Stalker - Giving criminals a reason to hide

[saroven]

I'm not sure if I'll get a response but since this is such a melee focused build why not STR as a secondary stat and no smoke bomb lunge in order to get to a target quicker?

[supercollide]

the STR boost to melee attacks isn't quite as good as the DEX crits. the build needs INT to power it and CON adds massive survivability.
boosting STR to 70 or so gives it a nice push but after that it starts climbing into diminishing returns.

[saroven]

Roger that. I still would like a lunge ability in the build somewhere to make it easier to move from target to target as a melee build. Is there anything in there that could be replaced and not lose the build's cohesion for that?

[supercollide]

Jan 5, 2015 8:59:01 GMT -5 saroven said:

Roger that. I still would like a lunge ability in the build somewhere to make it easier to move from target to target as a melee build. Is there anything in there that could be replaced and not lose the build's cohesion for that?

I'd be trying the build out in the PTS powerhouse and dropping out anything that didn't take my fancy.
The 'core' untouchable powers there are:
Night Warrior
Molecular Self Assembly
Bountiful Chi Resurgence
Masterful Dodge
Concentration
Lock and Load
Parry -- The Elusive Monk
and a least 2 attacks (preferably one AoE and one Single Target) here I think Richochet Throw & One Hundred Hands will see the most use.

So, unusually for me, my first thought would be to try dropping a defensive power - Bionic Shielding. It's a solid build with 2 heals (that will both keep fuelling energy due to the build) and a good block so I don't personally think it really needs it.

[saroven]

Thanks for the update, I think I will drop the shielding for the smoke bomb. It would fit with the theme as well as giving a melee class a closer ability.

[underwerekng]

Looking at this build its not so much a Melee build as it is a ranged build. Your primary attack would be Ricochet Throw from as far back as you can to build Concentration stacks, maintaining One hundred hands to continue to build/maintain them if/when forced into melee.

Concentration scales off Ego or Int whichever is higher (in this case Int as it has other uses as well) and buffs ranged damage much more than melee.

The only time i would use Str as a Primary SS or even a Secondary is if using Enraged or Aspect of the Bestial as they Scale off of Str.

Using 2 travel powers that are not exactly combat friendly will hurt functionality in order to follow theme more closely, i'm not opposed to this but i feel it should be pointed out. Swinging is a fun travel power but like Super Jump it is a pain to use indoors where low ceiling height can cause problems. Cape glide is not something easily used to close a gap in combat. Super Speed and Acrobatics and their reskinned counterparts are much better suited to in combat use and gap closing.
For these reasons i would recommend swapping out something for a lunge for this build, or Evasive Maneuvers if you choose to go the primarily ranged route. I would drop Thundering kicks and instead take One Hundred Hands as my first non-energybuilder power, then sooner rather than later take a lunge to use as a gap closer. If going melee i would also switch out Concentration for Form of the tempest for a more balanced form buff with a tilt toward melee.

For healing Bionic Shielding would work fine but changing it to Conviction might improve survivability, its cookie-cutter and selfish(self heal only) but its proven effective.

[saroven]

I don't think of Batman or any hero in the street level range of him such as Moon Knight, Daredevil, etc. as ranged characters. So I'm kinda assuming the intent is to give a melee based char with ranged attacks just to have them in a build. For instance you don't see Batman just flinging batarangs or Moon Knight throwing his crescent blades around the entire fight.

[underwerekng]

I would be inclined to agree that in my mind i consider Close Quarters Combat to be Batman and company's strong point but the way this build is set up its going to be more effective with ranged abilities.

IMO this is where the build falls short with its chosen travel powers, unless of course the player has access to Darkspeed.

The slow in-combat move speed makes it nearly impossible to kite enemies around to maintain the 25 meter minimum distance to gain stacks of Concentration, Forcing you to charge Ricochet Throw to stack concentration. Typically powers will do more damage over time but cost more energy if tap spammed than charged, so your trading raw damage for a chance at a Concentration stack and energy efficiency which shouldn't be an issue with Int SS and MSA energy unlock, so long as you keep using BCR at least once very 8 seconds or so.

