I am reasonably certain, at this point, that any serious Kinetics Players are looking at the Powers, Pools and Slotting I've chosen above and come to a very simple (and obvious) conclusion ...
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot ...
?!?Let me see if I can adequately explain the multiple overlapping synergies going on with this build which are going to be inherently
INobvious and require getting somewhat down into the theorycrafting weeds before realization dawns and connections get made.
Level 50 Natural Defender
Primary Power Set: Kinetics
Secondary Power Set: Dual Pistols
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Concealment
Power Pool: Flight
Wait.
Kinetics ... with no Speed Pool? No Hasten?!?
No PERMA Hasten!?
BURN THE HERETIC!!!Okay, true.
NOT having Hasten (let alone Perma Hasten) on most builds feels like "heresy" to most people who play.
However ...
Consider.
In a Kinetics/Dual Pistols build, that takes 9 out of 9 Primary powers ... and 9 out of 9 Secondary powers ... what are you getting for your investment?
Short answer: 16 Click powers(!) and 4 Toggle powers (3 of which are mutually exclusive, because that's how Swap Ammo works).
Of those 16 Click powers ... how many have (base) recharge times longer than 20 seconds?
- Siphon Speed = 60s
- Inertial Reduction = 60s
- Transference = 30s
- Fulcrum Shift = 30s
- Hail of Bullets = 105s
That's not a "huge list" of powers that can benefit "magnificently" from having their recharge times buffed +70% by Hasten.
In other words, while Hasten is "nice to have" it is not exactly "necessary" in the context of a build with 11 Click powers that have a base recharge of 20 seconds or less ... meaning that there's hardly going to be a shortage of "stuff available for use" at any given time (particularly with Siphon Speed and multiple Force Feedback proc attack powers thrown into the mix that will keep global recharge high "when needed in combat" while steamrolling.
In other words, in a build that takes 9 Primary + 9 Secondary powers, along with 3 Leadership toggles ... there's only 3 power picks remaining ... and those 3 "leftover" power picks had better be One Slot Wonders™ in order to apportion the maximum number of slots to Primary, Secondary and a couple extra 5-slotted powers to obtain set bonuses.
Basically, I discarded Hasten in favor of Force Feedback procs ... resulting in a much wilder "roller coaster ride" that is much harder to "spreadsheet analyze" on paper outside the game experience.
You're Welcome.Praetorian Profile:
Whut.
No seriously. Whut?
Not a Hero Profile?
Not a Villain Profile?
A
PRAETORIAN Profile?
Yes. A Praetorian Profile.
Why?
Because Praetorians "who never leave Praetoria" (for Paragon City or the Rogue Isles) is the closest thing the game has to playing in
Hard Mode™.
If a build can "make it" as a
Forever GOLD all the way up into Level 50 and Incarnate Trials, it'll only be "easier" if played on either Blue or Red sides where you can add accolades that make you even more powerful.
Starting Praetorian and staying Praetorian will mean you can never access Ouroboros, Dark Astoria or the Rikti War Zone ... but you'll be taking The Road Less Traveled™ and you'll get to read a different newspaper (emote) than everyone else at the Incarnate Trials run out of Pocket D. Relative to going Hero or Villain, it IS something of a Self Gimp, but it's also a CHALLENGE on the order of an Ironman to be able to accomplish it. It's not exactly like playing Hardcore Mode, but it's not that far removed from it either.
Level 1: Transfusion
- (A) Theft of Essence - Heal: Level 22+5
- (45) Theft of Essence - Heal/Recharge: Level 22
- (45) Theft of Essence - Accuracy/Heal: Level 22+5
- (45) Theft of Essence - Accuracy/Endurance/Heal: Level 22+5
- (46) Theft of Essence - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 22
- (46) Theft of Essence - Chance for +End: Level 10
Transfusion: Theft of Essence (3.0 PPM)
- 3.0 * ((8 / ( 1 + 31.1 / 100 )) + 1.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 36.36%
Why use the Theft of Essence set instead of the Touch of the Nictus set?
Simple.
Foes that are defeated before the Transfusion heal happens PREVENT the heal from happening.
Consequently, avoiding the Chance for Negative Energy proc in Touch of the Nictus dealing the
killing defeating blow to a Foe I'm trying to generate healing from would seem to be counterproductive.
Besides, the build has Repel, which can be a bit of an endurance hog, so having some additional "blue bar mitigation" seemed like a prudent idea.
However, the slots for this come so LATE in the build (due to much higher priorities earlier on) that there's actually a wide variety of options to fill these 6 slots with (5 Regenerative Tissue or 5 Doctored Wounds plus an Accuracy IO: 50 being an obvious alternative), should anyone be inclined to take a different option with slotting this power.
