Voltaic Sentinel

[Scarlet Shocker]

Any good? I've not taken it in a long time because back in the day  it was shite and about as much use as a rubber duck in the Sahara.

 

But something in the back of my mind tells me that it had a couple of passes to make it worthwhile.

 

Anyone have any input on the veracity of this?

[biostem]

I think it's a matter of how you look at it;  I basically treat it like a ranged damage aura.  It doesn't replace a full-fledged attack, but for a defender or corruptor, that may need to focus on buffing/debuffing/healing, it's a nice way to keep some dps going...

[nihilii]

Yes, this is correct: it got buffed to toggle status and it's now excellent seeing as it's perma. "Ranged Damage Aura" is a good way to look at it.

[Uun]

I use it with my Elec sentinel. It has one attack that does about half the damage of your T1 but has a 1.25s recharge. Not as much damage as a controller pet, but definitely more than Interface DoT. Keep in mind that it can't be targeted, so anything it attacks will aggro on you. Don't forget to turn it off when stealthing. The toggle shuts off whenever you zone, so you have to resummon when you enter missions.

[Go0gleplex]

It can be used to 'scout' around corners for mobs blocked from sight as well giving you a few precious seconds to setup for the now aggro'd foes. IMO it's a pretty good little power for the set. 

[Scarlet Shocker]

Useful input, thanks guys.

 

I'm remaking Scarlet on a different shard so I wanted to be a bit experimental with her build which is all-Elec blaster

[Black Talon]

Coming in a bit late with this, but pleased that someone brought up this overly-ignored topic, Scarlet Shocker.

 

Voltaic Sentinel is a power I've got, and have used, on one alt and one alt only: my Storm Summoner/Electric Blast Defender.  With him, I've found the power to be highly situational; when doing the hostage-rescue bit, and after taking out the boss and his/her chumps with the Lightning Storm/Freezing Rain/Snow Storm/Hurricane combo, I take moment to call up my friend "Sparky", and let said hostage know that he'll be helping us on the way out.  At this point there are only the three wave attacks to anticipate - I make it a point to clear the board before taking the hostage in hand and beelining toward the exit - and Sparky has often proven a real help in making sure that such retributive attacks by the bad guys will not be much more than an xp (and possibly inspiration)-bonus-with-effort.

 

Working solo, I will not put Sparky to use when making my way through a mission initially, as there's just too much damn chance of a bad guy walking into range and screwing up the whole surprise-attack thing because Sparky just couldn't keep it in his pants.  With groups, however, Sparky is a welcome addition, and will often serve as the clean-up batter when the rest of the gang are concentrating on taking out Arch-Villain X.

 

Highly situational, yeah...but I do enjoy having Voltaic Sentinel as a resource, and the purple IO set I've got in place for him certainly offers some nice side benefits as well.

[Scarlet Shocker]

21 minutes ago, Black Talon said:

....but pleased that someone brought up this overly-ignored topic, Scarlet Shocker.

 

Mostly I was wondering if it's enough damage to take a power pick, seems it might be. I get that it's situational... whcih is fine, many powers are.

 

But I've got to say I've never been called an "overly-ignored topic" before 🤣

[Greycat]

13 hours ago, Scarlet Shocker said:

Any good? I've not taken it in a long time because back in the day  it was shite and about as much use as a rubber duck in the Sahara.

 

But something in the back of my mind tells me that it had a couple of passes to make it worthwhile.

 

Anyone have any input on the veracity of this?

 

I *hate* the current voltaic sentinel and want the old one back. It's a toggle now because "OMG I have to click something." It was *far* more useful before.

 

Far as I'm concerned, it's seriously nerfed and the only reason any elec. blast characters have it is that they had it before the nerf and I don't want to bother respeccing.

[Scarlet Shocker]

8 hours ago, Greycat said:

 

I *hate* the current voltaic sentinel and want the old one back. It's a toggle now because "OMG I have to click something." It was *far* more useful before.

 

Far as I'm concerned, it's seriously nerfed and the only reason any elec. blast characters have it is that they had it before the nerf and I don't want to bother respeccing.

 

Interesting assessment. In what way do you consider it to be nerfed?

[FupDup]

3 hours ago, Scarlet Shocker said:

 

Interesting assessment. In what way do you consider it to be nerfed?

