Build Feedback

[Lady War]

I don't quite know where to go from here. This is my first Defender.

 

I like the idea behind what FF/SA brings to the table in terms of team support. Personal survivability is important to me. So I've gone the route of HP stacking as much as possible. In the current incomplete incarnation she is at 1284hp. I also opted for 2 "oh crap" buttons in Energize and Personal Force Field. Aiming for an end game ST in terms of offensive capability. Pre live test I'm thinking my rotation would go:

 

Weaken Resolve -> Electric Shackles -> Aim -> Screech -> Repulsion Bolt -> Shout -> Scream 

 

I have 3 slots left. Fly is over slotted (semi-ish useful) and quite frankly I have no clue what to do with them. Let me know what y'all think. 

Defender (Force Field - Sonic Attack).mbd

[Psylenz0511]

My main was FF/psychic attack on live, the 2nd week after the game went live so many years ago. I really wanted a sonic blast at the time, but with the Homecoming server I was able to rebuild as intended Forcefield/Sonic.

 

I suggest you play through your play through your levels to incarnate level, to flesh out what attack sequence you like. The listed powers are great for solo, small team play. On big steam-rolling teams you want to strike AoE style. Set up that Damping Bubble and sonic WAIL nuke for debuff, jump out of melee, hit Howl, Force Bomb, and Shockwave. Be sure to put Sudden Acceleration KB>KD in your knock back powers or teams will forget about you next time. You won't take down bosses, elite bosses or archvillains solo this way, but you will debuff the foes significantly. Tossing the Weaken Resolve > Electric Shackles > AIm > Screech > Repulsion bolt cycle after the minions and trash spawns are wiped out, is your single target attack stream on tough targets, too. The kb in Force Bomb and Shockwave will knock much of the problematic minions and lieutenants on their butt, which is almost as good as a hold 😉

 

My defender took pool powers of FLight, Teleport (for teammates), leadership, and Psychic mastery for some psychic blast resistance. Nothing wrong with the electric mastery. I made this to rebuild my original character. I have another FF/Energy blast defender to take advantage of multiple knockdowns, more leadership, fighting, and mace mastery to make him beefier. This guy doesn't benefit from -resist in sonic blast, but everything except AV's can get knocked down.

 

Now the bad news:

 

Forcefields are nearly obsolete in post-incarnate build teams because of all the Barrier, flying around. Forcefield Defender blasts and primaries don't debuff the way TA, Dark, Rad, Kinetics do. It's the nature of the primaries.

 

ROCK that FF defender and carry on.

 

 

[Wimbochismo]

I think this build could use some refinement. There's a bunch of disparate things you're chasing after that aren't adding up to a cohesive whole. In terms of survivability, the stats that are going to make you "invincible" are typically defense>resistances>hp or something thereabouts. Defense is going to make you avoid getting hit at all, resistances will reduce the dmg of anything that gets through, hp gives you a survival buffer.

 

Right now you're at about 30.5 defense to all, 34.2 with Agility Core. Part of Stealth's defense is suppressed in combat. Ideally you want to push this or choose one positional to take to 45 defense before you start working on max hp. You're also missing the 2 resistance uniques Reactive Defenses/Shield Wall which increases survivability. Once you get around 45 defense and 50+ s/l/etc res, then you can really start working in max hp. But honestly with 2 oh crap buttons, trying to push max hp is probably less needed than you think.

 

You've chosen to proc many of your powers. I think this is detracting from your build overall. Maybe the Gaussian's Build Up in Tactic's was making you think your accuracy was higher than it was? Your chance to hit vs +3's in most of your powers is incredibly low, you need accuracy slotting badly. Powers also need native slotted accuracy enhancements outside of global accuracy, in order for procs to hit. Taking Agility Core acts like slotting recharge into powers, this will also lower your proc chances.

 

I'll try to break down a few options you could take that might get you going in a better direction:

• I'm not sure that Electric Shackles is doing much for you besides being a proc bomb. You could actually use a bit more aoe potential outside of Force Bomb and Dreadful Wail. I would switch it for Howl, which is the only cone that does -res and is pretty spammable.
• Don't forget that Force Bomb does -15 res. Weaken Resolve only does -10 res. With that consideration you can either stack them or switch out Weaken Resolve for Hasten or something else.
• Gaussian's proc should really go in Amplify. It's very sporadic in Tactic's and you can't control when it goes off like you can with Amplify, to take advantage of the nuke Dreadful Wail for instance.
• You should really only 2 or 3 slot Fly with Winter's Gift or Blessing of the Zephyr. Hover is also more of a defensive toggle and should be taking a defense set.
• Dispersion Bubble is the one toggle that effects you as well, for massive defensive boosts. It's around 10 defense base and ~15 defense slotted, it could really use 6 slots.
• Pull back on procs and add some accuracy.

[Lady War]

Thanks for the feedback! I will run here live and play around with the recommendations y'all have given. 

[Psylenz0511]

whichever way you go on patron/epics, I usually take an immobilize for av's and holds for green mitos, silly but I got to have me a hold, too

 

edit for truth: Don't skip howl, it's like tar patch in a can for -resistance, no slow, but a good defender debuff for sure.

Edited Sunday at 02:43 AM by Psylenz0511

[Lady War]

 Here is the updated build:

Defender (Force Field - Sonic Attack).mbd

[Wimbochismo]

18 hours ago, Lady War said:

 Here is the updated build:

Defender (Force Field - Sonic Attack).mbd 41.17 kB · 2 downloads

 

This build is looking much stronger! You've definitely kicked up the defense and resistance while still maintaining great +maxhp.

 

There's only a few small odds and ends to optimize it even further.

• Switch the slots from Kick to Tough. Kick is almost never actually used as a viable attack. Instead, 4 slot Unbreakable Guard in Tough which is stronger melee defense. You only lose a slight bit of hp.
• Forcefeedback procs are at a low proc chance at 2ppm. Repulsion Bolt only has a 4s recharge so the proc will almost never go off. Even if it's a part of your attack chain, you probably won't have great returns here. Ideally you can move that slot elsewhere.
• You have no knockback protection currently. You could switch the Gladiator's Armor resistance piece in Charged Armor to Steadfast Protection kb protection for a slight loss in res (which is fixed by transferring slots to Tough). And/or you can add a slot to Hover or Fly for Blessing of the Zephyr kb protection.
• Force Bomb still needs a bit accuracy. Switch one of the procs to an accuracy/damage piece.
• In Weave, switch the 2 LotG's for 2 Shield Walls instead. Shield Wall 3 piece is slightly more hp than LotG 3 piece.
• It's difficult to judge endurance and I'm not 100% which toggles you're running. Just beware of Energize. It is doing endurance discount but is only up for 30s out of 60s. Without it up you may have slight endurance issues. Assault and Fly are somewhat situational toggles, though.

[Lady War]

I really appreciate the continued feedback. Here is where I landed. Shores up all the holes discussed. Once I get her set up and rolling I'll make tweaks as needed and let you know about endurance. 

Defender (Force Field - Sonic Attack).mbd