My Savage Melee / Energy Aura Scrapper

[tidge]

This is the level 50 build. The power selection was identical for leveling up; I can explain how I was slotting during leveling but with some experience I think most folks can figure out what works for them. I don't MIDS, so it is text, which make for easier forum discussion IMO.

 

Spoiler

Level 50 Natural Scrapper

Primary Power Set: Savage Melee

Secondary Power Set: Energy Aura

Power Pool: Force of Will

Power Pool: Leaping

Power Pool: Leadership

Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery

 

Hero Profile:

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Level 1:                 Maiming Slash 

 (A) Hecatomb - Damage/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Hecatomb - Damage/Endurance: Level 50+5

 (*) Hecatomb - Chance of Damage (Negative): Level 50

 (*) Hecatomb - Damage: Level 50+5

 

Level 1:                 Kinetic Shield

 (A) Kismet - Accuracy +6%: Level 30

 (*) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All): Level 50

 (*) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance: Level 50+5

 (*) Shield Wall - Defense: Level 50+5

 

Level 2:                 Shred   

 (A) Armageddon - Damage: Level 50+5

 (*) Armageddon – Chance of Damage (Fire): Level 50

 (*) Armageddon - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Armageddon - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Armageddon - Damage/Endurance: Level 50+5

 

Level 4:                 Mighty Leap      

 (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)

 (*) Blessing of the Zephyr - Travel/Endurance Reduction

 (*) Blessing of the Zephyr - Travel

 

Level 6:                 Damping Field

 (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%

 (*) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance: Level 50+5

 (*) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All): Level 50

 

Level 8  :               Vicious Slash

 (A) Superior Critical Strikes - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50

 (*) Superior Critical Strikes - Damage/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Superior Critical Strikes – Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Superior Critical Strikes - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Superior Critical Strikes - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Superior Critical Strikes - Recharge/Critical Hit Proc Chance: Level 50

 

Level 10:              Entropic Aura   

 (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 12:              Power Shield    

 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 (*) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance

 (*) Luck of the Gambler - Defense

 

Level 14:              Project Will

 (A) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge: Level 50+5

 (*) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage (Negative): Level 50

 (*) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance: Level 50+5

 (*) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge: Level 50

 

Level 16:              Energy Protection

 (A) Unbreakable Guard - +Max HP

 (*) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance

 (*) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance

 (*) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Recharge

 

Level 18:              Rending Fury    

 (A) Multi-Strike - Accuracy/Endurance Reduction: Level 50+5

 (*) Multi-Strike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance Reduction: Level 50+5

 (*) Fury of the Gladiator Chance of -Resistance

 (*) Scirocco’s Dervish - Chance of Damage (Lethal)

 (*) Eradication - Chance of Damage (Energy)

 (*) Explosive Strike - Chance of Damage (Smashing)

 

Level 20:              Blood Thirst      

 (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff

 (*) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge

 (*) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance

 (*) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance

 (*) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance

 (*) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance of Build Up

 

Level 22:              Wall of Force    

 (A) D-Sync Guidance (Accuracy/Range): Level 53

 (*) D-Sync Guidance (Accuracy/Range): Level 53

 (*) Explosive Strike - Chance of Damage (Smashing)

 (*) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage (Energy)

 (*) Bombardment - Chance of Damage (Fire)

 (*) Javelin Volley - Chance of Damage (Lethal)

 

Level 24:              Energize             

 (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal

 (*) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance

 (*) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime

 (*) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime

 (*) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance

 (*) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb

 

Level 26:              Savage Leap

 (A) Superior Scrapper’s Strike - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50

 (*) Superior Scrapper’s Strike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Superior Scrapper’s Strike - Recharge/Critical Hit Bonus: Level 50

 (*) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage

 (*) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage

 (*) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance for Lethal Damage

 

Level 28:              Energy Cloak     

(A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 (*) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance

 

Level 30:              Energy Drain     

 (A) Hami-O Membrane (Defense/Recharge): Level 53

 (*) Hami-O Membrane (Defense/Recharge): Level 53

 

Level 32:              Unleash Potential

 (A) Reactive Defenses – Defense

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Endurance/Recharge

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Recharge

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance/Recharge

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage

 

Level 35:              Focused Accuracy           

 (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 38:              Weaken Resolve            

 (A) Hami-O Lysosome Exposure (Accuracy, Defense Debuff, ToHit Debuff): Level 53

 (*) Achilles’ Heel - Chance for -Resistance

 

Level 41:              Physical Perfection        

 (A) Power Transfer - %Heal

 

Level 44:              Combat Jumping             

(A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 

Level 47:              Overload            

 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 

Level 49:              Maneuvers        

 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 

Level 1:                 Brawl   

 (A) ???

