Please help me with my Beam/Energy Blaster

[Speed Freak]

I just finished a project and am looking for something new, so I decided on a blaster (and my tank screaming at my controller to get the H*ll out of the melee helped with the decision 🙂 ). I have PTSD so the math to do a "frame up" build is very difficult for me. I've listed the powers I'd like to use (order is not important), basically everything of use in Beam/ and the buffs in /Energy. I want a looong ranged Blaster. I know I'm supposed to list the way I'll use the character so:

 

1. Grouped 90% of the time. I do enjoy soloing though.

2. A significant amount of Exemping.

3. the 2 extra stealth powers and pretty much all of the Epic Pool are there for hanging enhancements on, if you can improve the build by making changes go for it

4. I honestly do appreciate any help you can give and thanks in advance.

 

Edit: cuz I R gud speeler

 

Hero Blaster
Build plan made with Mids' Reborn v3.7.5 rev. 21
──────────────────────────────

• Primary powerset: Beam Rifle
• Secondary powerset: Energy Manipulation
• Pool powerset (#1): Experimentation
• Pool powerset (#2): Concealment
• Pool powerset (#3): Fighting
• Pool powerset (#4): Flight
• Epic powerset: Arsenal Mastery

──────────────────────────────

Powers taken:

Level 1: Single Shot

• (Empty)

Level 1: Power Thrust

• (Empty)

Level 2: Charged Shot

• (Empty)

Level 4: Build Up

• (Empty)

Level 6: Speed of Sound

• (Empty)

Level 8: Cutting Beam

• (Empty)

Level 10: Infiltration

• (Empty)

Level 12: Disintegrate

• (Empty)

Level 14: Aim

• (Empty)

Level 16: Kick

• (Empty)

Level 18: Energize

• (Empty)

Level 20: Lancer Shot

• (Empty)

Level 22: Tough

• (Empty)

Level 24: Power Boost

• (Empty)

Level 26: Penetrating Ray

• (Empty)

Level 28: Boost Range

• (Empty)

Level 30: Piercing Beam

• (Empty)

Level 32: Stealth

• (Empty)

Level 35: Body Armor

• (Empty)

Level 38: Overcharge

• (Empty)

Level 41: Surveillance

• (Empty)

Level 44: Weave

• (Empty)

Level 47: Grant Invisibility

• (Empty)

Level 49: LRM Rocket

• (Empty)

──────────────────────────────

Inherents:

Level 1: Brawl

• (Empty)

Level 1: Defiance

Level 1: Sprint

• (Empty)

Level 2: Rest

• (Empty)

Level 1: Swift

• (Empty)

Level 1: Health

• (Empty)

Level 1: Hurdle

• (Empty)

Level 1: Stamina

• (Empty)

Level 1: Disintegrating

Level 49: Quick Form

Level 6: Jaunt

 

 

 

Beamer Blaster - Blaster (Beam Rifle - Energy Manipulation).mbd

Edited April 18 by Speed Freak

[Snarky]

Go for +range bonuses.  You can get one from Snipe sets, and one of the ranged AoE sets has one that is not unique, so can be used multiple times.  +range will (slightly) increase your AoE and (greatly) increase your survivability.  
 

I am away from desk comp (those bodies do not dispose of themselves!) but will post my Energy/ Temporal build later

[Speed Freak]

Thank you Sir

[Jacke]

Also, Blaster Sniper Powers, Quick or Slow, provide a 10s +50% Range Enhancement.  Useful for putting AoEs out farther.

 

 

[Snarky]

here is a beam rifle temporal i used as fire support in many Magisterium runs.

 

 

Blaster Beam Temporal Munitions w ach.mxd

[Octogoat]

10 hours ago, Snarky said:

here is a beam rifle temporal i used as fire support in many Magisterium runs.

 

 

Blaster Beam Temporal Munitions w ach.mxd 4.8 kB · 3 downloads

I took snarky advice on my ar/dev and am slotting ranged sets as I level and everything dies before they get to me and if they get to me I have a trip mine politely afforded to them for a trip to orbit.

[FFTMime]

Trying Ar/Dev and I ended up dropping trip mine. Sadly. I found any effort put in to being sure they pay for reaching me was better spent shredding them in the first place... but it is a fun power. I can't contest that. Particularly if you remote bomb a boss then trip mine their feet... 

Now there's a funny stealth build. 