Level 4: Repel
- (A) Knockback IO: Level 50+5
- (15) Knockback IO: Level 50+5
Repel has been the "unloved stepchild" of the Kinetics powerset pretty much since game launch in 2004.
Kinetics guides all around the internet nigh universally SHUN Repel. Their advice can be summed up in single words.
Repel is THE most frequently avoided power in the Kinetics powerset, and is as generally loved as Intangibility powers from other powersets.
However ...
All the way back in June of 2010(!) ... I asked a question of the Kinetics Defender experts of the day and the responses were ... well ...
see for yourself if you're interested.
As a lowbie in Praetoria, one of the more common hazards in underground maps you'll encounter are ...
Ghouls ... and
Failed Experiments.
Their "swarm to dogpile" signature move can be especially problematic if you don't have adequate countermeasures.
For a lot of my Praetorians, the simplest solution to the threat of getting swarmed is to "go up" ... meaning either find something to stand on (above ground level, usually on a wall) or use a flight power compatible with combat (Hover and Mystic Flight being the most obvious options). When denied the opportunity to melee, Ghouls and Failed Experiments (and Syndicate and PPD and Destroyers, etc.) become relatively easy to manage, just "gun them down" with your Dual Pistols from outside their melee range (where they inflict the most damage). However, while that strategy works just fine for a powerset like Time Manipulation (with a PBAoE Heal), it's going to be somewhat sub-optimal with Kinetics because of how Transfusion works (where ideally you want to be 10-20 ft away from your Heal $Target).
This is where Repel comes in as a Better Solution™ for Kinetics ...
especially if enhanced for Knockback.Higher Knockback means that "bumrushers" get thrown farther away, increasing the delay between repeated attempts to overrun your location, increasing the delay between "Repel Hits" and thus lowering the endurance consumption over time.
Repel also makes it possible to engage in "herding" as well as being able to "defer" engaging specific Foes until later, reducing green bar damage intake.
Essentially, Repel allows you to "trade blue bar for green bar" when doing an analysis of alternatives.
Instead of taking melee damage to your green bar, you're instead taking "Repel Hits" to your blue bar that reduce the amount of incoming damage you're taking via soft control (knockback).
Beyond that, it's all Player Skill Needed™ stuff for positioning and situational awareness (and so on) ... but if you're soloing in Praetoria (an extremely common condition) then there isn't going to be anyone else complaining about "unwanted knockback" and you can pretty much get the opportunities you need to "learn" how to use Repel (and when, and why).
So yes, very much a NON-standard reasoning set ... but I'm thinking it's going to ultimately pay off.
Why?
Because
How You Play from 1-10 determines
How You Play when you're at 50+.
The habits you develop early, stick with you (forever).
Practice may not make PERFECT, but it certainly CAN make PERMANENT.
Level 1: Pistols
- (A) Superior Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage: Attuned
- (3) Superior Defender's Bastion - Damage/Recharge: Attuned
- (3) Superior Defender's Bastion - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
- (5) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Attuned
- (5) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime: Attuned
- (11) Superior Vigilant Assault - RechargeTime/PBAoE +Absorb: Attuned
Pistols: Superior Vigilant Assault (5.0 PPM), Hybrid: Assault Double Hit (6.0 PPM)
- 5.0 * ((4 / ( 1 + 95.90 / 100 )) + 1.00) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 25.35%
- 6.0 * ((4 / ( 1 + 95.90 / 100 )) + 1.00) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 30.42%
Level 6: Dual Wield
- (A) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage: Attuned
- (7) Superior Vigilant Assault - Damage/RechargeTime: Attuned
- (7) Superior Vigilant Assault - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime: Attuned
- (9) Superior Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Attuned
- (9) Superior Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
- (11) Superior Defender's Bastion - Recharge/Chance for Minor PBAoE Heal: Attuned
Dual Wield: Superior Defender's Bastion (5.0 PPM), Hybrid: Assault Double Hit (6.0 PPM)
- 5.0 * ((6 / ( 1 + 95.90 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 39.44%
- 6.0 * ((6 / ( 1 + 95.90 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 47.33%
Okay, what's the deal here?
Why did you "split the ATOs" so as to double 3-slot each of them into these 2 powers?
Short answer: SET BONUSES.
Slightly longer answer: 3-slot set bonus for +10% Range ... doubled.
It's this choice which makes it possible to radically overpower the range enhancement of Piercing Rounds.
My current calculations (outside of Mids') yields a range of +44% from slotted enhancement into Empty Clips, Bullet Rain and Piercing Rounds (see below) using 2x Centriole Exposure
++ (Damage/Range).
