Stalker advice requested General and Dark Dark

[Snarky]

i am looking for the basic rhythm of being a Stalker DPS (on a team, in big fights) how do you maximize the effects?  

 

also, specific tips on Dark Dark are appreciated.

 

here is the build i made...

Stalker - Dark Dark 2A.mxd

[Jacke]

I eventually want to have every Dark/Dark Toon.  I've not attempted a build for a Dark/Dark Stalker yet.  Let's have a look....

 

Wow, @Snarky, that's a damn good build.  Of the 3 main Protections, weak in Defense but damn strong in Resists and Heals.  (And there are many Toons that will apply Defense buffs on Teammates....)  I will have to adapt it for my own eventual purposes.

 

A few suggestions:

• The /EndRed Purple IOs should be +5 Boosted, as Purple sets are weak in EndRed.
• Build Up could have a couple of changes:
  • Slot with L50+5 Common RechEnd IOs.  Doesn't gain a lot of recharge reduction but gives it some effective resistance to -Rech debuffs.
  • If you can scrounge another Extra Slot, put it on Build Up and add a L21 Gaussian Chance for Build Up, which will have a high chance to proc.
• Change the slotting of Stamina to these IOs.  It will cause a drop of about 0.1 End/s for a large increase in unsurpressable RunSpeed.
  • L21 Performance Shifter Chance for +End,  Attuned Synapse's Shock EndMod and EndMod/RunSpeed
• Use Focus Accuracy as a Reusable Yellow Inspiration, turning it on only when hit with -ToHit.
  • Against the common limit of +3L targets, the lowest final ToHit will be on Cloak of Fear but still get to 95%
  • You may want to move the Power to later in the build, say swapping it with Physical Perfection.

 

And the most controversial change, adapted from my Kinetics Melee Scrapper and used in my Dark/Dark Scrapper build:

• At L1 and L2, take Shadow Punch and Smite, pushing off Shadow Maul to L14.
• This allows a quick charge up of Assassin's Focus to 3 Stacks and a 100% crit chance on Assassin's Eclipse out-of-Hide.  (See below.)
• Attack misses, no problem.   They both recharge quickly.
• My Kinetics Melee Scrapper uses the T1 and T2 attacks to quickly pump up the Damage Bonus from Power Siphon.
  • And has successfully Single-Target Scrapped his way through Praetoria before getting AoE attacks.

 

BTW, Placate (which you skipped) is now in PvE a 15ft radius AoE, max 5 targets, Mag4, autohit.  Fitting it into this build, that is what power to drop, is a problem.

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=stalker_melee.dark_melee.placate&at=stalker

 

As for playing Stalkers, I'm weak on this but I think I know enough.  There's been relatively recent changes that help them scrap things out on teams.  And you should learn and adjust as you Level the Toon.

 

The traditional stuff.

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Stalker_Strategy

 

The Inherents that guide the Stalker.

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Stalker#Stalker_Inherents

 

The key to using Assassin's Eclipse out-of-Hide: Assassin's Focus.  Hit 3 times with other attacks, get the Red Ring on Assassin's Eclipse and use it (after Build Up before if possible).

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Inherent_Powers#Assassin's_Focus

Quote

Assassin's Focus has a chance to be generated from any attack from the Stalker's primary power set except for Assassin's Strike. One stack of Assassin's Focus lasts for 10 seconds, and gives Assassin's Strike 33.3% chance to do normal critical damage. Up to three stacks of Assassin's Focus can be held at any time, allowing Assassin's Strike a 99.9% chance to do critical damage out of Hide. This, combined with Assassin's Strike out of Hide, allows the Stalker to mix his style of play at any time, be it to defeat enemies from out of sight, or to stand their ground and take down the enemy using extreme damaging attacks.

 

With Mystic Flight and Focused Accuracy off, there's 2.1 End/s net recovery (along with the extra Proc +End from the Panacea and Performance Shifter's specials, which aren't shown in MRB).  Should be more than enough to scrap.

 

 

Edited Friday at 10:04 AM by Jacke

[Meknomancer]

On 12/5/2024 at 6:24 PM, Snarky said:

i am looking for the basic rhythm of being a Stalker DPS (on a team, in big fights) how do you maximize the effects?  

 

also, specific tips on Dark Dark are appreciated.

 

here is the build i made...

Stalker - Dark Dark 2A.mxd 4.7 kB · 7 downloads

 

Interesting thread, i didn't know placate got a bump. I'm looking at my (very very old) build and planning a respec. I was thinking of something like this with a t4 barrier.  I'm not happy with only 50% slow res and 3 points kb protection its a work in progress.  

Stalker (Dark Melee - Dark Armor).mbd

Edited Saturday at 11:13 PM by Meknomancer

[Snarky]

10 minutes ago, Meknomancer said:

 

Interesting thread, i didn't know placate got a bump. I'm looking at my (very very old) build and planning a respec. I was thinking of something like this with a t4 barrier.  I'm not happy with only 50% slow res and 3 points kb protection its a work in progress.  

