Ice/SR Build Critique

[icehero]

Hello just started a Ice/SR Stalker and new the the stalker class.

 

This is what I came up with. Could use any critique or recommendations.

Stalker (Ice Melee - Super Reflexes).mbd

[StrikerFox]

I'm not familiar with Ice Melee but generally the Assassin's Guile proc is best in AS. Just so that there is minimal chance that AS will become the slow, interruptable version. 

Consider slotting ATO2, Superior Assassin's Mark, somewhere. It gives a chance to insta-charge Build Up with every attack including Zapp, Ball of Lightning and Judgement incarnate. I believe AoE attacks have a better chance to trigger it.

Consider putting the Gaussian's BU proc in Build Up (Instead of Combat TP). Build Up has a 90s base recharge and the BU proc has a high chance of activating giving your Stalker a double BU buff for 5s. And with the Superior Assassin's Mark insta-charging Build Up will give you double BU fairly frequently.

Endurance might be an issue. Especially if you typically keep Sprint/Ninja Run active while fighting. Your attack chain will burn around 5 end/s, the build has an end gain of 2.2 end/s. Probably be out of endurance in 35s if attacking non-stop. Probably run out in 27s if NR/Sprint are active. Even less if spamming Frozen Aura, Ball Lightning and Zapp when they are available. I recommend slotting attacks with some end reduction. Unless you plan on running with Ageless Destiny as that would solve this issue entirely, but I do like running Rebirth with SR just to have a heal.

The build has Focused Sense slotted lightly with 2 IOs. Agile is heavily slotted with 5 IOs. The build would gain more range defense and DDR if the slotting were reversed since FS provides a higher base def.

Same with Weave and Combat Jump. Weave has a higher base defense than CJ. Swapping the higher LotG +def buff to Weave will give more +def to the build than having it in CJ.

If you're going to take TP Target, might as well mule it. SR is already KB resistant so Blesing of the Zephyr is worthless, but Winter's Gift +slow res or Warp +perception are slottable.

Tough has 4 slots for Unbreakable Guard providing a +melee def bonus and a minimal amount of S/L res. The build is above the melee softcap and taking one slot away will only lose about 0.6 S/L res. That slot could be muled into Sprint for Celerity +2.25% S/L res. Or take Boxing instead of Kick and mule 2 Absolute Amazement for +4% rec. Or if Ice Patch is used frequently, add an end redux. It will reduce it's end cost from 9.8end down to 7end.

Looking at the slotting for Frozen Aura, if willing to use IO Boosters, could drop Obliteration (dam) and 3 slot Armageddon (dam, dam/end, proc). Boosting Armageddon will maintain it's +dam bonus, gain some end redux (17.4 end down to 12.5 end), +6% F/C res and +6.25% mez res. The build will lose is -2.25 S/L res.

Overall the build is pretty good. I like you were able to jam in a lot of damage procs and still make the build playable. It will be trial and error. Play, see what works, respec/change out what doesn't. Also change stuff that are working too well if you know what I mean.
 

[Major_Decoy]

Well, the recharge time of combat teleport is fast enough that the Chance for build-up is going to be kind of unpredictable, though I haven't done my reading there, and it could be that since it has three uses per recharge, it might have three times the proc rate that you'd expect from something with a recharge of six seconds. That said, I'd still rather have the chance for build-up in Build-up.

 

My critique of the build is actually pretty similar to Striker Fox, but you and I have a different build philosophy, so I don't really feel entirely justified in any criticism I might be tempted to give.

[icehero]

9 hours ago, StrikerFox said:

I'm not familiar with Ice Melee but generally the Assassin's Guile proc is best in AS. Just so that there is minimal chance that AS will become the slow, interruptable version. 

Consider slotting ATO2, Superior Assassin's Mark, somewhere. It gives a chance to insta-charge Build Up with every attack including Zapp, Ball of Lightning and Judgement incarnate. I believe AoE attacks have a better chance to trigger it.

Consider putting the Gaussian's BU proc in Build Up (Instead of Combat TP). Build Up has a 90s base recharge and the BU proc has a high chance of activating giving your Stalker a double BU buff for 5s. And with the Superior Assassin's Mark insta-charging Build Up will give you double BU fairly frequently.

Endurance might be an issue. Especially if you typically keep Sprint/Ninja Run active while fighting. Your attack chain will burn around 5 end/s, the build has an end gain of 2.2 end/s. Probably be out of endurance in 35s if attacking non-stop. Probably run out in 27s if NR/Sprint are active. Even less if spamming Frozen Aura, Ball Lightning and Zapp when they are available. I recommend slotting attacks with some end reduction. Unless you plan on running with Ageless Destiny as that would solve this issue entirely, but I do like running Rebirth with SR just to have a heal.

The build has Focused Sense slotted lightly with 2 IOs. Agile is heavily slotted with 5 IOs. The build would gain more range defense and DDR if the slotting were reversed since FS provides a higher base def.

Same with Weave and Combat Jump. Weave has a higher base defense than CJ. Swapping the higher LotG +def buff to Weave will give more +def to the build than having it in CJ.

