Elec/Elec Discussion

[calledThird]

Salutations all!

I've been playing an Elec/Elec Brute and loving it.  It's cured my Altoholism.  I just hit 34, which is twenty levels higher than about forty other characters.  I'm really enjoying everything from the play style to the aesthetic.  Has anyone else out there had decent experiences with the pairing?

One thing I've loved is sapping an enemy's END to 0.  I've seen mentioned elsewhere that this basically does nothing against higher tier enemies  as they can apparently just use their abilities at 1 END.  Any truth to this?  If so, do Elec builds and Energy builds just not have a secondary effect, realistically?

Those with more experience here than me, what do your builds look like?  Do you have any advice for those of us crawling out way up to 50 and beyond?

[Ideon]

I've always liked it back on live (obviously Elec/Elec/Mu).  I believe there is some truth to the rumour that mobs can always fire off an attack even with no or 1 endurance, but it might be limited to certain attacks only.  Unfortunately, I have no way of testing this haha.  Due to this, I've always treated the sapping ability as a secondary effect and learnt not to rely on it.

 

With Incarnates, I took agility alpha to satisfy my endurance sapping (literally puts endurance mod into all attacks capable of sapping) and built for sapping and "one small purple to softcap" defences since without crippling my build there's no feasible way for elec/elec to hit softcap.

 

Since my character flies, I have a knockback protection IO in my build - even with grounded covering knockback protection, it doesn't work if I'm fighting in the air haha.

Your next power is power sink which will solve your endurance problems if energize didn't help enough with it already.  Also saps the opponent even more, haha.

 

My current build has resists to s/l at 75.3%, f/c at 82.3%, energy at 90%+ (hardcap), negative at 46.9%, psi at 40.3% and toxic at 14%, but also has s/l def at 34.7% and melee at 39.4%... everything else is at 15% def.  This should probably ensure that I'm safe most of the time as most attacks in the game have a smash or lethal component, and barring that, melee attacks would use my melee defence instead.  Everything which isn't covered, I will just have to eat with my resistances or pop a small purple to go softcap if it's really needed.  Because I'm thematic, I'm going to take Ion judgement of course.  😄  Unfortunately, it's a bit on the expensive side with many event IOs being used and those go for 20-25m a piece... sigh.  XD

Edited July 24, 2019 by Ideon

[Ideon]

Going on this, I found this post by ceaars:

 

 

This might help with the endurance sapping questions.  😄

Edited July 24, 2019 by Ideon

[calledThird]

Thanks for the link!  It's been a good read and pretty helpful.

So it sounds like killing recovery is just as important as killing the end pool.  Is there any good way to boost recovery penalties?  It seems like Gravitic Interface Incarnate is a good way to look.

[Kruunch]

I've found trying to control mobs through -END / -REC to be fruitless by and large.

 

Elec Armor (Power Sink) gets away with it because a fully slotted PS can floor a mobs' endurance, causing their toggles to drop and killing off their bigger abilities.

 

But it's more gravy on a great power than something that can be used as a reliable soft control in my experience.

[Sura]

That's a helluva link, great information and absolutely matches what I've encountered with my Ice/Elec Tanker.  

 

End drain is a good tool to have in your toolbox, especially if it's happening when you do things you would be doing anyway.  Like for me, I'm in the middle of a group and I fire off Energy Absorption to get Defense, but I also take away 75% of foes' END in a PBAoE radius around me.  I'd be firing that off just for the Defense (and because it gives me END), but the fact that it drains is a significant bonus.  Especially when I can follow it with Electrical Fences which will drain the rest of the foes' END (AoE again) while keeping immobilized foes within Chilling Embrace.  Add in other Elec attacks and Mu attacks and I can keep things mostly, if not completely, drained for a bit.

 

END drain for sure can have an effect.  It's not enough to be a primary source of mitigation, but as I say, it's a good tool to have.

 

I've been thinking about trying Gravitic, but haven't yet (searching on Gravitic is how I found this thread).  I may swap over so that I can see.

 

[calledThird]

Here's what I'm looking at going with. The Concealment recommendation came from somewhere on the old forums and I'm completely unsure if there's a better option.  It does lend a predator feel to the character, which I like.

