Gale - Slotting thoughts?

[Troyusrex]

So, I've always hated Gale as a power for stormies due to the awful knockback. However, I feel the KB->KD IO has changed it from a "why?" power to a "whoa!" power.

 

It's now a wide cone quick recharge knockdown that keeps large groups on their ass. VERY useful in a group when used carefully.

 

I'm looking for slotting thoughts on how to make it even better. I'm thinking of throwing in a bunch of damage procs to give it some kick. Range, accuracy and recharge are also all useful.

 

But I know there's a lot of uber knowledgable people on these boards and I bet someone has some better ideas about how to slot this to top benefit.

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Redlynne]

You could always try this ... although that post was for a Mercs/Storm build.

 

For your dissecting pleasure.  Here is an updated version of the build with changes that reflect our goals and utilized as much of the advice that was not too conflicting.

 

DISCLAIMER:  The first thing that you hard cores are going to do is dismiss Gale and what I did with it.

Because it is so "against" meta or whatever the heck you want to call it, I feel like I have to Pre-Defend it.

 

 

The abomination you are looking at is

Frozen Blast: D/E/A/Rch

Annihilation: D/E/A/Rch

x2 Range

Force Feedback: chance for +Recharge

 

I had an incredible discussion with a long time, and respected builder, on these and the previous forums.

 

I will paraphrase our discussion as I don't know if he wants his name attached to said abomination.

 

Gale

 

If you have 6 slots to spend on Gale, you're going to want to make 2 of those slots be a Force Feedback proc for +Recharge and the Sudden Acceleration KB>KD IO.  That leaves you 4 slots that can be devoted to other purposes.

 

Slotting for additional Knockback is relatively pointless if you're using the KB>KD IO from Sudden Acceleration.

Slotting Gale for Damage is a waste.  You use Gale for CONTROL and to buy yourself time to do other things.

 

So if you've got 4 slots and don't need to enhance either Damage or Knockback, what would be important to enhance in Gale?

Accuracy

Endurance Reduction

Recharge Reduction

RANGE

 

Unfortunately, you're dealing with Target AoE Sets and Knockbacks Sets for slotting Gale with and none of the HOs that you might want to slot have the particular mix of enhancement values we'd be looking for here.

 

Ideally speaking then, you could (franken)slot:

1 Level 50 Frozen Blast Acc/Dam/End/Rech IO

1 Level 50 Overwhelming Force Acc/Dam/End/Rech IO

2 Level 50 Common Range IOs

1 Level 21 Force Feedback +Recharge IO

1 Level 21 Sudden Acceleration KB>KD IO

 

This slotting would give you KnockDOWN practically "on demand" against whatever is in front of you within about 70-75 ft (which is nearly "normal" ranged attack distance) in a WIDE cone in front of you without needing to use HERDICANE to "neutralize" stuff for you.  Note that this strategy may require multiple applications of Gale to bowl over Cimerorans who have a fair amount of KB protection, so don't expect this to be a perfect solution versus everything in the game.  But it will significantly advantage your Mercs by giving you a HUGE zone of denial in front of you that can prevent counterattacks reasonably reliably ... and Gale can knock over up to 16 targets, which would be really useful.  This then lets you use Gale extremely offensively ... pretty much as fast as it cools down (and badguys get back up on their feet).  Use Gale to "juggle" badguys without needing to push them into corners and hold them with HERDICANE in order to prevent them from attacking you (and your Mercs).

 

Use Gale to open on piles of badguys as your alpha strike.  Pick the one who is FARTHEST away from you in the pile you want to take on, while out of range of him ... cue Gale ... and then charge into range.  You will automagically be rooted into place when you enter Gale range, at which point everything between you and your badguy will be hit by Gale and presumably be KnockDOWNed.  Unleash the Kraken Mercs on the helpless baddies and hold your position where you cast Gale.  When your Targets "get up" ... hit them with Gale again.  You'll learn to know "when" to cast Gale to keep "juggling" them off their feet while your Mercs lay down fire into them.  And every time you cast Gale, you will likely be able to proc the Force Feedback +Recharge IO, meaning you want to keep casting Gale as much as possible.

 

Season to taste with other Storm attacks as the situation merits and your comedy appreciation permits.

Think Ice Patch in Ice Melee is awesome?  Try doing that to an entire dogpile of baddies "on demand" over a HUGE (Cone) area as a way to "ghetto hold" the lot of them while your Mercs are free to do what they do best ... shed brass.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------

 

All that being said, In practice Gale slotted as above works remarkably well... But the SOUND is annoying after about the 30th Awoooooooosshhh.

There is a way to disable the sound or simply turn down the SFX, and I want you all to know I did spend about an hour and a half trying to give you a quick tutorial on how to disable it if you so desired.  But I failed, as I found the right sound but couldn't get it to disable.

 

 

If anyone wants to see a small gif or vid of this in action, let me know and I'll make one.

 

But if you don't like to use Gale, just don't :P

[Adeon Hawkwood]

So my take on it. You don't really need recharge, it's an 8 second recharge already so if you've got any global recharge at all it should be fine as is. I would definitely slot some accuracy in it (at least 1 possibly 2 if you aren't running tactics). It's got quite a high endurance cost so I'd probably also slot at least one endurance reduction in it. Additionally I'd stick one range in it, you could add two but in general I think 1 will be sufficient, especially if you put a Defenders Bastion set somewhere in your build (since that has a global range bonus). Finally it's a good place for a Force Feedback Proc since that should trigger regularly.

[Troyusrex]

Super helpful! I'll give it a try.

 

I wonder why that didn't come up when I searched the forums for "Gale" earlier...

 

[Hjarki]

So, I've always hated Gale as a power for stormies due to the awful knockback. However, I feel the KB->KD IO has changed it from a "why?" power to a "whoa!" power.

 

I don't take it at all because Shockwave in my secondary is simply better. Arguably, I could create a 'perma-flop' rotation with the two where nothing ever got to stand again.

 

However, even without /Sonic, I'm not terribly impressed with it as a power. It's very slow to activate and does virtually no damage. Given that your Tornados and Lightning Storms are already doing the job of keeping enemies flopping around, Gale seems superfluous - especially on a Defender (who isn't forced to take it). I think it's one of those powers that seems really nice at low levels, but once you get the complete set it just ends up being a waste.

 

For a Corruptor, it makes a bit more sense. They're forced to take it, so they might as well get some use out of it.

 

[Troyusrex]

I can't speak to Shockwave. Never used it. I can also say I agree with you when soloing. The other powers keep them disoriented enough and do damage.

 

However, when playing with a large team Gale has been great. A lot of fun and super useful.

[oedipus_tex]

Just my opinion but... IMO Gale is an awful power. I've rolled probably 10 Storm characters over the past 12 years (ok, with a 7 year gap.) I've never found it useful.

 

It is marginally ok with the new-ish kb to kd converters. But overall still an endurance drain.

[Sailboat]

I much prefer Torrent from Dark Blast, although Defenders get it late.  It's faster animating, better debuff, and it feels like it positions enemies more precisely.

[Snakebit]

Isn't KB->KD (Overwhelming Force) a unique? As in you get one per toon?

 

It seems like a waste in gale when hurricane and tornado are on the list.

[Hjarki]

Isn't KB->KD (Overwhelming Force) a unique? As in you get one per toon?

 

It seems like a waste in gale when hurricane and tornado are on the list.

 

Sudden Acceleration's KB -> KD is not unique.