AR/devices

[Snarky]

I have not run an AR / devices in years.  How is this combo in the new world?  How did the Blaster update change it? 

 

I was thinking of soloing some story arcs with a PTSD vigilante type and was looking for any input on how that would go and what would make it enjoyable

 

Thank you

[Adeon Hawkwood]

It's a lot stronger now. Assault Rifle is still an AoE monster but the fast sniper changes and Targeting Drone means that you can now use Sniper Rifle as part of your single target attack chain. The devs are also looking at putting some buffs to Devices in the next patch but that's not finalized yet.

[Spotlore]

Targeting drone with To hit buffs keep me from having to slot accuracy to my attacks.  I went with recharge, damage, and a little bit of endurance cost reducers (I call them "Coolers".  They keep my gun from overheating.)

 

Fully slotting the "Cloaking Device" (Its called something else now.  I'm an old time AR/Dev blaster :P ) with many types of things.  I slotted mine with Defense buffs and endurance enhancers.  You can also slot health and coolers.

 

I like to play in groups, so I like to focus on the AoEs and the fast snipe (That may or may not be coming to all blasters soon) for bosses and hard targets.  With just normal level 50 IOs I got the snipe down to 6 seconds.  Burst is 2 seconds at the moment, and my shotgun blasts like slug and buckshot are 4.4 seconds.  So 6 second CD on a snipe isn't bad in my opinion.  Things will only get better with upgrade enhancements.  :)

 

If your down with Soloing, or PvP perhaps, theres some interesting traps you can set up.  The scary PvP build I used to use was great.  Cloak up in a High traffic PvP zone and set up Caltrops.  Then start stacking Tripmines.  (Recharge and damage enhancements).  Then Ignite.  Then I would Teleport Foe into the mess and watch them either die instantly in an impressive blast that they can't get away from, or watch them get REALLY messed up and finish them with ease. 

 

I don't know if you can still do it, but my SG and I used to farm warewolves with the stack of tripmines.  I'd stack a TON of them and the tank would then gather the Warewolves and lead them back to the bombs.  It was amazing!  The blast knocked some of them so high...  they never came down.  (Not exaggeration)  The damage wouldn't even say numbers.  It just said "Error".  Long story short.  BOOM!  XP!.  xD

 

Hover is highly recommended.  You're almost invisible, your smoke naids can be thrown without getting aggro, makes them only see at melee range, and if you slot it, can have an alright To Hit Debuff on them.  If you wait for the tank (Or whoever is pulling) to get all the aggro before opening fire, most enemies won't pay you any attention.  But for the few that will, they can't get to you if your flying, and the few that can...  Web naid will place them on the ground for you.  Or beanbag.  Hover can also be slotted with even more defense if you like. 

 

I like the defense debuffs Burst has.  I went with Munitions Mastery.  Surveillance does the same.  LRM is really fun and can't hurt to ware the body armor.  Blasters are soft.

 

Needless to say but I will anyway.  Ya can't go wrong with Hasten.  It may make your gun barrel a bit hot at times, but with endurance mods in Stamina and Cloak, mixed with the very few "Coolers" I have, I almost never run out of Stamina.

 

Now I've been an AR / Dev blaster from the time I was in the original Beta for CoH.  That being said, I am not a mathematician, or an expert min/maxer (I don't do that really, but it can't hurt to try a little).  So what I've said may or may not be the best suggestions.  But I can tell you, that you will have fun with the class.

 

 

[atletikus]

Both sets are solid separately (after next patch), but as much as I would like to like the thematic combo - I feel that missing out on both self boosting damage buffs is too much a sacrifice given how the Gaussian' proc now easily triggers 90% of the time (w/ 1 rech IO). You can place that proc in Targeting Drone of course, but the proc chance is then about 17% per 10 secs and you can't spike damage when you want/need. This makes that alternative a lot weaker especially given spiking damage with nukes now is so prominent a part of high level Blaster gameplay. If you can see past that, it will be bit of a monster come next patch with the proposed changes to Devices. 

[Novacat]

Each of the two sets is/will-be better than they used to be especially with the changes up on beta.

However, much as the combination's plenty viable, those same changes mean that at this time they're even better if not together - whether this remains so will depend on the alleged damage buff mounted on targeting drone.

 

For the moment the reason's as atletikus points out: You neither have a full-fledged nuke (not that full-auto's BAD) NOR aim NOR build-up. So, say you're soloing for example, your ability to slaughter all but one (one's bound to get missed) minions, red-line the Lt and chop off a good third from the boss as your opener is nonexistent: they ALL get to fire back once or twice unless you slot your toebombs heavily and time your M30 to match the explosion (easy enough, mind).

 

Whereas someone who can trigger Inferno or Nova right after putting down that tripmine probably has nothing but a half-dead boss left to deal with, and when on a team doesn't have to slow and wait (lest their biggest attacks are left unused) for the whole time.

[slacktech]

I'm levelling one (he's just hit 27) and even in a group he's not a dps machine.  This could be the gumby behind the keyboard, not the combo though.  However, it's a fun, safe combo.  I'm actually enjoying not being a glass cannon (but I never did enjoy being a glass cannon).  I've done a Pines build and it's going to be expensive and I still don't think it's going to be a dps monster, but the fact is he's fun, relatively safe (for a Blaster) and I actually like playing the character.  For me, that's more than enough to not regret rolling it.

