Beginner friendly (near) immortal Tanker good for leveling and end-game: Stone/Fire Melee.

[DaddyLee]

1 hour ago, Sovera said:

 

For that Stone/MA?

Yes sir. 

[Sovera]

3 hours ago, DaddyLee said:

Yes sir. 

 

I've got three but I think this one is the most balanced. The AoE of MA is weak so I took Psionic Tornado to help it since I had free powers to waste on the pre-requisites. There's a case to be said to go for Fireball instead (same waste of pre-requisites but Fire damage is better than Psi damage) but Harmonic Mind adds another extra to help with the blue bar that Stone Armor kinda needs: Tanker (Stone Armor - MA) Final build.mbd

 

There's a version with Focused accuracy as I usually go for and one with Fireball. Fireball is the simplest since the slotting is the same but Psionic Mastery is replaced by Fire Mastery, and the Focused Accuracy simply dumps the slots around. Since having the extra powers and extra slots there's no special reason to go the Focussed Accuracy route considering the build is at minimum 94% to hit +3 enemies. There's always the danger of fighting accuracy debuffing enemies which makes me leery of leaving home without FA but it's a case of respeccing if it becomes a nuisance.

 

Either way the build ends with 55% defense, 60% with Weave toggled on, 65% with Barrier, and 76%-ish resistances with two stacks of the ATO, 81%ish with Barrier. F/C is capped at 90% even without Barrier since it's the only one without defenses. Psi is 'only' at 45%, 51%  with Weave, and 56% with Barrier, but psi does not debuff defense so 45% is all it requires.

[DaddyLee]

5 hours ago, Sovera said:

 

I've got three but I think this one is the most balanced. The AoE of MA is weak so I took Psionic Tornado to help it since I had free powers to waste on the pre-requisites. There's a case to be said to go for Fireball instead (same waste of pre-requisites but Fire damage is better than Psi damage) but Harmonic Mind adds another extra to help with the blue bar that Stone Armor kinda needs: Tanker (Stone Armor - MA) Final build.mbd

 

There's a version with Focused accuracy as I usually go for and one with Fireball. Fireball is the simplest since the slotting is the same but Psionic Mastery is replaced by Fire Mastery, and the Focused Accuracy simply dumps the slots around. Since having the extra powers and extra slots there's no special reason to go the Focussed Accuracy route considering the build is at minimum 94% to hit +3 enemies. There's always the danger of fighting accuracy debuffing enemies which makes me leery of leaving home without FA but it's a case of respeccing if it becomes a nuisance.

 

Either way the build ends with 55% defense, 60% with Weave toggled on, 65% with Barrier, and 76%-ish resistances with two stacks of the ATO, 81%ish with Barrier. F/C is capped at 90% even without Barrier since it's the only one without defenses. Psi is 'only' at 45%, 51%  with Weave, and 56% with Barrier, but psi does not debuff defense so 45% is all it requires.

I appreciate this. While I value the build, the knowledge you're sharing is invaluable. Thank you very much!

[BurtHutt]

What is the viability of Stone/Staff? Staff is a big unknown as I've never really leveled a staff toon. If it's a good combo, do you have a build for it?

[Without_Pause]

17 minutes ago, BurtHutt said:

What is the viability of Stone/Staff? Staff is a big unknown as I've never really leveled a staff toon. If it's a good combo, do you have a build for it?

Weaker damage but better utility. 

[Psyonico]

31 minutes ago, BurtHutt said:

What is the viability of Stone/Staff? Staff is a big unknown as I've never really leveled a staff toon. If it's a good combo, do you have a build for it?

Staff is considered low damage, but it does bring in things like the +resist in Sky Splitter, which, depending on your build, could be useful.

 

Also, Staff in Granite form is just about as funny as some of the MA attacks in Granite.

[Maelwys]

28 minutes ago, BurtHutt said:

What is the viability of Stone/Staff? Staff is a big unknown as I've never really leveled a staff toon. If it's a good combo, do you have a build for it?

 

IMO Staff is a decent mixture of AOE damage and additional mitigation (+13.3% Damage Resistance from Form of the Body + Sky Splitter, plus 15% base +Melee/Lethal Defense from Guarded Spin that is enhanceable and can stack with itself). Whilst the DPA isn't quite top tier, its animations *feel* satisfying; and Gauntlet's Radius and Target Cap buffs end up working overtime on Guarded Spin, Innocuous Strikes and Eye of the Storm, meaning that on a Tanker the set can become a total woodchipper if it's procced out.

