Thwack thwack thwack thwack. Do you like Staff?

[Onlyasandwich]

Staff looks neat, but it gets a pretty bad rap for its long animation times and overall mediocre DPA attacks.

 

I've been continually searching for a concept that fit, and think I've found just the mark! @Carnifax's ice/stone Stalker got me caught on running up a stone armor character that gets to use Geode. I've only run it on a tanker so far.

 

Do you think Staff deserves its reputation? It trades a build up power for some pretty neat effects, and I don't have to waste animation time on build up. Not too bad, really!

 

The next step is making a character that I don't mind watching while it twirls in one place for five minutes 😄

Have I committed any cardinal staff sins here? I'd love to know if my power selection especially misses any obvious gems, and would as always appreciate any slotting insight you have to offer.

 

What I have in mind:

• Stack slow resist.
• Hit close enough to softcap in S/L/E/N/P, and pump F/C as high as I can without sacrificing too many procs.
• Layer as much extra S/L resist on the side as I can.
• Max hit chance against +3's.
• Not rely on epic attacks. The theme of the day is Staff, baby!

 

I like to squeeze in FFback to my ST and aoe attack cycles where possible, and Staff has some pretty great opportunities for this. Even though I'm leaning on Focused Accuracy to enable my proc strategy to a degree, end management should be decent enough even at lower levels with Geode and Staff Mastery to help if needed in a pinch. At higher levels, Conserve Power and all the FFback firing should keep me rolling in the blue well enough.

 

I'm a little concerned about ST punchiness. Sky Splitter is decent, and actually really nice when empowered by a Form, but otherwise I'm filling with ~200ish DPA attacks between Precise Strike and Serpent's Reach. Serpent's Reach probably isn't really necessary for a smooth chain given that innocuous is actually similar DPA, but it presents a good IO set for the build, and having range is convenient.

 

Speaking of Geode - does enhancing Heal here increase the HP on the geode before breaking? Do you get much use out of the power itself?

 

Build:

 

Note that I have my two FFbacks toggled on here, and all forms disabled.

Scrapper (Staff Fighting - Stone Armor).mbd

 

Spoiler

Selected Powers

Level 1: Precise Strike

• Slot Level 1: Superior Scrapper's Strike: Accuracy/Damage
• Slot Level 45: Superior Scrapper's Strike: Damage/Recharge
• Slot Level 45: Superior Scrapper's Strike: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• Slot Level 46: Superior Scrapper's Strike: Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• Slot Level 46: Superior Scrapper's Strike: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• Slot Level 46: Superior Scrapper's Strike: Recharge/Critical Hit Bonus

Level 1: Rock Armor

• Slot Level 1: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• Slot Level 42: Reactive Defenses: Defense
• Slot Level 43: Reactive Defenses: Defense/Endurance
• Slot Level 43: Reactive Defenses: Scaling Resist Damage
• Slot Level 43: Shield Wall: +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
• Slot Level 50: Kismet: Accuracy +6%

Level 2: Stone Skin

• Slot Level 2: Aegis: Resistance/Endurance
• Slot Level 3: Aegis: Resistance
• Slot Level 3: Aegis: Resistance/Recharge
• Slot Level 40: Red Fortune: Defense/Endurance
• Slot Level 42: Red Fortune: Defense
• Slot Level 42: Red Fortune: Defense/Recharge

Level 4: Earth's Embrace

• Slot Level 4: Preventive Medicine: Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance
• Slot Level 5: Preventive Medicine: Heal
• Slot Level 5: Preventive Medicine: Heal/RechargeTime
• Slot Level 17: Aegis: Resistance/Recharge
• Slot Level 40: Aegis: Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
• Slot Level 40: Aegis: Resistance

Level 6: Eye of the Storm

• Slot Level 6: Armageddon: Damage
• Slot Level 7: Armageddon: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy
• Slot Level 7: Armageddon: Recharge/Accuracy
• Slot Level 9: Armageddon: Damage/Endurance
• Slot Level 9: Armageddon: Chance for Fire Damage
• Slot Level 17: Force Feedback: Chance for +Recharge

Level 10: Mud Pots

• Slot Level 10: Superior Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage
• Slot Level 11: Superior Avalanche: Damage/Endurance
• Slot Level 11: Superior Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• Slot Level 13: Superior Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• Slot Level 13: Superior Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• Slot Level 15: Superior Avalanche: Recharge/Chance for Knockdown

Level 12: Combat Jumping

• Slot Level 12: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 14: Hasten

• Slot Level 14: Invention: Recharge Reduction
• Slot Level 15: Invention: Recharge Reduction

