I want to make a "melee" sentinel, need help 🙏

[Frozen Burn]

On 1/20/2024 at 12:36 PM, Hitback said:

I tired of turning my ranged toons into hover blasters, I want to make a sentinel that stays in the middle of the mob and shoots bad guys in the face.

 

I would like some help picking powersets. I was thinking maybe SR secondary (and popping an orange here and then) or Rad (if I'm in the middle of the mob, I might as well throw in a second nuke), but really I'm open to suggestions. Just something that let's me stay alive in melee range.

 

But my real issue is the primaries. It's pure personal preference, but I don't like the feeling of flinging fireballs in melee range. The only primaries that feel good for that reason are the weapon-based ones, and Ele (somehow beams feel better than projectiles). 

 

I avoided weapon-based ranged sets before the redraw changes, so I have no experience with them, but I've heard that DP and AR got buffs. So between DP/AR/BR and Ele, could you tell me what to expect? 

 

Blasters can built to be in melee and survive - they're called "Blappers."  Blaster-turned-Scrapper.  Your secondary power set helps determine whether you're suited for melee or not (look to /Fire, /Mental, /Sonic /Atomic, etc).  You will also generally get melee attacks to add in with your ranged attacks and you SHOULD use your ranged attacks (even Fireball) at point blank range. Many Blasters can be built as PBAOE juggernauts.  Blaster's melee powers are some of the hardest hitting powers too.

 

AR is not a good set to use in Melee on any AT due to all the cones it has.  All other Primary Blast sets are well suited - Dark a little less so due to multiple cones as well, but not ass bad as AR.

 

Sentinels can be made to be in melee range too, but you will be locked into using only ranged powers, including your Targeted AOEs (ie "Fireball" type power) in melee range.  

 

I would suggest making a Blapper or Scrapper... or be ready to "fling fireballs" in melee range with your Sentinel.

 

 

[Hitback]

On 1/20/2024 at 7:49 PM, FupDup said:

One that you didn't mention is Radiation Blast. It comes with 2 PBAOE attacks, making it the most "blappy" ranged set available. 

So this is the one I'm trying, Rad/Rad. All of the PBAoEs. And having a low cooldown AoE hold + Dominate makes me feel like a mini controller.

Edited February 3 by Hitback

[Underfyre]

If you're playing your Sentinel to its maximum potential, you should be in melee range anyway because you're using the 1 melee attack in the Mastery pools. That 1 attack is generally better than most attacks in your Primary pool.

[nihilii]

Funnily enough I tend to skip epic melee attacks these days yet I mostly play in melee range with my Sentinels. Beyond obvious stuff like PBAoEs, there are natural advantages to keeping enemies close and gathered, it helps maximize your AoE efficiency and lets you juggle your foes with precision if you want to dart in and out. I prefer to treat ranged attacks as optionality to shoot runners or back off when taking too much heat, rather than a commandment to stay away at all times. Range is convenience which translates into performance. Range lets me deal 100% of my DPS almost all the time (as opposed to a melee character, where I will waste many deciseconds through *any* fight retargeting).

[Heatstroke]

First off... Let me say this.. Play what you want to play however you want to play it. 

Sentinels depending on build can be effective both at range and in melee. You aren't relegated to hovering blasting on a Sentinel. 

I play a few here are my favorites that have some " melee " ability 

 

Fire/Rad/Fire Mastery Sentinel.- Attack that work well in Melee range. Fireball close range is a PbAoE basically. Inferno PbAoE Nuke up every 90 seconds. Ground Zero an exceptional " Proc Bomb" attack, and lastly Fire Sword Circle from Fire Mastery.  I also use Fire Cages and Rain of Fire in Melee Range as well. 
 

Elec/Elec/Elec Sentinel. As others have mentioned Short Circuit is the gem here. A fast animating attack that does decent damage. However combine it with Power Sink from Elec Armor and you will drain most foes completely of their end bar, which allows for the SHOCKED proc mechanic to take effect.. Then throw Ball Lightning around. With Elec Mastery you have good choices for melee in Havoc Punch and Lightning Field. I chose Chain Fences because it does drain End along with Lightning Field which helps keep the SHOCKED proc mechanic triggering. 

