Archery/Tactical Is scorpion shield a waste? (45% Ranged Def, 40% S/L Def)

[Gone]

I'm working on my Archery/Tactical blaster and I don't have a lot of interest in the Epic/Patron pool powers so my original intent was to grab scorp shield and not bother with anything else. Of course while building it ended up being easier to cap Ranged defense as it usually is, but since Scorpion Shield was still in the build it left me with very high S/L defense on top of that.

 

Is this just overkill on defense?  Should I dump scorpion shield in favor of something else (S/L Resist power of some kind? Body Armor/Charged Armor can be selected without any other investment in their respective pools) or will the S/L defense provide a useful layer? Since the blaster is Archery/Tactical there will be a lot less melee interaction compared to a jump-in nuke and blap set.

 

EDIT: Bonus question, Aimed Shot or Snap Shot? For a primary like Fire Blast, the first blast is actually better than the second, I'm curious if it is the opposite for Archery.  I can only really fit one into the build so this is pretty important.

[SlimPickens]

There are a hell of a lot of melee attacks that are s/l, so it never hurts to have capped to ranged position, and also have the fallback of capped or near capped typed in s/l. Sure you arent aiming to be in melee, but unavoidably, there are times when melee just happens.

[atletikus]

Archery/Tactical is probably the most ranged blaster combo there is and one of the best equipped to stay ranged as well, so I think the S/L focus is wasted and that resistance would make it stronger. As for choosing between the first and second tier blasts, I prefer Snap Shot as it's easier to chain without pause, stronger when mezzed, and provides a quick attack to take out enemies really low on health.

[Rathulfr]

You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much defense, IMO.  I have Scorpion Shield on my Archery/Tactical Arrow Blaster.  Here's a build I'm considering for my main villain.

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.962

http://www.cohplanner.com/

 

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Wrongbow: Level 50 Natural Blaster

Primary Power Set: Archery

Secondary Power Set: Tactical Arrow

Power Pool: Leaping

Power Pool: Flight

Power Pool: Concealment

Power Pool: Leadership

Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

 

Hero Profile:

Level 1: Snap Shot

• (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
  
• (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge
  
• (5) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (5) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  
• (7) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 1: Electrified Net Arrow

• (A) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Recharge
  
• (7) Enfeebled Operation - Endurance/Immobilize
  
• (9) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Endurance
  
• (9) Enfeebled Operation - Immobilize/Range
  
• (11) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Immobilize/Recharge
  
• (11) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Immobilize
  

Level 2: Aimed Shot

• (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (15) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
  
• (15) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge
  
• (17) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (17) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  
• (19) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 4: Combat Jumping

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  
• (19) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  
• (21) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  

Level 6: Blazing Arrow

• (A) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (21) Superior Defiant Barrage - Damage/RechargeTime
  
• (23) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime
  
• (23) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  
• (25) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
  
• (25) Superior Defiant Barrage - RechargeTime/+Status
  

Level 8: Hover

• (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range
  
• (27) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range/Endurance
  
• (27) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)
  

Level 10: Fly

• (A) Flight Speed IO
  

Level 12: Explosive Arrow

• (A) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (29) Overwhelming Force - Endurance/Recharge
  
• (29) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  
• (31) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  
• (31) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  
• (31) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown
  

Level 14: Jump Kick

• (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (33) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
  
• (33) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
  
• (33) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 16: Aim

• (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff
  
• (34) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge
  
• (34) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance
  
• (34) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance
  
• (36) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance
  
• (36) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
  

Level 18: Ranged Shot

• (A) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (36) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Damage/Recharge
  
• (37) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (37) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  
• (37) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  
• (39) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Recharge/Chance for Fire Damage
  

Level 20: Eagle Eye

• (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  
• (39) Performance Shifter - EndMod
  

Level 22: Acrobatics

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO
  
• (39) Endurance Reduction IO
  

Level 24: Stealth

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  
• (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  
• (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  
• (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge
  

Level 26: Maneuvers

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  
• (42) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  
• (42) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  
• (42) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge
  

Level 28: Agility

• (A) Flight Speed IO
  

Level 30: Upshot

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  
• (43) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 32: Rain of Arrows

• (A) Ragnarok - Damage
  
• (43) Ragnarok - Damage/Recharge
  
• (43) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (45) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Recharge
  
• (45) Ragnarok - Damage/Endurance
  
• (45) Ragnarok - Chance for Knockdown
  

Level 35: Scorpion Shield

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  
• (46) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  
• (46) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  
• (50) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge
  

Level 38: Gymnastics

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  
• (46) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  
• (48) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  

Level 41: Tactics

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO
  
• (48) Endurance Reduction IO
  
• (48) Rectified Reticle - To Hit Buff
  
• (50) Rectified Reticle - To Hit Buff/Recharge
  

Level 44: Assault

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO
  
• (50) Endurance Reduction IO
  

Level 47: Afterburner

• (A) Kismet - Accuracy +6%
  

Level 49: Invisibility

• (A) Karma - Knockback Protection
  

Level 1: Brawl

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Defiance

Level 1: Prestige Power Dash

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Prestige Power Slide

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Prestige Power Quick

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Prestige Power Rush

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Prestige Power Surge

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Sprint

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO
  

Level 2: Rest

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 1: Health

• (A) Miracle - +Recovery
  
• (13) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
  

Level 1: Hurdle

• (A) Jumping IO
  

Level 1: Stamina

• (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  
• (13) Performance Shifter - EndMod
  

Level 1: Swift

• (A) Flight Speed IO
  

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[Purrfekshawn]

Level 47: Afterburner

• [*] (A) Kismet - Accuracy +6%

But won't that make Kismet activate only when you use "Afterburner" (& therefore become unable to attack)? As l understand mechanic - it is "chance" type enhancement, so it gives permanent buff only if is placed in automatic powers, or in toggle powers, if that toggle is running at that time, but when placed in occasional powers, it won't trigger until you activate that occasional power.

 

l've same lssue on Mah Main, where l placed Numina's Convalescence Regen/Rec on Aid Self power (& l dunno into what to respec with that), but there energy isn't much of an lssue, so it's probably kinda okayish (maybe).

[Rathulfr]

But won't that make Kismet activate only when you use "Afterburner" (& therefore become unable to attack)? As l understand mechanic - it is "chance" type enhancement, so it gives permanent buff only if is placed in automatic powers, or in toggle powers, if that toggle is running at that time, but when placed in occasional powers, it won't trigger until you activate that occasional power.

 

l've same lssue on Mah Main, where l placed Numina's Convalescence Regen/Rec on Aid Self power (& l dunno into what to respec with that), but there energy isn't much of an lssue, so it's probably kinda okayish (maybe).

 

Ah!  I'd completely forgotten about that: nice catch, thank you!

 

[Pzn]

If there's room in my build I almost always try to cap both ranged defense and s/l defense (unless it's a melee build).  It takes a lot more investment to cap melee defense than s/l since you can get most of the way there with ice armor/rock armor/scorp shield from the epic pool.  Ranged and s/l together provide really good coverage to most attacks in the game.  Nearly all melee attacks have a smashing or lethal component so most melee will be covered by your defenses.  Plenty of AoE attacks also have a s/l component.  I find that ranged attacks tend to be types of damage other than s/l more than melee and aoe so the two types of defense complement each other nicely.  The only time I die on my heroes with ranged and s/l soft capped are from cascading defense debuffs.