Intuition Radial Paragon adds another +20%, but 2/3 of that amount is not subject to
Enhancement Diversification.
1/3 of 20% (because Range is Schedule B) is 6.667%.
44+6.667 = 40.667 ... which "translated" through ED capping means 40.60 ... plus the remaining 13.333 not subject to ED means a "final yield" of 40.60+13.33 = 53.93% Range enhancement on the powers themselves.
You then add in 3x 7.5% global range from Rolling Barrage 2-slot bonuses and the 2x 10% global range from Superior Defender's Bastion 3-slot bonuses ... and you've got an additional +42.5% global range bonus stacked on top of everything from set bonuses.
53.93 + 42.5 = +96.43% Range on Empty Clips, Bullet Rain and Piercing Rounds (total)
Empty Clips is a 30º Cone has a base range of 40 ft.
40 * 1.9643 =
78.572 ft
Bullet Rain is a 15 ft Target AoE and Piercing Rounds is a 5º Cone, but both have a base range of 80 ft.
80 * 1.9643 =
157.144 ft (note: Sniper powers typically have a base range of 150 ft)
And for the trigonometry minded, that kind of range increase is doing some VERY INTERESTING things to the Cone attacks. Using an online Chord Calculator, I got these answers:
- 40 ft radius, a 30º arc has a chord width of 20.71 ft (arc length is 20.94 ft) at the extreme end of the cone for Empty Clips.
- 58 ft radius, a 30º arc has a chord width of 30.02 ft (arc length is 30.37 ft) at the extreme end of the cone for Empty Clips.
- 78.5 ft radius, a 30º arc has a chord width of 40.63 ft (arc length is 41.10 ft) at the extreme end of the cone Empty Clips.
- 80 ft radius, a 5º arc has a chord width of 6.98 ft (arc length is 6.98 ft) at the extreme end of the cone for Piercing Rounds.
- 150 ft radius, a 5º arc has a chord width of 13.09 ft (arc length is 13.09 ft) at the extreme end of the cone Piercing Rounds.
- 157 ft radius, a 5º arc has a chord width of 13.70 ft (arc length is 13.70 ft) at the extreme end of the cone Piercing Rounds.
Okay ... so what? (I hear you cry...)
What this means is that at ~60 ft range to $Target, Empty Clips will have a "volume coverage" that ENVELOPS the AoE of Bullet Rain.
The 15 ft radius (30 ft diameter) sphere around the $Target that Bullet Rain can hit will FIT INSIDE THE CONE of Empty Clips ... with room (and "threat volume") to spare.
Sniper attacks are Single Target, with a base range of 150 ft (typically, there are some exceptions).
Sting of the Manticore can increase that to ~170 ft as a 6-slot set (one of the enhancement includes Range)
With this slotting for RANGE (enhancements, alpha slot, global set bonuses) ...
Dual Pistols can have
TWO AoE attacks that can
Reach Out And Touch You at 157 ft.
Bullet Rain can hit up to 16 max $Targets.
Piercing Rounds can hit up to 3 max $Targets ... and at ~150 ft, the "width" of the 5º Cone is
almost as wide as the 15 ft radius of Bullet Rain ... meaning that when "sniping" with Dual Pistols at extreme range, Piercing Rounds is something of "another Bullet Rain" ... and the TWO powers can be combined for a "multi-target snipe" on a "cluster" of Foes 150-157 ft away from you, which is viable for joining the Sniper Team at the end of Underground Trials when doing Bomb Runs.