[Meknomancer]

On 4/18/2025 at 8:12 PM, Speed Freak said:

I just finished a project and am looking for something new, so I decided on a blaster (and my tank screaming at my controller to get the H*ll out of the melee helped with the decision 🙂 ). I have PTSD so the math to do a "frame up" build is very difficult for me. I've listed the powers I'd like to use (order is not important), basically everything of use in Beam/ and the buffs in /Energy. I want a looong ranged Blaster. I know I'm supposed to list the way I'll use the character so:

 

1. Grouped 90% of the time. I do enjoy soloing though.

2. A significant amount of Exemping.

3. the 2 extra stealth powers and pretty much all of the Epic Pool are there for hanging enhancements on, if you can improve the build by making changes go for it

4. I honestly do appreciate any help you can give and thanks in advance.

 

Edit: cuz I R gud speeler

 

Hero Blaster
Build plan made with Mids' Reborn v3.7.5 rev. 21
──────────────────────────────

• Primary powerset: Beam Rifle
• Secondary powerset: Energy Manipulation
• Pool powerset (#1): Experimentation
• Pool powerset (#2): Concealment
• Pool powerset (#3): Fighting
• Pool powerset (#4): Flight
• Epic powerset: Arsenal Mastery

──────────────────────────────

Powers taken:

Level 1: Single Shot

• (Empty)

Level 1: Power Thrust

• (Empty)

Level 2: Charged Shot

• (Empty)

Level 4: Build Up

• (Empty)

Level 6: Speed of Sound

• (Empty)

Level 8: Cutting Beam

• (Empty)

Level 10: Infiltration

• (Empty)

Level 12: Disintegrate

• (Empty)

Level 14: Aim

• (Empty)

Level 16: Kick

• (Empty)

Level 18: Energize

• (Empty)

Level 20: Lancer Shot

• (Empty)

Level 22: Tough

• (Empty)

Level 24: Power Boost

• (Empty)

Level 26: Penetrating Ray

• (Empty)

Level 28: Boost Range

• (Empty)

Level 30: Piercing Beam

• (Empty)

Level 32: Stealth

• (Empty)

Level 35: Body Armor

• (Empty)

Level 38: Overcharge

• (Empty)

Level 41: Surveillance

• (Empty)

Level 44: Weave

• (Empty)

Level 47: Grant Invisibility

• (Empty)

Level 49: LRM Rocket

• (Empty)

──────────────────────────────

Inherents:

Level 1: Brawl

• (Empty)

Level 1: Defiance

Level 1: Sprint

• (Empty)

Level 2: Rest

• (Empty)

Level 1: Swift

• (Empty)

Level 1: Health

• (Empty)

Level 1: Hurdle

• (Empty)

Level 1: Stamina

• (Empty)

Level 1: Disintegrating

Level 49: Quick Form

Level 6: Jaunt

 

 

 

Beamer Blaster - Blaster (Beam Rifle - Energy Manipulation).mbd 14.44 kB · 5 downloads

 

Those are some odd picks, way too many attacks from beam but if you toss in some random stuff it maybe playable. 40% ranged, about 45% with power boost but its got downtime. Pretty late and i'm tossing stuff in at random. All i can ask is....why no combat jump or hasten and why do you need every power from beam? They animate slowly and you can get away with 5 for an attack chain, kind of makes sense if your exempting but still seems a bit much.

BEAM NRG WUT - Blaster (Beam Rifle - Energy Manipulation).mbd

[Jacke]

9 hours ago, FFTMime said:

Trying Ar/Dev and I ended up dropping trip mine. Sadly. I found any effort put in to being sure they pay for reaching me was better spent shredding them in the first place... but it is a fun power. I can't contest that. Particularly if you remote bomb a boss then trip mine their feet... 

Now there's a funny stealth build. 

 

Trip Mine is a must-take Power on /Devices, as is Gun Drone.  Both are Pets and for the vast majority of Pets (including these 2) they don't benefit from the Caster's Global Buffs (Mids Reborn is wrong about this, but it's so big a bug it's not fixable).  To reliably hit +4 Targets (ie. get close to 95% final ToHit, and without Global Buffs, like Level Shifts, it is really is +4 to the Pets), have to follow my 2 Pet Rules (so as not to have to calculate every case):

• Slot the Pet Summons Power with ED-capped Accuracy.
• If important Pet Powers have less than 1.2 Base Accuracy, needs either Tactics (even just the Base Slot) or -Def on the target.

