Hoping for Sub-Optimal Build Advice

[Antistita]

So, I played this gag character on Live, called Banegaze.  His one power was death ray eyes, which meant that his primary was Radiation Blast, from which he only took X-Ray Beam and Aim.  The rest of his combat abilities came from Traps (essentially his true primary) and the Fighting pool.  This made for spectacularly slow and painful gameplay.  (He used Sprint and temp powers to travel...)  That said, I really liked the character, and managed to get him up to something like 20th level with copious teaming provided by very patient friends.

 

Now I'm wondering if such a character could be (somewhat more) viable, given the changes the HC team have made to the game.  For example, the Fighting pool looks like it might actually be reasonable, given the increases to damage for taking more of its powers.

 

Any and all suggestions would be welcome.

[MonteCarla]

Challenge accepted! 🙂

 

Depending on how attached you are to Traps, you could try a Blaster with Rad Blast/Martial Combat. You get four decent melee attacks that way, although Ki Push is a bit weird looking and Eagles Claw on Blasters doesn't have an alternate punch animation, so you have to use the super-acrobatic backflip one.

Also, on a Blaster, X-Ray Beam is on a 8 second recharge instead of a 4 second recharge, and thus packs a lot more punch for the same animation time (and procs better)

 

Sticking with Rad/Traps though:

X-Ray Beam is on a 4 second recharge, so any 3.5/minute damage proc in there has a 23% chance to go off. That's 23%*71 = 16.3 damage per proc as opposed to 0.38 (enhancement)* 41 (base damage) * 1.25 (scourge bonus) = 19 damage per damage enhancement.

So slot X-Ray Beam for ED-damage levels and 2 damage procs, and build up as much global +Rech as you can. You could frankenslot with 2 x Acc/Damage and 2 x something else/Damage, but... 1) You probably wont need End redux in it. 2) You don't want to slot it for recharge because that makes the proc rate drop.

3 x Scourging Blast would give you a good +Rech bonus, but 5 out of 6 pieces add recharge to the power.

 

So slot X-Ray Beam with 4 x Acc/Dam and the Lady Gray and Shield Breaker damage procs.

 

Aim, this works so well with the Gaussian +Build Up proc, which turns it from +50% damage to +30% damage. Slot the whole set for +2.5% Defence to all positions.

 

For other melee attacks, Fighting is OK with all three powers. Base damage levels are:

Boxing: 40

Kick: 45

Cross Punch: 67

 

Crushing Impact x 5 in Boxing and Kick, with a FF +Recharge in Kick should work, with Obliteration x 6 in Cross Punch.

 

Air Superiority is another excellent melee pool attack - base damage 41 and guaranteed knockdown! Slot with 5 x Crushing Impact and FF +Rech

 

I'd take at least two other Rad Blast powers and slot them with 3 x Scourging Blast each for the global +Rech, and then not have them in your tray.

 

Traps gives you a great chance to build for capped defences, so add in Manouvers with a LotG unique and capped defence. Do the same for FF Generator. Take Tactics and you can have Vengeance as another LotG mule.

Add in Combat Jumping as another LotG mule, and Weave, and you're done.

 

Your base def should be 16% (FFG) + 6% (Weave) + 4% (Manouvers) + 2.5% (Combat Jumping) + 6% (Steadfast and Glad Armor in Tough) = 34.5% - easy-ish to get the other 10% in set bonuses!

 

You'll get by fine on temp travel powers. I often just use Athletic Run and Sprint these days, with a jet pack for special occasions

 

So to summarise:

- Rad Blast

--- XRay Beam with 4 x Acc/Dam and two damage procs

--- Aim, full set of Gaussian's Synchronised Fire Control

--- Two other powers 3 slotted with Scourging Blast for the global +Rech, never used

- Fighting - take all 5 powers!

- Leadership, Manouvers, Tactics and Vengeance

And two of: 

- Combat Jumping 

- Hasten

- Air Superiority

 

Happy blasting!

 

Edited June 2 by MonteCarla

[Antistita]

Wow, MonteCarla, that is above and beyond what I'd hoped for.  That gives me lots to work with... and it looks like a surprisingly useful character.  Thank you so much! 

[MonteCarla]

My pleasure! 

I'm a firm believer that you can make anything work in this game 🙂

 

[Antistita]

So, for anyone who's curious, here's what I've come up with.  I'm definitely an amateur when it comes to builds, but the game's pretty forgiving.  Still, advice is welcome.

