Water/Dark builds?

[StrawberryWitch]

Anyone have a good Water/Dark build they are willing to share? Been lvling a Water/dark with dark mastery build and I'm really enjoying the playstyle. I've just been taking what I feel is right for now, but will definitely need help on how to make it better for end game stuff.

[Hjarki]

I can break them down independently.

 

Dark is somewhat easier (and well-trod territory):

Twilight Grasp: Targeted Heal sets are generally weak. Probably the best useful set bonuses you can glean here are from 5-slot Panacea and IO Accuracy. However, you can probably just 4-slot Touch of the Nictus and call it a day.

Tar Patch: Recharge is really all this needs.

Darkest Night: 4-slot Dark Watcher's Despair is a useful breakpoint, but you can use this out-of-the-box with just IO end reduction.

Howling Twilight: Stun sets are notoriously bad and Geyser + Howling Twilight to stun bosses seems a trifle excessive. I'd just IO recharge reduction.

Shadowfall: I tend to slot these stealth powers as LoTG global recharge + D/E and then either Shield Wall/Reactive Defenses uniques plus the corresponding D/E. In any case, this is primarily a mule for the defense/resist uniques.

Fearsome Stare: Glimpse of the Abyss 5- or 6-slot.

Petrifying Gaze: I never take it, but Lockdown is a great set (and almost justifies taking it).

Black Hole: No one takes it and there's nothing useful to slot in it.

Dark Servant: Honestly, I don't find this power much use. The Servant itself dies far too easily and the random effects it throws rarely turn out very useful. I'd probably just use it as a mule for whatever you need - it can slot for S/L Def, Ranged Def or recharge because of the variety of powers it has.

 

Water is a bit trickier. I'd recommend something like:

 

Aqua Bolt: Thunderstrike A/D, A/D/E, D/E, Touch of Lady Grey Neg damage, Javelin Tox damage, Achille's Heel -res

Hydro Bolt: Thunderstrike A/D, A/D/E, D/E, Javelin Tox damage, Force Feedback global recharge, Impeded Swiftness smashing

Water Burst: Vigilant Assault 3-slot, Force Feedback global recharge, Javelin lethal damage, Positron's energy damage

Water Jet: Thunderstrike A/D, A/D/E, D/E, Apoc Neg damage, Javelin Tox damage, Impeded Swiftness Smashing damage

Whirlpool: Defender's Bastion 6-slot

Geyser: Vigilant Assault 3-slot (the recharge portions of VA go here), Force Feedback global recharge, Javelin lethal, Positron's energy

Tidal Force: Either slot it up with Gaussian's or just IO recharge (probably the latter)

 

I don't think Dehydrate or Steam Spray are particularly worthwhile, although I suppose you can use them for mules if needed.

 

The Impeded Swiftness can be skipped to save a slot or re-purpose it for something like more Damage/Accuracy.

 

Epic Pools will normally come with a resist buff that can be used to mule the uniques - it's not terribly important to pile up resists, but you do want to keep the endurance down.

[graeberguinn]

Rolled a water/dark. Thanks for good info Hjarki.

 

Any builds available or thoughts on epic or pool power picks?

Also any tips on playstyle(solo vs group) 

 

Thanks

[Hjarki]

1 hour ago, graeberguinn said:

Rolled a water/dark. Thanks for good info Hjarki.

Since my first reply, there's been a fair bit of development in terms of how we think about power sets.

 

As of now, I'd actually recommend skipping Hydro Bolt and taking either Flame Mastery or Psychic Mastery as your epic pool so you can get Char or Dominate to round out your single target attack cycle with a fast activation Hold. This allows you to slot an additional purple proc you wouldn't otherwise be able to slot.

 

Tidal Force should absolute have the Gaussian's proc (the rest of it is up to you - depends on build requirements).

 

In terms of pool powers, generally you're looking to soft-cap ranged defense and have 5 different defense powers for LotG. I normally go with both Flight (Hover and Afterburner) and Leadership (Maneuvers and Vengeance). Dark already has a defense toggle.