You're Welcome.Level 8: Empty Clips
- (A) Rolling Barrage - Accuracy/Damage: Level 27+5
- (13) Rolling Barrage - Damage/Endurance: Level 27+5
- (13) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Resist Debuff: Level 10
- (19) Force Feedback - Chance of +Recharge: Level 21
- (34) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure++ (Damage/Range)
- (42) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure++ (Damage/Range)
Empty Clips: Achilles' Heel (3.5 PPM), Force Feedback (2.0 PPM), Hybrid: Assault Double Hit (6.0 PPM)
- 2.0 * ((10 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 40 * (11 * 30 + 540) / 30,000))) = 20.80% per $Target
- 3.5 * ((10 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 40 * (11 * 30 + 540) / 30,000))) = 36.40% per $Target
- 6.0 * ((10 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 40 * (11 * 30 + 540) / 30,000))) = 62.41% per $Target
Level 16: Bullet Rain
- (A) Rolling Barrage - Accuracy/Damage: Level 27+5
- (17) Rolling Barrage - Damage/Endurance: Level 27+5
- (17) Superior Witchcraft - Chance for Resist Debuff: Attuned
- (19) Force Feedback - Chance of +Recharge: Level 21
- (34) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure++ (Damage/Range)
- (42) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure++ (Damage/Range)
Bullet Rain: Superior Witchcraft (6.0 PPM), Force Feedback (2.0 PPM), Hybrid: Assault Double Hit (6.0 PPM)
- 2.0 * ((18 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 15 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 24.40% per $Target
- 6.0 * ((18 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 15 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 73.19% per $Target
Level 35: Piercing Rounds
- (A) Rolling Barrage - Accuracy/Damage: Level 27+5
- (36) Rolling Barrage - Damage/Endurance: Level 27+5
- (36) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 20
- (36) Annihilation - Chance for Resist Debuff: Level 20
- (37) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure++ (Damage/Range)
- (37) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure++ (Damage/Range)
Piercing Rounds: Annihilation (3.0 PPM), Positron's Blast (3.5 PPM), Hybrid: Assault Double Hit (6.0 PPM)
- 3.0 * ((15 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 2.5) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 80 * (11 * 5 + 540) / 30,000))) = 39.95% per $Target
- 3.5 * ((15 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 2.5) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 80 * (11 * 5 + 540) / 30,000))) = 46.61% per $Target
- 6.0 * ((15 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 2.5) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 80 * (11 * 5 + 540) / 30,000))) = 79.91% per $Target
The thing to pay attention to here is the fact that NONE of these AoE powers have any Recharge enhancement slotted into them.
However, ALL THREE OF THEM have DIFFERENT -Resistance debuff procs slotted into them, allowing them all to stack together ... and Piercing Rounds "natively" does -Resistance debuffing when using Standard Ammo.
The QUANTITY of -Resistance debuffing that can be "stacked" from these combined sources can get
pretty ruinous, particularly when including the fact that
Paralytic Radial Flawless Interface augmented by
Socket Radial Flawless Genesis will be adding EVEN MORE -Resistance debuffing into the mix!
However, what isn't often appreciated (intuitively) is that -Resistance debuffing has a side effect ... it magnifies the power of -Damage debuffing into the bargain.
In other words, stack enough -Resistance debuffing onto your $Target(s) and any -Damage debuffing you might be doing (from, say ... Chemical Ammo dealing Toxic damage, perhaps?) will ALSO be magnified.
You're already doing "Defender strength debuffing" ... but now all the -Resistance debuff stacking is making the -Damage debuffing EVEN STRONGER coming out of all of your Dual Pistols attacks while using Chemical Ammo for Toxic damage.
And as we all know, -Damage debuffing is just "resist shielding by another name" ... the only difference is you're debuffing your adversaries rather than buffing your allies.
Think of it as being the equivalent of the interaction of -ToHit with Defense, making it easier to reach the Defense Softcap ... only now you're doing it with -Resistance AND -Damage debuffing using Chemical Ammo with added Toxic damage.
You're Welcome.Level 12: Siphon Speed
- (A) Superior Winter Storm - Accuracy/Damage/Slow: Attuned
- (43) Superior Winter Storm - Recharge/Chance for Cold Damage: Attuned
- (43) Impeded Swiftness - Chance for Smashing Damage: Level 10
Siphon Speed: Superior Winter Storm (4.5 PPM), Impeded Swiftness (3.5 PPM)
- 3.5 * ((60 / ( 1 + 23.20 / 100 )) + 1.93) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 295.35%)
- 4.5 * ((60 / ( 1 + 23.20 / 100 )) + 1.93) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 379.73%)
Siphon Speed now "smacks" for bonus damage, rather reliably.
Can even use it as a "finishing move" against heavily damaged Foes.
You're Welcome.Level 14: Increase Density
- (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+3% Defense: Level 10
- (15) Steadfast Protection - Mag 4 Knockback Protection: Level 10
- (23) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection/+3%Defense: Level 10
- (46) Unbreakable Guard - Resist: Level 22+5
- (48) Unbreakable Guard - +7.5% Health: Level 20
Increase Density basically does 2 effects.
A Target AoE (30 ft radius) buffs Resistance for all Allies (who are alive). Cast it close enough to your $Target and you can benefit from this yourself!
The base buff is +25% Resistance vs Smashing and Energy for 60 seconds (does not stack from same caster). Might as well BUFF THAT with enhancements!
And while you're at it, add in a mix of Defense, Knockback protection and some other goodies to make your own life easier!
The $Target you cast Increase Density onto is the only one who gets the Mez protection (-12.875 Held, Immobilized, Stunned), Knockback/Repel (-10) and Teleport (-100% Resistance) effects.
All in all, a bit of Set Mule power ... but a USEFUL one, since this means you don't need to reach for the Fighting Pool (and Tough) to find a Resistance set power.