Fortunately for both Trip Mine (which ignores external boosts like Tactics) and Gun Drone, their attacks do have 1.2 Base Accuracy.  /Devices Trip Mine is the best Trip Mine, having no Interrupt time.  Gun Drone is a mini-Tanker for the Blaster, especially with the Expedient Reinforcement Special slotted, as that gives it 90% Resist to all.

 

Here's my current AR/Devices/Arsenal Mastery build.  (I've got a //Force Mastery and //Mu Mastery builds too, only Toon I have with multiple builds as they are a pain, but it's my main.  😺)

 

Blaster AR-Dev.1.20250414.ArsenalM TT MF Assault Weave Maneu [i28p1] @Jacke - Jacke Dark.mbd

 

 

6 hours ago, Meknomancer said:

Those are some odd picks, way too many attacks from beam but if you toss in some random stuff it maybe playable. 40% ranged, about 45% with power boost but its got downtime. Pretty late and i'm tossing stuff in at random. All i can ask is....why no combat jump or hasten and why do you need every power from beam? They animate slowly and you can get away with 5 for an attack chain, kind of makes sense if your exempting but still seems a bit much.

 

Hasten is not needed in a build unless it has a critical or several important Very Long Recharge Powers, like Illusion Control's Phantom Army or the Powers in Nature Affinity.  Better to get Global Recharge from enhancement set bonuses, especially those from Purple, PvP, ATOs, and WOs, as they don't go away when Exemplared.  Combat Jumping is nice to have but not essential.  A build can only have 4 Power Pools; this is one of the tightest constraints on a build.  I see no reason to automatically take either Hasten or Combat Jumping in a build, because they both need a Pool Pick to add one Power.

 

Beam Rifle I take all but the T2 from.  Its ST chain doesn't use either T1 or T2, but all of the ST remaining (usually T4 - T8 - T7 - T6), so I take the faster recharge Power from T1 and T2 and with an interesting effect, the T1.

 

Don't have a Beam/EnerM Blaster build, but here's the current builds for my Beam/Devices and SonicA/EnerM Blasters.

 

Blaster BR-Dev.20250401.ArsenalM CJ TT Aim Assault Weave Maneu [i28p1] - Jacke Beam.mbdBlaster SonicA-EnergyM.20240720.MaceM CJ Stealth Cross-Punch Maneu GI [i27p7] @Jacke - Jacke Erg.mbd

 

 

Edited Monday at 04:53 AM by Jacke

[Nemu]

I would recommend you learn to embrace melee as a blaster. That's when you become damage incarnate. You can both do long range blasting AND at the very least, make sure that those get in your face regret their decision to do so.

[tidge]

7 hours ago, Jacke said:

Hasten is not needed in a build unless it has a critical or several important Very Long Recharge Powers, like Illusion Control's Phantom Army or the Powers in Nature Affinity.  Better to get Global Recharge from enhancement set bonuses, especially those from Purple, PvP, ATOs, and WOs, as they don't go away when Exemplared.  Combat Jumping is nice to have but not essential.  A build can only have 4 Power Pools; this is one of the tightest constraints on a build.  I see no reason to automatically take either Hasten or Combat Jumping in a build, because they both need a Pool Pick to add one Power.

 

I've bolded something I think is key about builds. In the olden days of live (circa Issue 1, when 4 more power picks became available) it was common to take Fitness, plus Hasten, plus Fighting... and then the last pool would often be Leaping (for Combat Jumping and possibly Acrobatics). Once Fitness became inherent, it freed up one pool choice, but it was still common to see recommendations for Hasten/Fighting/Leaping... and these remain common today!

 

On HC, because it is so very straightforward to get global +Recharge bonuses via enhancement sets, I also don't see much need to take Hasten, except for:

• Characters with critical, very long recharge time powers
• Characters that opt to have very few attacks (with longish recharge times) and want a steady attack chain

I can see a case for a player not wanting to invest in enhancements that offer global +Recharge and going for Hasten instead... but when I see folks pick Hasten at level 4 (or really: below level 18, when it shouldn't be needed, except maybe for Dominators) and then also try to build for perma-Hasten, I tend to think that is like the tail wagging the dog.

