SwagVault MMO Blog

Electricity^3: The Guide to Blaptrolling in I8

December 31, 2008 – 4:27 am
Posted by: arosavi

Guide to Blaptrolling with Electricity ( from http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=7463502&an=0&page=0#Post7463502)Ah, with Issue 8’s wake finally comes the updated version of this guide, after several issues without

 

What’s new in the guide?
-ED-friendly builds
-More suggested builds for various playstyles
-Revised power reviews (including number rating).
-Corrected figures (Brawl index, endurance cost, etc.) for multiple powers.
-PvP section
-ACTUAL Demos
-All Elec Super Team

Table of Contents:
1). Intro
2). Quick endurance drain explanation
3). Electric Blast-Primary
4). Electric/Secondary Combinations
5). Electric Manipulation-Secondary
6). Pool Powers
7). Epic Pool Powers- Cold Mastery
8). Flame Mastery
9). Munitions Mastery
10). Force Mastery
11). Electric Mastery
12). Sample builds
13). Play strategy, tactics
14). Other blaptrollers?
15). My personal build
16). PvP
17). Don’t Whiz on the Electric Fence, all Elec Super Team
18). END

1). As a quick and dirty introduction:

The electric blaptroller thrives on a three-pronged strategy: 1). Controlling with endurance drain and holds. 2). Scrapping with the very powerful melee secondary attacks. 3). Versatility of blasting from a distance. Why? In my opinion, the combination just lends itself to this type of play style. Not embracing the control aspects of the Electric primary will leave you quite dissatisfied and feeling not up to par with other blasters. In this game, there are many hybrids across the ATs—Fire tankers meld damage with tanking, Spine scrappers and Illusion controllers have blaster-like powers, etc. This is the case of the Electric primary powerset. It is an amalgam of control + blasting. The secondary sets for blasters are, for the most part, a mix of utility+melee, similar to scrappers. Ignoring this is like ignoring the fact that Illusion controllers are capable of decent ranged damage, that Fire tankers sacrifice some defense for damage, etc. Hence, the concept of Blaptrolling.

Why choose this type of play style over other Blaster primaries? Well, the Electric primary is the jack of all trades, master of none as far as the Blaster sets go. It can put up decent AoE damage, especially in the late game, but it won’t match Fire or Assault Rifle in terms of group destruction. Its single target damage isn’t as impressive as Ice, but combined with the secondary, it can take out targets one-by-one very quickly. In terms of controlling ability, the only blaster type I’d even consider giving it a run for its money is Ice/Ice, with enough single target holds, slows, knockdown, and other forms of soft-lockdown to match the brutal efficiency that is the Electric primary. As such, the build lends itself quite well to soloing, where single target attacks are much more important than AoE for the most part. Your controls keep you safe while you skate through missions quite quickly. But, it also has a great role in teams, though different than that of other blasters. In making up teams with my Electric blaster, I’m able to fill in holes the team make-up is lacking. Need a controller? Fine, I’ll fit that role. A scrapper to quickly dispose of Voids for the Kheld on the team? Check. Ranged Nuke and decent AoE damage to dramatically increase team damage output? Me, me! Electric blasters are an absolute toolbox with answers to most everything; if that’s the type of play style you think you’d enjoy, read on !

2). .:ENDURANCE DRAIN:.

This is the crux of the build, and it wouldn’t work without it. Basically, Electric/x blasters are able to completely drain groups of bad guys 100% of endurance in 1-2 shots, and keep them there until they’re arrested. What does this mean? Well, can you do anything when you have no Endurance? It’s an extremely efficient form of soft control, AoE at that, available every battle. This is also the catalyst for melee fighting. The bad guys can’t hit you with anything other than the occasional Brawl, so what’s the risk of Havoc Punching them in the face?

3). .:ELECTRICAL BLAST:.

Before going over the set, a quick breakdown of the rating system:
5- A defining power of the set. Get this power, or pick a different powerset
4- Bread and butter. You’ll use this often, and you’ll like it.
3- Useful. Sometimes situational, but it’ll probably work its way in to your build
2- Situational. There are a few times when you’ll absolutely love having this, but for the most part, it’ll set in your power tray still waiting to get some mouse clicks.
1- Very situational. You can skip over this, and be glad you did.

All powers’ effects are taken into consideration from a level 50 blaster; for example, Electric Fence may not immobilize as long at level 1 as it does at level 50, unslotted.

