Robots/Dark Mk 2

[Neiska]

Hey Forums,

 

So, here is an updated build I just put together. I haven't really tried pushing with Robots since the update, so not 100% sure on all the slotting changes, like which ones need KB - KD, and so on.

 

Far as the build goes, I was trying to focus on DEF and decent resists, while still keeping all the /Dark goodness. For some reason, MIDs doesn't show the T2 Bubble shield on my DEF, but I checked in-game and it was 17%, which puts all my DEF around 43 or so. I think this isn't too bad, my main concern is how tight the END is. My plan to deal with that is to use the P2W Serums and Ageless. For incarnates, I intend on going Musculature Alpha, Ageless Destiny, Void Judgement (for the -50% Damage 30s debuff), Lore is undecided yet.

 

For Interface I am actually considering on trying Spectral Core, for the 25% immobilize/negative energy. Normally, I would go reactive/degen, but I have yet to actually try Spectral and Immobilize is pretty important for Robot MMs. I will have Tar Pit and Web Grenade, but if the pets can proc it then its possible they might be immobilize things all over all by themselves, which would be nice. I have no idea if that's how it works, but might be worth considering.

 

Anyway, here's the build and snip of build values. Feedback is welcome, others have more experience with the new Robots and Dark than I do.

 

Thanks bunches

 

 

 

Darktech Robot-Dark MM mk 2.mbd

[StrikerFox]

Few things:

Double slot LotG in Maneuvers or Weave instead of Hover. Maneuvers/Weave has a higher end cost and provides a larger +def bonus. It will improve the build's end gain and give more overall +def.

Cloud Senses would probably be better than Dampened Spirits in Darkest Night and Dark Servant. Also maybe Fearsome Stare as well.

Slot the Preventive Medicine unique in Maintenance Drone (Instead of Health). It will provide +8.75% rech.

Is the build at +43% def? Could probably softcap if Shadow Fall is slotted with some +def. Slot LotG so Vengeance can be dropped. Or Shield Wall/Reactive Defense to save a slot.

Try dropping Blessing of the Zephyr in Evasive Maneuvers for a Steadfast KB redux in Equip Robot for a small end bonus.

Are Explosive Strike in Battles Drones and Protector Bots worth it now? I haven't really looked at the new Bot attacks after the i27.5 change. Maybe the Call to Arms unique would be better.

Maybe drop Web Envelope for Charged Armor or Murky Cloud. It will buff resistances by a significant amount. CA can probably get S/L/E to +75%; MC can probably get F/C/E/N to +75%. Slot Tar Patch with Stereocilia HOs (slow/rech/end). I mean you have slows, stun, knockdown, fear and Spectral. I don't think you will miss Web Envelope.

Or Drop Web Envelope and Vengeance and take Murky Cloud and Dark Pit. Just for some Howling Twilight/Dark Pit shenanigans.

Overall it's a good build. I'm sure it will do great even if no changes are made.

[tidge]

7 hours ago, StrikerFox said:

Are Explosive Strike in Battles Drones and Protector Bots worth it now? I haven't really looked at the new Bot attacks after the i27.5 change. Maybe the Call to Arms unique would be better.

 

I no longer bother with KB->KD in the Robots. I think there is really only one attack from them that will still do KB (against even-level enemies, not counting clocks). It's not a big deal to me.

 

My T1 have the %BuildUp piece, plus the Explosive Strike %damage. The first is very reliable (often multiple triggers simultaneously) and the latter does slightly speed up clear times for me. The protector bots get a pair of ATO pieces, 2 uniques, and then a Hami-O Centriole and a LotG Def/global recharge. The T3 gets 4xATO + 2xATO.

 

When possible, I like to add a HamiO Endoplasm to Dark Servant for more control. I think when I have an extra slot I also will sometimes add a Trap of the Hunter %damage piece, but that is very optional. (4x Cloud Senses is also my default).

 

6-slot Tactics seems like overkill to me, but I smell what you are cooking. The Kismet piece in Weave is something I'd just drop, as it only helps the MM and often Weave isn't needed to be toggled on.

