Psychic Blast - Mental Manipulation

[EnjoyTheJourney]

Not sure what analysis led to the conclusion that mental blast is a better power than mind probe.

When comparing those powers, consider the following ...

 

Mental blast: cast time 1.67 seconds, base damage 102.6, DPA = 61.4

Mind probe: cast time 1.17 seconds, base damage 91.2, DPA = 91.2 / 1.17 = 78.0

Mind probe does roughly 25% more damage per second of animation time (DPA) than mental blast. Mind probe also accepts more damage procs than mental blast, which gives mind probe an even higher ceiling for DPA than the initial 25% advantage would suggest.

 

You'd be doing well to get noticeably and consistently more than 200 DPA with mental blast with procs and without build up, aim, or external damage buffs. In comparison, you can proc out mind probe and get noticeably over 300 DPA with just an incarnate alpha that offers damage (and no other damage buffs). That's about a 50%+ increase in DPA for mind probe, when compared with mental blast. 

 

[Without_Pause]

6 hours ago, Akiceter said:

Just that anyone with a brain would not get close to an opponent like that when they have a gun. 

So you've never seen a Gun-Fu or Gun-Kata film?

[Akiceter]

17 hours ago, EnjoyTheJourney said:

Not sure what analysis led to the conclusion that mental blast is a better power than mind probe.

When comparing those powers, consider the following ...

 

Mental blast: cast time 1.67 seconds, base damage 102.6, DPA = 61.4

Mind probe: cast time 1.17 seconds, base damage 91.2, DPA = 91.2 / 1.17 = 78.0

Mind probe does roughly 25% more damage per second of animation time (DPA) than mental blast. Mind probe also accepts more damage procs than mental blast, which gives mind probe an even higher ceiling for DPA than the initial 25% advantage would suggest.

 

You'd be doing well to get noticeably and consistently more than 200 DPA with mental blast with procs and without build up, aim, or external damage buffs. In comparison, you can proc out mind probe and get noticeably over 300 DPA with just an incarnate alpha that offers damage (and no other damage buffs). That's about a 50%+ increase in DPA for mind probe, when compared with mental blast. 

 

True but I'm just take it by the basic stats and no modification as they both would take the same amount of increase so I'm only going by the individual base stats. I still think MB is better. To better explain I'll say it like this. You are playing this Blaster set. You walk down a hall, and a melee character is there. Now instead of walking up to it and using MP. It would be better to employ Subdue, along with MB and Telecentric Blast. Blasters aren't bult to take a lot of damage. And getting close to a melee fighter plays more to its strengths then a blaster. Yes, some melee target can get beyond melee range attacks. But to compare them to what they can do as a melee attack or even a blaster or other mid to long range attack. Its way more survivable than what melee attacks they have. Now if they don't have a power like that then all they can do is stand and just wait to die. So why walk up to it just for a at min 25% more dam? As for a target that also is a mid to long range ability user.  I think it's just a waste of time to walk up to it rather than just out gun it. Furthermore, with Scare you can diminish the incoming attacks. This is especially good since it won't disappear as you attack them unlike Dominate Will.  In the end the +25% dam doesn't really impress me. Now if it were a mid-range attack rather than melee, I would think different.

 

16 hours ago, Without_Pause said:

So you've never seen a Gun-Fu or Gun-Kata film?

No i have never heard of them. But sure, the blasters aren't based off them also.

[Onlyasandwich]

I'm seeing a lot of very strong opinions about Blaster playstyle here, @Akiceter. Clearly the arguments you are seeing from others aren't convincing to you! That's okay - we all have our preferred approach to the game.

 

However, it is undeniably true that melee powers on blasters are very powerful. Blasters aren't really very squishy at all when properly built, and there are many ways to mitigate the dangers of melee (controls, timing, jousting, literally just killing them with the attack so they can't strike back, etc).

 

I don't think real life comparisons are all that helpful. In real life, of course you would be daft to charge in with a knife when you have a gun. There is very real danger. City of Heroes is not as challenging as life, and the stakes are much lower as well. 

 

If you take advantage of the IO system, you are able to leverage these modest advantages in damage and also:

• Take advantage of more diverse set bonuses to achieve build goals.
• Proc bomb key powers (melee powers have more options as others have pointed out) to further exaggerate the damage advantage of melee.
• Drastically increase your survival by pursuing defense softcap or other useful IO strategies.
• Shore up weaknesses in certain primaries (lacking ST or aoe? Your secondary's melee attacks are here to help)

 

In any case, all power to you if you prefer a pure ranged playstyle! You can still make viable builds, but certain secondaries will be much weaker than their potential with this focus. This is especially true if you are skipping key blaster powers like your nuke or sustain.

 

I would encourage you to experiment with some of these powers, as well as other secondaries that you might dismiss as weak (tactical arrow is in fact outstanding), not having experienced them. Concept is king in CoH, and you are in control of your own character! 

Edited November 23, 2023 by Onlyasandwich

[Akiceter]

1 minute ago, Onlyasandwich said:

I'm seeing a lot of very strong opinions about Blaster playstyle here, @Akiceter. Clearly the arguments you are seeing from others aren't convincing to you! That's okay - we all have our preferred approach to the game.