Level 16: Rooted

• Slot Level 16: Numina's Convalesence: +Regeneration/+Recovery

Level 18: Serpent's Reach

• Slot Level 18: Superior Winter's Bite: Accuracy/Damage
• Slot Level 19: Superior Winter's Bite: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• Slot Level 19: Superior Winter's Bite: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• Slot Level 34: Superior Winter's Bite: Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime
• Slot Level 37: Superior Winter's Bite: Recharge/Chance for -Speed & -Recharge
• Slot Level 39: Apocalypse: Chance of Damage(Negative)

Level 20: Crystal Armor

• Slot Level 20: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• Slot Level 21: Red Fortune: Defense/Endurance
• Slot Level 21: Red Fortune: Defense
• Slot Level 34: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End

Level 22: Innocuous Strikes

• Slot Level 22: Eradication: Damage
• Slot Level 23: Eradication: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• Slot Level 23: Eradication: Chance for Energy Damage
• Slot Level 33: Obliteration: Damage
• Slot Level 33: Obliteration: Chance for Smashing Damage
• Slot Level 34: Ice Mistral's Torment: Chance for Cold Damage

Level 24: Minerals

• Slot Level 24: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• Slot Level 25: Red Fortune: Defense/Endurance
• Slot Level 25: Red Fortune: Defense

Level 26: Sky Splitter

• Slot Level 26: Superior Blistering Cold: Accuracy/Damage
• Slot Level 27: Superior Blistering Cold: Damage/Endurance
• Slot Level 27: Touch of Death: Chance of Damage(Negative)
• Slot Level 31: Hecatomb: Chance of Damage(Negative)
• Slot Level 31: Superior Critical Strikes: RechargeTime/+50% Crit Proc
• Slot Level 33: Force Feedback: Chance for +Recharge

Level 28: Brimstone Armor

• Slot Level 28: Aegis: Resistance/Endurance
• Slot Level 29: Aegis: Resistance
• Slot Level 29: Aegis: Resistance/Recharge
• Slot Level 31: Aegis: Resistance/Endurance/Recharge

Level 30: Geode

• Slot Level 30: Preventive Medicine: Heal
• Slot Level 50: Preventive Medicine: Chance for +Absorb

Level 35: Tough

• Slot Level 35: Aegis: Resistance/Endurance
• Slot Level 36: Aegis: Resistance
• Slot Level 36: Aegis: Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
• Slot Level 36: Aegis: Psionic/Status Resistance
• Slot Level 37: Steadfast Protection: Resistance/+Def 3%
• Slot Level 37: Gladiator's Armor: TP Protection +3% Def (All)

Level 38: Weave

• Slot Level 38: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• Slot Level 39: Red Fortune: Defense/Endurance
• Slot Level 39: Red Fortune: Defense

Level 41: Super Jump

• Slot Level 41: Winter's Gift: Slow Resistance (20%)

Level 44: Focused Accuracy

• Slot Level 44: Invention: Endurance Reduction
• Slot Level 45: Invention: Endurance Reduction

Level 47: Conserve Power

• Slot Level 47: Invention: Recharge Reduction
• Slot Level 50: Invention: Recharge Reduction

Level 49: Physical Perfection

• Slot Level 49: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End

 

Inherent Powers

Health:

• Slot Level 1: Panacea: +Hit Points/Endurance
• Slot Level 48: Miracle: +Recovery

Stamina:

• Slot Level 1: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End
• Slot Level 48: Performance Shifter: EndMod
• Slot Level 48: Performance Shifter: EndMod/Recharge

 

Incarnate Abilities

Musculature Radial Paragon (Alpha)

 

[Carnifax]

I've done 2 Staff chars : Brute Staff / NRG and Stalker Staff / Inv. I would say the Stalker version of staff is probably the best, Innocuous Strikes dropped for Assassins Poke is great (bit like Ice, one of the meh attacks is replaced by AS). For what it's worth I've attached both. Pretty much like yours, try and get Sky Splitter as proccy as possible as your boss killer. Brute build is from 2020 so isn't amazing. 

 

Also I believe they've improved the handling of redraw which was a bit of a pain / annoyance on my Staff brute who did use Epic attacks. I know you said you didn't want Epics but most of your damage being smashing can be disheartening. 

 

I prefer Guarded to innocuous generally, but you're capped for Lethal anyway so maybe not. Guarded "feels" like it hits more enemies but looking at the stats the cone & range are the same so that's probably perception bias / animation preferences. 

 

Attack wise I think you want both the tier 1 and tier 2 attacks to have a full attack chain and to build up the Perfection quickly. Personally I found the two basic attacks nice on both chars because the animations are snappy. I've found the flow better when using them as quick 1-2s followed by a cone and then Perfection Sky Splitter or Eye of the Storm. 

