Bio/Staff or SR/Staff?

[Glubba]

Man the alt-itis is hitting me hard. Looking to make a tanker now, and I really want to go staff. I was looking at SR/Staff then I've seen people post a couple things about bio. I'm fine with either thematically, so I'm specifically wondering how they are mechanically in the late game. I've heard SR is unkillable and Bio is better if you want to add some extra offense, but I personally have no experience with either powerset. All I can do is read what other people write. I love the idea of proc monsters and I've also read that Tanker is a good AT for it.

 

So some extra opinions would be great! Thanks in advance! <3

 

Edit: While I do team content most of the time, I have no RL friends that play the game so I am really interested in a character that can solo 4/8. If a tanker isn't the best choice for it, using staff specifically, I am familiar with the other melee ATs as well and would be happy to take advice pointing me in another direction.

Edited November 28 by Glubba

[Erratic1]

Bio/Staff. Used to run early morning radio missions with one. She was a beauty to watch grind through foes.

[Gobbledigook]

The easy ride is SR.  I would choose this if toughness is your main concern. Easy to build so you can add some procs for extra damage.

 

If you want to be more offensive then Bio, but you need to be more active clicking the powers to stay alive.

 

Both are really good though.

Edited November 28 by Gobbledigook

[Sanguinesun]

On 11/28/2024 at 9:48 AM, Glubba said:

Man the alt-itis is hitting me hard. Looking to make a tanker now, and I really want to go staff. I was looking at SR/Staff then I've seen people post a couple things about bio. I'm fine with either thematically, so I'm specifically wondering how they are mechanically in the late game. I've heard SR is unkillable and Bio is better if you want to add some extra offense, but I personally have no experience with either powerset. All I can do is read what other people write. I love the idea of proc monsters and I've also read that Tanker is a good AT for it.

 

So some extra opinions would be great! Thanks in advance! ❤️

 

Edit: While I do team content most of the time, I have no RL friends that play the game so I am really interested in a character that can solo 4/8. If a tanker isn't the best choice for it, using staff specifically, I am familiar with the other melee ATs as well and would be happy to take advice pointing me in another direction.

 

You're encroaching into the "wants a toon that does it all" frame of thinking, which can be a pitfall because not all missions/tf's etc are the same and +4/8  doesnt also denote the efficiency in time with which you clear either.   You can build a fortunata to clear starred ITFs for example but its going to be a pretty significiant time investment(hours likely) and more.

 

For the moment, Im going to simply assume you're not looking to participate in soloing the higher end challenging content and are just casually looking then for something that you get by with.  Most people play the end game content not with friends but in pugs arguably as well so that's not something to worry on for the casual content either.  Many also even on their 50's just do any of the 1-49 content similarly as you well know.

 

Every power set on a tank as strengths and weaknesses.  In team/league typical casual content though if you've built half decently, then anything is fine. Literally. The team brings your heals buffs etc to the table to supplement any holes you may have.  Soloing though can be a different story but again clearing can be done, just having to take considerable time and even then, remember if you do content with AV's, not every AV is built the same and even well built toons can on 1 av take em down easily while another could be a rage quit.

 

So if you want to gen pop it, anything is fine, just suit up with what you like.   But if you want to start focusing on specific more challenges, you'll need to build for those challenges specifically of you want to be efficient/optimal.

 

  

[Glubba]

2 hours ago, Sanguinesun said:

 

You're encroaching into the "wants a toon that does it all" frame of thinking, which can be a pitfall because not all missions/tf's etc are the same and +4/8  doesnt also denote the efficiency in time with which you clear either.   You can build a fortunata to clear starred ITFs for example but its going to be a pretty significiant time investment(hours likely) and more.

 

For the moment, Im going to simply assume you're not looking to participate in soloing the higher end challenging content and are just casually looking then for something that you get by with.  Most people play the end game content not with friends but in pugs arguably as well so that's not something to worry on for the casual content either.  Many also even on their 50's just do any of the 1-49 content similarly as you well know.

 

Every power set on a tank as strengths and weaknesses.  In team/league typical casual content though if you've built half decently, then anything is fine. Literally. The team brings your heals buffs etc to the table to supplement any holes you may have.  Soloing though can be a different story but again clearing can be done, just having to take considerable time and even then, remember if you do content with AV's, not every AV is built the same and even well built toons can on 1 av take em down easily while another could be a rage quit.

