Necro/Cold Critique

[Caadium]

I've been tweaking an older toon and looking to get back into it. With that comes a revisit of the build and was hoping to get some input.

 

Since Ice Shields are not improved by Power Boost, I went with Dark Embrace to help create better all-around protection. Scorpion Shield is still on the table though.

 

The attacks have some slots to give them some pop, but not sure if I should tweak it to better serve the specters and/or Dark Embrace. Life Drain is slotted to be a better heal and for set bonuses. Might be better use of those slots. 

 

Thanks for any input you might have. 

 

Cryogenicist - Villain Mastermind
Build plan made with Mids Reborn v3.7.14 rev. 3
──────────────────────────────

• Primary powerset: Necromancy
• Secondary powerset: Cold Domination
• Pool powerset (#1): Leaping
• Pool powerset (#2): Leadership
• Pool powerset (#3): Speed
• Pool powerset (#4): Sorcery
• Ancillary powerset: Soul Mastery
  

──────────────────────────────

Powers taken:

Level 1: Zombie Horde

• A: Nucleolus Exposure
• 3: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Damage
• 3: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Endurance
• 5: Overwhelming Force: Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown
• 5: Soulbound Allegiance: Chance for Build Up
• 7: Edict of the Master: Defense Bonus
  

Level 1: Infrigidate

• A: Invention: Accuracy
• 7: Achilles' Heel: Chance for Res Debuff
• 9: Touch of Lady Grey: Chance for Negative Damage
• 9: Shield Breaker: Chance for Lethal Damage
• 11: Impeded Swiftness: Chance of Damage(Smashing)
• 11: Ice Mistral's Torment: Chance for Cold Damage
  

Level 2: Ice Shield

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense
• 13: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• 15: Shield Wall: Defense
• 15: Shield Wall: +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
• 17: Kismet: Accuracy +6%
  

Level 4: Gloom

• A: Nucleolus Exposure
• 17: Gladiator's Javelin: Chance of Damage(Toxic)
• 19: Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage
  

Level 6: Enchant Undead

• A: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance
• 19: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance
• 21: Unbreakable Guard: RechargeTime/Resistance
• 21: Unbreakable Guard: +Max HP
  

Level 8: Life Drain

• A: Invention: Accuracy
• 23: Panacea: Heal/Endurance
• 23: Panacea: Endurance/Recharge
• 25: Panacea: Heal/Recharge
• 45: Panacea: Heal/Endurance/Recharge
• 45: Panacea: Heal
  

Level 10: Glacial Shield

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense
• 25: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• 27: Invention: Defense Buff
  

Level 12: Grave Knight

• A: Nucleolus Exposure
• 27: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Damage/Endurance
• 29: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• 29: Touch of Lady Grey: Chance for Negative Damage
• 31: Shield Breaker: Chance for Lethal Damage
• 31: Achilles' Heel: Chance for Res Debuff
  

Level 14: Dark Blast

• A: Nucleolus Exposure
• 31: Gladiator's Javelin: Chance of Damage(Toxic)
• 33: Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage
  

Level 16: Frostwork

• A: Preventive Medicine: Heal
• 33: Preventive Medicine: Heal/Endurance
• 33: Preventive Medicine: Endurance/RechargeTime
• 34: Preventive Medicine: Heal/RechargeTime
• 34: Preventive Medicine: Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance
• 34: Preventive Medicine: Chance for +Absorb
  

Level 18: Soul Extraction

• A: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• 36: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• 36: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• 36: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura
• 37: Sovereign Right: Resistance Bonus
• 37: Call to Arms: Defense Bonus Aura for Pets
  

Level 20: Arctic Fog

• A: Cytoskeleton Exposure
• 37: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance
• 39: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance/Recharge
• 39: Steadfast Protection: Resistance/+Def 3%
• 39: Gladiator's Armor: TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  

Level 22: Lich

• A: Nucleolus Exposure
• 40: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Damage
• 40: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Endurance/Pet +Resist +Regen
• 40: Expedient Reinforcement: Resist Bonus Aura for Pets
• 42: Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage
• 42: Sovereign Right: Accuracy/Endurance
  

Level 24: Benumb

• A: Invention: Accuracy
• 50: Invention: Recharge Reduction
  

Level 26: Dark Empowerment

• A: Panacea: +Hit Points/Endurance
  

Level 28: Sleet

• A: Undermined Defenses: Defense Debuff
• 42: Undermined Defenses: Defense Debuff/Recharge
• 43: Undermined Defenses: Recharge/Endurance
• 43: Undermined Defenses: Recharge
  

Level 30: Heat Loss

• A: Preemptive Optimization: EndMod/Recharge
• 43: Preemptive Optimization: EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge
• 45: Performance Shifter: EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge
  