In addition the damage bonus granted from each stack gives half as much of a boost to melee damage as it does to ranged damage. So you will want to use Ricochet Throw and Gas Pellets as your main attacks and melee attacks are Inexorable Tides, to Knock Up enemies to give you a chance to get some distance from them, with the rest being minor defensive bonuses(Thundering kicks will buff your dodge on the third hit, giving more heals from BCR+RR) and flavor.

This is why i made the suggestion to change to Form of the Tempest and adding in a lunge, makes the build much more melee oriented and more in line with how i see Batman and similar Heroes. it would also not be a terrible idea to change a travel power to Acrobatics/Athletics for faster incombat move speed, or get a Darkspeed device.

[saroven]

Jan 7, 2015 0:56:11 GMT -5 underwerekng said:

I would be inclined to agree that in my mind i consider Close Quarters Combat to be Batman and company's strong point but the way this build is set up its going to be more effective with ranged abilities.

IMO this is where the build falls short with its chosen travel powers, unless of course the player has access to Darkspeed.

The slow in-combat move speed makes it nearly impossible to kite enemies around to maintain the 25 meter minimum distance to gain stacks of Concentration, Forcing you to charge Ricochet Throw to stack concentration. Typically powers will do more damage over time but cost more energy if tap spammed than charged, so your trading raw damage for a chance at a Concentration stack and energy efficiency which shouldn't be an issue with Int SS and MSA energy unlock, so long as you keep using BCR at least once very 8 seconds or so.

In addition the damage bonus granted from each stack gives half as much of a boost to melee damage as it does to ranged damage. So you will want to use Ricochet Throw and Gas Pellets as your main attacks and melee attacks are Inexorable Tides, to Knock Up enemies to give you a chance to get some distance from them, with the rest being minor defensive bonuses(Thundering kicks will buff your dodge on the third hit, giving more heals from BCR+RR) and flavor.

This is why i made the suggestion to change to Form of the Tempest and adding in a lunge, makes the build much more melee oriented and more in line with how i see Batman and similar Heroes. it would also not be a terrible idea to change a travel power to Acrobatics/Athletics for faster incombat move speed, or get a Darkspeed device.

I agree with you on the travel power change and trying to put in a lunge somewhere. I'm trying to look at the build and see what I could jigger around with it because imo the lunge should come fairly early on power wise. I also would swap out for Form of the Tempest.

[underwerekng]

You said you were thinking of dropping Bionic Shielding for Smoke Bomb lunge, for a leveling build thats melee focused i would go with this:


1: Vicious Strikes (advantages)
1: Thundering Kicks (Rank 2, Rank 3)
6: Swinging (Rank 2, Rank 3)
6: Smoke Bomb Lunge (Nailed to the Ground)
8: Night Warrior (Rank 2, Rank 3, Silent Running)
11: Ricochet Throw (Rank 2, Rank 3)
14: Form of the Tempest (advantages)
17: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Rank 2, Resurgent Reiki)
20: Molecular Self-Assembly
23: Parry (The Elusive Monk)
26: Masterful Dodge (advantages)
29: Lock N Load (Rank 2)
32: Gas Pellets (Rank 2, Rank 3)
35: Inexorable Tides (advantages)
35: Cape Glide (Rank 2, Rank 3)
38: One Hundred Hands (Rank 2, Rank 3)


All the powers and advantages match up i just moved a few around for leveling. If surrounded and you cant get away Thundering Kicks does give a dodge boost that will combo with BCR+RR to keep you alive, should work out well enough until you get Masterful Dodge.

[saroven]

Thanks for the help. This just works better with the theme is IMO. Although I think to be fair dropping swinging for acrobatics would probably be the better game mechanic option as you suggested earlier.

[underwerekng]

for general usefulness yes, Athletics would work better but with SS int and a few bits of Cool Down Reduction gear you should be able to get the lunge CD down to 3 seconds or less. So in combat you will be able to bounce around well, but trying to run through a pack of enemies to get to the end of an alert or dungeon wont be so easy. You could try farming for a darkspeed to compensate if the thematic swinging is important to you. You could also take Athletics and float it till you get max lvl and maybe find something else. i know i tend to pick Travel powers last when i retcon a build since i like to change them around.

[ikinghades]

what equipments and mods should i use?

[fatenabu1]

how is this build now days?