Post by Criswolf09 on Jan 11, 2023 10:43:48 GMT -5
Guide Overview
So over time people has requested me custom builds and my thoughts about them, and given that I am only a guy who plays the game, I want to share how I create builds in a simple guide hoping that new players as well old players can help each other with this guide. This guide is a constant WORK IN PROGRESS.
The Process
First you gotta have an idea to turn into a hero(ine), and then think what powers would you like to use. Champions Online offes 24 power sets with lots of powers to flegde your champion and bring them to life. So let's get into the details of process.
1. Stats of the Game
First we have to understand the Stats or Stadistics of the game and their effects:
-Strength: This stat increases the base damage of melee abilities (with the exception of Telekinetic Blades). It also affects the pick-up and throw ability of heroes. It also grants knock resistance and boosts the strength of melee knocks
-Ego: This stat increases the base damage of ranged abilities. It also affects the pick-up and throw ability of Telekinesis (Power). It grants considerable resistance to Hold effects and some resistance to other Crowd Control effects. It also boosts the strength of ranged knocks.
-Dexterity: This stat increases the critical chance of our powers. It also influences aggression stealth for stealth-granting powers. This stat is very important for DPS builds because it grants critical chance and can also be used by specializations to increase critical severity."
-Constitution: This stat increases our maximum health points. Constitution increases Health Points by a rate of 1:15. This means that 1 point of Constitution will grant 15 health points in addition to the base HP that all heroes have at level 40
-Presence: This stat grants bonus healing which improves the effectiveness of healing and shielding abilities (with the exception of damage shields, Personal Force field and powers which grant static shield values). It also influences the duration of Crowd Control powers like Paralyzes, Sleep, Stun, etc.
-Intelligence: This stat reduces the energy cost of powers and cooldown timers on powers. It is particularly popular in endgame high-performing damage builds due to the specialization called "Detect Vulnerability" which grants all damage powers defense penetration.
-Endurance: This stat is one of the two energy stats. Endurance increases Maximum Energy by a rate of 1:1. This means that 1 point of Endurance will grant 1 additional point of maximum energy in addition to the base maximum energy that all heroes have at level 40.
-Recovery: This is the other one of the two energy stats. Recovery increases our Energy Equilibrium. This is the out-of-combat point where a Hero's energy will sit and is visible via the two small arrows in the energy bar. Recovery also increases a Hero's maximum energy to a lesser extent meaning 8 points of Recovery are equal to 1 maximum energy point. It also influences the energy-building strength of energy builders.
Ok now that we've seen roughly the effects of each stat in the game we must learn that we take 3 Super Stats over the leveling process of our hero. The primary Super Stat is obtained at level 6, the first Secondary Super Stat is gained at level 10 and the second Secondary Super Stat at level 15. Well you might be wondering why I am telling you this because the core of a Freeform Build are its stats. For example follow these combinations to make:
These are example combinations for stats but there are many more potential combinations, the main things to be concerned with generally are your "Scaling Stat" (for your toggle form), your "Energy stat" (for your energy unlock) and your "Survival stat" (for bolstering your health or defenses in some way. Not always needed but mandatory for tanks and players who want beefier set ups)
-Melee DPS Heroes: Strength/Constitution/Recovery OR Strength/Dexterity/Recovery OR Intelligence/Dexterity/Recovery OR Dexterity/Strength/Recovery
-Ranged DPS Heroes: Ego/Constitution/Recovery OR Ego/Endurance/Recovery OR Intelligence/Dexterity/Endurance OR Ego/Constitution/Endurance OR Intelligence/Recovery/Endurance OR Dexterity/Intelligence/Ego OR Dexterity/Ego/Recovery OR Ego/Dexterity/Recovery
-Support Heroes by their very nature, apply strong buffs to allies and can also apply debuffs to enemies. They can be split into three main categories:
-Healer (Within this, Healers can opt to be full healers (Presence/Dexterity/Constitution OR Recovery/Presence/Constitution OR Presence/Dexterity/Recovery) or they can be DPS/Healers (Ego/Presence/Constitution OR Ego/Presence/Recovery OR Endurance/Dexterity/Constitution
-Crowd Controller (Within this, Crowd Controllers tend to be a mix of DPS and CC or Healer and CC (Intelligence/Presence/Constitution OR Presence/Intelligence/Consitution OR Presence/Ego/Constitution)
-Shielder (Within this, Shielders tend to be a mix of CC and Shielder or Healer and Shielder (Endurance/Presence/Dexterity OR Endurance/Presence/Constitution OR Endurance/Intelligence/Presence OR Presence/Endurance/Constitution OR Presence/Dexterity/Constitution OR Recovery/Presence/Consitution)
Within each of these setups, room for serious buffs via slotted passives, specialisations and powers can be added to enhance gameplay.