If you're going to take TP Target, might as well mule it. SR is already KB resistant so Blesing of the Zephyr is worthless, but Winter's Gift +slow res or Warp +perception are slottable.

Tough has 4 slots for Unbreakable Guard providing a +melee def bonus and a minimal amount of S/L res. The build is above the melee softcap and taking one slot away will only lose about 0.6 S/L res. That slot could be muled into Sprint for Celerity +2.25% S/L res. Or take Boxing instead of Kick and mule 2 Absolute Amazement for +4% rec. Or if Ice Patch is used frequently, add an end redux. It will reduce it's end cost from 9.8end down to 7end.

Looking at the slotting for Frozen Aura, if willing to use IO Boosters, could drop Obliteration (dam) and 3 slot Armageddon (dam, dam/end, proc). Boosting Armageddon will maintain it's +dam bonus, gain some end redux (17.4 end down to 12.5 end), +6% F/C res and +6.25% mez res. The build will lose is -2.25 S/L res.

Overall the build is pretty good. I like you were able to jam in a lot of damage procs and still make the build playable. It will be trial and error. Play, see what works, respec/change out what doesn't. Also change stuff that are working too well if you know what I mean.
 

Okay took your advice and this what it looks like now after some changes.

Stalker (Ice Melee - Super Reflexes).mbd

[icehero]

10 hours ago, StrikerFox said:

I'm not familiar with Ice Melee but generally the Assassin's Guile proc is best in AS. Just so that there is minimal chance that AS will become the slow, interruptable version. 

Consider slotting ATO2, Superior Assassin's Mark, somewhere. It gives a chance to insta-charge Build Up with every attack including Zapp, Ball of Lightning and Judgement incarnate. I believe AoE attacks have a better chance to trigger it.

Consider putting the Gaussian's BU proc in Build Up (Instead of Combat TP). Build Up has a 90s base recharge and the BU proc has a high chance of activating giving your Stalker a double BU buff for 5s. And with the Superior Assassin's Mark insta-charging Build Up will give you double BU fairly frequently.

Endurance might be an issue. Especially if you typically keep Sprint/Ninja Run active while fighting. Your attack chain will burn around 5 end/s, the build has an end gain of 2.2 end/s. Probably be out of endurance in 35s if attacking non-stop. Probably run out in 27s if NR/Sprint are active. Even less if spamming Frozen Aura, Ball Lightning and Zapp when they are available. I recommend slotting attacks with some end reduction. Unless you plan on running with Ageless Destiny as that would solve this issue entirely, but I do like running Rebirth with SR just to have a heal.

The build has Focused Sense slotted lightly with 2 IOs. Agile is heavily slotted with 5 IOs. The build would gain more range defense and DDR if the slotting were reversed since FS provides a higher base def.

Same with Weave and Combat Jump. Weave has a higher base defense than CJ. Swapping the higher LotG +def buff to Weave will give more +def to the build than having it in CJ.

If you're going to take TP Target, might as well mule it. SR is already KB resistant so Blesing of the Zephyr is worthless, but Winter's Gift +slow res or Warp +perception are slottable.

Tough has 4 slots for Unbreakable Guard providing a +melee def bonus and a minimal amount of S/L res. The build is above the melee softcap and taking one slot away will only lose about 0.6 S/L res. That slot could be muled into Sprint for Celerity +2.25% S/L res. Or take Boxing instead of Kick and mule 2 Absolute Amazement for +4% rec. Or if Ice Patch is used frequently, add an end redux. It will reduce it's end cost from 9.8end down to 7end.

Looking at the slotting for Frozen Aura, if willing to use IO Boosters, could drop Obliteration (dam) and 3 slot Armageddon (dam, dam/end, proc). Boosting Armageddon will maintain it's +dam bonus, gain some end redux (17.4 end down to 12.5 end), +6% F/C res and +6.25% mez res. The build will lose is -2.25 S/L res.

Overall the build is pretty good. I like you were able to jam in a lot of damage procs and still make the build playable. It will be trial and error. Play, see what works, respec/change out what doesn't. Also change stuff that are working too well if you know what I mean.
 

Correction I made more tweaks and this what I think im go with.

Stalker (Ice Melee - Super Reflexes).mbd

[Groovy_Ghoul]

Here's my take. 100% resistant to slows. Chance to hide is in Assassin Strike. Added Frost since it is such a great cone attack in Ice Melee. Added in Ice Bolt and Ice Spear with lots of proc goodness in both. Elude is mostly just a mule for PS: +Endo proc. Added Placate due to recent improvements. Ice Patch is a one-slot wonder, it needs nothing more than a recharge IO.

 

You could drop the last three powers and put in your TP power pool. Why take Fold Space when you can just stealth into a large group of mobs? Combat TP is fun but you will get lots of Build Up procs from Stalker ATO and Gaussian's Proc.

 

Ice Melee is one of the best Stalker Primaries. Have fun!

Stalker (Ice Melee - Super Reflexes).mbd