Level 20: Suppressive Fire
- (A) Neuronic Shutdown - Accuracy/Endurance : Level 27+5
- (21) Neuronic Shutdown - Chance of Damage(Psionic): Level 10
- (21) Ghost Widow's Embrace - Chance of Damage(Psionic): Level 20
- (23) Decimation - Chance for Buildup: Level 25
- (27) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold: Level 30
- (27) Devastation - Chance for +2 Mag Hold: Level 30
Suppressive Fire: Neuronic Shutdown (3.5 PPM), Ghost Widow's Embrace (3.5 PPM), Decimation (1.0 PPM), Lockdown (2.5 PPM), Devastation (2.5 PPM), Hybrid: Assault Double Hit (6.0 PPM)
- 1.0 * ((20 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 1.5) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 35.83%
- 2.5 * ((20 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 1.5) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 89.58%
- 3.5 * ((20 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 1.5) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 125.42%)
- 6.0 * ((20 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 1.5) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 215.00%)
This one ... is
SPECIAL.
The base damage out of Suppressive Fire is TOKEN, at best ... but because of the 20 second recharge time, this power is a PROC MONSTER (as you can see, above).
I've selected this specific mix of procs to maximize FLEXIBILITY in how it can be used, while still dealing a "respectable" amount of damage for the animation time. However, since damage procs are not enhanced by either Siphon Power nor by Fulcrum Shift, do not expect Suppresive Fire to output $DIETY Tier damage for you under all circumstances.
What it CAN do, however, is somewhat reliably (~81% chance) apply a Mag 3+2+2=
7 Hold onto an Elite Boss for you, when you need Instant Lockdown NAO™ while using Chemical, Cryo or Incendiary Ammo!!
Use Suppressive Fire in a rotation with Empty Clips and Bullet Rain so as to leverage the FREQUENT build up procs (
35.83% chance!) out of Decimation while you also deal Healthy Heaping Helpings™ of damage (and -Resistance debuffing procs, and +Recharge buffing procs) to yourself and your adversaries (that you're "neutralizing" one by one, while taking out their companions
en masse with AoEs).
Suppressive Fire is
ONE of the reasons you can "survive" as a Kineticist.
Do NOT be shy about using it for tactical and strategic advantage.
You're Welcome.Level 24: Maneuvers
- (A) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage: Level 20
- (48) Reactive Defenses - Defense: Level 22+5
- (48) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance: Level 22+5
- (50) Reactive Defenses - Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 22+5
- (50) Reactive Defenses - Defense/RechargeTime: Level 22+5
- (50) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 22+5
Why Level 22(+5) instead of 27(+5) ... or better yet, 50(+5), for MAXIMUM POWAH?
In a word ...
Exemplar/Malefactor.
If I'm going to be joining low level teams, I don't want ALL of my set bonuses to disappear the moment I get Exemplared to Levels 1-46.
I found out (the hard way) back on Virtue that choosing high level enhancements for greatest enhancement value "doesn't exemplar well" AT ALL. The loss of set bonuses when exemplared does NOT make up for the "higher" enhancement value on the enhancements themselves ... particularly when your overall build is "dependent" on those set bonuses "being there" and in play. Take the set bonuses away and some of my builds are just crippled (Super Reflexes being the case in point for this).
Level 22 is "fine" for an Exemplar cap of Level 19 ... and there are numerous story arcs and task forces that are limited to Level 19, making for a "block of content" to account for.
Level 27 is "fine" for an Exemplar cap of Level 24 ... which is the first "step" on getting IO > SO enhancement values on the enhancements themselves. Level 27 makes for a really good compromise between enhancement "strength" and exemplar "friendliness" in a build, so it doesn't "fall apart" too quickly when you Go Low for teaming opportunities.
Level 31 is "fine" for an Exemplar cap of Level 28 ... which just so happens to be the Moonfire Task Force, while remaining within the 25-29 content block of story arcs and task forces.
Sure, as a Praetorian, you don't get access to Ouroboros (and can't form or join Supergroups), so you have no access to the Flashback system (or most Task Forces, for that matter) ... but for anyone who decides to leave Praetoria for the Red vs Blue game, these kinds of details CAN make a difference.
As far as Maneuvers goes, the difference between Levels 22 and 27 on the "throughput" of the power into buffing Defense is really quite minimal.
Defenders get +3.5% Defense (All) from Maneuvers (at base).
- 6-slot Reactive Defenses @ 22 = 16.9+10.6+10.6+8.5 = 46.6 ... after ED = 45.94% ... modifies +3.5% Defense into +5.1079%.
- 6-slot Reactive Defenses @ 27 = 20.2+12.6+12.6+10.1 = 55.5 ... after ED = 52.85% ... modifies +3.5% Defense into +5.34975%.