Stalker (Dark Melee - Dark Armor).mbd 40.56 kB · 1 download

4 pts KB prot is good 90% time, 3 pts is good ...20% time.  8 pts 95% 12+pts 99%

 

i have negligible slow resists.  i find it an uncommon debuff, and i have a lot of attacks

[Meknomancer]

13 hours ago, Snarky said:

4 pts KB prot is good 90% time, 3 pts is good ...20% time.  8 pts 95% 12+pts 99%

 

i have negligible slow resists.  i find it an uncommon debuff, and i have a lot of attacks

 

Well......it is the winter event right now, guess what the most common debuff is 😛

[Snarky]

4 minutes ago, Meknomancer said:

 

Well......it is the winter event right now, guess what the most common debuff is 😛

except for the presents.... 200?  i have nabbed all winter badges.  most i got with canes.  then one winter, one lady, one trip to the bny.  tracked down a GM.  viola.  dont think i need a new build for that.  

 

but seriously, this is a "theme toon" that will be my main.  (Vampire  shhh  don't tell anyone)  i have built and run this as a Dark Dark Brute and Tank.  I am not trying for those types of "deep" defenses.  This is all about hit and run.  i do not take placate power (1 no room 2 basically a scrapper with lot of crits after the first strike) not going to build deep defenses.  just the joy of being a stealth hunter.  

[Meknomancer]

45 minutes ago, Snarky said:

except for the presents.... 200?  i have nabbed all winter badges.  most i got with canes.  then one winter, one lady, one trip to the bny.  tracked down a GM.  viola.  dont think i need a new build for that.  

 

but seriously, this is a "theme toon" that will be my main.  (Vampire  shhh  don't tell anyone)  i have built and run this as a Dark Dark Brute and Tank.  I am not trying for those types of "deep" defenses.  This is all about hit and run.  i do not take placate power (1 no room 2 basically a scrapper with lot of crits after the first strike) not going to build deep defenses.  just the joy of being a stealth hunter.  

 

Fun. The only thing that matters in any game.

[aethereal]

I don't worry about recharge on Build Up with Stalkers -- in general, you'll get the power back through the global proc of recharge build up on your attacks before it naturally recharges.  As a result, you definitely want Gaussian's Chance to Build Up on it, because Stalkers use Build Up a lot.

[Uncle Shags]

I have a nrg/dark stalker that I love. You actually met him once while on one of your blasters. 

 

I usually team and play him pretty much as a tank.  Charge in first and take out bosses. Favorite time ever is the red fog MJ mission full of COT behemoths. Using combat tp to zip from boss to boss, punching them to exploding pulp while the team tries to keep up. Super fun. 

 

The only downside is when bosses aren't easily spotted.  If they're the same size as the rest of their crew I get frustrated just one shotting minions one at a time.  

 

 

Stalker (Energy Melee - Dark Armor) 3.0.mxd

Edited Sunday at 07:47 PM by Uncle Shags
added build

[Snarky]

1 hour ago, Uncle Shags said:

I have a nrg/dark stalker that I love. You actually met him once while on one of your blasters. 

 

I usually team and play him pretty much as a tank.  Charge in first and take out bosses. Favorite time ever is the red fog MJ mission full of COT behemoths. Using combat tp to zip from boss to boss, punching them to exploding pulp while the team tries to keep up. Super fun. 

 

The only downside is when bosses aren't easily spotted.  If they're the same size as the rest of their crew I get frustrated just one shotting minions one at a time.  

 

 

Stalker (Energy Melee - Dark Armor) 3.0.mxd 5.27 kB · 1 download

yeah, coming off Blasters i really miss wildly shooting across the room and tons of AoE.  but that ain't this.  this is....EXPLOSIVE Single Target DPS.  and when i play this I am in the (easy for me) arrogant mindset that if it needs AoE it is someone elses job.  i am not the trash guy.

[Uncle Shags]

For sure! Let me at the boss!

 

Worst mission is the MJ Chimera one.  Little ninjas that are in HUGE groups yet all look alike.  I think I immediately quit and made an aoe toon after that mission.

 

I suppose the answer is to make a macro to auto target certain enemy names, and change it as needed per mission. In case you have to find the friggin Gorgons...

[Thraxen]

I just started  dark/sr sent after reading through this. Hs is 26 already after a bit of “jerking off” which is what I call farming up your own toon. Did posi one and two. Seems really good so far. 
 

I just finished maxing out a bio/dark and figured I’d try dark on a stalker. 
 

I still just can’t get into dark armor. Might try it on a sentinel maybe?  

[Yomo Kimyata]

On 12/8/2024 at 8:57 AM, Meknomancer said:

 

Fun. The only thing that matters in any game.

 

Fun.  And slow resist.

[Thraxen]

I rerolled as dark/dark. Going for a death theme. 
 

How you like it so far?