 

Level 1:                 Sprint   

 (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 2:                 Rest      

 (A) Interrupt Duration IO

 

Level 2:                 Swift    

 (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 2:                 Hurdle 

 (A) Jumping IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 2:                 Health 

 (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance

 (*) Miracle - +Recovery

 

Level 2:                 Stamina              

 (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End

 (*) Performance Shifter - EndMod

 (*) Power Transfer - %Heal

 

I don't think there is much magical about this build; I'm posting it because for a couple of reasons:

1. I wanted to see how satisfied I'd be using Savage Melee on a Scrapper
2. I wanted to see how satisfied I'd be using a slightly off-brand Armor

 

Savage Melee is probably "better" (damage-wise) on both/either a Brute or Stalker... IIRC Fury improves the damage-over-time components of Savage Melee, and (from a quick glance, but no real study) I think it would be slightly easier to slot the Stalker's secondary, and the Stalker's ATO %procs would provide more damage than the Scrapper's Criticals (for the primary).

 

Energy Aura is probably not a top tier secondary, as it has some holes that need attention. A Brute's higher base HP would probably be better... I found that the various holes were most problematic until I could get more %healing and better global recharge values. Generally: The build is weakest in the 15 seconds when Energize is not providing more Regeneration.... I have Energize on Auto, so when facing tougher spawns I will sometimes wait before engaging them.

 

I skipped Hemorrhage. This build is slow(er) to defeat single hard targets without it, but

• I didn't need it for a decent attack chain,
• I generally prefer the large PBAoE from Rending Flurry (and I put a %-Res piece in that to sort of make up for using it against single targets),
• I didn't see a set bonus I really wanted from another single-target melee attack.

 

Some comments on Force of Will, since I took all five powers.

 

The slotting on Mighty Leap is mostly a Quality-of-Life choice with a smidge of typed defense boosts. Pulling two slots from this is possible, and I *think*  the Energy Negative/Fire/Cold typed defenses are the same (or slightly better ~ +0.4) if one of those two slots is dedicated to a Defense IO 50+5 in Power Shield.

 

Wall of Force is IMO important for Melee characters like this. The %procs are pretty reliable, and compliments the damage-over-time... plus knockdown! It requires two earlier pool picks; the build above has

 

Project Will is chosen for the set bonuses, specifically Psi defense and global recharge. Winter's Bit offers some great 5 and 6 piece bonuses too, but I kinda hate the Psi (and Toxic) hole. I took this before Weaken Resolve, just to have a ranged attack at low levels... but as a practical matter for most (lower level) content, Weaken Resolve is more useful (in my experience)... especially since I can choose to use it and then get all my attacks in afterwards.

 

Unleash Potential is an emergency measure for effectively soft-capping most defenses, and a good home for the Reactive Defenses set. It is available every 3m45s or so.

 

I may revisit this primary/secondary combination with a Brute, mostly because I think leveraging the Brute's ATO pieces and inherently higher HP would be interesting. For both the Brute and Stalker I'd try to incorporate Taunt (or Placate), so there is another twist for me!

 

 

Edited November 7 by tidge

[Yomo Kimyata]

2 hours ago, tidge said:

Level 6:                 Toroidal Bubble

 

???

[tidge]

Ha! I was using a text form of another character, so thanks for that catch!

 

I've been building all my new characters in excel, so for a legible text I have to do it manually.

[Yomo Kimyata]

Thanks for posting this, and particularly thanks for posting it in this format, which makes it easy for me to investigate on my own.

 

I really enjoy seeing other peoples' builds, but MIDS is so fubar for my purposes that mostly it's useless to me.  

 

I also find myself questioning some of my long-held build beliefs.  Most of them are still correct, of course, but I question them!

 

I've only got one Savage Melee (SM/Stone) scrapper at 50 and a small number of Energy Aura scrappers at 50, and I still haven't really gotten the hang of either.  I'm also not a fan of the "enough accuracy then the rest damage procs" thought process, but hey, it works!  Some thoughts I have (and these are in no way suggestions, your build is yours!):

 

It would be really difficult for me to give up the fighting pool, at the very least for Tough.

