The Case for AR/ENERGY (Build and Play)

[Sarkany]

Hello, friends! I've been a Paragon City citizen since the original beta, if you can believe it. Throughout my 20+ years (!) of playing this thing, the one powerset I always return to is Assault Rifle. Man, it just feels good to blast foes onto their backs with a giant swiss army knife gun. 

 

Over those years, I've experimented with every secondary option for AR blasters. I have long believed that Energy is the best possible secondary for AR (sorry, Devices fans) and with Homecomings new archetype specific enhancer sets and some upgrades to powers, I just respec'd my blaster build, fully slotted him out and ran some testing with the results. 

 

In short: this blaster can clear S/L farms at 8/+4 with low risk in 17 minutes. As good as a fire tank in a fire farm? No. But the fact that the build can achieve this so handily while not being specialized in farming and being a blaster, is interesting. The build brings soft capped defenses (ALL) 75% of the time (using power boost... doesn't rely on incarnates for this), soft capped ranged defense 100% of the time, 74% s/l resist, a static 220% damage bonus from sets, a personal force field allowing him to escape/avoid sticky situations, extended cone attacks (boost range), and a ton of mobility with some juiced up hover and fly speed.

 

The SL farm performance is particularly interesting because it showcases the fun "scoot and shoot" playstyle this build relies on. With a tad of slotting, hover let's you:

-Boost Range, Build Up, Power Boost

-Flame throw at a much safer distance

-Buckshot

-Move back

-M30 Grenade Launcher

-Full Auto

 

The only survivors are +4 Bosses and Elite bosses which you can now easily finish off with Slug, Total Focus and Sniper Rifle while moving around to avoid much of their melee attacks

 

It's an incredibly fun play style that is highly interactive and requires you to judge distance and constantly move around the battlefield to set up cone attacks and avoid getting mobbed. I find this so much more engaging than jumping my scrapper into the middle of a pack and just hitting things from one spot and, because of the aforementioned defenses (both all around defense and resistances) which rival less wealthy SR scrappers, the build is highly forgivable, especially when one includes the Rebirth destiny incarnate healing and regen power.

 

The one drawback is the one AR has always faced: most damage is lethal, aside from flamethrower and the energy component of total focus. I need to test how soloing an AV would work, but I imagine it will be a tad slow. 

 

This build makes up for all of the faceplanting I've done as an overzealous blaster over the years. Wait for the tank? Ha! Not any more!

 

Build:

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.2.17
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