[Maelwys]

18 hours ago, Neiska said:

Hey Forums,

 

So, here is an updated build I just put together. I haven't really tried pushing with Robots since the update, so not 100% sure on all the slotting changes, like which ones need KB - KD, and so on.

 

Far as the build goes, I was trying to focus on DEF and decent resists, while still keeping all the /Dark goodness. For some reason, MIDs doesn't show the T2 Bubble shield on my DEF, but I checked in-game and it was 17%, which puts all my DEF around 43 or so. I think this isn't too bad, my main concern is how tight the END is.

Heys again Neiska!

The only pet that wants KB>KD now is the AssBot (purely for the regular non-incendiary missiles).

Regarding the Protector Bot bubbles - yeah it's 13% base now; so take your slotting, add 1 and multiply it by 13% (13%*1.3188=17.1444%) - whilst they no longer double-stack on the Drones and AssBot; having them affect the Protector Bots is handy as is the fact that Protector Bots themselves don't get tied up in indefinitely recasting their bubbles every few seconds. And there are shenanigans to be had with things like Power Boost and Clarion Radial Destiny whenever you realise that it counts as a boostable long-duration defence buff.

Regarding Endurance... Drones are nearly self-sufficient; but Protector Bots and AssBot (despite having 50% uptime on Conserve Power) both want as much Endurance Reduction as you can give them. The Bots/ MM I play most often has 33% in Drones, 86% in Protector Bots and 42% in AssBot and all but the Drones will eventually run dry. Whilst Dark doens't get any allied +Recovery/Endurance tools the Panacea Proc works in Twilight Grasp; which might help a smidge over time.


 

18 hours ago, Neiska said:

Lore is undecided yet.

Talons Radial all the way. Banished Pantheon Radial can output a fair amount of damage and -res debuffs providing that you can keep the boss alive... but Talons are far better at AoE damage mitigation and improving your (multiple!) heals; and the Talon Boss's "Seasonal Shift" AoE ability has an insanely high target cap.

 

10 hours ago, StrikerFox said:

Are Explosive Strike in Battles Drones and Protector Bots worth it now?

Battle Drones yes, Protector Bots no.
Ideally stick an Explosive Strike proc in the Drones and Assbot.

This is my default "trying to maximise damage whilst fitting in the four most important aura IOs" slotting:
 (Dam and Acc/End ATOs) - Endred is ~33%.
 (Acc/Dam/End and Dam/End ATOs; plus a LotG +Rech) - EndRed is ~60%.
 (Acc/Dam and End/Aura ATOs) - EndRed is ~23%.
Unfortunately that still leaves the Assault Bot and Protector Bots a bit underslotted for Endurance Reduction, but they'll last a reasonable amount of time before running dry. However if you're taking Musculature Alpha and are slotting Tactics for +ToHit (as many MMs do!) then you can get away with swapping the Acc/Dam HO in the Protector Bot and Assault Bot for a Lv50+5 Acc/Dam/EndRed, which largely solves the issue.

Fitting in ED-Capped Defense aspect in the Protector Bots is very tricky - something has to give...
 (Acc/Dam and End/Aura ATOs) - EndRed is ~23%.
 (Acc/Dam/End and Dam/End ATOs plus a Lv50+5 Acc/Dam/End Set IO. LoTGs are Def and +Rech) - EndRed is ~85%.
 (Dam and Acc/End ATOs) - Endred is ~33%.
...and in this case it's the Assbot's Accuracy and Damage aspect. With Musculature Core Alpha and Tactics it's just about OK if you're not up against enemies with Defence buffs.


I'll also back up a lot of what @StrikerFox wrote above regarding other slotting tweaks; however it might be worth pointing out that /Dark really only benefits minimally from Global Recharge - it wants to get the Dark Servant Perma (which the OP's build has already!) and multiple copies of Tar Patch out (having two out constantly is nice for taking down AVs/GMs... but as long as you've got one up for every group or even every other group in "regular content" it's fine!)
 

Edited 6 hours ago by Maelwys

[Neiska]

Thank you all for the feedback, I did make the suggested tweaks.