-Tank Heroes: Generally speaking Strength Primary with Consitution secondary is the go-to pick for tanks due to the Juggernaut specialization which bolsters defences based on how much Constitution you have. As tanks need a high level of HP (between 14-21k HP) this is a very favourable match. As a result, the following combinations work for both Ranged and Melee tanks, with melee tanks favouring STR Primary and some Ranged tanks opting to use CON Primary which can give reasonably high knock resistance. As previously mentioned there are more combinations out there but these are just some which can work well depending on your build. Be sure to ask for help and do your own testing.
- Strength/Constitution/Recovery
- Strength/Constitution/Endurance
- Constitution/Endurance/Intelligence
- Constitution/Dexterity/Recovery
- Strength/Dexterity/Consitution
- Strength/Constitution/Intelligence
- Intelligence/Constitution/Strength
- Endurance/Constitution/Strength
Another addition to bear in mind before jumping to picking the powers are the Innate Talents and Talents in the game. These are small boosts in numbers that are picked over the leveling process of the game. Freeform Heroes get their Talents at different levels unlike Archetype heroes. All of them have an innate talent that is granted at level 1. Freeforms can choose any Innate Talent while Archetypes are restricted to have one picked for them at the very start.
2. The Powers
So we'll gain a total of 14 powers over the course of our heroic development. Here's a quick suggestion table of how I pick powers
Level 1: Energy Builder
Level 1: Ranged Blast/Combo OR Melee Combo that can apply a damage resistance debuff to a single target
Level 6: Ranged Basic Area of Effect damage/Lunge Power
Level 8: Slotted Passive
Level 11: Thematic Self Heal for example Conviction
Level 14: Form Power like Enrage for Melee Heroes OR Concentration for Ranged Heroes OR Compassion for Healers
Level 17: Energy Unlock that synergizes with the build mechanics
Level 20: Tier 3 Single Target Damage attack
Level 23: Tier 2 or Tier 3 Area of Effect Damage attack
Level 26: Block power of any Power Set
Level 29: A secondary heal power/A power that can apply a damage resistance debuff in a area if available
Level 32: Active Offense like Imbue to breakfree of Holds
Level 35: Active Defense Power like Resurgence
Level 38: Ultimate Power or Threat Wipe power
3. The Specializations
Specializations are trees of perks added in 2012 with the Champions Online: On Alert update of the game. These little talents can be combined in three trees that can be unlocked at level 10, 20, 30 and finally a mastery perk at level 40. They can have various effects such as increasing the base damage of our powers by a small amount, grant additional Critical Hit Severity by a large amount, among other effects. The first tree of Specializations is defined by our Primary Super Stat, while the second and third can be chosen from a wide list of trees, each one with their own unique effects.
4. The Roles
Once you have decided to which powers you'll take with you. We must focus on the role as they have different attributes:
- Melee Damage: Melee attacks boosted by +125%, Energy building strength boosted by +110%, Crowd Control power strength reduced by -20% and Energy from Blocking reduced by -50%.
- Ranged Damage: Ranged attacks boosted by +125%, Energy building strength boosted by +130%, Crowd Control power strength reduced by -20% and Energy from Blocking reduced by -50%.
- Tank: Maximum Health boosted by +125%, Defense increased by +110%, Threat generated boosted by +110%, Control Resistance boosted by +125%, Energy from Blocking boosted by +125%, Energy pool reduced by -20% and Energy Equilibrium reduced in 50 points.
- Support: Healing boosted by +125%, Energy Recovery and Base Equilibrium boosted by +200%, Energy Decay 50%, Crowd Control strength boosted by +125%, Threat reduced by 10%, Maximum Health Points reduced by 10%.
- Hybrid: All values set by +100%
Well guys this is a basic draft with barebones... any information, advice or suggestion on how to improve this guide is welcome!
Changelog
-January 11th, 2023: Created a basic guide of how do I make Freeform Builds.
-January 14th, 2023: Added more detailed information about the stats and combinations possibles thanks to my friend @ravenforce in game. Thank you my friend!