 

However it also has a smidge of utility in the form of -Res debuffs (Form of the Body + Eye of the Storm, an Achilles Heel Proc in Mercurial Blow and a Fury of the Gladiator Proc in Eye of the Storm) and a Ranged attack (Serpent's Reach) plus lots of opportunities for Force Feedback +Recharge procs.

 

Personally I find Staff to mesh best with Bio Armor, but I'm sure a Willpower or non-Granite Stone Tanker might also appreciate the mix of +Res and specific Defense buffs too...

[BurtHutt]

19 minutes ago, Maelwys said:

 

IMO Staff is a decent mixture of AOE damage and additional mitigation (+13.3% Damage Resistance from Form of the Body + Sky Splitter, plus 15% base +Melee/Lethal Defense from Guarded Spin that is enhanceable and can stack with itself). Whilst the DPA isn't quite top tier, its animations *feel* satisfying; and Gauntlet's Radius and Target Cap buffs end up working overtime on Guarded Spin, Innocuous Strikes and Eye of the Storm, meaning that on a Tanker the set can become a total woodchipper if it's procced out.

 

However it also has a smidge of utility in the form of -Res debuffs (Form of the Body + Eye of the Storm, an Achilles Heel Proc in Mercurial Blow and a Fury of the Gladiator Proc in Eye of the Storm) and a Ranged attack (Serpent's Reach) plus lots of opportunities for Force Feedback +Recharge procs.

 

Personally I find Staff to mesh best with Bio Armor, but I'm sure a Willpower or non-Granite Stone Tanker might also appreciate the mix of +Res and specific Defense buffs too...

 

I hesitate on BIO tanks due to the DDR issue. There is mitigation but I tend not to go DEF on tanks - some exceptions here, of course.

 

Do you, by chance, have a build for a stone/staff tank? Does anyone? I am looking for softcap RES to most, if not atll, and whatever else...

[Maelwys]

2 hours ago, BurtHutt said:

 

I hesitate on BIO tanks due to the DDR issue. There is mitigation but I tend not to go DEF on tanks - some exceptions here, of course.

 

Do you, by chance, have a build for a stone/staff tank? Does anyone? I am looking for softcap RES to most, if not atll, and whatever else...

IceSphere's Dropbox has one sitting in it - Tanker (Stone Armor - Staff Fighting).mbd



The closest I have personally played is a Bio Armor/Staff Tanker and a Rad Melee/Stone Armor Brute.

That said, I've found that DDR very much tends not to an issue for my Bio/Staff Tanker given that they can "turtle up" and keep Guarded Spin double-stacked indefinitely.
(admittedly it helps that the vast majority of -Defence inflicting attacks are either Lethal typed or Melee positional or both)
I've posted their full in-game stats before here; but they tend to sit in Offensive Adaptation + Form of the Body Stances and use Guarded Spin in both their AoE and ST attack chain; keeping at least one stack up at all times. That puts them at the regular content Defense softcap to F/C/E/N and Melee, and not far off it to Lethal.
In "Turtle Mode" with two stacks up they end up with a very comfortable Defense buffer before incarnates.


Resistancewise they're hardcapped to S/L and not far off Toxic; plus about 50-55% to F/C/E/N/P with the ST chain going. Ablative Carapace is up every <30s granting ~1874 Absorb; Max HP sits at ~3220 and it's common to see HP regen well into the 200's (~230ish if I'm paying attention even in Offensive stance). So they're a pretty chonky brick.
I wouldn't say it's a beginner-friendly build exactly; but it's not hugely expensive - mine's only got one HO and no Winter Sets (albeit 7 Purple IOs and the same number of ATOs).
Tanker (Bio Armor - Staff) (CT + Taunt + SS).mbd

 

Edited November 10, 2024 by Maelwys

[Manitou]

On 2/23/2024 at 2:18 PM, Sovera said:

 

  Hide contents

The recipe for the build is having a brutal amount of defense in the extreme low levels. By level 13 the player should have 39% defense with nothing more than:

 

- Two slots in both their armors with two defense SOs (a third one would put the defense at 40% but we're slot starved at the very start).

- Stone Skin with both defense uniques.

- Obtaining the Defense Amplifiers from the START vendor (adds 5%. This will eventually run out but by then we have more slots and bonuses that take over).

 

The defense SOs are about 12k, the amplifier bought at level 1 is 1k (but remember to buy eight, so 8k), and as mentioned both uniques are about 12 million.