Level 32: Combat Jumping

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  

Level 35: Dark Embrace

• A: Aegis: Resistance/Endurance
• 46: Aegis: Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
• 46: Aegis: Resistance
• 46: Aegis: Psionic/Status Resistance
  

Level 38: Maneuvers

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance
• 48: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  

Level 41: Super Speed

• A: Winter's Gift: Slow Resistance (20%)
  

Level 44: Tactics

• A: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff
• 48: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Recharge
• 48: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge
• 50: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance
  

Level 47: Spirit Ward

• A: Invention: Healing
  

Level 49: Hasten

• A: Invention: Recharge Reduction
• 50: Invention: Recharge Reduction
  

──────────────────────────────

Inherents:

Level 1: Supremacy

Level 1: Brawl

• (Empty)
  

Level 1: Sprint

• A: Celerity: +Stealth
  

Level 2: Rest

• (Empty)
  

Level 1: Swift

• A: Invention: Run Speed
  

Level 1: Hurdle

• A: Invention: Jumping
  

Level 1: Health

• A: Miracle: +Recovery
• 13: Numina's Convalesence: +Regeneration/+Recovery
  

Level 1: Stamina

• A: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End
  

Level 41: Speed Phase

──────────────────────────────
Incarnates:

Musculature Radial ParagonCryonic Core Final JudgementClarion Core EpiphanyAssault Core EmbodimentDegenerative Radial Flawless Interface

Edited 23 hours ago by Caadium

[Hedgefund2]

If you swap the Sovereign +Res piece with the Expedient Reinforcement +Res piece you get a free 8% regen bonus.  That's not much but there's no opportunity cost to it, none of the other values change.

 

I do want to point out that the Kismet piece will apply only to you (not any pets) for 120 seconds after applying Ice Shield.  The shields last 240 seconds so you would need to reapply them at the halfway point of expiration.  My 2 inf, you don't need it at all.  Everything you have with a to-hit roll is above 95% for +3s (my target for final to hit) but I get that some players like the to-hit cushion.

 

In Zombie Horde, a Soulbound Allegiance Acc/Dmg/Rch boosted by +5 will have the same acc/dmg values as a level 50 Nucleolus plus give you 16% regen and for Cold, that ain't shabby.

 

You have no kb protection at all.  I get the appeal of stacking slow resists in Fog with Winter's Gift but I'd be going with BotZ -kb there.  Slotting both is pretty nifty too if you can.

 

This is a very minor thing, but in your two personal blasts if you take the Glad Jav Acc/Dmg and +5 it in lieu of Nucleolus you'll still be over 95% for +3s and have some bonus recovery available at all levels (since PVP set bonus).

 

I always minimize Heat Loss downtime.  Local recharge at ED could get you down to about 102 seconds (from 110).  One way to keep HL to 3 slots is a PreOpt Acc/Rch, EndMod/Rch and a PerfShift Acc/Rch and +5 them all.  There are other ways to get there too.  I value the end mod boost the least here because HL is a monster of a rec boost even with no end mod slotting.

 

I may be wrong but it feels like Spirit Ward is a "well I gotta pick something, let me get something decent with just the base slot" and sure, Spirit Ward fits that bill but I think there are some more interesting options.  You're deep enough into the Speed pool to take Burnout for the double Heat Loss AV melter.

 

You have a rule of 5 violation for 10% regen which can be resolved with one your LotG pairs, for example use a different Def/End + Def/End/Rch combo from another Def set, like Reactive Defenses. 

 

For the coup de grace, changing the Acc in Benumb to a Provocation which would keep its final tohit above 95% for +3s and lower recharge from 40 to 36.2 seconds.  That's pricy so you decide if that's worth it.

Edited 21 hours ago by Hedgefund2

[Caadium]

Thanks!

 

I implemented most of the changes you mentioned (see below).

 

I moved the Kismet Slot to Fog and used it for Steadfast -KB. This adds in some -KB and 1.5% Recovery. 

 

Zombie and 2 attacks adjusted as suggested.

 

Heat Loss, I'm curious what you would put in there as you don't value the +End much. I'm interested in seeing alternatives.

 

Spirit Ward is something I've come to appreciate on /Cold MMs since Froswork isn't always an option. In the past I've taken more Sorcery, including RoP. If Necro attacks weren't key to the Spirits I'd dump Gloom & Dark Blast for Arcane Bolt and RoP. What I didn't see was a better slotting option, so it was kind of a "well, I guess a single Heal IO will do."

 

In order to fix the rule of 5 violation I sapped out the LotG Defense for End/Def Shield Wall. By making the Shield Walls +5s it's a net 0.11% Defense reduction, and ups the Shield Wall set bonuses.