 

I went on a BR kick about 18 months ago, trying it on all ATs except Corruptors (no judgement, but I had just played several). I went with BR/MA, here is a snapshot. I went with Martial on this one because I wanted to focus on the BR and I felt like Martial offered the most without forcing me to lean too hard into the melee. (I enjoy Blapping, but this was for concept)

 

[Meknomancer]

7 hours ago, Jacke said:

 

Trip Mine is a must-take Power on /Devices, as is Gun Drone.  Both are Pets and for the vast majority of Pets (including these 2) they don't benefit from the Caster's Global Buffs (Mids Reborn is wrong about this, but it's so big a bug it's not fixable).  To reliably hit +4 Targets (ie. get close to 95% final ToHit, and without Global Buffs, like Level Shifts, it is really is +4 to the Pets), have to follow my 2 Pet Rules (so as not to have to calculate every case):

• Slot the Pet Summons Power with ED-capped Accuracy.
• If important Pet Powers have less than 1.2 Base Accuracy, needs either Tactics (even just the Base Slot) or -Def on the target.

Fortunately for both Trip Mine (which ignores external boosts like Tactics) and Gun Drone, their attacks do have 1.2 Base Accuracy.  /Devices Trip Mine is the best Trip Mine, having no Interrupt time.  Gun Drone is a mini-Tanker for the Blaster, especially with the Expedient Reinforcement Special slotted, as that gives it 90% Resist to all.

 

Here's my current AR/Devices/Arsenal Mastery build.  (I've got a //Force Mastery and //Mu Mastery builds too, only Toon I have with multiple builds as they are a pain, but it's my main.  😺)

 

Blaster AR-Dev.1.20250414.ArsenalM TT MF Assault Weave Maneu [i28p1] @Jacke - Jacke Dark.mbd 49.73 kB · 3 downloads

 

 

 

Hasten is not needed in a build unless it has a critical or several important Very Long Recharge Powers, like Illusion Control's Phantom Army or the Powers in Nature Affinity.  Better to get Global Recharge from enhancement set bonuses, especially those from Purple, PvP, ATOs, and WOs, as they don't go away when Exemplared.  Combat Jumping is nice to have but not essential.  A build can only have 4 Power Pools; this is one of the tightest constraints on a build.  I see no reason to automatically take either Hasten or Combat Jumping in a build, because they both need a Pool Pick to add one Power.

 

Beam Rifle I take all but the T2 from.  Its ST chain doesn't use either T1 or T2, but all of the ST remaining (usually T4 - T8 - T7 - T6), so I take the faster recharge Power from T1 and T2 and with an interesting effect, the T1.

 

Don't have a Beam/EnerM Blaster build, but here's the current builds for my Beam/Devices and SonicA/EnerM Blasters.

 

Blaster BR-Dev.20250401.ArsenalM CJ TT Aim Assault Weave Maneu [i28p1] - Jacke Beam.mbd 44.83 kB · 2 downloads Blaster SonicA-EnergyM.20240720.MaceM CJ Stealth Cross-Punch Maneu GI [i27p7] @Jacke - Jacke Erg.mbd 43.27 kB · 2 downloads

 

 

 

So since it was /energy secondary i recommended hasten. Why? Power boost and energize. And to get the nuke up faster. Combat jumping because it provides the best mobility and some immob resistance allowing you to kite melee attacks or melee ranged nukes. Mobility is pretty useful on squishies. And because not all players take the fighting pool and if you skip weave you want some immob protection.

 

You lost me in the 2nd sentence when you mention global recharge from WO. They have no global recharge.

 

As to the builds we clearly chase different goals to suit different playstyles. I hate 6 slotting full sets, i still dislike my own sonic/nrg simply because i chucked a couple mako sets it to get some ranged defense. I'd rather have recharge bonuses and proc damage. I'll never understand 6 slotting things like the entire shield wall set on anything but tanks , will that toxic/psi bonus make a difference, does that end/rech help out your blue bar? No in both cases. I look at my builds and try to figure out why i slotted each power the way i did. I look at other players builds and don't understand them, are you 6 slotting powers for a particular reason, chasing specific set bonuses? Which ones? 

[tidge]

3 minutes ago, Meknomancer said:

 I'll never understand 6 slotting things like the entire shield wall set on anything but tanks , will that toxic/psi bonus make a difference, does that end/rech help out your blue bar? No in both cases.

