Extremely Violent Team Support™ - A Huntsman Build

[GhostofMalta]

I had a Huntsman build from 2019 that I randomly decided to resurrect when I returned to CoX most recently. This came with a rename as well as some tweaks to the build as the character quickly returned to Main status.

 

Like many Huntsman builds this one is softcapped or within 1% of softcap to all Damage Types and Positionals except Toxic (27.4% DEF) and Psionic (32.4% DEF). With just Support Hybrid running those numbers go up to 39.4% Toxic and 44.4% Psionic, and the build pumps out 29.79% DEF (All) for your teammates to enjoy.

 

Lots of -RES procs enhance the already-Defender-tier percentages of Venom Grenade and Surveillance, and while the build's damage isn't necessarily anything to write home about it will outlast just about anything that doesn't have tons of DEF shread (looking at you, Banished Pantheon). Wide Area Web Grenade -> Venom Grenade -> Frag Grenade -> Heavy Burst is a near-perfect loop you can spam until the cows come home for wiping out crowds. 

 

For solo work - this character was also elected my badge hound - Shatter from Hide provides a viable single-target alternative to spamming Single Shot and Burst for cases where you don't feel like mowing down the entire spawn together.

 

As a final note, I have all five Destinies unlocked on this for maximum TF/Trial support versatility.

 

Jason Caliber - Villain Arachnos Soldier
Build plan made with Mids Reborn v3.7.11 rev. 2
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• Primary powerset: Bane Spider Soldier
• Secondary powerset: Bane Spider Training
• Pool powerset (#1): Speed
• Pool powerset (#2): Leadership
• Pool powerset (#3): Leaping
• Pool powerset (#4): Flight
• Ancillary powerset: Leviathan Mastery
  

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Powers taken:

Level 1: Single Shot

• A: Apocalypse: Damage
• 3: Apocalypse: Damage/Recharge
• 11: Apocalypse: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy
• 13: Apocalypse: Recharge/Accuracy
• 13: Apocalypse: Damage/Endurance
• 15: Apocalypse: Chance of Damage(Negative)
  

Level 1: Bane Spider Armor Upgrade

• A: Gladiator's Armor: Resistance
• 3: Gladiator's Armor: TP Protection +3% Def (All)
• 15: Steadfast Protection: Resistance/+Def 3%
• 17: Steadfast Protection: Knockback Protection
  

Level 2: Burst

• A: Superior Winter's Bite: Accuracy/Damage
• 5: Superior Winter's Bite: Damage/RechargeTime
• 17: Superior Winter's Bite: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• 19: Superior Winter's Bite: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• 19: Superior Winter's Bite: Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime
• 21: Superior Winter's Bite: Recharge/Chance for -Speed & -Recharge
  

Level 4: Combat Training: Defensive

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

Level 6: Build Up

• A: Rectified Reticle: To Hit Buff
• 7: Rectified Reticle: To Hit Buff/Recharge
• 7: Rectified Reticle: Increased Perception
  

Level 8: Heavy Burst

• A: Ragnarok: Damage
• 9: Ragnarok: Damage/Recharge
• 9: Ragnarok: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy
• 11: Ragnarok: Recharge/Accuracy
• 21: Ragnarok: Chance for Knockdown
• 23: Achilles' Heel: Chance for Res Debuff
  

Level 10: Tactical Training: Maneuvers

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

Level 12: Venom Grenade

• A: Superior Dominion of Arachnos: Accuracy/Damage
• 25: Superior Dominion of Arachnos: Damage/Recharge
• 25: Superior Dominion of Arachnos: Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• 27: Superior Dominion of Arachnos: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• 27: Superior Dominion of Arachnos: Recharge/Chance for -Dmg and Terrorize
• 29: Annihilation: Chance for Res Debuff
  

Level 14: Hasten

• A: Invention: Recharge Reduction
• 29: Invention: Recharge Reduction
• 31: Invention: Recharge Reduction
  

Level 16: Tactical Training: Assault

• A: Invention: Endurance Reduction
  

Level 18: Frag Grenade

• A: Superior Frozen Blast: Accuracy/Damage
• 31: Superior Frozen Blast: Damage/Endurance
• 31: Superior Frozen Blast: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• 33: Superior Frozen Blast: Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime
• 33: Superior Frozen Blast: Recharge/Chance for Immobilize
• 33: Annihilation: Chance for Res Debuff
  

Level 20: Tactical Training: Leadership

• A: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff
• 34: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff/Recharge
• 34: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance
• 34: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: Recharge/Endurance
• 36: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff/Endurance
• 36: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: Chance for Build Up
  

Level 22: Mental Training

• A: Invention: Run Speed
  

Level 24: Wide Area Web Grenade

• A: Enfeebled Operation: Accuracy/Recharge
• 36: Enfeebled Operation: Endurance/Immobilize
• 37: Enfeebled Operation: Accuracy/Endurance
• 37: Enfeebled Operation: Immobilize/Range
• 37: Gravitational Anchor: Chance for Hold
  

Level 26: Maneuvers

• A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense
• 39: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance
  

Level 28: Surveillance

• A: Shield Breaker: Defense Debuff
• 39: Shield Breaker: Accuracy/Defense Debuff
• 39: Shield Breaker: Accuracy/Recharge
• 40: Shield Breaker: Chance for Lethal Damage
• 40: Achilles' Heel: Chance for Res Debuff
  

Level 30: Tactics

• A: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff
• 40: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance
• 42: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: Recharge/Endurance
• 42: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control: To Hit Buff/Endurance
  