 

However, it is undeniably true that melee powers on blasters are very powerful. Blasters aren't really very squishy at all when properly built, and there are many ways to mitigate the dangers of melee (controls, timing, jousting, literally just killing them with the attack so they can't strike back, etc).

 

I don't think real life comparisons are all that helpful. In real life, of course you would be daft to charge in with a knife when you have a gun. There is very real danger. City of Heroes is not as challenging as life, and the stakes are much lower as well. 

 

If you take advantage of the IO system, you are able to leverage these modest advantages in damage and also:

• Take advantage of more diverse set bonuses to achieve build goals.
• Proc bomb key powers (melee powers have more options as others have pointed out) to further exaggerate the damage advantage of melee.
• Drastically increase your survival by pursuing defense softcap or other useful IO strategies.
• Shore up weaknesses in certain primaries (lacking ST or aoe? Your secondary's melee attacks are here to help)

 

In any case, all power to you if you prefer a pure ranged playstyle! You can still make viable builds, but certain secondaries will be much weaker than their potential with this focus. 

 

I would encourage you to experiment with some of these powers, as well as other secondaries that you might dismiss as weak (tactical arrow is in fact outstanding), not having experienced them. Concept is king in CoH, and you are in control of your own character! 

 

Did you read this?
 

30 minutes ago, Akiceter said:

True but I'm just take it by the basic stats and no modification as they both would take the same amount of increase so I'm only going by the individual base stats. I still think MB is better. To better explain I'll say it like this. You are playing this Blaster set. You walk down a hall, and a melee character is there. Now instead of walking up to it and using MP. It would be better to employ Subdue, along with MB and Telecentric Blast. Blasters aren't bult to take a lot of damage. And getting close to a melee fighter plays more to its strengths then a blaster. Yes, some melee target can get beyond melee range attacks. But to compare them to what they can do as a melee attack or even a blaster or other mid to long range attack. Its way more survivable than what melee attacks they have. Now if they don't have a power like that then all they can do is stand and just wait to die. So why walk up to it just for a at min 25% more dam? As for a target that also is a mid to long range ability user.  I think it's just a waste of time to walk up to it rather than just out gun it. Furthermore, with Scare you can diminish the incoming attacks. This is especially good since it won't disappear as you attack them unlike Dominate Will.  In the end the +25% dam doesn't really impress me. Now if it were a mid-range attack rather than melee, I would think different.

 

No i have never heard of them. But sure, the blasters aren't based off them also.

 

[Onlyasandwich]

1 minute ago, Akiceter said:

Did you read this?

I did! I believe my response acknowledges what you said here in pretty good detail.

 

I'm not sure why this whole conversation seems so controversial to you. Just play how you like! Clearly there is not a lot of common ground between what others have been saying about sets we have built and played many times and what you feel is useful in your own game. 

 

All that to say - carry on in strength! I don't think this conversation is leading anywhere useful at this point. It's just folks explaining their experience and perspective, then you denying the value of that perspective. I'm not certain what the goal is.

 

If the goal is to optimize your build, that's fine! Lay out your priorities and I'm sure folks would be happy to provide feedback. If you are doing things like skipping powers they find to be vital, inevitably that will come up in said feedback. You can graciously ignore these suggestions rather than digging into them.

[MoisesG]

 

lol. trying to force Real Life scenarious into a game. Play the way you want, with the AT and powersets you want. Dont's listen to the adviced YOU ASKED FOR, build your gimp blaster and move on. Enjoy the game..... or not. there are lots of other fighting games that simulate RL fighting conditions, maybe you should try one of them.

Edited November 27, 2023 by MoisesG

[Nemu]

Have you considered playing a blaster combination that caters much better to your pure range approach? Ice/TA, Beam/TA, AR/TA, Archery/TA are all combinations where you never have to get close.

 

Also on melee opponents - How much risk they present depends on your play style. If you joust your attacks melee retaliation is the least threatening thing you need to worry about. It'll always be the ranged reaction/retaliation, especially the ones that mez/debuff, that will get you. If you stand still and expect to trade blows with said opponent like a melee AT then stock up on awakens.

 

Below is a demonstration that debunks the "melee fallacy" that I see in some blaster builds that aims to build up melee defense because they want to use melee attacks in their arsenal. When you master movement melee retaliation is the LEAST of your concerns.

 

 

[tidge]

I also think the OP doesn't really want to play a Blaster. If the hangup is a long the lines of "must use mental powers at range and help a team", maybe a Fortunata is a better fit.

[RCU7115]

On 12/1/2023 at 12:17 PM, tidge said:

I also think the OP doesn't really want to play a Blaster. If the hangup is a long the lines of "must use mental powers at range and help a team", maybe a Fortunata is a better fit.

The OP might have problems with that. Fortunately have melee and pbaoe attack options as well.

  I think a Mental/SR Sentinel would make them happy 😊.

Edited December 3, 2023 by RCU7115