 

So if you want to gen pop it, anything is fine, just suit up with what you like.   But if you want to start focusing on specific more challenges, you'll need to build for those challenges specifically of you want to be efficient/optimal.

 

  

I think this is ultimately the advice I need. Now that you say it, it does feel like I’m encroaching on that territory. I appreciate you coming on here and giving me a kick in the pants. I have a few 50s and have done plenty of end game content on a team but I always see people talking about soloing ITFs and stuff so that was something I wanted to get into. I didn’t even consider having to build things for specific challenges, which seems kinda dumb now that I think about it.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

[Maelwys]

On 11/28/2024 at 12:48 AM, Glubba said:

I am really interested in a character that can solo 4/8. If a tanker isn't the best choice for it, using staff specifically, I am familiar with the other melee ATs as well and would be happy to take advice pointing me in another direction.

If you want to use Staff, then Tanker is by far the best AT to solo at +4x8.
(Stalker is best for ST damage)

Out of SR and Bio? I'd lean Bio. SR certainly has less holes whenever you're passively attacking... but Staff is not a passive powerset. The +Melee/Lethal Defense granted by Guarded Spin and the +Resistance granted by Sky Splitter (assuming you're running with Form of the Body, which you should!) shore up Bio's shortcomings very nicely; resulting in a performance ceiling that is far greater than SR versus anything other than extremely high levels of -Defence debuffery (most levels of -Def are ignorable due to the ability of Guarded Spin to stack with itself plus all of the +Regen and +Absorb that Bio throws out... my Bio/Staff can certainly cope with main tanking an ITF just fine!)

Might also worth pointing out that I've found Staff doesn't play nicely with lots of Epic Pool attacks due to all the combo mechanics; so mine skips the likes of Ball Lightning or Dark Obliteration etc. in order to focus on spamming three staff attacks plus Eye of the Storm.

I recently posted a build and some chat around it here if you want something to glance over. Older threads are here and here.
 

Edited November 30 by Maelwys

[Glubba]

1 hour ago, Maelwys said:

If you want to use Staff, then Tanker is by far the best AT to solo at +4x8.
(Stalker is best for ST damage)

Out of SR and Bio? I'd lean Bio. SR certainly has less holes whenever you're passively attacking... but Staff is not a passive powerset. The +Melee/Lethal Defense granted by Guarded Spin and the +Resistance granted by Sky Splitter (assuming you're running with Form of the Body, which you should!) shore up Bio's shortcomings very nicely; resulting in a performance ceiling that is far greater than SR versus anything other than extremely high levels of -Defence debuffery (most levels of -Def are ignorable due to the ability of Guarded Spin to stack with itself plus all of the +Regen and +Absorb that Bio throws out... my Bio/Staff can certainly cope with main tanking an ITF just fine!)

Might also worth pointing out that I've found Staff doesn't play nicely with lots of Epic Pool attacks due to all the combo mechanics; so mine skips the likes of Ball Lightning or Dark Obliteration etc. in order to focus on spamming three staff attacks plus Eye of the Storm.

I recently posted a build and some chat around it here if you want something to glance over. Older threads are here and here.
 

Funny, I was already using your post to build craft haha. Thank you so much for the response! Seems a general consensus that bio will get me to where I want to be generally speaking. I just love staffs animations. Some of these "punchy" builds are so repetitive, I just love the staff or dual pistols style of characters.

[Xandyr]

Bio/Staff hands down. You said you'll probably solo a lot, and you'll appreciate the extra damage and mitigation you can get from Bio.

[ZemX]

Yeah, oddly enough the Form of Body (staff offensive stance) coupled with Bio's Defensive Adaptation is probably your overall most defensive mode of operation in Bio/Staff just because of the extra +res(all) in Sky Splitter, which on Tankers is a whopping +13%!  Though you will probably find advice to skip Sky Splitter if what you're after is best DPS attack chain.  Then again, if that's what you're after, you don't want Staff in the first place.

 

I've yet to get my Bio/Staff to 50 but I have a Rad/Staff I play far too much of the time who can self cap all resistances (even Cold) with NO cooldown powers like Melee Hybrid, ROP or Meltdown.  Just Rad Armor, Tough, Might of the Tanker (in Guarded Spin), Sky Splitter in Form of Body, and IOs.  Overkill?  Probably.  But lots of fun.  I'm sure Bio can dish out more damage in the situations where you don't need to be that survival-focused.