Level 32: Cloaking Device

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

Level 35: Shatter

• A: Superior Spider's Bite: Accuracy/Damage
• 43: Superior Spider's Bite: Damage/RechargeTime
• 43: Superior Spider's Bite: Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime
• 43: Superior Spider's Bite: Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• 45: Superior Spider's Bite: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• 45: Superior Spider's Bite: RechargeTime/Global Toxic
  

Level 38: Crowd Control

• A: Superior Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage
• 45: Superior Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• 46: Superior Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• 46: Superior Avalanche: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 41: Pummel

• A: Hecatomb: Damage
• 46: Hecatomb: Damage/Recharge
• 48: Hecatomb: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy
• 48: Hecatomb: Recharge/Accuracy
• 48: Hecatomb: Damage/Endurance
• 50: Hecatomb: Chance of Damage(Negative)
  

Level 44: Vengeance

• A: Shield Wall: +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
  

Level 47: Combat Jumping

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

Level 49: Assault

• A: Invention: Endurance Reduction
  

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Inherents:

Level 1: Brawl

• (Empty)
  

Level 1: Conditioning | Hidden

Level 1: Sprint

• A: Celerity: +Stealth
  

Level 2: Rest

• (Empty)
  

Level 1: Swift

• A: Invention: Run Speed
  

Level 1: Health

• A: Preventive Medicine: Chance for +Absorb
• 50: Numina's Convalesence: +Regeneration/+Recovery
  

Level 1: Hurdle

• A: Invention: Jumping
  

Level 1: Stamina

• A: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End
  

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Incarnates:

Cardiac Core Paragon

Ion Core Final Judgement

Degenerative Core Flawless Interface

IDF Radial Superior Ally

Barrier Core Epiphany

Support Core Embodiment

Jason Caliber - Arachnos Soldier (Bane Spider Soldier - Bane Spider Training).mbd

[Amp Up]

Yas, queen.

[KaizenSoze]

A few minor comments, really just preferences:

• if you two slot Hasten, then boost the IOs +5. That should get you perma hasten and save you a slot.
• You could slot out one slot in Burst for Achilles' Heel or just drop a slot. Because the proc rate is so low and the fire defense isn't really needed.
• Frag grenade, go for the Full Frozen Blast set to get that 2.5% AOE defense.
• Also, I would go for the full Dominion set in Venom nade for the resists.
• My only *concern* with your full, it's really fine, just being picky. Is that you're lower on defense/resists than I would prefer because Soldiers have zero DDR.
• If you have the money I would just create a second build on the same character that is melee focused. I have found that trying to mix melee/ranged on Banes doesn't work for me. Go for ranged or primarily melee and use the ranged as extra AOE.

Food for thought:

 

[GhostofMalta]

2 hours ago, KaizenSoze said:

A few minor comments, really just preferences:

• if you two slot Hasten, then boost the IOs +5. That should get you perma hasten and save you a slot.
• You could slot out one slot in Burst for Achilles' Heel or just drop a slot. Because the proc rate is so low and the fire defense isn't really needed.
• Frag grenade, go for the Full Frozen Blast set to get that 2.5% AOE defense.
• Also, I would go for the full Dominion set in Venom nade for the resists.
• My only *concern* with your full, it's really fine, just being picky. Is that you're lower on defense/resists than I would prefer because Soldiers have zero DDR.
• If you have the money I would just create a second build on the same character that is melee focused. I have found that trying to mix melee/ranged on Banes doesn't work for me. Go for ranged or primarily melee and use the ranged as extra AOE.

Food for thought:

 

 

Thank you so much for this writeup! I'll be honest, my knowledge (or lack thereof) dates all the way back to Live-- hence my tendency to just jam as many purple sets as I can fit into things. 😛

 

TBH I haven't experienced any real issues with defenses/resistance unless I'm soloing against factions like Banished Pantheon with a lot of DEF shred-- and TBH that was only because I was standing there getting beat up while I waited for more masks to spawn (it turns out they take a long time to respawn XD). Note that I do not do any at-level content solo with this character, and am thus always running with a full team or League; the only time I'm ever alone is when I'm going for a defeat badge or clearing an Ouro arc toward a badge or accolade. 

 

The mix of melee and ranged is to emulate the concept of "This is what an Assault RIfle Blaster could've been," thus the mix of ranged and melee attacks. In a prior version of this build I had Call Reinforcements and Bayonet, but I wasn't very happy with their performance; much more at home with Shatter and Crowd Control.

 

That being said, I've literally never played any Soldier except this "Huntsman" variety; I should really check out Bane and Crab someday.

[KaizenSoze]

2 hours ago, GhostofMalta said:

TBH I haven't experienced any real issues with defenses/resistance unless I'm soloing against factions like Banished Pantheon with a lot of DEF shred-- and TBH that was only because I was standing there getting beat up while I waited for more masks to spawn (it turns out they take a long time to respawn XD). 

BP is a good test. Kallisti Wharf mobs have even more -defense. If it's working for you, all good.

 

2 hours ago, GhostofMalta said:

The mix of melee and ranged is to emulate the concept of "This is what an Assault RIfle Blaster could've been," thus the mix of ranged and melee attacks. In a prior version of this build I had Call Reinforcements and Bayonet, but I wasn't very happy with their performance; much more at home with Shatter and Crowd Control.

In my experience the problem with trying to do mixed melee/ranged is the current speed of the game at high levels. If you played ranged, by the time you unloaded your AOEs, most mobs are dead. Then you try to run into melee range and maybe get 1-2 hits.

 

If you start in melee range, then you get the crit damage and then you can unload your AOEs. But you are losing a lot of team support by not using those AOEs.

 

Depending on my mood, I'll play ranged, hang back and play support. Otherwise, it's crit melee strikes followed by AOE on my other melee build.