 

@StrikerFox - I moved the LotG and swapped in Cloud Senses as suggested, moved the PM unique to the drone, and moved the steadfast as suggested. Also swapped out Shadowe Fall for a +DEF set. Originally, I did have murky toggle, but the END is incredibly intense/demanding, with both Murky or Charged Armor with Elusive on, my END rec is 3.04, and my use is 3/s, which means my recovery is a whopping .04 a second. XD That is EXTREMELY tight, I am not even sure how I would use powers when its that tight. Granted that is with every toggle on, which I don't expect to have all the time. But still, I strongly dislike having to constantly pop blues to make a build work or flow, because you can and will run out of them. My plan is to use the p2w Serum and Ageless to help, but I dislike relying 100% on those for a build to work. But taking Charged armor does cap out the S/L Resistance which is awesome, but I am not sure I can fit all that END use in?

 

I am not sure what you mean by Howling Twilight/Dark Pit shenanigans, is there some kind of synergy with those? I am guessing Disorient stacking?

 

@tidge - I did move a slot to Dark Servant and put in an Endoplasm. I did drop Kismet, but I do like running full tactics, as it feels its a big help on +4/8 content to help pats constantly land their attacks. Not "always" but I have found it noticeable, and the 6 slot DEF bonus is a nice perk.

 

@Maelwys - I really like how you slotted your pets, so I copied them. (The later version with maxed Tactics). I didn't "plan" on going for a lot of recharge, I like to play defensively (odd with /Dark I know) and tend to like to build for high DEF and RES. 

 

At the moment I have 2 power slots (Epic Pools) that are able to be moved around -

 

1. I can take Charged Armor + Haste (or something else) to cap S/L/Energy RES, but doing so will make my END almost non-existant (with all toggles on anyway)

 

2. I can also take as suggested above and take Murky and Dark Pit, which will boost my Fire, Cold, and soft cap my Energy and Negative, and have the mentioned Howling Twilight/Dark Pit, but I am not sure how strong that would be, especially with Dark Pit having minimal slotting. (I don't think I ever really used Dark Pit? Is Disorient "that" good?)

 

3. If I could I'd take something to help with the END issue, and I have checked everything and I think the only power option I noticed was Soul Consumption. But even with it max slotted for END, it seems "blah" at best and sure as heck doesn't look good in Mids. But in order to fit it in, I would have to drop something. (Likely Weave as its 5% DEF but I am packing so much -tohit that I don't think it would be that critical, and I am not in dire need of +recharge either.)

 

The other option is to change my Alpha Incarnate from Muscled to Cardio, to save on both my own END as well as my pets END. But I have never NOT had Muscled with a MM, I just kind of always assumed that Muscled was the #1 Must have for MMs since it applies to pets.

 

Anyway, thanks for the update, added another snip and updated build file. I "think" I got everything. At the moment? I am leaning toward option 3 - Drop Weave (still have perma Dark Servant and a 34 second cooldown on Tar Pit, so I "can" stack two of them for a short time.), and still have Murky, Dark Pit, and Soul Consumption for "some" kind of END tool, even if it kind of stinks.

 

Darktech Robot-Dark MM mk 3 - updated.mbd

[Maelwys]

29 minutes ago, Neiska said:

the END issue

Maybe try this:

Darktech Robot-Dark MM mk 3m.mbd



Shuffled a few slots around, +5'ed some IOs, got some more raw recovery aspect and picked up your Accolades.
(Also fixed the lack of ED-capped +Res aspect in Equip Robot and amended the 4th slot in the Protector Bots to the +Res Aura)

If you're intending to be running Fly over Group Fly then the slotting of those two can be swapped; but I typically only toggle on Fly to pop Afterburner.

[Neiska]

14 minutes ago, Maelwys said:

If you're intending to be running Fly over Group Fly then the slotting of those two can be swapped; but I typically only toggle on Fly to pop Afterburner.

 

Thank you, I'll have a look. I don't intend on running both fly and group fly, I pretty much intend on using Hover pretty much all the time, Fly as a Travel Power, and Group fly when on maps that can support it (when solo, I don't use group fly on teams unless the mission calls for it.)

 

But your adjustments does look a lot better, especially with the END is concerned too. And this isn't bringing up things like I wont have to use Elusive ALL the time either, only some enemies have -fly things. Still, I like to be prepared.