 

I've flagged Benumb for the Provocation, but will hold onto the Acc/Recharge duo I had until that becomes a reality.

 

Again, thanks for the input, that is exactly the type of feedback I was hoping for!

 

Cryogenicist - Villain Mastermind
Build plan made with Mids Reborn v3.7.14 rev. 3
──────────────────────────────

• Primary powerset: Necromancy
• Secondary powerset: Cold Domination
• Pool powerset (#1): Leaping
• Pool powerset (#2): Leadership
• Pool powerset (#3): Speed
• Pool powerset (#4): Sorcery
• Ancillary powerset: Soul Mastery
  

──────────────────────────────

Powers taken:

Level 1: Zombie Horde

• A: Soulbound Allegiance: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy
• 3: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Damage
• 3: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Endurance
• 5: Overwhelming Force: Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown
• 5: Soulbound Allegiance: Chance for Build Up
• 7: Edict of the Master: Defense Bonus
  

Level 1: Infrigidate

• A: Invention: Accuracy
• 7: Achilles' Heel: Chance for Res Debuff
• 9: Touch of Lady Grey: Chance for Negative Damage
• 9: Shield Breaker: Chance for Lethal Damage
• 11: Impeded Swiftness: Chance of Damage(Smashing)
• 11: Ice Mistral's Torment: Chance for Cold Damage
  

Level 2: Ice Shield

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• 13: Shield Wall: Defense/Endurance
• 15: Shield Wall: Defense
• 15: Shield Wall: +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
  

Level 4: Gloom

• A: Gladiator's Javelin: Accuracy/Damage
• 17: Gladiator's Javelin: Chance of Damage(Toxic)
• 17: Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage
  

Level 6: Enchant Undead

• A: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance
• 19: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance
• 19: Unbreakable Guard: RechargeTime/Resistance
• 21: Unbreakable Guard: +Max HP
  

Level 8: Life Drain

• A: Invention: Accuracy
• 21: Panacea: Heal/Endurance
• 23: Panacea: Endurance/Recharge
• 23: Panacea: Heal/Recharge
• 25: Panacea: Heal/Endurance/Recharge
• 25: Panacea: Heal
  

Level 10: Glacial Shield

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense
• 27: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• 27: Invention: Defense Buff
  

Level 12: Grave Knight

• A: Nucleolus Exposure
• 29: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Damage/Endurance
• 29: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• 31: Touch of Lady Grey: Chance for Negative Damage
• 31: Shield Breaker: Chance for Lethal Damage
• 31: Achilles' Heel: Chance for Res Debuff
  

Level 14: Dark Blast

• A: Gladiator's Javelin: Accuracy/Damage
• 33: Gladiator's Javelin: Chance of Damage(Toxic)
• 33: Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage
  

Level 16: Frostwork

• A: Preventive Medicine: Heal
• 33: Preventive Medicine: Heal/Endurance
• 34: Preventive Medicine: Endurance/RechargeTime
• 34: Preventive Medicine: Heal/RechargeTime
• 34: Preventive Medicine: Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance
• 36: Preventive Medicine: Chance for +Absorb
  

Level 18: Soul Extraction

• A: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• 36: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• 36: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• 37: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura
• 37: Sovereign Right: Resistance Bonus
• 37: Call to Arms: Defense Bonus Aura for Pets
  

Level 20: Arctic Fog

• A: Cytoskeleton Exposure
• 39: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance
• 39: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance/Recharge
• 39: Steadfast Protection: Resistance/+Def 3%
• 40: Steadfast Protection: Knockback Protection
• 50: Gladiator's Armor: TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  

Level 22: Lich

• A: Nucleolus Exposure
• 40: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Damage
• 40: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Endurance/Pet +Resist +Regen
• 42: Expedient Reinforcement: Resist Bonus Aura for Pets
• 42: Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage
• 42: Sovereign Right: Accuracy/Endurance
  

Level 24: Benumb

• A: D-Sync Provocation
• 43: Invention: Recharge Reduction
  

Level 26: Dark Empowerment

• A: Panacea: +Hit Points/Endurance
  

Level 28: Sleet

• A: Undermined Defenses: Defense Debuff
• 43: Undermined Defenses: Defense Debuff/Recharge
• 43: Undermined Defenses: Recharge/Endurance
• 45: Undermined Defenses: Recharge
  

Level 30: Heat Loss

• A: Preemptive Optimization: EndMod/Recharge
• 45: Preemptive Optimization: EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge
• 45: Performance Shifter: EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge
  