 

Banegaze - Villain Corruptor
Build plan made with Mids' Reborn v3.7.4 rev. 9
──────────────────────────────

• Primary powerset: Radiation Blast
• Secondary powerset: Traps
• Pool powerset (#1): Fighting
• Pool powerset (#2): Leadership
• Pool powerset (#3): Speed
• Pool powerset (#4): Leaping
• Ancillary powerset: Mace Mastery
  

──────────────────────────────

Powers taken:

Level 1: X-Ray Beam

• A: Invention: Accuracy
• 3: Invention: Accuracy
• 3: Invention: Damage Increase
• 5: Invention: Damage Increase
• 5: Touch of Lady Grey: Chance for Negative Damage
• 7: Shield Breaker: Chance for Lethal Damage
  

Level 1: Caltrops

• A: Pacing of the Turtle: Range/Slow
  

Level 2: Neutrino Bolt

• A: Scourging Blast: Damage/RechargeTime
• 7: Scourging Blast: Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• 9: Scourging Blast: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
  

Level 4: Boxing

• A: Touch of Death: Accuracy/Damage
• 33: Touch of Death: Damage/Endurance
• 33: Touch of Death: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• 33: Touch of Death: Chance of Damage(Negative)
• 34: Touch of Death: Damage/Recharge
• 36: Touch of Death: Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 6: Triage Beacon

• A: Preventive Medicine: Heal
• 9: Preventive Medicine: Chance for +Absorb
  

Level 8: Kick

• A: Mako's Bite: Accuracy/Damage
• 37: Mako's Bite: Damage/Endurance
• 40: Mako's Bite: Damage/Recharge
• 40: Mako's Bite: Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
• 40: Mako's Bite: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• 43: Mako's Bite: Chance of Damage(Lethal)
  

Level 10: Maneuvers

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• 11: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance
• 11: Luck of the Gambler: Defense
  

Level 12: Acid Mortar

• A: Scourging Blast: Accuracy/Damage
• 13: Scourging Blast: Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime
• 13: Scourging Blast: RechargeTime/PBAoE +End
• 46: Thunderstrike: Damage/Recharge
• 46: Thunderstrike: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• 46: Thunderstrike: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  

Level 14: Aim

• A: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff
• 15: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff/Recharge
• 15: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance
• 19: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: Recharge/Endurance
• 31: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff/Endurance
• 31: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: Chance for Build Up
  

Level 16: Force Field Generator

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• 17: Shield Wall: Defense/Endurance
• 17: Shield Wall: Defense
• 19: Shield Wall: +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
  

Level 18: Hasten

• A: Invention: Recharge Reduction
  

Level 20: Poison Trap

• A: Neuronic Shutdown: Accuracy/Recharge
• 21: Neuronic Shutdown: Hold/Range
• 21: Neuronic Shutdown: Accuracy/Hold/Recharge
• 23: Neuronic Shutdown: Chance of Damage(Psionic)
• 23: Ghost Widow's Embrace: Chance of Damage(Psionic)
• 25: Gladiator's Net: Chance of Damage(Lethal)
  

Level 22: Tactics

• A: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff
• 48: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Recharge
• 48: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge
• 50: Adjusted Targeting: Endurance/Recharge
• 50: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance
• 50: Adjusted Targeting: Recharge
  

Level 24: Seeker Drones

• A: Siphon Insight: ToHit Debuff
• 25: Siphon Insight: Accuracy/ToHit Debuff
• 27: Siphon Insight: Accuracy/Recharge
• 27: Siphon Insight: ToHit Debuff/Endurance/Recharge
• 29: Siphon Insight: Chance for +ToHit
• 48: Siphon Insight: Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 26: Weave

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• 29: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance
  

Level 28: Trip Mine

• A: Obliteration: Damage
• 34: Obliteration: Accuracy/Recharge
• 34: Obliteration: Damage/Recharge
• 36: Obliteration: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• 37: Obliteration: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• 37: Obliteration: Chance for Smashing Damage
  

Level 30: Tough

• A: Steadfast Protection: Resistance/+Def 3%
• 31: Gladiator's Armor: TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  

Level 32: Vengeance

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  

Level 35: Combat Jumping

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• 36: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance
  

Level 38: Cross Punch

• A: Scirocco's Dervish: Accuracy/Damage
• 39: Scirocco's Dervish: Damage/Endurance
• 39: Scirocco's Dervish: Damage/Recharge
• 39: Scirocco's Dervish: Accuracy/Recharge
• 45: Scirocco's Dervish: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• 45: Scirocco's Dervish: Chance of Damage(Lethal)
  

Level 41: Temporal Bomb

• A: Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage
• 42: Avalanche: Damage/Endurance
• 42: Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• 42: Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• 43: Avalanche: Recharge/Chance for Knockdown
• 43: Sudden Acceleration: Knockback to Knockdown
  

Level 44: Scorpion Shield

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• 45: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance
  

Level 47: Focused Accuracy

• A: Invention: Endurance Reduction
  

Level 49: Assault

• A: Invention: Endurance Reduction
  

──────────────────────────────

Inherents:

Level 1: Brawl

• (Empty)
  

Level 1: Scourge

Level 1: Sprint

• (Empty)
  

Level 2: Rest

• (Empty)
  

Level 1: Swift

• (Empty)
  

Level 1: Health

• A: Panacea: +Hit Points/Endurance
  

Level 1: Hurdle

• (Empty)
  

Level 1: Stamina

• A: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End
  

 

 

[MonteCarla]

Not bad! 🙂 

If I may add my 2c...