My instinct is usually to split Scrappers Strike for the defense, but this secondary should have plenty of defense.

I'm surprised you slotted/picked powers that are so endurance friendly.  Savage and Energy seems like free blue bar.

It gives me the heebee jeebees to have less than 50% slow resist on any 50.

I'm a big fan of the Force of Will set, and I may need to try out a procced Wall of Force.  I'll use a 50+5 accuracy in Weaken Resolve over a Lyso.

Unleash Potential is almost an unfair power, but I generally frankenslot the hell out of it.

[tidge]

My Build has some serious issues solo against +1x8 Talons of Vengeance, so maybe the Fighting pool is a good idea! It doesn't quite have enough defense (minus Incarnates) for them in Dark Astoria.

 

I feel you on slow resists. I may swap out the last LotG for Infiltration to add the 20% unique... but this build has that weird Entropic Aura effect. I can see the timers jumping around!

 

I often use only a 50+5 Accuracy on heavy %proc attacks. The extra range on the cone is me spoiling myself on this melee character. Same on Weaken Resolve, an Accuracy is generally all that is needed, but I had some Lyso's just sitting around.

 

I like your comment on Unleash Potential: I either use it to 6-slot a Defense or Healing set, but I have one character that needed neither of my preferred set bonuses (for that power) so I completely franken-slotted it with Shield Walls, D-Sync Reconstruction, a LotG, and a Preventive Medicine Global.

 

 

 

 

[Yomo Kimyata]

On 11/5/2024 at 4:26 PM, tidge said:

 (*) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage

 

This proc In savage leap may also be an error, since I don't think it takes kb sets.

 

3 hours ago, tidge said:

I like your comment on Unleash Potential: I either use it to 6-slot a Defense or Healing set, but I have one character that needed neither of my preferred set bonuses (for that power) so I completely franken-slotted it with Shield Walls, D-Sync Reconstruction, a LotG, and a Preventive Medicine Global.

 

My generic 6-slotting for UP is:  Lotg proc, lotg D/R, panacea H, H/R 50+5, then either Shield Wall D, D/R 50+5 or two HO E/R

[tidge]

11 hours ago, Yomo Kimyata said:

 

This proc In savage leap may also be an error, since I don't think it takes kb sets.

 Ah yes, that is a Scirocco's Dervish %Lethal.

 

Normally I don't recommend going %damage heavy on Scrappers' primaries... but I wasn't thrilled about Savage's damage being so much damage-over-time. The %procs are to 'front load' damage. The pool cone attack Wall of Force is low damage anyway, so that was always going to get %damage for melee. Even though I almost never use Project Will as an attack (despite the slot investment in it) I think that Wall of Force should be the power that is reconsidered, either for alternate slot choices (set bonuses) or as a different power pick (like Hemorrhage, for ATOs).

 

One of the reasons I think this combination might be better on a Brute is because IIRC Fury boosts the damage-over-time, whereas the Scrapper's CRITICAL is only on the initial hit. My initial Brute thoughts are to drop Wall of Force for Taunt (6x Mocking Beratement). The odd thing (for me anyway) is that the Brute ATOs are kinda meh, IMO... but I'd want to try to boost MaxHP as much as possible, so two 3x Brute's Fury is on the table... but that set has the 5x global recharge bonus. On the negative side, I don't think Energy Aura is a great pick for a Brute, but that is because I don't see a way to easily leverage it to quasi-passively boost +MaxHP.

 

During leveling, I was boosting Range on Savage Leap, and I rather liked this! With a different choice of secondary (where perhaps fewer picks are necessary) I'd 100% add Combat Teleport to the build as well.

[aethereal]

You're correct that Brutes fury boosts the DoT of savage and Scrapper criticals don't.

 

That probably still doesn't quite get Brutes to damage parity with a decent Scrapper build, but on Savage it's closer than anywhere else.  The build up replacement for Savage is also better for Brutes.

Edited November 7 by aethereal

[Without_Pause]

56 minutes ago, aethereal said:

You're correct that Brutes fury boosts the DoT of savage and Scrapper criticals don't.