 

I feel the same about Shield Wall... except that I'd never 6-slot on any AT. 3-slots is common for me, I can't think of a character of mine that slotted 4 or more.

[Meknomancer]

12 minutes ago, tidge said:

 

I've bolded something I think is key about builds. In the olden days of live (circa Issue 1, when 4 more power picks became available) it was common to take Fitness, plus Hasten, plus Fighting... and then the last pool would often be Leaping (for Combat Jumping and possibly Acrobatics). Once Fitness became inherent, it freed up one pool choice, but it was still common to see recommendations for Hasten/Fighting/Leaping... and these remain common today!

 

On HC, because it is so very straightforward to get global +Recharge bonuses via enhancement sets, I also don't see much need to take Hasten, except for:

• Characters with critical, very long recharge time powers
• Characters that opt to have very few attacks (with longish recharge times) and want a steady attack chain

I can see a case for a player not wanting to invest in enhancements that offer global +Recharge and going for Hasten instead... but when I see folks pick Hasten at level 4 (or really: below level 18, when it shouldn't be needed, except maybe for Dominators) and then also try to build for perma-Hasten, I tend to think that is like the tail wagging the dog.

 

I went on a BR kick about 18 months ago, trying it on all ATs except Corruptors (no judgement, but I had just played several). I went with BR/MA, here is a snapshot. I went with Martial on this one because I wanted to focus on the BR and I felt like Martial offered the most without forcing me to lean too hard into the melee. (I enjoy Blapping, but this was for concept)

 

 

I haven't tried it since a day 1 fire farmer but isn't the entire concealment pool 3 power picks for 3 luck of the gamblers still a worse pick than hasten on its own? If your chasing recharge. Never mind i'm guessing its for the attack chain when exemped.

 

Piercing beam is a heavy hitter, throw a few procs in and it does almost a full 1/3 extra damage.

Edited Monday at 12:52 PM by Meknomancer

[tidge]

Just now, Meknomancer said:

 

I haven't tried it since a day 1 fire farmer but isn't the entire concealment pool 3 power picks for 3 luck of the gamblers still a worse pick than hasten on its own? If your chasing recharge.

 

Often Hasten requires a second slot to earn its place (and juggling multiple auto-fire powers... not impossible, but "one more thing") while the 3x Concealment pool requires no extra slots to be used as mules for the LotG pieces.

[Jacke]

5 hours ago, tidge said:

Often Hasten requires a second slot to earn its place (and juggling multiple auto-fire powers... not impossible, but "one more thing") while the 3x Concealment pool requires no extra slots to be used as mules for the LotG pieces.

 

Also, like the click-mez-protection Powers on Super Reflexes, Shield Defense, and Ninjitsu, for good performance when Exemplared, Hasten needs to have 2 Extra Slots for 3 Slots total.  Else with Exemplaring down to lower Levels, the reduction of Recharge Reduction enhancement by:

 

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Exemplar_Effects_on_Enhancements

 

hits those Powers hard.  3 Slots total is needed for the click-mez-protection to keep them perma.  Hasten is harder to perma, but with only 2 Slots, the downtime gets significant.

 

 

[Jacke]

6 hours ago, Meknomancer said:

You lost me in the 2nd sentence when you mention global recharge from WO. They have no global recharge.

 

So they don't.  But the enhancement sets bonuses for WO enhancements are never disabled by Exemplar Effects, same as with Purple, PvP, ATO, and Universal Damage sets.

 

 

[tidge]

1 hour ago, Jacke said:

 

Also, like the click-mez-protection Powers on Super Reflexes, Shield Defense, and Ninjitsu, for good performance when Exemplared, Hasten needs to have 2 Extra Slots for 3 Slots total.  Else with Exemplaring down to lower Levels, the reduction of Recharge Reduction enhancement by:

 

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Exemplar_Effects_on_Enhancements

 

hits those Powers hard.  3 Slots total is needed for the click-mez-protection to keep them perma.  Hasten is harder to perma, but with only 2 Slots, the downtime gets significant.

 

 

This is a good point that I typically ignore... probably because I so rarely put Hasten in my builds. The global recharge I build for will disappear below the sets' levels, but usually 50% is coming from ATO/VR (down to 7) with a LotG level being the dominant gate. I try to avoid the level 30 sets for this reason, but there are plenty of healthy +Recharge bonuses from sets that go below 20.... and there is always the Force Feedback %+Recharge, but I don't like that one so much.