 

I'm on the cusp of 40 and hoping to some day have a few hours to sit down in one go with the game.

 

Essence Leech: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Electrical Melee
Secondary Power Set: Electric Armor
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Charged Brawl -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(3), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(3), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Mk'Bit-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(5)
Level 1: Charged Armor -- RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctArm-ResDam/Rchg(7), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(7), RctArm-EndRdx(9), GldArm-3defTpProc(9)
Level 2: Havoc Punch -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(11), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(11), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Mk'Bit-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(17), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 4: Conductive Shield -- RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctArm-ResDam/Rchg(15), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(15), RctArm-ResDam(40)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(29)
Level 8: Thunder Strike -- SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprUnrFur-Dmg/Rchg(19), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19), SprUnrFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), SprUnrFur-Rchg/+Regen/+End(23)
Level 10: Static Shield -- RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctArm-ResDam/Rchg(23), RctArm-EndRdx(25), RctArm-ResDam(25)
Level 12: Lightning Field -- SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBrtFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), SprBrtFur-Dmg/Rchg(27), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), SprBrtFur-Rech/Fury(33), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 14: Super Jump -- WntGif-ResSlow(A)
Level 16: Grounded -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
Level 18: Chain Induction -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(29), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(31), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), Mk'Bit-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(31), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 20: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A)
Level 22: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Tough -- RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctArm-ResDam/Rchg(34), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(34), RctArm-ResDam(34)
Level 26: Weave -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(33), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(43), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(45)
Level 28: Energize -- DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx(A), DctWnd-Heal/Rchg(36), DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(36), DctWnd-EndRdx/Rchg(36), DctWnd-Rchg(37)
Level 30: Build Up -- RctRtc-ToHit(A), RctRtc-ToHit/Rchg(33)
Level 32: Lightning Rod -- Arm-Dmg(A), Arm-Dmg/Rchg(37), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Arm-Acc/Rchg(39), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Arm-Dam%(39)
Level 35: Power Sink -- EffAdp-EndMod/Rchg(A), EffAdp-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(43), EffAdp-EndMod/Acc(46), EffAdp-EndMod/EndRdx(46), EffAdp-EndMod(46), EffAdp-Acc/Rchg(50)
Level 38: Electrifying Fences -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(45), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(48), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(48), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50)
Level 41: Ball Lightning -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(42), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(42), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(42), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43)
Level 44: Stealth -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A)
Level 47: Invisibility -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A)
Level 49: Lightning Reflexes -- Run-I(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury 
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrc-Rcvry+(45)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg(17), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc(50)
Level 50: Agility Core Paragon 
Level 50: Ion Radial Final Judgement 
Level 50: Gravitic Radial Flawless Interface 
Level 50: Storm Elemental Radial Superior Ally 
------------

 

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.962
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

[JusticeBowler]

OK. I've been playing this build for a couple of days now Electric/Poison Controller.  Here's my latest experiment in -END/-REC.

 

It doesn't help where you need most of the help (the alpha strike). However, I will say that after a few seconds into the battle I do see an effect particularly in a place in the game I didn't expect. The high end. When people are running +4/x8 unless they are all floating Incarnate level damage it does take a minute to melt mobs and END is quicker to floor than health to zero. Folks might dip in health, but with the LTs and Bosses low-to-no END folks can concentrate on clean up.

 

It feels a bit like how Empathy, Regen, and other "reactive" defenses work but it does work. 

 

I was hoping that Poison's Weaken (which I have maxed out for -TOHIT) would fill the gap, but it doesn't have the range to affect enough of the mobs (unlike Dark and Rad similar powers) and still takes a moment to have an effect, so I just can't provide that sort of mitigation. That's OK... there are other people on the team that can help with that.

 

The real question is, is it more mitigation than say taking Fire instead of Electric would have been (mitigation by faster mob melting)? My argument is yes. The truth is, as awesome as a Fire controller can be they still do less damage than other ATs (say a Fire blaster). And the difference between a Fire and Electric controller is less than a Fire and Electric blaster. I'm simply not there for damage. Gremlins will help though, I'm sure. Most of the damage difference would probably be the difference between Gremlins and Fire Imps.

 

Yes, I could have gone /Kin, but I think when I get Poison Trap at 38 I won't be sorry at all.