Energy/Plant - Suggestions on Builds?

[Spellbook-Everlasting]

Hello!

 

Any particular advice or sample builds when going into this particular combo?  It seems a lot of fun so far at level 20, but I just don't know which direction to take it into.

 

Thank you so much in advance!

[tidge]

I've been playing a /Plant blaster. My instincts are always to plan to Blap, but I found that paired with my primary (Assault Rifle) I didn't have the synergy with close-quarters combat. I suspect that Energy Blast is much the same (ranged attacks, knockback). The biggest difference I see between the Energy and Assault Rifle primaries is that the Energy T9 nuke (Nova) is a PBAoE, whereas the Assault Rifle nuke is a Cone... so you will have to be smarter about positioning than my Assault Rifle Blaster is.

 

From the secondary, I took:

 

Skewer: Holding a melee set, this does get used more often than the single-target immobilize would be used.

Toxins: Picked just before choosing the Snipe, I only put 2 slots in it for this character.

Spore Cloud: Single slot HO Enzyme

Wild Fortress: Preventive Medicine (%Absorb, Heal), EndMod 50+5, 2x Resistance Mules

Vines: Gladiator's Net (Acc/Hold, Acc/Rech, %Lethal), Unbreakable Constraint %Smash, Superior Entomb Recharge/%Absorb, Ghost Widow %Psi

 

From my primary, I took seven attacks... this is a lot (I didn't pick Hasten), but there are many useful sets to slot and the AoE offer some places to slot %damage that is "off  brand" (for Energy, this would be be %damage that is not Energy or Smashing). If you want fewer attacks (and this will likely be the case) one of the early attacks could be swapped for Hasten (but I wouldn't take Hasten before level 20, unless that is the way the power choices fall) and you could go with a simpler attack chain. Because Nova will be somewhat situational, I'm not sure the build would really need Hasten.

 

My 7 primary picks plus the 5 secondary picks meant that I had 4 power pool picks to make before level 28... that is IMO a lot of freedom in a character's design space. Many players could probably even delay the choice of Spore Cloud. You will want it for AVs/GMs. It also acts as a decent way to get aggro... I took it early for my character, but it just depends on what levels of content you want it for.

 

Regarding Energy Blast Primary:

 

I would not worry about converting Knockback to Knockdown, except possibly for Nova, as it is a PBAoE with a very large KB value.

 

I also (almost) never slot the Force Feedback %+Recharge piece in Knockback powers. It has a 2 PPM chance for a 5 second +Recharge boost... and IIRC it also has a self-lockout period. I believe whatever slots would be invested in that piece are almost always better invested in something else.

 

[Spellbook-Everlasting]

Thank you for that feedback, I'll try playing around with it.