Kinetic Melee. Rate it please!

[Snarky]

Altitus is cruel lol.  Got all content through level 14 Blueside done and realized the character concept was not going to make me happy.  Very sturdy DM/Will Brute

 

like many CoX players I am concept driven. I like characters who do not use weapons and that naturally limits some choices

 

i like the idea of Kinetics Melee. I played it briefly at low levels on live years ago.  So I have no idea how it is really

 

can you folks let me know it’s strengths and weaknesses?  I play a lot of SS and Dark Melee Brutes and once in a while a low is energy melee.  

[Xaeon]

KM is a solidly middle of the road and generally okay melee set. It's not as bad as Energy Melee, it's not as good as Titan Weapons. It's just alright. Try it out if you like. The ranged attacks its got aren't going to amaze you any time soon but they're better than say; Hurl.  Try it if it interests you. 

Edited July 26, 2019 by Xaeon

[Snarky]

Yeah hurl bites.  I would even take it if the animation was cool.  But.m it just bites

[Xaeon]

Important thing to note, Power Siphon is kind of weird compared to most other build up type powers in that you don't get the boost all at once but instead have to build up the +damage through acquiring stacks of power siphon while it's up to a maximum of five stacks. But if you're going for a KM brute this is nothing new to you and is basically Fury 2: 200% Mad. For maximum memes you could go for Shield Defense as well for against all odds to provide you with even further +damage reliant on how much fighting you're doing to take Furylocking to a parodic extreme.

Edited July 26, 2019 by Xaeon

[Myrmidon]

I use KM/WP on my main and find that both of these pair up well for a spellcaster concept. KM is pretty close to MCU magic.

[Justaris]

I love my KM/WP, went for a Carnival of Light theme and it came out beautifully.

[Erratic1]

Slot KB->KD in Repulsing Torrent. You pick up a very useful area attack that way.

[Mercurias]

KM isn’t the strongest offensive set, but it’s style is A+.

 

Due to the long attack animations and lack of AoE, I tend to think of this as a set that it stronger for Scrappers. I have more success with Brutes that have a strong AoE element and/or faster attacks. You can still play it, but I would personally see the Fury bar as a point of frustration for KM than a mechanic to rely on.

[Steampunkette]

The key to Bruting a KM character is to shift your thought process.

 

Your attacks are a trio of single target strikes with the occasional big hit. Your Taunt is a Cone AoE with damage and Knockback (Or Knockdown). You get a neat Confront power with some damage on it. And you get a cool foot stomp, but it's really more for showing off.

 

Quick Strike > Body Blow >Smashing Blow are your bread and butter. Use them to build up your Rage and Power Siphon stacks (Especially Quick Blow with just a hint of recharge, it's -fast-). Skip Taunt entirely. You won't need it. If a runner goes after the Defender and you're surrounded, poke 'em with Focused Burst. If you've got a clear line to a squad of killers, use Repulsing Torrent instead.

 

Torrent is also nice AoE damage if you don't mind the scatter -or- the IO slot use. Or, y'know, Hovertank and shoot it down. Or aim for walls. Lots of options, really.

 

Concentrated Strike is basically Total Focus. It's a big beautiful hit that hits hard, but it takes a while. Aim at something with good health 'cause you don't want it to die before you finish the wind up!

 

Burst, like I said, is Foot Stomp. It does good damage, but instead of not being able to Fly while using it, your area is smaller. Really it's mostly for showing off 'cause the animation is cool. Or for when you've got enemies stacked -tight-. Hovertanking makes it -MASSIVELY- more useful.

 

 

[Leogunner]

On 7/26/2019 at 6:05 AM, Myrmidon said:

I use KM/WP on my main and find that both of these pair up well for a spellcaster concept. KM is pretty close to MCU magic.

I actually did that on live. Concept was it was basically Pixydust attacks cause she was a fairy. 

[Steampunkette]

Reading this topic caused me to go make a Wind Brute. Kinetic Melee and Bio Armor.

[Erratic1]

5 minutes ago, Steampunkette said:

Reading this topic caused me to go make a Wind Brute. Kinetic Melee and Bio Armor.

