new Dark Armor questions

[Jacke]

I'm starting to work on new builds for my Dark Armor Toons.  The changes for Cloak of Fear and Soul Transfer I can figure from their CoD2 entries.

 

But this one I'm wondering about for all Dark Armor builds for several ATs (Scrapper, Tanker, Sentinel, Brute, Stalker):

-- Dark Regeneration versus Obscure Sustenance ?

This one is more complex.

 

One feedback I've heard is that a build should take Obscure Sustenance while Levelling but for a final L50 build take Dark Regeneration.  The reasoning is that the +Recovery buffs from OS helps Levelling builds but the greater healing of DR helps in final builds.  But DR needs to hit mobs to Heal while OS doesn't.  OS also provides Regen and Debuff Resistance for ToHit and Regen.

 

Apparently, there's currently a bug in Sentinel's DR that it currently can't take Accurate Healing IOs, which will hopefully get fixed soon.

 

So, questions:

1. Does the above apply for all ATs?
2. How workable or unworkable each is for Levelling and L50 builds for Scrappers?
3. Same for Tankers.
4. Same for Sentinels.
5. Same for Brutes.
6. Same for Stalkers.

 

EDIT: Decided to go with Obscure Sustenance for all 5 ATs, even at L50.  Will see how it works out.

 

 

Edited September 5 by Jacke

[Ironblade]

On 8/17/2025 at 1:30 PM, Tankshock said:

The fact that the Cloaks can proc damage is also a selling point.  It all adds up.

 

It sure does.  I did a concept character, Toggle Man.  He's a spines/dark armor scrapper.  He has damage procs everywhere because when you're running 18 toggles, you don't have a lot of regular attacks.

[ScarySai]

On 8/16/2025 at 11:45 AM, Tankshock said:

Is Oppressive Gloom a reasonable Crowd Control power?  Does it make a difference when you need it to?

 

You really want to have it + cloak of fear. Pretty much anything below a boss is going to have trouble even initiating an attack once you min/max it out.

[Snarky]

2 hours ago, ScarySai said:

 

You really want to have it + cloak of fear. Pretty much anything below a boss is going to have trouble even initiating an attack once you min/max it out.

you could write encylopedias and mathematical treatises on the effectiveness of the cloaks.  they do not want them and will keep asking "need this?"

[ScarySai]

1 hour ago, Snarky said:

you could write encylopedias and mathematical treatises on the effectiveness of the cloaks.  they do not want them and will keep asking "need this?"

 

People willingly take beanbag, if they wanna scuff their character in  spite of advice, that's not my problem.

[Jacke]

1 hour ago, ScarySai said:

People willingly take beanbag, if they wanna scuff their character in  spite of advice, that's not my problem.

 

Recently, I looked at Beanbag for my main Toon, AR/Devices Blaster.  It does more Damage now than it did in the past.  But I've developed that Toon since 2005.  The build is tight and I don't want to lose any of the existing Powers to add in Beanbag.

 

Just the way it is.  When all Powers in a Primary and Secondary Powersets are good, still to fit in the more-than-6 needed Pool/Epic Powers to flesh out the Toon's build so it works well, thus have to skip what are good Powers.

 

EDIT: Looked at it again.  I'd almost be willing to drop Slug for Beanbag.  But Beanbag has a Base Range of 60ft, while Slug has a Base Range of 100ft.  Beanbag has a faster Cast but Slug has betterDPA.  Sticking with Slug.  For now....

 

 

Edited September 5 by Jacke

[Maelwys]

3 hours ago, Jacke said:

 

Recently, I looked at Beanbag 

 

 

 

[Jacke]

Hey @ScarySai, @Maelwys, I said I looked at Beanbag and it's still not good enough to fit into my AR/Devices build.

 

Beanbag is a ST attack and would need to replace another ST attack, either Burst or Slug (Sniper Rifle is too good, as is the Pseudo-ST Ignite).  (See ST chain below.)

Beanbag could maybe replace Burst, but replacing Burst (currently with 2 Procs, Apocalypse chance of Neg Dam and Achilles Heel chance of -Res, as well 4s Base Recharge) would hurt a lot.  Beanbag replacing Slug is more likely.

 

Burst has Cast ArcanaTime of 1.188s, DPA of 59.79/s, Base Recharge of 4s, Base DPS of 12.7/s, and Base Range of 90ft.  Outstanding feature is 8s -7.5% Def, which means it can slot the Achilles Heel Proc.

 

Slug has Cast ArcanaTime of 1.584s, DPA of 51.61/s, Base Recharge of 8s, Base DPS of 10.56/s, and Base Range of 100ft.  Outstanding feature is 25% chance for Mag 1.25 KB.

