Non-Brute/Tank farming builds?

[shmurtypants]

I'm wanting to make a farming build so I can help level up toons on my other account, but I've never taken an interest in melee-type archetypes like Brutes, Tankers and Scrappers, so I am looking for another farming build on the archetypes I love playing such as Controllers, Corruptors, Blasters, Dominators or Sentinels.

 

Does anybody have any build suggestions for any of these archetypes by getting through mobs +4/x8 relatively stress-free? I currently have a level 36 Electric/Kinetics Corruptor - is there potential on that build?

 

Thanks heaps!

[Snarky]

1 hour ago, shmurtypants said:

I'm wanting to make a farming build so I can help level up toons on my other account, but I've never taken an interest in melee-type archetypes like Brutes, Tankers and Scrappers, so I am looking for another farming build on the archetypes I love playing such as Controllers, Corruptors, Blasters, Dominators or Sentinels.

 

Does anybody have any build suggestions for any of these archetypes by getting through mobs +4/x8 relatively stress-free? I currently have a level 36 Electric/Kinetics Corruptor - is there potential on that build?

 

Thanks heaps!

yes.  make a brute or a tank.

[evetsleep]

1 hour ago, shmurtypants said:

I'm wanting to make a farming build so I can help level up toons on my other account, but I've never taken an interest in melee-type archetypes like Brutes, Tankers and Scrappers, so I am looking for another farming build on the archetypes I love playing such as Controllers, Corruptors, Blasters, Dominators or Sentinels.

 

Does anybody have any build suggestions for any of these archetypes by getting through mobs +4/x8 relatively stress-free? I currently have a level 36 Electric/Kinetics Corruptor - is there potential on that build?

 

Thanks heaps!

Honestly I don't think you can efficiantly farm without a brute or tank.  It's not just about damage output but high defense, resistances, and importantly taunting to keep the baddies from spreading like cockroachs in the light.

 

Anything can farm, but at +4x8 I don't think it's realistic to do it without a highly survivable taunting AT.  My 2 inf.

[lazilcho]

Here is a Fire Blaster Fire Farmer Build from, Brigg, via YouTube,

[lazilcho]

That did not work as intended. For some reason the link was not inserted.    

 

[Hedgefund]

The date of that video (April 10, 2021) is pre- i27p5 (Oct 10, 2022).  

 

I used an ice/fire blaster for farming pre-p5, it was "real and spectacular".  I put it aside after page 5, the aggro changes made the incoming dmg too much to deal with even with 45/75  numbers.  Truth be told I was retiring from farm life at this time so I didn't try to solve this.  Others may have a different experience.  

 

Because farm life is so far in the rear view mirror, I don't know what current "best practices" are.  I was using an asteroid farm.  If folks use a more spawn-to-spawn technique that's probably more friendly to a blaster.

 

Anyway, so I can contribute to the OP's question, maybe try a dom.  In spawn-to-spawn fights they're very safe, when perma dom at least.  Plant/fire, something like that.

[Without_Pause]

A case can be made for doing the daily DA missions at max diff since AE offers less XP. Considering you only need to T3 three different Incarnate skills, and you would be Level 53 which means you would only really be playing at +1/x8 although getting the rewards of max diff. Point is, it wouldn't take much to get a non-melee to solo at that diff setting for the daily DA missions. I did a test run on Beta for an Ice/sr Sent at +0/x8 and it was in general a snoozefest. Add in Incarnates and that's only going to get faster, and honestly, that's not even a high damaging Sent combo. /bio or /rad would be better. An Elec/kin should be fine although I haven't tested it. 

[Snarky]

I went into a 4/8 fire farm (which had 2-3 brutes/tanks) and did fine for 20 minutes.  With a Fire^3 Blaster built for DPS.  When the meatheads bogged down sometimes i jumped into the next 1-2 spawns (tight pack fire tunnel) and never had an issue.  
 

So, in theory this can be done.  Caveat; i practiced for months on this character in all kinds of insanity.  And it was not relaxing.  Exhilarating yes.  But not chill.  This is a death dance where any mistake will be paid for.  
 