I am enjoying my KM/Bio scrapper. If you make the Brute version, I would be interested in how you like it.

[Heraclea]

[justicebeliever]

13 minutes ago, Heraclea said:

Really no clue what this thread was about...just going thru all my the posts I haven't read.  Normally would have just skipped on bye...but this...this...this made my day...

[Rejolt]

Trying Kinetic/Ice on a scrapper where I played Kinetic/WP on live. The live character was great but I'm only in the 20s on the /Ice. I'm so distracted by the awesome animations I have no clue if the secondary is fun for me yet.

[Vanden]

Kinetic Melee is best on Stalkers. They get a real Build Up, Assassin’s Strike replaces the “eh” Repulsing Torrent, and Burst has a 100% chance to crit from Hide.

[Erratic1]

2 hours ago, Vanden said:

Kinetic Melee is best on Stalkers. They get a real Build Up, Assassin’s Strike replaces the “eh” Repulsing Torrent, and Burst has a 100% chance to crit from Hide.

Does that real Build Up give a damage bonus of 300% Because that is what I cracked last night in a Summer Blockbuster run.  To be fair I was in Offensive stance from Bio Armor, so if you want to answer in relation to 275%, that's fine.

 

And Repulsing Torrent, slotted to convert knockback to knockdown is awesome.

 

Edit: I am not saying do not take Kinetic Melee on a Brute (or Stalker). You should find what works for you and if that is different from what works for someone else, so be it. Not getting Power Siphon reset on a Brute may not matter to you (though I might advocate for double Fury gains during its duration to the current developers).

Edited August 1, 2019 by Erratic1

[Snarky]

On 7/26/2019 at 3:05 AM, Myrmidon said:

I use KM/WP on my main and find that both of these pair up well for a spellcaster concept. KM is pretty close to MCU magic.

Really glad I saw this just as I was in character creator.  I. Caked up and changed from tech robot to magic undead and was happier as I ran the character.  Yes. Jazz hands.  And magic

[Leogunner]

On 8/1/2019 at 1:38 PM, Erratic1 said:

Does that real Build Up give a damage bonus of 300% Because that is what I cracked last night in a Summer Blockbuster run.  To be fair I was in Offensive stance from Bio Armor, so if you want to answer in relation to 275%, that's fine.

 

And Repulsing Torrent, slotted to convert knockback to knockdown is awesome.

 

Edit: I am not saying do not take Kinetic Melee on a Brute (or Stalker). You should find what works for you and if that is different from what works for someone else, so be it. Not getting Power Siphon reset on a Brute may not matter to you (though I might advocate for double Fury gains during its duration to the current developers).

I'd say it depends on how long you could maintain that bonus and what attacks could you use *with* that bonus.  If you hit that number but used up all your hard hitters to get there, what do you use to take advantage of it?

 

Although I'm sure Scrapper KM is the better option, the differences between Stalker and Scrapper is why I enjoy both those ATs the most.

 

And I'm sure Repulsing Torrent is nice with special slotting but have you used the new AS?  Especially considering how much wind up KM has, having a super slick and quick BOP! crit in your pocket cannot be ignored.  It's very nice to have.  I'd probably say KM on a Brute is likely the worst since KM's whole shtick is +dmg and Brute has the lowest damage mods...you really only pull ahead when the other ATs reach their cap because Brute will keep going higher...

 

...I guess part of what is made up for Brute is that Concentrated Strike doesn't do double damage on any ATs so it's all about the damage bonuses.

[Steampunkette]

On 7/30/2019 at 11:43 AM, Erratic1 said:

I am enjoying my KM/Bio scrapper. If you make the Brute version, I would be interested in how you like it.

... she became my main.

 

Cyclone is the best. And I'm the only Cyclone on Everlasting, right now, though I didn't get the name (Someone else is sitting on it with the intent to make a Corruptor, dang it! >_<) so I used i for L.

[Erratic1]

On ‎8‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 6:39 AM, Steampunkette said:

... she became my main.

 

 

Cyclone is the best. And I'm the only Cyclone on Everlasting, right now, though I didn't get the name (Someone else is sitting on it with the intent to make a Corruptor, dang it! >_<) so I used i for L.