[KimiHisakawa]

Here's my AR/Dev build. I'm able to get a 290 second Pylon kill with it, and it's also a beast at AoE. 16.17 cooldown on Full Auto.

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn v2.53 Database Issue: 25 - Updated: 6/27/19

http://www.cohplanner.com/

 

Click this DataLink to open the build!

 

AR/Dev: Level 50 Technology Blaster

Primary Power Set: Assault Rifle

Secondary Power Set: Devices

Power Pool: Flight

Power Pool: Speed

Power Pool: Leadership

Power Pool: Teleportation

Ancillary Pool: Munitions Mastery

 

Hero Profile:

Level 1: Slug

• (A) Apocalypse - Damage: Level 50
  
• (3) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (3) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (7) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (9) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative): Level 50
  
• (11) Decimation - Chance of Build Up: Level 40
  

Level 1: Web Grenade

• (A) Gravitational Anchor - Immobilize: Level 50
  
• (5) Gravitational Anchor - Accuracy/Immobilize/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (13) Gravitational Anchor - Immobilize/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (15) Gravitational Anchor - Chance for Hold: Level 50
  
• (15) Pacing of the Turtle - Chance of -Recharge: Level 50
  

Level 2: Buckshot

• (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  
• (5) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (7) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (9) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range: Level 50
  
• (11) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 50
  
• (13) Javelin Volley - Chance of Damage(Lethal): Level 50
  

Level 4: Burst

• (A) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  
• (17) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (17) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (19) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (19) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Recharge/Chance for Fire Damage: Level 50
  
• (21) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 20
  

Level 6: Fly

• (A) Freebird - +Stealth: Level 50
  

Level 8: Hasten

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
  
• (21) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
  

Level 10: Targeting Drone

• (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff: Level 50
  
• (23) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (25) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (25) Adjusted Targeting - Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (27) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance: Level 50
  

Level 12: Sniper Rifle

• (A) Sting of the Manticore - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  
• (27) Sting of the Manticore - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (29) Sting of the Manticore - Accuracy/Interrupt/Range: Level 50
  
• (29) Sting of the Manticore - Damage/Interrupt/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (31) Sting of the Manticore - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (31) Sting of the Manticore - Chance of Damage(Toxic): Level 50
  

Level 14: Hover

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 50
  

Level 16: Assault

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
  

Level 18: Maneuvers

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 50
  
• (23) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 50
  

Level 20: Field Operative

• (A) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery: Level 50
  
• (31) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb: Level 50
  
• (33) Preventive Medicine - Heal: Level 50
  
• (33) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage: Level 50
  
• (33) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All): Level 50
  
• (34) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 50
  

Level 22: Flamethrower

• (A) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  
• (34) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  

Level 24: Tactics

• (A) Rectified Reticle - Increased Perception: Level 20
  

Level 26: Smoke Grenade

• (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff: Level 50
  
• (34) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (36) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (36) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Endurance: Level 50
  

Level 28: Trip Mine

• (A) Armageddon - Damage: Level 50
  
• (36) Armageddon - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (37) Armageddon - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (37) Armageddon - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (37) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage: Level 50
  
• (39) Sudden Acceleration - Knockback to Knockdown: Level 50
  

Level 30: Afterburner

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 50
  

Level 32: Full Auto

• (A) Ragnarok - Damage: Level 50
  
• (39) Ragnarok - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (39) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (40) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (40) Ragnarok - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (40) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 50
  

Level 35: Teleport Foe

• (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points): Level 50
  

Level 38: Body Armor

• (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All): Level 50
  
• (42) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (42) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance: Level 50
  
• (42) Unbreakable Guard - +Max HP: Level 50
  

Level 41: Sleep Grenade

• (A) Fortunata Hypnosis - Sleep: Level 50
  
• (43) Fortunata Hypnosis - Sleep/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (43) Fortunata Hypnosis - Accuracy/Sleep/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (43) Fortunata Hypnosis - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (45) Fortunata Hypnosis - Sleep/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (45) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 50
  

Level 44: Surveillance

• (A) Undermined Defenses - Defense Debuff/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (45) Undermined Defenses - Recharge: Level 50
  
• (46) Achilles' Heel - Defense Debuff/Recharge: Level 20
  
• (46) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 20
  

Level 47: LRM Rocket

• (A) Superior Frozen Blast - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  
• (48) Superior Frozen Blast - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (48) Superior Frozen Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (48) Superior Frozen Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  
• (50) Superior Frozen Blast - Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime: Level 50
  
• (50) Superior Frozen Blast - Recharge/Chance for Immobilize: Level 50
  

Level 49: Caltrops

• (A) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 50
  

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) Empty
  

Level 2: Rest

• (A) Empty
  

Level 4: Ninja Run

Level 2: Swift

• (A) Flight Speed IO: Level 50
  

Level 2: Health

• (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance: Level 50
  
• (46) Miracle - +Recovery: Level 40
  

Level 2: Hurdle

• (A) Jumping IO: Level 50
  

Level 2: Stamina

• (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End: Level 50
  
• (50) Performance Shifter - EndMod: Level 50
  

Level 50: Musculature Core Paragon

Level 50: Vorpal Core Final Judgement

Level 50: Longbow Core Superior Ally

Level 50: Clarion Core Epiphany

Level 50: Assault Radial Embodiment

Level 50: Degenerative Total Core Conversion

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