 

Scorpion Shield and Weave are under-slotted, you should get them to the ED cap of +58% from enhancements. So at least Def, Def/End, Def/End/Rech and Def/+Recharge from Luck of the Gambler maybe?

 

Take that slot out of Combat Jumping, it just needs the +Recharge unique, because its base defence values are tiny.

Tactics could lose a few slots maybe, maybe Seeker Drones too?

 

I'm not sure if Caltrops could gain a few slots to be slotted as a damage power. It is effectively a rain power like Ice Storm or Rain of Fire, and could help compensate for your lack of AoE and nukes?

 

And X-Ray Beam - can you replace the 2 Acc and 2 Dam with 4 Acc/Dam set IOs from different sets? You'll get better results that way.

[Triumphant]

No specific build advice here, but just keep two things in mind:

 

1) If you're having fun playing the character, then regardless of build stats or power choices, you're doing it right.

2) You have no reason to feel obligated to play the game with difficulty set at +4/8.  If you're deliberately making a sub-par build for funsies, then also give yourself permission to dial the difficulty level up or down, until you hit that sweet spot of exciting/challenging but not overwhelmingly frustrating/futile.

 

Also, on a good, well-rounded team, even a sub-par character can do okay in a high-difficulty PUG, assuming you've had enough practice at the game to get relatively competent at play (i.e. the game is very forgiving) and your teammates are sympathetic to your build choice (And I would say 90% of players I've teamed with are very laid-back and easy going about this).

[Antistita]

On 6/5/2024 at 3:30 AM, MonteCarla said:

Scorpion Shield and Weave are under-slotted, ...

 

Take that slot out of Combat Jumping, ...

Tactics could lose a few slots maybe, maybe Seeker Drones too?

 

I'm not sure if Caltrops could gain a few slots to be slotted as a damage power. ...

That there is some good advice. 

 

As for Tactics and Seeker Drones, I have this bad habit of chasing set bonuses, so I tend to six-slot things that really don't need that much attention.  I do really like Seeker Drones as an opener to save my poor character from the alpha strike, but, yeah, I could stand to use the slots elsewhere.

 

I've never thought of Caltrops as anything but an annoyance power.  I wonder how effective I can make it.  Hmmm....

Edited June 7 by Antistita

[Antistita]

On 6/5/2024 at 12:04 PM, Triumphant said:

1) If you're having fun playing the character, then regardless of build stats or power choices, you're doing it right.

 

Oh, I'm 100% with you on this.  I have loads of alts that can't handle +2x4 and I have a great time with them because I like their concept or the way their powers look.  Back in the day, Banegaze was just such a character.  I'm just tickled by the idea that what used to be a really poor design choice can be freaking effective under the current regime.

[BZRKR]

49 minutes ago, Antistita said:

I've never thought of Caltrops as anything but an annoyance power.  I wonder how effective I can make it.  Hmmm....

I get a lot of utility out of Caltrops (and every other ground-placed AoE) by using a bind like this:

 

/bind g powexecname target caltrops$$powexeclocation 0:5 caltrops

 

This bind throws Caltrops at my target if I have one, or on the ground 5 units in front of me if I have no target when I press "g". Of course you can change the variables as you see fit. I do the 5 units thing so that my character doesn't change facing when I drop them at my feet. It's very useful to be able to "panic drop" caltrops by hammering Esc and then the bound key.

[roleki]

On 6/7/2024 at 9:57 AM, Antistita said:

I've never thought of Caltrops as anything but an annoyance power.  I wonder how effective I can make it.  Hmmm....

 

Caltrops is an underrated power in general; the mobs go nuts trying to decide whether they are mad about the DoT or scared of the auto-hit Afraid, and if you  throw a couple Slow enhancements in there, it slows their movement speed down to a crawl, meaning they take more DoT and Afraid effects than they would have if you have slotted for damage or whatever.  

[Bionic_Flea]

Caltrops is also a Proc Monster!  I think that might be the one power that can take the most procs.  Along the lines of what Roleki is saying, I like slotting the purple KD proc as that keeps them flopping inside the caltrops taking more damage.  When I take it, I usually give it 4-6 procs.

[Nostromo21]

On 6/3/2024 at 1:49 PM, MonteCarla said:

My pleasure! 

I'm a firm believer that you can make anything work in this game 🙂

 

 

Have you tried playing a Mind/Empathy troller solo while taking NO damage powers...? 😉

[Troo]

@Antistita If you want a real grind / challenge; Demon Summoning + Traps could be a similar concept. Take only the whip attacks and then whatever you like from Traps and Pool Powers.

 

Lash & Crack Whip

[Doomguide2005]

Personally I like to slot 2 or 3 Range/Slow in there.  Gets the slow in there which gives me some distance options on where to toss them.  Especially handy for throwing around/beyond a corner.