I can't speak for him, but my guess is that since it's a toggle that means it gets dropped if you get endurance drained or mezz'd, whereas a clicky would persist until its duration expired (or the owner died). As a toggle that also means a slightly higher continuous endurance load that needs to be built around vs. a periodic clicky. 

[KC4800]

I'd rather it be like Gun Drone.

 

Even if you can't place it around a corner, it stays near you and takes taunt enhancers which is why a blaster would want it; to shed aggro.

 

Currently, it decides sometimes to park itself at the last location and doesn't move to your new location, even when you turn around and look at it. I ended up dropping that toggle and respawning it. Why even have it as a toggle if it does that?

[Shenanigunner]

My lifetime #2 alt is an Electric/Electric blaster. I've gone back and forth with Voltaic Sentinel, taking it only when there's no good alternative (while leveling) and keeping it only when maxed out and I have a free slot. It's... meh. Never found it very useful.

 

It also can run ahead and draw aggro before you're ready, always a bad thing for solo squishies.

 

I'd recommend as above: take it if it's the best option at whatever level, spec it out when you have other AoE powers, put it back only if you don't have any better power for that slot later. But I wouldn't waste slots on it, not past two or three.

Edited December 20, 2023 by Shenanigunner

[Scarlet Shocker]

I get that powers are inherently skippable - but that should not apply to a T8 power surely? Sounds like it's a deliberate gimp of an already low power attack set. I'm trying to think of the logic behind that.

[drbuzzard]

I use it happily on all my electric blast sentinels. Since as a sentinel, pulling extra aggro really doesn't matter, it's just more damage and that is good. 

[biostem]

40 minutes ago, Scarlet Shocker said:

I get that powers are inherently skippable - but that should not apply to a T8 power surely? Sounds like it's a deliberate gimp of an already low power attack set. I'm trying to think of the logic behind that.

As I mentioned earlier - it's a matter of how you look at the power.  I can't think of another ranged attack set that gets a power you toggle on and goes about attacking on its own without you having to do anything else.  Maybe it needs its damage or end cost adjusted, but that's another story...

[FupDup]

4 minutes ago, drbuzzard said:

I use it happily on all my electric blast sentinels. Since as a sentinel, pulling extra aggro really doesn't matter, it's just more damage and that is good. 

Since Sents have armor that does also mean that they will rarely have VT get detoggled due to mezz (one of the drawbacks to making it a toggle). 

 

It's only appropriate that the literal Sentinel archetype gets more mileage out of a Voltaic Sentinel than the others. 😁

[aethereal]

It's not a ton of damage, but it's "free" damage on top of your normal rotation, that you aren't spending animation time on.  That makes it pretty valuable in situations where you're facing a single foe or small group.  In its old incarnation as a clicky, it was worthwhile but involved a LOT of management and it was kind of frustrating.  In its new incarnation as a toggle, uh....  if you get mezzed, it's worthwhile but involves a LOT of management and is kind of frustrating.  Sentinels and grouped or late-game Blasters/Corruptors/Defenders who get mez protection from an ally or from Incarnate powers, on the other hand, should have a pretty easy time with it.

[GM Crumpet]

I've got it on something that is a click and point which is very irritating. Not sure what the AT is though. I'd rather it was a toggle.

[Water]

Not used it before but recently I alted to a toon which uses it. I find VS is an excellent distraction whilst I blast the excreter out of foes.

[Uun]

3 hours ago, GM Crumpet said:

I've got it on something that is a click and point which is very irritating. Not sure what the AT is though. I'd rather it was a toggle.

Dominators still have the old version.

[Scarlet Shocker]

It does sound like there's a case to be made for different versions for different ATs.

 

I get that it adds flavour, but when I played Scarlet regularly on live VS was a turd and it doesn't sound like it's improved any since.

[Shenanigunner]

23 hours ago, GM Crumpet said:

I've got it on something that is a click and point which is very irritating. Not sure what the AT is though. I'd rather it was a toggle.

 

Pretty sure my blaster has it as a location point. I bind it to something like an Alt-doubleclick and it's a breeze. Still... meh, though.

[GM Crumpet]

5 hours ago, Shenanigunner said:

 

Pretty sure my blaster has it as a location point. I bind it to something like an Alt-doubleclick and it's a breeze. Still... meh, though.

True. But it's something else that does damage and stun I don't have to herd around

[Shenanigunner]

1 hour ago, GM Crumpet said:

True. But it's something else that does damage and stun I don't have to herd around

 

That sounds vaguely like a slap at players, here. 😄