 

Dark's Hold could also theoretically used for this purpose, but it's relatively slow activation and it doesn't deliver any actual damage itself so it's not nearly as strong.

[Darkir]

OK, so this build focuses on the ranged and melee softcap at the expense of recharge. I think the trade-off is worth it as most attacks in game come with either a ranged or melee tag. Hasten is not quite perma, but it is close. I like being able to tar patch then soul drain (with the -res proc) and then cast my T9. I couldn't figure out a way to keep ranged softcap and cap s/l resist so you have just under 70% which is still pretty good. I believe howling twilight and darkest night are auto-hit so no issue there. Finally, you will want to either take the ageless or make sure you get the +end accolades as the end drain on this is a little heavier than I'd like. Personally, I'd get the accolades and then take the clarion destiny incarnate ability for mez protection, but its up to you.

 

Build:

 

Villain Plan by Hero Villain Designer 2.23
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Mutation Corruptor
Primary Power Set: Water Blast
Secondary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Dark Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Aqua Bolt -- SprScrBls-Acc/Dmg(A), SprScrBls-Dmg/Rchg(13), SprScrBls-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29)
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx(A), NmnCnv-EndRdx/Rchg(3), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(3), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(5), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(5), NmnCnv-Heal(7)
Level 2: Tar Patch -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 4: Water Burst -- PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(A), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(31), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(31), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33), PstBls-Dam%(33)
Level 6: Darkest Night -- HO:Enzym(A)
Level 8: Whirlpool -- SprScrBls-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), SprScrBls-Rchg/+End(9), SprScrBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29)
Level 10: Tidal Forces -- GssSynFr--Build%(A)
Level 12: Howling Twilight -- AbsAmz-Stun/Rchg(A)
Level 14: Maneuvers -- RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(15), RedFrt-EndRdx/Rchg(15), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(21), RedFrt-Def(23), RedFrt-EndRdx(23)
Level 16: Shadow Fall -- RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(17), RedFrt-EndRdx/Rchg(17), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(19), RedFrt-Def(19), RedFrt-EndRdx(21)
Level 18: Water Jet -- SprMlcoft-Acc/Dmg(A), SprMlcoft-Dmg/Rchg(33), SprMlcoft-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), SprMlcoft-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SprMlcoft-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SprMlcoft-Rchg/Dmg%(36)
Level 20: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(25), Ksm-ToHit+(25), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(27), Rct-ResDam%(27)
Level 22: Super Speed -- BlsoftheZ-Travel(A), BlsoftheZ-ResKB(36)
Level 24: Tactics -- HO:Enzym(A), HO:Enzym(36)
Level 26: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A)
Level 28: Boxing -- TchofDth-Acc/Dmg(A), TchofDth-Dam%(31), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx(37), TchofDth-Dmg/Rchg(46), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 30: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(37), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(37), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(40)
Level 32: Geyser -- Rgn-Dmg/Rchg(A), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), Rgn-Acc/Rchg(46), Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Rgn-Knock%(48)
Level 35: Weave -- RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(39), RedFrt-EndRdx/Rchg(39), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(39), RedFrt-Def(40), RedFrt-EndRdx(40)
Level 38: Dark Consumption -- PrfShf-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(A)
Level 41: Dark Embrace -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(42), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(42), UnbGrd-Max HP%(42), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(43), GldArm-3defTpProc(43)
Level 44: Soul Drain -- SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(A), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45), SprAvl-Rchg/KDProc(46), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(50)
Level 47: Dark Servant -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A)
Level 49: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 1: Brawl -- SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx(A), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(9), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(11), SprBlsCol-Rchg/HoldProc(13)
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Scourge 
Level 1: Sprint -- Clr-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-End%(7)
Level 1: Combo Level 1 
Level 1: Combo Level 2 
Level 1: Combo Level 3 
Level 50: Agility Core Paragon 
Level 0: Marshal 
Level 0: Invader 
Level 0: High Pain Threshold 
Level 0: Born In Battle 
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