Snookered - Brute (Staff Fighting).mbd Stalker Staff Inv NoWinters.mbd

[Onlyasandwich]

Thanks, @Carnifax!

 

Stalker does seem pretty appealing here. Innocuous has pretty great DPA procced out, but Assassin's Staff is a big deal for sure. I would miss Mud Pots as well, but the extra little defense and mule slot from Hide helps softcap and provides a bit of freedom. Hmm.

 

I can see where the smooth crack crack of Mercurial > Precise to build perfection would feel good and be a strong chain opener.

 

On a stalker, I'd sort of want to try the (not so newly buffed) Placate though, so would need a bit of power room. I've disregarded Placate in previous stalkers, and @Frosticus's advocacy has inspired me to give it a fair shake! Mocking Beratement is also a pretty amazing set for this combo. With high recharge totals, Precise > Serpent's should be a good opener, though not available at the lowest levels. The DPA is about the same across the board, but Serpent's may not feel as nice given the higher activation.

 

I threw together a build and yeah - Stalker it is! The package is just more cohesive. Guarded Spin is not a 1:1 sub for Innocuous, but it'll do, and I might get some occasional benefit from the Lethal pad. It looks like it basically comes with Form of Body baked in without taking a power pick - even better! No flexibility to pop into Soul or Mind, but I can build around that.

 

 

 

[Thraxen]

I have a brute staff/wp. I like staff. It’s fun.  I’ll have to look at stalker. I think innocuous strike is the one I hate the animation. It’s the angry push broom animation I call it. I skip it on brute although it’s  a fine attack. 

[NYG]

Currently trying the staff out and like it. I am guessing that, like some others, this powerset will start to shine in the 20's. The DoT's are a little underwhelming atm. I am combining it with the Energy defense power set.  Both powers are totally new to me, and I just returned to the game a couple of days ago. My character is only lvl. 11 as of now, so this is just my initial impression.

[Mr. Apocalypse]

I have a lvl 50 staff/dark. I like it ok. It, like all builds in the game, is much better once the holes were filled with incarnate powers and uber slotting..

 

 

[Yomo Kimyata]

On 1/13/2024 at 12:09 AM, Onlyasandwich said:

 

The next step is making a character that I don't mind watching while it twirls in one place for five minutes 😄

 

That's really all you need to know!

 

I like staff a lot.  When I came to HC, it was a new power set to me, and I jumped right in.

 

I think that as designed, it was a really good piece of work with respect to balance.  You get flexibility in the stances that help you with damage or safety or endurance, depending on your wants.  You get, in my opinion, the best defensive offensive power available in the entire game in Guarded Spin (maybe Ice Patch).  If you are playing with SOs, the damage is perhaps not as good as many other sets, but that was the tradeoff.  I think that in the HC environment, where there is no reason to NOT be IO'd to the gills, and where safety is irrelevant when compared to the almighty DPS, and where the concepts of tradeoffs and balance have gone the way of the dodo, people are gonna harp and wonder why in the world doesn't this set have as much damage as Energy Melee?

 

I think it's great and you can make some really incredibly strong builds.  My wish list would be more weapon skins and maybe, maybe some alternative animations.

[BrandX]

What I like about Staff is the Damage Stance (forget the name...but it's the one Stalkers are stuck with) gives 10% Resist All.  A nice chunk of Resist to stack onto your defenses!

[Greldek]

I like the flow and feel of staff, but dislike greatly it's anemic damage. So don't really bother with it anymore.

[Czar]

I have a maxxed Staff/Bio and he's a beast. I did use the COH modder to change the sounds but other than that I can darn near tank with the Brutes and Tank Np at all. 

[ZemX]

I've played Staff on Stalker and Tanker.  The Stalker version is nice because it shores up ST damage which is a particular weak spot.  A Staff Stalker will go through a Pylon a decent amount faster than a Staff Scrapper.  Build Up and Assassin Strike, especially the quick version of AS while scrapping is particularly nice given how abysmal Sky Splitter's DPA is.  And I always end up in Form of Body anyway eventually, so the fact Stalker's are locked into it isn't a big deal except perhaps early leveling where endurance stance might have been convenient.

 

On Tanker, you get just big, fat, AoEs.   Eye of the Storm becomes 15ft radius and hits 16 targets.  Same size as Foot Stomp in SS.  And the two cones go from 90 to 135 degrees and hit ten targets each.  It's a wood chipper against a group of enemies who are all clustering around the Tanker because... Tanker.

 

I think I've tried starting it on a Scrapper a few times but it just doesn't catch on with me.  Need to give it another shot probably.