 

Glad it worked out for you. Very nice costume!

[Steampunkette]

 

Cyclone hit 50. Now enjoy some Infinite Radial Freem to celebrate!

[Without_Pause]

On 8/1/2019 at 12:10 PM, Vanden said:

Kinetic Melee is best on Stalkers. They get a real Build Up, Assassin’s Strike replaces the “eh” Repulsing Torrent, and Burst has a 100% chance to crit from Hide.

 

I had a level 50 Claws/regen on live and my namesake is a Claws/wp on HC. Since Kin is very Claws like, I don't view RT as "eh." It can be used for alpha strike and a way to create breathing room if things get hairy. Some bosses don't get KBed, they get KDed. I was running +2/x4 and in times of need I would just jump up and then use Shockwave. Doing so gives you better range for more targets and can change KB to KD. No IO required. Now, if there is some differences between the similar powers, then maybe RT won't be "all that," but I don't think it is a straight benefit to lose it and gain AS even though AS is awesome.

 

Note I did recently give Kin another spin and was liking it. I rerolled because the animations are just slightly slow enough and the concept was close enough if not better in a SJ/ea stalker as I wanted something natural looking as possible. SJ loses out on a ST attack but gains AS when going Stalker, so pure win. I would offhand say Kin is about a C+, but I would need to get a build to at least 32 to really say. 50 with a final attack chain would be even better, but at least 32 gives me first hand experience with all of the attacks. I could see it moving into a B- or so. 

[Frostweaver]

What is it with Torchbearer know-it-alls?
"I once played a blaster to level 50 so I know all there is to know abut sentinels"

With the exception of a follow-up like buildup, and a medium-distance cone with kb, (which many sets have) KM plays very, very unlike claws... It is much slower, has a different level progression and different attack chains, as well as different secondary effects. It is much more single-target focused , and too slow for my taste. Not to mention the animations are straight out of capcom games.

I would rate it maybe 4 of ten. It works well as secondary mitigation for pure defense sets, but most of it's virtues come from the fact that is it 'energy damage that doesn't suck as much as energy melee'. This being a matter of perspective, of course... Burst is better than whirling fists, but is still underpowered as a PBAOE for it's animation time. The set has no secondary cone, and while CS does amazing damage, it shares NRG's 'by the time it finishes animating your team has killed your target' with a hefty 3 second animation.

While this makes it a first-rate set for stalkers and MAYBE Tankers, for brutes? definite 4/10.

Edited September 8, 2019 by Frostweaver

[Without_Pause]

21 hours ago, Frostweaver said:

What is it with Torchbearer know-it-alls?
"I once played a blaster to level 50 so I know all there is to know abut sentinels"

With the exception of a follow-up like buildup, and a medium-distance cone with kb, (which many sets have) KM plays very, very unlike claws... It is much slower, has a different level progression and different attack chains, as well as different secondary effects. It is much more single-target focused , and too slow for my taste. Not to mention the animations are straight out of capcom games.

I would rate it maybe 4 of ten. It works well as secondary mitigation for pure defense sets, but most of it's virtues come from the fact that is it 'energy damage that doesn't suck as much as energy melee'. This being a matter of perspective, of course... Burst is better than whirling fists, but is still underpowered as a PBAOE for it's animation time. The set has no secondary cone, and while CS does amazing damage, it shares NRG's 'by the time it finishes animating your team has killed your target' with a hefty 3 second animation.

While this makes it a first-rate set for stalkers and MAYBE Tankers, for brutes? definite 4/10.

It also has a Focus like power. Two ranged attacks which are similar if not the same for a melee based set is odd.  Both have a PBAoE. So yeah, they are "very very unlike" each other when it's all said and done. 😆I find how both sets have a difference in one ST attack and one AoE attack, but yet Kin is "much more ST focused. " Whatever. I openly admitted I hadn't played Kin to 50, but had at least played it. But hey, let's piss on someone because they gave their opinion and they play on a server you have some issue with. I wouldn't called it a first-rate set for stalkers, but what do I know, I play on Torchbearer. 😁