Rad/Elec

[Meph]

15 years ago I played a Rad/Elec based on the official forum user Erratik's build (if that rings a bell with anyone). It was a fun build to solo with, strong AoE, and great survivability between the Rad debuffs and the -end from Elec, and of course Rad brought a lot to the table for groups back then as well. I never got it to 50 back then, and so much has changed due to proliferation and especially due to IO sets (most of which I don't fully understand potential of) with regards to min/max'ing and optimal builds, but I'm curious to know if Rad/Elec has just been completely outclassed by the raw damage of /Fire or the -res of /Sonic. And it sounds like end drain is a laughable secondary effect these days. Can anyone offer some advice on the combo in specific, or the state of Defender secondaries in general?

[Erratic1]

15 years ago I played a Rad/Elec based on the official forum user Erratik's build (if that rings a bell with anyone).

 

I cannot help but remember, but go figure.  :)

 

Things are greatly changed from release. Enhancement Diversification broke how Rad/Elec achieved perma-Hasten, and perma-Hasten can now be achieved more broadly across powerset combinations which never would have been able to do so at release due to IOs and Incarnate abilities. My gut says the glory days of the combo are gone, but I would have to think on it to see if any saving graces might be had.

 

I am happy to hear it worked for you way back when.

[Meph]

Say his name 3 times and he will appear!!!

 

Well if Rad/Elec has been powercrept/normalized, what are you playing now?

[Erratic1]

Say his name 3 times and he will appear!!!

 

Well if Rad/Elec has been powercrept/normalized, what are you playing now?

 

In terms of Defenders I remade a pre-shutdown Kinetics/Sonic guy I had. Fun enough, but Kinetics is overpopular currently. Yeah, its a great set, but the other sets have their places.

 

Though I am up to 20 characters, I have not planned out my second Defender. I should probably take some time to do that. I would be tempted to do Time, but I have an Ice/Time Controller and it would take a really potent idea to make me want to replay a set.

 

 

[Without_Pause]

Takes time to get going for soloing, but I would put out a recommendation for Elec controller. I went /kin, but the fact that it gets a sleep to help set up alpha strike is incredibly nice. Elec/dark I could see as being really good as well since the controller support version for Dark is even better.

[Konru]

Rad/Electric was one of my original and favorite characters on the live server, too.  So of course I'm rebuilding her on Homecoming.  It's only going slowly because I've got 3 or 4 alts, and a story-focused playstyle.

 

I find Radiation is just a strong set regardless of what it's paired with.  On the Defender, Radiation Infection has a 31% to-hit debuff out of the box.  That can get up to 48% with enhancement, which is enough alone to cap the enemy at the 5% to-hit level before accuracy multipliers are applied.  I do use Maneuvers and Combat Jumping, but solely as insurance against resistant enemies (and anything that manages to wander outside the anchor zone).

 

Enervating Field is a 30% resistance and 25% damage debuff.  Combined with Accelerate Metabolism and Hasten, our DPS output is almost blaster level.  Sonic is popular pair with Radiation because the attacks give an extra 20% resistance debuff which really pushes the DPS past basic blaster levels.  But we chose electric for a reason.

 

I have my Short Circuit power with 2 IO Endurance Mod enhancements.  So each time I fire a short circuit blast every opponent in the area loses a little more than 50 endurace.  Bosses are running on empty after two hits.  While I do find elite bosses are still high-risk, getting detoggled due to a lucky stun or hold hit is a lot less likely to be painful when said elite boss doesn't have the endurance to follow through before I can get my hastened toggles back up.

 

Yeah, I'm having fun with this.