 

Dark/Bio/Dark Mastery. This toon was a surprise for me because I never made it with the idea to be as effective as it is. In fact one of my SG mates told me that it would probably wouldnt be good as Dark Blast has kinda of a " meh " reputation. Well. Its actually Quite good. 

 

Umbral Torrent is a Cone, so that works well in melee range. Dark Obilteration is a Targeted AOE " dark Fireball " if you will. Works well at range and in Melee. Blackstar is your PBAoE Nuke up every 90 seconds. Throw in Netherworld Tentacles Cone  and Engulfing Darkness PbAoE and you have two more powers that work well in Melee.  You also have with BIO excpetional Survival tools. 

Just my few SENTS thrown in.. ( Sents.. Cents.. ha ha bad pun )

 

Edited February 4 by Heatstroke

[Psiphon]

On 1/20/2024 at 5:36 PM, Hitback said:

I tired of turning my ranged toons into hover blasters, I want to make a sentinel that stays in the middle of the mob and shoots bad guys in the face.

 

I would like some help picking powersets. I was thinking maybe SR secondary (and popping an orange here and then) or Rad (if I'm in the middle of the mob, I might as well throw in a second nuke), but really I'm open to suggestions. Just something that let's me stay alive in melee range.

 

But my real issue is the primaries. It's pure personal preference, but I don't like the feeling of flinging fireballs in melee range. The only primaries that feel good for that reason are the weapon-based ones, and Ele (somehow beams feel better than projectiles). 

 

I avoided weapon-based ranged sets before the redraw changes, so I have no experience with them, but I've heard that DP and AR got buffs. So between DP/AR/BR and Ele, could you tell me what to expect? 

Your best option for this style of play would be an Arachnos Soldier not a Sentinel. They have a weapon based primary and defense secondary. 

[MonteCarla]

On 1/31/2024 at 3:52 AM, Harlequin565 said:

I'll put a word in for Elec/En/Elec.

 

I do like Elec on Blasters/Cors, and they do their best at close range with SC which is one of the defining powers in the set for me. Lightning field is really nice (although any Sent could get it as its epic). My build picks Havoc Punch and Paralyzing jolt for additional melee goodness. It's my first Sent. I've tried many others but ended up deleting them for blasters or scrappers instead. This is the first one where I feel like I can double as one or the other in a pinch. It's very solo friendly too.

 

 

I'll second this.

I've got mine to the 40s now and she rocks - and lives almost exclusively in melee range.

Great AoE and single target power, tough enough to survive and I think the best Sapper I've played yet, especially with the group immobilise to stop the drained enemies running off.

[Hitback]

1 hour ago, MonteCarla said:

 

I'll second this.

I've got mine to the 40s now and she rocks - and lives almost exclusively in melee range.

Great AoE and single target power, tough enough to survive and I think the best Sapper I've played yet, especially with the group immobilise to stop the drained enemies running off.

Damn, that sounds nice, I've always wanted to make a sapper, but it didn't really work. I see they added the shock mechanic now, too, giving some payoff to that strategy.

Edited February 14 by Hitback

[Grimm2]

3 hours ago, Hitback said:

Damn, that sounds nice, I've always wanted to make a sapper, but it didn't really work. I see they added the shock mechanic now, too, giving some payoff to that strategy.

I'll third it. I already spoke of dp/sr, but elec/ea/elec was my first built- out sentinel and it's so great. Good damage, Shocked makes partial drain useful against any target, your armor protects against any un-sapped targets, sapped targets are effectively controlled, that basic immobilize stops foes from running away or to your team's backline. /Ea performs very well as a def set with decent resists, a heal, extra health, and endurance tools. Elec blast is also very, very visible on teams, people will know you're there with Thunderous Blasts every half minute 🙂 Teaming with other Elec Blast users is also a joy. 

 

I recall some mish I was exemplared on and some folks got pinned in that CoT prison room. I ate a purple and held the line at the room entrance, immobilizing, sapping, detoggling ghosts' Chill of the Night with Tesla Cage, allowing folks to get up and get out. It was a fine moment to be a Sentinel.