Level 32: Combat Jumping

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  

Level 35: Dark Embrace

• A: Aegis: Resistance/Endurance
• 46: Aegis: Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
• 46: Aegis: Resistance
• 46: Aegis: Psionic/Status Resistance
  

Level 38: Maneuvers

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance
• 48: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  

Level 41: Super Speed

• A: Winter's Gift: Slow Resistance (20%)
  

Level 44: Tactics

• A: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff
• 48: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Recharge
• 48: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge
• 50: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance
  

Level 47: Spirit Ward

• A: Invention: Healing
  

Level 49: Hasten

• A: Invention: Recharge Reduction
• 50: Invention: Recharge Reduction
  

──────────────────────────────

Inherents:

Level 1: Supremacy

Level 1: Brawl

• (Empty)
  

Level 1: Sprint

• A: Celerity: +Stealth
  

Level 2: Rest

• (Empty)
  

Level 1: Swift

• A: Invention: Run Speed
  

Level 1: Hurdle

• A: Invention: Jumping
  

Level 1: Health

• A: Miracle: +Recovery
• 13: Numina's Convalesence: +Regeneration/+Recovery
  

Level 1: Stamina

• A: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End
  

Level 41: Speed Phase

──────────────────────────────
Incarnates:

Musculature Radial ParagonCryonic Core Final JudgementClarion Core EpiphanyAssault Core EmbodimentDegenerative Radial Flawless Interface

[Hedgefund2]

I dig it.

 

Re: Heat Loss I did give an option for keeping 3 slots and maxing out recharge - "One way to keep HL to 3 slots is a PreOpt Acc/Rch, EndMod/Rch and a PerfShift Acc/Rch and +5 them all".  That particular slotting gets you 66% accuracy and almost 95% recharge (both numbers local slotting) and has HL recharged in 102.6 seconds.  There are a lot of different combos to use amongst the End Mod sets allowing you mix and match acc, recharge and end mod, especially via boosting.  Just so at the end of the day you get recharge slotting to be 95ish and at least 42% accuracy.

 

Good hunting out there with this.  I played my Necro/Cold before the Necro buffs and it was lethal even in those days.  I generally don't go back to old characters once "retired" but this topic did remind me I should retrofit my guy to take advantage of the Necro changes and take it out for a spin occasionally.

[Caadium]

Again thanks.

 

I did see your comment about using End Mod pieces to maximize recharge. It was this line I was asking about thought "I value the end mod boost the least here because HL is a monster of a rec boost even with no end mod slotting."

 

If you don't think the EndMod component is worth focusing on, is there a Slow approach you would take? There are only 3 slots there, but it's possible to re-slot Life Drain if that's the case. If not Life Drain, Tactics is the other place I could look to free up slots.

[Hedgefund2]

I had written a somewhat lengthy post explaining what I meant about HL but deleted it to be more concise with suggestions.  Here comes the wordiness...

 

It's not that I don't care about the end mod boosts from HL.  My point was more about, with 3 slots you really have to prioritize and in that case, my priorities are 1) recharge 2) accuracy and 3) end mod.  The other attributes (slow, range, endurance reduction) I don't care about at all.

 

The reason I don't prioritize end mod is because the base value for HL is 62.5% (according to CoD, Mids says 50%, I go with CoD when there are discrepancies), which is more than an ED capped Stamina (right at 50%).  I'm talking about the auto-hit that the caster gets, not including additional stacks from mobs.  So just the autohit portion is enough to fuel you for 90 seconds, additional stacks are gravy.  

 

Long ago, back on live, I used to lament the lack of Cold for MMs.  I went on a bender when I found HC proliferated Cold and have since paired Cold with every primary.  Among those MMs I've given HL 3 slots, for other characters I've given it up to 6.  Various factors drive what approach I take to slotting, but in each case I prioritize as mentioned in the second paragraph with a focus on minimizing HL downtime.  I haven't made it perma, bridging the gap from 100ish seconds (where I tend to end up) to 90 seconds requires a LOT of focus on recharge and I'm not willing to go that deep at the expense of other goals.

 

So, I'm not saying ignore the end mod pieces of HL.  I've 6 slotted Preemptive Optimization before and that gives a lot of additional recovery but practically speaking, I just don't notice it and the 3 slotted HL is practically just as effective at fueling recovery as 6 slotting.

 

To answer about slows, I'm a hard "no" for enhancing that in HL.  It's a 30 second debuff and additional slow slotting only applies to movement debuffs (not recharge) and the slow IO sets don't offer any tricks (like an Acc/Rch piece) that I'd find handy.

[Caadium]

Thanks for the explanation.  I misread your statement, so the clarification helped.

 

In a previous build I had 6-slotted Preemptive Optimization so I get that approach to.

 

I'll get this build in place to test out. Thanks again!