I do not think that the pairing works well as a ranged blaster. Ignoring the PBAoE is just handcuffing yourself, and defeating enemies while handcuffed is not easy.

 

If your goal is to make a ranged blaster, other sets work a lot better for this. The Tactical Arrow secondary in particular is strong for a ranged blaster, offering good tools to help keep mobs at range, and extra ranged damage in Oil Slick. I have played Ice/TA and Fire/TA into Incarnate levels, and found them both quite strong, though in different ways. However, I am just beginning the Incarnate journey with my Assault Rifle/TA blaster and have found this pairing to be the chef's kiss for a ranged blaster. Please keep in mind I do not farm my toons up, I level them through play, both solo and teams to get an idea as to how to play them.

 

Enjoying a set oftentimes means maximizing what it does well, otherwise you are just hurting yourself and worse, your team.

Just based on basic stats all 3 are actually crap.

 

Mind Probe in comparison to Mental blast is just garbage. Considering that MP is melee and MB is ranged you would think one would do better. But the truth is MB is superior.

 

Drain Psyche would be more suited for a tank then a blaster. Yes this is an opinion. But think about it this way if you could choose between a power that up front gave you 75 end and this witch would you chose? Especially if you use P2W to get only blue ins.

 

As for Psychic wall i could do better and more dam spamming lower powers then using this.

[Akiceter]

3 minutes ago, ninja surprise said:

 

Whereas you're apparently saying that because a hero has ranged attacks, they cannot have melee attacks. That because they have a gun, they cannot shoot someone nearby. You're the only one comparing knife range with gun range to justify your position, and trying to support your assertion that because one screen on the character creator says "Ranged" then the AT obviously shouldn't have any non-ranged powers. 

But it's your game and you can play how you want. People make pet less Masterminds, you can make a Blaster who switches from fighting to healing when the mobs get too close.

I never said a blaster couldn't use a range attack at melee distance. Just that anyone with a brain would not get close to an opponent like that when they have a gun. Any gun can shoot a person from 1 inch to whatever its max range is depending on weapon. That being said the only opponents you would ever get close to are melee one as in order for them to do anything they need to get closer and any range one beyond melee will also stay back and shot you.