There is a reason people use Brutes and Tanks. They are effective efficient and effing fun. Chill predictable and so easy you can afk.  
 

my fire build is posted in various threads in Blaster forum.  It is nothing special, just a built for pure + damage fire blaster.  All incarnates are max plus initial damage.  Concept is first strike is last strike.  Fire ftw.  But, again, this is not a good idea for long term farming. 

[BazookaTwo]

1 hour ago, Snarky said:

I went into a 4/8 fire farm (which had 2-3 brutes/tanks) and did fine for 20 minutes.  With a Fire^3 Blaster built for DPS.  When the meatheads bogged down sometimes i jumped into the next 1-2 spawns (tight pack fire tunnel) and never had an issue.  
 

So, in theory this can be done.  Caveat; i practiced for months on this character in all kinds of insanity.  And it was not relaxing.  Exhilarating yes.  But not chill.  This is a death dance where any mistake will be paid for.  
 

There is a reason people use Brutes and Tanks. They are effective efficient and effing fun. Chill predictable and so easy you can afk.  
 

my fire build is posted in various threads in Blaster forum.  It is nothing special, just a built for pure + damage fire blaster.  All incarnates are max plus initial damage.  Concept is first strike is last strike.  Fire ftw.  But, again, this is not a good idea for long term farming. 

 

I had one of those same builds, and boy, was it the opposite of relaxing. 

 

I couldn't enjoy it. It got recycled.

[Shin Magmus]

11 hours ago, evetsleep said:

...importantly taunting to keep the baddies from spreading like cockroachs in the light.

     This is the crux of the issue, and it applies to farming in AE but it always applied to farming any enemy group or mission, even before AE.  The reason that the first farmer was a Fire/Kin Controller was Fire Cages, and the reason that the first villain farmer was a Fire/Psy Dom was Fire Cages.  Unless you character can instantly kill every enemy in a spawn, or has inherent Taunt procs, enemies will always try to run.  So if you want to do an outdoor AE map, or want to speed-clear radio mishes or a traditional farm map in PI, then your only realistic choices must be Brutes/Tanks or niche Controllers/Doms.  Lots of builds theoretically inflict massive damage on a low enough CD to be up every spawn, like a DP/Kin Corruptor completely loaded with dmg procs, but enemies run away while you're doing it.  Having a powerset with a very strong autohit AoE Slow will not prevent enemies from trying to run, but it will make them run more slowly... partially mitigating the issue.

 

     I have a Fire/Psy Dom but Plant Control is the other good option and can do more damage in AE.  You'll want your character to be able to apply as many of the 3x -Res procs as possible if you're solo farming, preferably very early in combat (Annihilation proc in Flashfire, followed by Fury of the Gladiator proc in Psychic Shockwave).  Trying to farm without a plan is just an exercise in frustration, and chasing fleeing enemies around.

[Snarky]

28 minutes ago, BazookaTwo said:

 

I had one of those same builds, and boy, was it the opposite of relaxing. 

 

I couldn't enjoy it. It got recycled.

Mine is saved.  I play dark for my vampire theme. But, honestly, that Fire^3 blaster is the best for me. 
 

I run a couple times a week with Justice Superteamers on Excelsior. They run a lot of 4/8 kill all on whatever.  This Fire Blaster was good for just walking in and Alpha very large spawns/rooms/tunnels.  The tip of the spear.  Damage as defey

[Ukase]

13 hours ago, shmurtypants said:

Does anybody have any build suggestions for any of these archetypes by getting through mobs +4/x8 relatively stress-free? I currently have a level 36 Electric/Kinetics Corruptor - is there potential on that build?

 

Thanks heaps!

The key for me in this question is "relatively stress free".  Now, I'm been on a meteor farm with a blaster at +4/8.  Killing speeds were nice. But it was NOT relatively stress free. First, because I've never been on any blaster that could get resists much higher than 60%, and still have any kind of defense, I felt I had to start with some inspirations. Having to use the insp combination macros, while keeping my eyes on my health and my defense and resist stats...well, it just wasn't worth the effort. I can just park the brute in the middle and play the characters I wanted to play on my other account while that was happening. 

So, for me - the answer is no. Someone smarter and more creative than me, with a different appreciation for paying keen attention may come along with a better answer. 
I would suggest making the un-preferred fire tank or brute, putting burn on auto, then tabbing out to the ranged character you prefer to play. Then tab back in, sell the drops and repeat. 