So pretty marginal, as far as gains go, when looking at the difference between the set bonuses (and proc) being "active" at Levels 19 vs 24. You're "losing" an entire +0.24185% Defense (All) in terms of throughput.
But that's just the BASE Level slotting.
What happens when you +5 all of those slots?
- 6-slot Reactive Defenses @ 22+5 = (16.9+10.6+10.6+8.5)*1.25 = 58.25 ... after ED = 54.775% ... modifies +3.5% Defense into +5.417125%.
- 6-slot Reactive Defenses @ 27+5 = (20.2+12.6+12.6+10.1)*1.25 = 69.375 ... after ED = 57.40625% ... modifies +3.5% Defense into +5.50921875%.
At this point, you're needing to squint in order to find the relative gain between the two alternatives (a mere +0.09209375% Defense difference in throughput). However, the tradeoff between being Exemplar Friendly all the way down to Level 19 vs 24 can be rather impactful.
So in this case, because the "throughput differential" is so minor between the two options, I tend to slot Maneuvers with Level 22(+5) Reactive Defenses rather than Level 27(+5) in order to have a "broader range" of Exemplar Friendly readiness within the overall build.
Level 26: Transference
- (A) Efficacy Adaptor - End Mod: Level 27+5
- (29) Efficacy Adaptor - End Mod/Recharge: Level 27+5
- (29) Efficacy Adaptor - End Mod/Recharge/Accuracy: Level 27+5
- (31) Efficacy Adaptor - Recharge/Accuracy: Level 27+5
- (31) Efficacy Adaptor - End Mod/Accuracy: Level 27+5
- (31) Efficacy Adaptor - End Mod/Endurance: Level 27+5
Not a tremendous amount to say here about this choice.
I was primarily reaching for "decent enhancement on the slots" while obtaining another global recharge bonus.
Level 28: Executioner's Shot
- (A) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage: Attuned
- (34) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Attuned
- (37) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Attuned
- (40) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
- (42) Superior Winter's Bite - Recharge/Chance for -Speed & -Recharge: Attuned
- (43) Force Feedback - Chance of +Recharge: Level 21
Executioner's Shot: Superior Winter's Bite (5.0 PPM), Force Feedback (2.0 PPM), Hybrid: Assault Double Hit (6.0 PPM)
- 2.0 * ((10 / ( 1 + 95.84 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 22.59%
- 5.0 * ((10 / ( 1 + 95.84 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 56.47%
- 6.0 * ((10 / ( 1 + 95.84 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 67.76%
This choice of slotting may give some readers pause, especially since there's plenty of Force Feedback slotting elsewhere (Empty Clips, Bullet Rain) ... so putting ANOTHER Force Feedback proc into Executioner's Shot must be overkill, right?
Well ... maybe not ... if all you're doing is shooting at a single target.
If you're just cycling Pistols, Dual Wield, Suppressive Fire and Executioner's Shot against a single "hard" target (for DPE, damage per endurance, efficiency), then the only opportunity to proc Force Feedback is going to have to come from Executioner's Shot (because the other single attacks are "full" already).
The choice of Superior Winter's Bite, rather than another Ranged Damage set (particularly one with different set bonuses) probably "feels" like a mistake as well ... until you find out what the
Superior Winter's Bite proc ACTUALLY DOES (according to City of Data v2.0 for Homecoming).
It does -20% Movement Speed and -20% Recharge debuffing for 20 seconds per hit ... and can stack up to
5 times!
So not only can you use Suppressive Fire to "neutralize hard targets" using Stun and/or Hold stacking, but you can also use Executioner's Shot rapid cycling (due to high recharge on slots) to have "another layer" of offensive mitigation.
Combine with Cryo Ammo applying -Speed and -Recharge debuffing and you can use Executioner's Shot to put some SERIOUS debuffing HURT onto something you find ... annoying ... and want to keep locked down, either by hard control or soft control.
Arachnos, for example, tend to have Mez protection, but not Slow resistance, so if Holds and Stuns aren't working ... well ... you're Dual Pistols and this build has Swap Ammo.
You've Got Options.
You are
NOT a
One Trick Pony™.