HK-99: Level 50 Technology Blaster
Primary Power Set: Assault Rifle
Secondary Power Set: Energy Manipulation
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Force Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Slug -- Apc-Dmg(A), Apc-Dmg/Rchg(3), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), Apc-Acc/Rchg(5), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(5)
Level 1: Power Thrust -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Buckshot -- Bmbdmt-Dam(A), Bmbdmt-Acc/Rech/End(7), Bmbdmt-Dam/Rech(9), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech(9), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech/End(11), Bmbdmt-+FireDmg(11)
Level 4: Hover -- ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(A), BlsoftheZ-Travel(13), BlsoftheZ-Travel/EndRdx(13), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(15), LucoftheG-Def(50), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(50)
Level 6: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 8: M30 Grenade -- SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg(A), SprDfnBrr-Dmg/Rchg(15), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(17), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), SprDfnBrr-Rchg/+Status Protect(48)
Level 10: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def(19), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(21), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(21), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(23)
Level 12: Sniper Rifle -- OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg(A), OvrFrc-End/Rech(23), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End(25), OvrFrc-Dmg/End/Rech(25), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(27), OvrFrc-Dam/KB(27)
Level 14: Fly -- BlsoftheZ-Travel(A), BlsoftheZ-Travel/EndRdx(46)
Level 16: Energize -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 18: Flamethrower -- SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsWrt-Dmg/Rchg(29), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SprBlsWrt-Rchg/Dmg%(31)
Level 20: Tactics -- GssSynFr--ToHit(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg(33), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(33), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx(33), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(34), GssSynFr--Build%(34)
Level 22: Kick -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Tough -- Ags-Psi/Status(A), Ags-ResDam(34), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx(36), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(36), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(36)
Level 26: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def(37), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(37), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(37), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(39), Rct-ResDam%(50)
Level 28: Evasive Maneuvers -- BlsoftheZ-Travel(A), BlsoftheZ-Travel/EndRdx(43)
Level 30: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48)
Level 32: Full Auto -- Rgn-Dmg(A), Rgn-Dmg/Rchg(39), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), Rgn-Acc/Rchg(40), Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(40), Rgn-Knock%(40)
Level 35: Boost Range -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 38: Total Focus -- TchofDth-Acc/Dmg(A), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx(42), TchofDth-Dmg/Rchg(42), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), TchofDth-Dam%(43)
Level 41: Personal Force Field -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 44: Temp Invulnerability -- GldArm-End/Res(A), GldArm-RechRes(45), GldArm-RechEnd(45), GldArm-Res/Rech/End(45), GldArm-ResDam(46), GldArm-3defTpProc(46)
Level 47: Power Boost -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 49: Force of Nature -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Defiance 
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clr-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Health -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A), NmnCnv-Heal(7), Mrc-Rcvry+(48)
Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A)
Level 49: Quick Form 
Level 14: Afterburner 
------------

 

https://www.midsreborn.com/builds/download.php?uc=1409&c=657&a=1314&f=HEX&dc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

 

 

Edited March 19 by Sarkany

[Uncle Shags]

I've got 2 ARs.  They're fun.  I like the idea of range boosted cones. 

 

You don't like Ignite? 

 

Recently I became disgruntled when I realized the target cap for Full Auto is 10.  What a load of crap... 

[Sarkany]

2 hours ago, Uncle Shags said:

I've got 2 ARs.  They're fun.  I like the idea of range boosted cones. 

 

You don't like Ignite? 

 

Recently I became disgruntled when I realized the target cap for Full Auto is 10.  What a load of crap... 

Man, ignite doesn't really fit into the shoot and scoot playstyle. This build is meant for high tempo play:
Move-Gun Down Mobs-Move-Gun-Move

 

The surviving bad guys aren't going to sit nicely in one spot for you unless you have a tank/brute/scrapper with you. 

 

This build can probably solo entire TFs... although I stress again that I have some concerns about the AVs. I'd probably need to drop the difficult to 8/+2 to manage the AVs in a reasonable amount of time

 

I will say that waaaaaay back in the day, on the original game, I did build an AR/Ice blaster to combine ignite with ice patch. It was amusing.

 

 

[WuTang]

I like it! Thanks for sharing!

[Hatchet_Manners]

On 3/19/2025 at 7:28 PM, Sarkany said:

Man, ignite doesn't really fit into the shoot and scoot playstyle. This build is meant for high tempo play:
Move-Gun Down Mobs-Move-Gun-Move

 

The surviving bad guys aren't going to sit nicely in one spot for you unless you have a tank/brute/scrapper with you. 

 

This build can probably solo entire TFs... although I stress again that I have some concerns about the AVs. I'd probably need to drop the difficult to 8/+2 to manage the AVs in a reasonable amount of time

 

I will say that waaaaaay back in the day, on the original game, I did build an AR/Ice blaster to combine ignite with ice patch. It was amusing.

 

 

Ignite sticks to the target of the attack. No need for him to sit in the burn patch. It's very powerful and perfect for tough bosses.

 

AR is one of my favorite sets too. There's a few secondaries I wouldn't use it with (like dark and mental), but otherwise they're all good. 

 

I suggest to slot FFback in m30 and buckshot, and I slot KB to kd in m30.

Edited March 21 by Hatchet_Manners