[Maelwys]

14 hours ago, shmurtypants said:

I am looking for another farming build on the archetypes I love playing such as Controllers, Corruptors, Blasters, Dominators or Sentinels.

Does anybody have any build suggestions for any of these archetypes by getting through mobs +4/x8 relatively stress-free?

All of those ATs can be built to solo at +4/x8 relatively stress free - just floor your enemies' chance to hit you (either by raising your defense or lowering their ToHit or both) and then go to town with Controls/Blasts/Whatever.

What they can't do is solo at x4/x8 in a regular AE Farming map stress-free. At least not quickly. 

If you don't mind taking longer, then easymode will be a /FF or /Time Mastermind with Power Boost (especially for the latter).
If you want faster killspeeds and don't mind using your self-rez, then go for a Fire^3 Blaster or a Dominator.
Defenders and Corrupters and Sentinels will be somewhere in the middle.
Controllers are their own thing - a good Plant/Time or Illusion/Time will be even more chillaxed than a MM; but likely slower to wade through mobs.

Personally I've long since gotten to the point that AE farming on my Bot/Kin/Flame MM can be rather relaxing; and it's not hugely far off my Tanker times. But that's taken me a lot of practice plus a rather unusual set of AE mission foes (Cold or Psi damage!) and a very min/maxed build. And I still prefer a second account tagging along (preferably something with a Taunt Aura and/or Fold Space; although my pet-buff-focused Crabbermind is hilarious).

But given you can pick practically any Tanker (or a /Stone Brute), throw them into a map then come back ~10mins later to a sea of dead foes and a full HP bar...? Yeah, it's going to be hard to out-do that.
 

Edited October 10 by Maelwys

[Neiska]

@shmurtypants thoughts come to mind.

 

The first, is you “can” farm with MMs, but unless you are multi boxing, it’s far from efficient or stress free. Playing 2-3 MMs at once can be fairly fast, but it takes skill and practice.

 

But what I do now is play whatever you want, but have 2 tanks/brutes on follow. I am currently farming on my crabber SoA, and I have one Savage/Bio brute and a spines/bio tanker on follow auto casting their AoEs. So I can pretty much farm whatever I like with that setup. You don’t really even need two, one would be doable, it’s just faster with 2. 
 

No muss, no fuss, smooth and easy farming even on 4/8.

[mistagoat]

As everyone has said, farming without a Tank/Brute is sorta possible but just isn't very efficient. At least not on traditional farm maps.

 

Here is what I would do. Make yourself a troller/dom with good CC and Damage (probably lots of procs). I recently used a Arsenal/Trick Arrow for this to great effect. Then instead of going to the traditional farms, talk to Tina Mac in Portal Corp in PI, she will introduce you to Uni. His first mission is a big Banished Pantheon map, great for farming Masks if you want that badge but I'd just set it low and complete as fast as you can. You want his second mission. This is a large city map filled with Council Empire (old school council) and some blinkies. Your troller/dom will easily be able to CC them (essentially negating your lack of taunt) and burn them down with relative ease even at 4x8. The only thing that hurts is the high kicks from the bosses but with decent def/res you shouldn't take enough of those to be a real problem. Just slaughter all those jabronies, don't touch any blinkies and reset.

 

If for some reason you can't get Uni as a contact or you already completed his mission the AE mission "Council Simulation" is the same mission.

 

Fair warning: you will not get xp/inf as fast as a Brute on a traditional farm but it will be way faster than trying to take a troller to a traditional farm.

 

Ill attach the troller build I was using since it worked very well but I'm certain there are any number of combos that will work for this, it's pretty forgiving to a decently built toon of almost any AT.

 

 

Controller (Arsenal Control - Trick Arrow) 2 many procs pre 50 v1.3 fire epic and tp Arseman.mbd (slightly modified from Onlyasandwich's build)

Edited October 10 by mistagoat

[Laucianna]

You can farm easily enough on a Kheldian too if that would be of interest 💛 It looks complicated to do but if you can press buttons you can do the same thing as this video with relative ease and I am happy to help you get to that level of play if you want!
 

 

[Gobbledigook]

3 minutes ago, Laucianna said:

You can farm easily enough on a Kheldian too if that would be of interest 💛 It looks complicated to do but if you can press buttons you can do the same thing as this video with relative ease and I am happy to help you get to that level of play if you want!
 