 

That's it.

 

 

Note: even without both uniques the player will still have 33% defense. This is a sweet spot where one small purple pushes the defense to 45% (which is the softcap anyway). So it's viable to start with this and then earn the money. The difference being that having those 6% from both uniques makes the reliance on Lucks much smaller and it is less of a hassle to be combining inspirations or going to purchase more between missions.

 

 

At this point and under level 20 the player is functionally immortal. But if really pushing the envelope (I went to 0x6 from level 4 onwards and then 0x8 at 20) then take two/four green inspirations and the rest small purples (Lucks). If HP drops under half then eat one small purple. If facing enemies that debuff defense then two small purples. This is still needed once in a while since Rooted is weak in the very low levels between stat squish and lack of slots but by level 20-25  inspirations should no longer be necessary. Feel free to stock up on reds or combine into reds.

 

Hi, Sovera,

Thank you so much. I played a bit when the game first came out and was thrilled when I saw it got a second life. I've been messing around and due to this game's severe enablement of my altitis, I've had a bit of trouble gaining traction with anything. But I do so want to try this build out and it just sounds fun and I do wind up soloing a lot. You mention the two unique defensive enhancements in Stone Skin - are those the level 10 ones I see in MIDS? I'm sorry, but I am a newb at this game still. Further, are the SO enhancements the ones I buy off the vendor (not the SMART vendor) or do I search the AH for them? Just trying to get my bearings. Should I be upgrading the enhancements as I level or is it cheaper to buy new ones? So many questions, but I was just hoping you might be able to offer some insights. Much appreciation for your efforts!

 

 

 

[Sovera]

10 hours ago, Manitou said:

Hi, Sovera,

Thank you so much. I played a bit when the game first came out and was thrilled when I saw it got a second life. I've been messing around and due to this game's severe enablement of my altitis, I've had a bit of trouble gaining traction with anything. But I do so want to try this build out and it just sounds fun and I do wind up soloing a lot. You mention the two unique defensive enhancements in Stone Skin - are those the level 10 ones I see in MIDS? I'm sorry, but I am a newb at this game still. Further, are the SO enhancements the ones I buy off the vendor (not the SMART vendor) or do I search the AH for them? Just trying to get my bearings. Should I be upgrading the enhancements as I level or is it cheaper to buy new ones? So many questions, but I was just hoping you might be able to offer some insights. Much appreciation for your efforts!

Welcome to the fold, my super brethren! Don't worry about asking questions as we all went through it. Most of us just have been around longer, but we all started without a clue.

Now, most of those questions have answers in the newbie guide that is in my signature. And probably more you're not yet aware of, so take a gander at it.

The two uniques are the Steadfast Protection 3% defense and the Gladiator's Armor 3%. The SOs are the enhancements sold by any vendor. There was a time where you'd have to chase different vendors to get the ones right for you but these days any base vendor will have them. If you don't have a Supergroup base yet then consider making a basic one to plop these NPCs down, like a quartermaster, a midnighter trainer, a nurse, perhaps a tailor too. Then you can teleport to your base and train and purchase the enhancements you need. It's a one time thing you can share with all your alts so worth the few minutes it takes to set it up.

If you have more questions or doubts even after reading the newbie guide then ask and we'll help. The community's great and quite helpful.

[Manitou]

54 minutes ago, Sovera said:

Welcome to the fold, my super brethren! Don't worry about asking questions as we all went through it. Most of us just have been around longer, but we all started without a clue.

Now, most of those questions have answers in the newbie guide that is in my signature. And probably more you're not yet aware of, so take a gander at it.

The two uniques are the Steadfast Protection 3% defense and the Gladiator's Armor 3%. The SOs are the enhancements sold by any vendor. There was a time where you'd have to chase different vendors to get the ones right for you but these days any base vendor will have them. If you don't have a Supergroup base yet then consider making a basic one to plop these NPCs down, like a quartermaster, a midnighter trainer, a nurse, perhaps a tailor too. Then you can teleport to your base and train and purchase the enhancements you need. It's a one time thing you can share with all your alts so worth the few minutes it takes to set it up.

If you have more questions or doubts even after reading the newbie guide then ask and we'll help. The community's great and quite helpful.

Thank you so much for your help. Was able to grab those two and I put the five uniques into Combustion as recommended. Beastly so far (ran into a couple purples and first instinct was to run, but I just leaned into it and took 'em out - was very satisfying!). Reading the newbie guide now. Thanks for your efforts. Truly appreciate you!