Sonic/sonic tips and tricks?

[Thraxen]

Any cool builds out there?  Searched and nothing close to recent with both. Not really married to /sonic but the first power they kbs seems to knock them waaay farther than other powers.  Which is cool for a st power to just get them off you. 

[Lunar Ronin]

Sonic/Sonic is much like Dark/Dark, thematic but anathema to each other.  The primary wants you at range with all of its cone attacks, while the secondary very much wants you in melee.  That's why you won't see a build for it.

 

If you want a Sonic Attack Blaster, I'd recommend /Devices, /Energy, or /Tactical Arrow instead.

[Biff Pow]

My main Sonic tip is if you like to solo, take Siren's Song. It helps survivability so much it almost feels like a cheat.

[Thraxen]

The -resist is only -14% and still there for the nova. And if a kin on the team you’ll likely be in melee a lot. Doesn’t seem too important to require being in melee all the time. I had a sonic/nrg on live so didn’t wanna straight copy it. 
 

Don’t solo but probably gonna take it anyway. 

[Maelwys]

I'm honestly not a fan of Sonic Blast ever since they redid its Resistance debuffing mechanics (changing it from straight -res debuffs to non-stacking "Vibration" sub powers).

That said... if I was taking it, I'd probably pair it with Energy Manipulation.
Boost Range will let your Shriek/Scream/Screech/Shout ST attacks inflict maximum -res debuffage at maximum range; and sticking Power Thrust on autofire can ensure you'll punt any potential huggers away from you. The sheer raw power of the melee Blapps will also allows you to take better advantage of all that -res to finish off tougher foes quickly should you ever choose to close into melee range. And all the Disorients also stack quite nicely with Screech.
Energize is also one of the better sustain abilities; keeping both your Green and Blue Bar looking healthy without any need to melee; plus a decent level of Stun protection.

[EDIT] Whilst I've not specifically tested Sonic DPA since the changes... Scream>Screech>Scream>Shout looks to technically have the lead in terms of raw DPA... but that will require a hefty +250% recharge in Scream, which is going to be very tricky to achieve solo whilst maximizing Proc opportunities. However using Shriek as a filler next to Screech will drop that requirement down to +168% recharge in Scream, which is is going to be a lot easier to hit and not much different in terms of raw base DPA [58.2197 vs 56.28322].
Both those chains will keep the maximum 1 copy of type 1 and 4 stacks of type 2 resistance debuffage going, for -28.6 res total.

Edited November 12 by Maelwys

[Thraxen]

I was looking at Screech - Scream - Shout -  Scream for ST.

 

Three cones for aoe.  Howl seems bad though.  We'll see.  

 

[High_Beam]

I have a lot of fun with my sonic/sonic Hard Melody, ran her to 50 pretty fast (no farms or other PL activities).  Multiple Cones works great once you get in the groove and proc pretty well.  I have zero complaints.  Give it a spin, all the colors of the rainbow.

[Thraxen]

Here is what I may try first.  Nice notes are appreciated.  

 

Loquacious - Blaster (Sonic Attack - Sonic Manipulation) More procs less ranged def.mbd

[Doomguide2005]

@ThraxenLooks pretty solid though I've only done Sonic Attack as a Defender or Controller.  The only two things that jumped out at me were the 3 slotted 50+5 Hasten.  That only nets you about 2 secs for that 3rd slot.  Feel like that slot is likely better off somewhere else.  Maybe Force of Nature trimming about 60 seconds off?  And chasing the LotG +def in the 5th slot of Hover also seems to be of minimal value and might be better used elsewhere.  But those are both more nitpicky than anything seriously off.  No 6th bonus of any sort, Net recovery looks good without any help or reliance of Incarnates, ranged def {roughly 32% vs 33% change if the 2nd LotG dropped) combined with Hover for let's not get hit as often, easily capped with a small luck.

Edited Wednesday at 08:41 PM by Doomguide2005

[Meknomancer]

On 11/14/2024 at 4:20 PM, Thraxen said:

Here is what I may try first.  Nice notes are appreciated.  

 

Loquacious - Blaster (Sonic Attack - Sonic Manipulation) More procs less ranged def.mbd 47.6 kB · 8 downloads

 

I dunno if it'll make much difference but a teeny bit of slot shuffling gets you 75% smashing, reslotting shockwave-1 force feedback gets perma hasten, 50% slow res.

Loquacious - Blaster (Sonic Attack - Sonic Manipulation) More procs less ranged def.mbd

[Lusiphur Malache]

Just dinged 30 on my sonic/sonic.  I don't do the big orange numbers my other blasters do, but I do help others do more damage.  Strident Echo sucks, but I'm determined to make it work.  Sound barrier is the only power with more than 4 slots, haven't respecced yet, might use one if I don't like my patron power pick.  Am I alone in putting 3 slots in Health and Stamina?  I do it to almost every build.  I know a few streamers who single slot Health, they die a lot so I guess they do it for entertainment value.

[High_Beam]

On 11/24/2024 at 10:02 AM, Lusiphur Malache said:

Am I alone in putting 3 slots in Health and Stamina?  I do it to almost every build.  I know a few streamers who single slot Health, they die a lot so I guess they do it for entertainment value.

For some they slot 3 because its what they need, for others it kind of old habit.  I have a number of three slot health, often because I am leveraging the recovery procs of Numina and Miracle plus the procs from Panacea.  On my less endurance challenged I generally slot 1 (Panacea) or two throwing in a Numina proc.  But yes, I also have some single slots.  Its situational.  Stamina I almost always 3 slot unless I have powers that are giving measurable recovery boost.  That said its almost always 1 IO and a pair of Performance shifter with the proc and and EndMod.  Sometimes when I have recovery powers I will instead two slot it and put power transfer in there for the heal proc.

 

What has changed since live and my widespread adoption of using Set IOs is when I place additional slots in health and/or stamina.  Health never before 17 (earliest to slot Miracle) and third never before 27 (numina is 30).  Stamina usually gets one at 17 and 1 at 19 for the perf shifter (if I am going there).

[Braddack]

i love my Sonic / Sonic Blaster, recently got to lvl 50, already slotted with sets, he plays like a Scrapper :D, okay not realy, i start with the Cone sleep on groups, and Stun from the secondary for single Mobs, then just kill fast and move on. works lovly even against malta i have no problems, ofc i only Ply +4 / x1.

[Nemu]

On 11/24/2024 at 10:02 AM, Lusiphur Malache said:

I know a few streamers who single slot Health, they die a lot

2 additional slots in health is not going to save them from dying a lot.

 

39hp/sec regen at HP cap with 3 slots in health - 2 level 50 heal IOs and Numina unique

 

No slots in health, I REALLY, REALLY REALLY REALLY don't think an additional 4 hp/sec is the ultimate key to keeping blasters alive.

[Biff Pow]

On 11/24/2024 at 8:02 AM, Lusiphur Malache said:

Am I alone in putting 3 slots in Health and Stamina?  I do it to almost every build.  I know a few streamers who single slot Health, they die a lot so I guess they do it for entertainment value.

 

Health is majorly overshadowed on Blasters by their sustain power (Sound Barrier for Sonic), it doesn't do much by comparison. I usually just slot the Preventive Medicine Absorb proc and that's it.