 

Your power tray is like Christmas with all the flashing lights 🙂

[WumpusRat]

11 hours ago, Neiska said:

@shmurtypants thoughts come to mind.

 

The first, is you “can” farm with MMs, but unless you are multi boxing, it’s far from efficient or stress free. Playing 2-3 MMs at once can be fairly fast, but it takes skill and practice.

 

But what I do now is play whatever you want, but have 2 tanks/brutes on follow. I am currently farming on my crabber SoA, and I have one Savage/Bio brute and a spines/bio tanker on follow auto casting their AoEs. So I can pretty much farm whatever I like with that setup. You don’t really even need two, one would be doable, it’s just faster with 2. 
 

No muss, no fuss, smooth and easy farming even on 4/8.

Depends on the MM, really. 

My bot/FF MM can cruise around in +4/8 in Dark Astoria pretty casually, but that's a pretty specific high-defense build with automated healing due to the maint drone, and I specifically tailored my build to give the bots incarnate-level soft-capped defense.

It's not the most efficient though, that's true.

 

[JJDrakken]

On 10/9/2024 at 5:50 PM, shmurtypants said:

I'm wanting to make a farming build so I can help level up toons on my other account, but I've never taken an interest in melee-type archetypes like Brutes, Tankers and Scrappers, so I am looking for another farming build on the archetypes I love playing such as Controllers, Corruptors, Blasters, Dominators or Sentinels.

 

Does anybody have any build suggestions for any of these archetypes by getting through mobs +4/x8 relatively stress-free? I currently have a level 36 Electric/Kinetics Corruptor - is there potential on that build?

 

Thanks heaps!

 

Go for classic Fire/Kin Controllers. The first farming toons.

 

Edited October 11 by JJDrakken

[Neiska]

8 hours ago, WumpusRat said:

Depends on the MM, really. 

My bot/FF MM can cruise around in +4/8 in Dark Astoria pretty casually, but that's a pretty specific high-defense build with automated healing due to the maint drone, and I specifically tailored my build to give the bots incarnate-level soft-capped defense.

It's not the most efficient though, that's true.

 

 

Oh for sure, where and what you are farming matters just as much as the AT. I was speaking in generalities.

[Triumphant]

You can farm with any reasonably sturdy, well-built character but it can be quite difficult and fiddly to accomplish this without a tough melee AT like a Brute or Tank.  I've done reasonably well with a hover-blasting Sentinel, for example, but it's just not as efficient as the Brute that I typically use for that purpose.

 

I think you'll be happier just building a brute and/or tank.  This is my recommendation.

[Crysis]

For -active- farming, your best bet is to focus on Smashing/Lethal farming.  If you multibox, lots and lots of combo’s, even non-farming builds, are viable using these farms as it’s quite easy to cap S/L Defense, Resistance or even both.  I have a DP/Time Blaster that is S/L/R Defense capped and also uses Hybrid Support to max out Resistance.  Farm with that toon all the time and it’s not risky at all.

 

Same goes for MasterMinds (takes a bit more work, but very viable), Dominators (really need the pets to pull this off), Corruptors/Defenders and I’ve even got one Controller (again, need the pets) that can farm effectively (Fire/Kin controllers were the first farmers I ever had).

 

 

[Snarky]

On 10/10/2024 at 9:05 PM, JJDrakken said:

 

Go for classic Fire/Kin Controllers. The first farming toons.

 

But not relaxed?

[PyroBeetle]

The easiest thing to do is use a non tank/brute build on a point to point spawn map as has been said, but then you might as well be playing regular content at +4/x8, and I have many non tank/brute builds capable of this. And some of them have done the point to point farm maps, when I was desperate

 

DP/Time Defender

Water/Marine/Ice Corruptor

AR/TA Blaster

Storm/SR Sentinel

Savage/Stone/Psi Stalker

 

Of these only the Stalker has a problem with runners, but his damage is so high they don't get very far. All of the others have some way of keeping mobs from running faster than they die.

 

Caveat is that none of them are as fast as a good brute or tank build. Do not kid yourself, on a purpose built fire farm, nothing is going to be as fast as a purpose built brute or tank.