[Ashford]

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On 2/14/2024 at 10:51 AM, Grimm2 said:

I'll third it. I already spoke of dp/sr, but elec/ea/elec was my first built- out sentinel and it's so great. Good damage, Shocked makes partial drain useful against any target, your armor protects against any un-sapped targets, sapped targets are effectively controlled, that basic immobilize stops foes from running away or to your team's backline. /Ea performs very well as a def set with decent resists, a heal, extra health, and endurance tools. Elec blast is also very, very visible on teams, people will know you're there with Thunderous Blasts every half minute 🙂 Teaming with other Elec Blast users is also a joy. 

 

I recall some mish I was exemplared on and some folks got pinned in that CoT prison room. I ate a purple and held the line at the room entrance, immobilizing, sapping, detoggling ghosts' Chill of the Night with Tesla Cage, allowing folks to get up and get out. It was a fine moment to be a Sentinel.

 

anyone ever tested bio for that set? After all if enemies are being disabled with electric combo, that would mean less things hitting the character, which means less time pressing defensive buttons and more pressing actual attacks, then electric saps endurance, making recovery adaption redundant which means only 2 buttons to worry about and being in attack most of the time once enemies are made useless.

Edited April 13 by Ashford

[Uun]

6 hours ago, Ashford said:

anyone ever tested bio for that set? After all if enemies are being disabled with electric combo, that would mean less things hitting the character, which means less time pressing defensive buttons and more pressing actual attacks, then electric saps endurance, making recovery adaption redundant which means only 2 buttons to worry about and being in attack most of the time once enemies are made useless.

I've got an Elec/Bio. It's insanely good. I run in Offensive Adaptation 99% of the time. If I shift it's to Defensive. I keep Ablative on auto, so only 1 button to worry about other than the T9. 

[Grimm2]

5 hours ago, Uun said:

I've got an Elec/Bio. It's insanely good. I run in Offensive Adaptation 99% of the time. If I shift it's to Defensive. I keep Ablative on auto, so only 1 button to worry about other than the T9. 

I've been wanting a concept and excuse to try elec/bio/elec. The bio proc and shocked proc must be a very nice pairing. Bio outside of Tanks has felt overly squishy to me, so the drain mechanic (which I love) might be the ticket. 

 

I also want to try to fit in fences/havoc/dmg aura from the epic, and just haven't put the mids time in to see how possible it is. How do you run yours, @Uun?

[Triumphant]

I play a TON of Sentinels.  You will never make a Sentinel that is mainly a competent melee toon, because the Sentinel is a ranged combat AT.  However, like you, I want to play Sentinel characters that engage in melee some portion of the time.

 

For this purpose, I like to take Air Superiority from the flight pool and Knockout blow from Leviathan mastery.  These are both fun melee attacks that can be decently useful.  Air superiority hits and knocks down the target almost every time, making it a solid attack mitigation power, in this regard.  Knockout Blow is slow to fire and recharge, but looks very cool and does respectable damage.

 

Beyond this, you just have to look at epic pools that give you the most melee attacks.  I don't know that there's all that much to choose from here.  Certainly not enough that you're ever going to run a Sentinel primarily as a melee attacker.  If that's your bag, you just need to pick a scrapper or brute, IMO.  

Now, if you want a solid mix of rng and melee, you're probably looking at either a Blaster or Dominator.

[Uun]

1 hour ago, Grimm2 said:

I've been wanting a concept and excuse to try elec/bio/elec. The bio proc and shocked proc must be a very nice pairing. Bio outside of Tanks has felt overly squishy to me, so the drain mechanic (which I love) might be the ticket. 

 

I also want to try to fit in fences/havoc/dmg aura from the epic, and just haven't put the mids time in to see how possible it is. How do you run yours, @Uun?

Mine is Elec/Bio/Dark. I took Smite, Engulfing Darkness and Darkest Night from the epic. I generally open with Thunderous Blast and follow up with Ball Lightning and Short Circuit, which leaves everything dead or without endurance.