 

Beanbag has Cast ArcanaTime of 1.056s, DPA of 51.19/s, Base Recharge of 10s, Base DPS of 5.46/s, and Base Range of 60ft.  Outstanding feature is 11.92s Mag3 Stun.

 

So, to get that Stun, the build would take a hit on its Range and likely DPS.

 

My current ST chain is:

• Burst - Ignite - Sniper Rifle - Burst - Slug

If Exemplared such that Ignite is disabled, can swap in Buckshot.

 

Beanbag maybe could replace Slug and move that to the start.  But the Range is down to 60ft.  Build has +10% Range, so that would be 66ft.  When Ignite currently has the shortest range at 81.3ft.  And I use that ST chain at more than 66ft range.

 

Beanbag is better than it was.  But it's still not good enough for me to put into a build.

 

EDIT: Alternately, I could put in Beanbag and replace another Power.  Making just a situational Mag 3 Stun.  But Beanbag's always been that.  I tried it out years ago.  But if I use Beanbag and I get that 5% chance to miss, I've got to do something else.  So I just haven't included Beanbag and always do that something else.  And I don't think I can find any Power in the build I'd want to drop to make room for Beanbag.

 

 

Edited September 5 by Jacke

[Jacke]

In other news, I've made a new build for my Dark Armor/Martial Arts/Soul Mastery Tanker.  Still very low Level so it's a long way from being tested.

 

But after looking at Dark Regeneration and Obscure Sustenance, I've decided to go with OS for all ATs.  And I'll find out if its other buffs are worth the lesser amount of Healing.

 

 

[Snarky]

I always thought Dark Armor was best on Brutes.  
 

As a resistance Armor set Dark Armor gets mileage out of Brute’s 90% max res values.  So that makes it, to me, a more natural fit than Scrappers.  
 

Dark Armor has a non suppressing combat stealth.  With this you can destroy 17 Longbow in a spawn.  The next spawn over just ignores you.  This is a powerful tool that lets you pace the fight to your plan. It is also counterproductive for managing agro for a team.  
 

I have deep thoughts on the other two cloaks, fear and stun, as well.  But it is long past time telling people who have no interest how important they are.  
 

Brutes are just fun too. 
 

[Jacke]

Thanks for that, @Snarky.  I'm familiar with non-suppressing stealth, as there's 15ft of that on Blaster Devices' Cloaking Device Field Operative.  Cloak of Darkness has more.

 

I plan to eventually make every Dark/Dark combination (Mastermind Necromancy/Dark).

 

Also, for my Dark Armor Toons, I'm planning to go with Obscure Sustenance for all of them.  Its extra effects make it seem to be a better choice over Dark Regeneration.

 

 

[Snarky]

1 hour ago, Jacke said:

Thanks for that, @Snarky.  I'm familiar with non-suppressing stealth, as there's 15ft of that on Blaster Devices' Cloaking Device Field Operative.  Cloak of Darkness has more.

 

I plan to eventually make every Dark/Dark combination (Mastermind Necromancy/Dark).

 

Also, for my Dark Armor Toons, I'm planning to go with Obscure Sustenance for all of them.  Its extra effects make it seem to be a better choice over Dark Regeneration.

 

 

I built my Dark Dark Brute with a lot of resistances (including energy) and dealt with endurance. Old school, so Dark Regeneration.  Best heal in the game.  It us truly rare someone presses that Brute.  When they do… full heal.  He has tanked MoMLTF twice and tanked Rom no issues.  He does occasionally die, and the Dark Rez is a beautiful thing.  

Edited September 7 by Snarky

[Tankshock]

A few notes, now that I've fully incarnated.  The build below is just flat out uber.  Given that I have yet to faceplant even once, Soul Transfer is completely unnecessary.  Esp after Barrier, it's not even useful as an emergency buff.  The layering of max Resist, high end Heal plus Regen, and Defenses that can easily cap with a buff are just more than you need for anything other than hard mode.  Cloak of Fear is nice for the extra damage procs, but Oppressive Gloom can only take one proc and is completely unnecessary.  The only possible reason I can see to take it is to help compensate for being a subpar aggro magnet, which is fair if you want to lean into that role.

[Tankshock]

[Tankshock]

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[Snarky]

1 hour ago, Tankshock said:

  Cloak of Fear is nice for the extra damage procs, but Oppressive Gloom can only take one proc and is completely unnecessary.  The only possible reason I can see to take it is to help compensate for being a subpar aggro magnet, which is fair if you want to lean into that role.

The cloaks are a “faux defense” keeping trash mobs from attacking you.  
 

I have spent so much time trying to explain this. I will not repeat all that here.  Please reconsider how you look at these cloaks.