You're Welcome.Level 38: Hail of Bullets
- (A) Armageddon - Damage/Recharge: Level 50+5
- (39) Armageddon - Damage/Recharge/Accuracy: Level 50+5
- (39) Armageddon - Recharge/Accuracy: Level 50+5
- (39) Armageddon - Damage/Endurance: Level 50+5
- (40) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage: Level 50+5
- (40) Fury of the Gladiator - Chance for Resist Debuff: Level 10
Hail of Bullets: Armageddon (4.5 PPM), Fury of the Gladiator (3.5 PPM), Hybrid: Assault Double Hit (6.0 PPM)
- 3.5 * ((105 / ( 1 + 74.05 / 100 )) + 2.47) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 25 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 96.08%)
- 4.5 * ((105 / ( 1 + 74.05 / 100 )) + 2.47) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 25 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 123.54%)
- 6.0 * ((105 / ( 1 + 74.05 / 100 )) + 2.47) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 25 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 164.71%)
I really really REALLY wanted to use Superior Avalanche for this one, but ultimately decided to go with Armageddon (mainly for the set bonuses and the damage proc).
Oh and look ... ANOTHER -Resistance debuff proc that is NOT THE SAME as all the others.
You're Welcome.Level 44: Stealth
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25+5
Level 47: Hover
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25+5
Level 49: Vengeance
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25+5
These are my One Slot Wonders™ that are, of course, being used as LotG mules.
Stealth adds Defense and when combined with Sprint (also slotted with +Stealth) while Repel is toggled off, can be used for positioning in preparation for use of Fulcrum Shift.
Hover makes it possible to "hang in the sky the way that bricks DON'T" in order to maximize Bullet Rain+Piercing Rounds at "sniper" ranges without being blocked by terrain (or needing to do a lot of hopping via Inertial Reduction).
Vengeance ... is Vengeance. 'Nuff Said.
Level 2: Health
- (A) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb: Level 20
- (
Preventive Medicine - Heal: Level 22+5
- (16) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance: Level 22+5
- (25) Preventive Medicine - Recharge/Endurance: Level 22+5
- (25) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Recharge: Level 22+5
- (33) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 22+5
This was somewhat unexpected. I really wanted to keep the set bonuses of Preventive Medicine ... but the number of healing powers that can be slotted with it are LIMITED ... and Transfusion wasn't ideal, since Transfusion NEEDS Accuracy.
Ultimately, Preventive Medicine wound up here.
Level 2: Stamina
- (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End: Level 21
- (12) Performance Shifter - EndMod: Level 27+5
- (22) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy: Level 27+5
This is my "go to" standard slotting for Stamina. Nothing terribly fancy and the +5 can be deferred on this until sufficient Paragon Tokens have been acquired to reach this point.
Level 50: Alpha Intuition Radial Paragon
Level 50: Judgement Void Radial Final Judgement
Level 50: Interface Paralytic Radial Flawless Interface
Level 50: Lore Robotic Drones Core Superior Ally
Level 50: Destiny Clarion Radial Epiphany
Level 50: Hybrid Assault Radial Embodiment
Level 50: Genesis Socket Radial Flawless Genesis
Alpha Intuition is overall the "best fit" for what this build is attempting to do, in my estimation. It has the "broadest application" to the types of debuffs that Kinetics/Dual Pistols can bring to bear.
Judgement Void is the "simplest" option (no $Target required) while offering the best protection effects following use. It also "blends best" with Kinetics wanting to be "close to the action" in a lot of situations.
Interface Paralytic (buttressed by Genesis Socket) is all about DEBUFFING in ways that make both Kinetics and Dual Pistols WORK BETTER.
Lore Robotic Drones is my STRONG preference for dealing with with the Resistance Breakout during BAF. Best mix of attacks (long range single target, cones and stacking -Regeneration for Trial Bosses).
Destiny Clarion is for Mez protection, but also EVEN MORE RANGE for that AoE Sniper Action At A Distance™ that I was explaining above!
Hybrid Assault is for Double Hit (6 PPM). The +10% damage buff doesn't hurt either.
Set Bonuses:
2.5% Ranged Defense, 5% E/N Defense (Superior Winter's Bite: 5)
1.5% S/L Resist, 2.5% Mez Resist (Reactive Defenses: 2)
2.25% S/L Resist, 3.75% Mez Resist (Neuronic Shutdown: 2)
2.25% S/L Resist, 3.75% Mez Resist (Preventive Medicine: 2)
4.5% E/N Resist, 7.5% Mez Resist (Theft of Essence: 6)
3% F/C Resist, 5% Mez Resist (Reactive Defenses: 4)
3% F/C Resist, 5% Mez Resist (Preventive Medicine: 4)
6% F/C Resist, 10% Mez Resist (Superior Winter's Bite: 2)
6% F/C Resist, 10% Mez Resist (Armageddon: 3)
I know that most Fire Farmers are going to look at this and just ... snigger.
However, I'm not aiming to Main Tank with this build (and neither should you).
If you really need protection from incoming damage, switch to either Chemical or Cryo Ammo and let your debuffing protect you (and everyone else nearby in the line of fire).
Ideally speaking, you don't want aggro.