 

That probably still doesn't quite get Brutes to damage parity with a decent Scrapper build, but on Savage it's closer than anywhere else.  The build up replacement for Savage is also better for Brutes.

Trapdoor clear times are rather close. The advantage for a Brute is the added mitigation and a possible damage aura being fueled by Fury. 

[Crimsanotic]

Personally, I think energy aura is amazing.

 

Fighting is definitely good on EA: more S/L resist and weave offers more defense than maneuvers. Energy cloak also happens to give the same amount of defense as weave. I think 2 slotting LotG is kind of pointless. I would personally use a +3 cyto (or any other variant) as the additional defense (and end reduction) is more valuable than the paltry regeneration set bonus.

 

I've played both EA on brute and scrapper, and while this would require an entire rework of your build, I personally find rune of protection more useful than unleash potential. EA has pretty good DDR (especially when paired with ageless radial) and on both of those ATs I can easily get 55%+ defense. Neither has leadership. That number is slightly below the incarnate defense softcap, but on +4/x8 solo against incarnate enemies, I've found it doesn't matter too much. My scrapper build also has shadow meld--mostly for thematic reasons--but it has it's uses, particularly when paired with RoP.

[tidge]

22 hours ago, Crimsanotic said:

Personally, I think energy aura is amazing.

 

Fighting is definitely good on EA: more S/L resist and weave offers more defense than maneuvers. Energy cloak also happens to give the same amount of defense as weave. I think 2 slotting LotG is kind of pointless. I would personally use a +3 cyto (or any other variant) as the additional defense (and end reduction) is more valuable than the paltry regeneration set bonus.

 

I agree with 2-slots of LotG being a generally inferior choice, but I went with it because the build does take damage, so the little bit more Regeneration (even though it is paltry, and sort of past the point of diminishing returns) was an easy lean (because of the Global Recharge slotting). I simply didn't feel like putting Cyto's in this build. Endurance isn't much of an issue with well-used Energy Drain.

 

I don't have tons of fun in Incarnate content (the Live experience really soured it for me) so I'm generally playing 1-50 content, mostly below 40. It's a common theme with my builds that I

1. Don't consider Incarnates
2. I want a reasonably complete character suitable for all lower-level content
3. I typically consider late power choices for mules and don't consider them as "requirement" powers to make my builds awesome sauce. 

One of the things I like best about Energy Aura is that it is a very non-intrusive (graphically, except for idling with Energy Cloak) armor set... so it allows costumes to be shown off.

 

Re: The Fighting pool and Rune of Protection... much like Hasten, I have come to actively look for ways to avoid making these choices. I'm motivated mostly by being iconoclastic, partially because I don't like giving up flavorful power choices for (generally) passive powers that don't directly affect enemies, and partially because I don't appreciate the (in my view) restrictive build choices I'm left with after pursuing two of those three common choices. I don't mind playing with my characters on the edge of knife. I do still make builds with those powers, but when I choose them it is typically either for theme or to cover an obvious gap and less to make the character moar betta. Not all my characters have to stand toe-to-toe solo against Lord Recluse!

 

Don't get hung up on Maneuvers, as I wrote above, it's a mule and Infiltration can be used instead to be able to swap in a Winter's Gift slow resistance instead.

[Erratic1]

I am not particularly inclined to lookup set bonuses and do the math to figure out your global numbers because you didn't post them and didn't use Mid's, but Energy Aura is a top tier set and it has holes just like every armor set does (e.g. Shield is beloved by many yet does not heal you, provide endurance, or increase recharge while Energy Aura does each of those).

 

I believe the last comparisons I made between Scrapper and Brute yielded faster kills for the Scrapper but they were not identical guilds, but rather builds to lean as heavily as possible into the defensive sets which best benefitted from each AT's mechanics--damage auras for Brutes and shield for the Scrapper for extra damage-backed crits. 

 

I have a Savage/Energy Scrapper from my early days on Homecoming, when I was less adept at building. I think I was leaning heavily into the +Recharge aspect of the Blood Frenzy stacks coupled with Entropic Aura. You're never going to get the sheer numbers of something like Battle Axe/Shield but the idea was to try to maximize the volume of the crits performed.

 

I have four charters I am currently focusing on with another four waiting behind them (though there is a chance some of these may fall to the wayside), so it could easily be next year this time before I could find time to seriously go at retooling my Savage/EA. OTOH, he's got the influence and mats...shouldn't take much time or effort....