If you get aggro and STILL don't want it, that's what Repel is for. That's what Suppressive Fire and Executioner's Shot are for. That's what
Kinetics is for.
The archetype may be Defender, but you're meant to be an OFFender.
Set Bonuses:
2.5% Endurance Discount (Unbreakable Guard: 2)
3.75% Endurance Discount (Reactive Defenses: 5)
3.75% Endurance Discount (Preventive Medicine: 5)
5% Improved Healing (Theft of Essence: 4)
1.8% Max END (Theft of Essence: 3)
3.6% Max END (Superior Vigilant Assault: 2)
3.6% Max END (Superior Vigilant Assault: 2)
1.13% Max HP (Efficacy Adaptor: 2)
1.88% Max HP (Reactive Defenses: 3)
1.88% Max HP (Preventive Medicine: 3)
1.88% Max HP (Performance Shifter: 3)
3% Max HP (Superior Defender's Bastion: 2)
3% Max HP (Superior Defender's Bastion: 2)
1.5% Recovery (Steadfast Protection: 2)
1.5% Recovery (Efficacy Adaptor: 3)
4% Recovery (Superior Winter Storm: 2)
4% Recovery (Superior Winter's Bite: 4)
4% Recovery (Armageddon: 2)
10% Regeneration (Theft of Essence: 2)
10% Regeneration (Efficacy Adaptor: 4)
I think of these as the "survival/sustain" set bonuses.
All things considered, not too shabby of a mix.
Set Bonuses:
7.5% Movement (Performance Shifter: 2)
Who needs movement set bonuses when you've got Siphon Speed and Inertial Reduction?
Set Bonuses:
7.5% Range (Rolling Barrage: 2)
7.5% Range (Rolling Barrage: 2)
7.5% Range (Rolling Barrage: 2)
10% Range (Superior Defender's Bastion: 3)
10% Range (Superior Defender's Bastion: 3)
Those range bonuses apply to EVERY power you have (except Repel and Hail of Bullets, since those are PBAoEs).
80 ft +42.5% = 114 ft for a LOT of your Kinetics and Dual Pistols powers!
A decent number of Foes in the game need to be within 100 ft to attack you with a Ranged attack.
This means that you CAN BE useful and effective at both close AND LONG ranges, rather than being hyper-specialized in close range exclusively.
Don't be afraid to mix 'n' match your positioning, as needed, while the ebb and flow of battle surges and subsides around you.
You can even use your LONG range to pull "next pack" into the current battle (and save people the effort of running around to herd them up) if you so choose.
But remember, as far as your Foes are concerned ...
You will know pain.
You will know fear.
And then you will faceplant.Set Bonuses:
5% Recharge (Efficacy Adaptor: 6)
8.75% Recharge (Reactive Defenses: 6)
8.75% Recharge (Preventive Medicine: 6)
10% Recharge (Superior Vigilant Assault: 3)
10% Recharge (Superior Vigilant Assault: 3)
10% Recharge (Armageddon: 5)
For a Kinetics build, I'm sure this looks pretty ... lackluster ... even, dare I say it ... meager.
For a build lacking Hasten(!), this probably feels like scraping the bottom of the barrel.
The truth is that Kinetics (and Dual Pistols) really don't NEED that much global recharge "help" when you've got your build completely filled out.
Siphon Speed is your "Hasten" ... and Force Feedback procs will power you as much (or more) than reaching for Hasten would.
Consider that a single proc of Force Feedback is the equivalent to a +10% Recharge global set bonus over a span of 50 seconds.
If you think of it that way, 2-3 Force Feedback procs per minute (a not unreasonable assumption) yields as much benefit as 2-3x 10% Recharge global set bonuses ... except that the Force Feedback procs make "fast recharging powers" MUCH FASTER to recharge for repeated use, such as Empty Clips, Bullet Rain, Executioner's Shot, etc. while also creating some interesting "corner case" uses for Transfusion, Siphon Power, Transference and Fulcrum Shift.
It's a bit counter-intuitive, but in this build it's the POWERS and the SLOTS that are doing the "heavy lifting" of getting "enough" recharge into the build performance, not the use of a Pool power like Hasten for set bonuses stacking up to over +100 global recharge when combined.
The simple fact of the matter is that Kinetics is NOT a "set bonus friendly" powerset.
Some of the Kinetics powers do not accept any set slotting AT ALL (looking at YOU, Siphon Power and Fulcrum Shift).
Knockback and Travel sets aren't the "best" options to load up Kinetics with, either.
But I've been making builds for Our Fair City for ... a while now ... and I've got a feeling that this build may not be what "everyone" would be looking for (in a Defender), but it certainly IS what I would be looking for in a character that is FUN TO PLAY in PvE.