Charged Bolts- Single target ranged, low endurance drain
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 4 seconds
Endurance cost: 5
Range: 80’
Brawl Index: 2.7778 (Energy)

Charged Bolts is the standard tier 1 blast of a Blaster set. It has an average activation time, and average damage. It’s definitely not as impressive as your potential melee options. You might notice I’ve changed my opinions quite a bit on this power—it’s not a bad power. If you’re really uncomfortable with only having one ranged blast (Lightning Bolt), I won’t fault you for picking up Charged Bolts too. Get it if you prefer ranged, don’t if you prefer melee.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended slotting: 2 acc/3 damage/0-1 recharge/0-1 endurance

Lightning Bolt- Single target ranged, low endurance drain
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 8 seconds
Endurance cost: 8.5
Range: 80’
Brawl Index: 4.5556 (Energy)

Mmm, Lightning Bolt. Now this is an attack . It’s brawl index is great, it has better range than Charged Bolts (which, although you’re not a ranged specialist, comes in much more handy for picking off those pansy runners that are fleeing from your wave of destruction). It will also be regularly used in your attack chains when in melee because of its decent damage. Pick this up at level 1.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended slotting: 2 accuracy, 3 damage, 0-1 endurance, 0-1 recharge

Ball Lightning- AoE ranged, low endurance drain
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 16 seconds
Endurance cost: 15
Range: 80’
Brawl Index: 2.8333 (Energy)

Ball Lightning is your staple AoE attack. It will be your most key power in quickly dropping minions in multiples. It has a decent brawl index considering it hits multiple targets (better than Charged Bolts!), but it’s damage is also done over time… this means it won’t have the initial OOMPH you may want it to have, but the fact that it is DoT isn’t too much of a hindrance. And enemy regeneration rate hardly comes into play concerning DoT, so don’t worry about it dealing less than the listed brawl index… just expect it to do so over the course of its initial impact and then a consequential 4 “ticks” of more damage. Key things to remember about this attack: although it will be used A LOT, it has a high endurance cost; for it to be cost effective, don’t use it in silly situations such as on one enemy. It’s meant to hit many at once . Also take note of its long recharge time. Since it’s your main and highest damaging AoE attack, you’ll need multiple applications for it to drop minions while you bash lieutenant and boss faces. (But that’s not too big of a problem when the enemies can’t hit you… )

Rating: 4/5
Recommended slotting: 2 accuracy, 3 damage, 0-1 endurance, 0-1 recharge

Short Circuit- PBAoE high endurance drain
Accuracy: 95
Activation time: 3 seconds
Recharge time: 20 seconds
Endurance cost: 15.6
Range: 20’
Brawl index: 2.5 (Energy)

This is why you became an electric blaster. If it’s not, go role a different type, because this is the key to making use of your secondary effects and distinguishing you from the mundane builds that are represented by all the other blaster archetypes. This power requires single-origins to be effective, but that’s not an issue. This single-origin need presents itself in many other powers from many other archetypes, but I’ll try not to digress. Once properly slotted, Short Circuit will be your AoE hold of sorts. You’ll have to run into the middle of a group of baddies to activate it, but following its activation, the baddies it hits will be able to do nothing but brawl you, if that. It’s important to note that because of enhancement diversification, this power no longer completely drains +1/even con minions; it will take either two applications, the combination of Short Circuit + Power Boost or Short Circuit + Power Sink, or the enemies draining themselves through activating attack powers. This power, however, is also the reason I consider electric blasters to be the best blappers. Combined with devastating melee attacks in the secondary, 2 holds, and an effective AoE hold, Elec/Elec gives Ice/Energy a HUGE run for its money as being the most efficient blapper build. And it easily beats Ice/Energy for best blaptroller build;).

An effective strategy if you don’t want to take Short Circuit later in the build, or want to have its draining capabilities immediately upon reaching SOs, is to slot it early on for damage… in early levels, particularly if teaming, this will be a safe operation to conduct, and since it has a decent brawl index, slotting it for damage yields pretty satisfying returns. The combination with Ball Lighting helps in lower levels when baddies aren’t nearly as threatening, i.e. you own Perez Park .

Also take note of Short Circuits states. It has an innate accuracy bonus, meaning that in conjunction with Aim + Buildup, you won’t be missing anything within its decent range. It has a long activation time and a long recharge time, but other powers that will later be discussed in this build will negate these side-effects. It also has a good brawl index for an AoE—even at higher levels, I’d suggest slotting Short Circuit for damage, to combine with Ball Lightning.

Slot damage if you want to increase your AoE damage output, and slot recharge if you want to more quickly drain an entire group.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended Slotting: 3 endurance drain (when I specify drain for slotting arrangements, I mean the dark blue endurance modification enhancements which increase the drain a power does; the word “drain” is used to avoid confusion with endurance reduction enhancements, which are light blue and reduce the endurance cost of a power), 3 damage OR 3 recharge

Aim- Self- tohit buff
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge time: 90 seconds
Duration: 10 seconds
Endurance cost: 5.2

Aim is an effective power in any blaster build, and the elec/elec blaptroller is no exception. Aim boosts your damage (extremely helpful for the AoE damage of Short Circuit, Ball Lightning, Thunderous Blast) but also significantly improves accuracy. It’s a 62.5% increase to damage and a 37.5% buff for Tohit, significantly buffing your attacks and allowing you to take down groups of baddies much quicker. It should be picked up some time in the build, but it’s not highest priority.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended Slotting: 1-3 recharge reductions

Zapp- Single target long range, high endurance drain
Accuracy: 95
Activation time: 4.3 seconds
Recharge time: 12 seconds
Endurance cost: 14.4
Range: 150’
Brawl index: 7.667 (Energy)

Electricity’s snipe. As far as snipes go, it’s excellent. It does what it was intended to do. But as far as its compatibility with the rest of the build, Zapp doesn’t fit particularly well. Most sniping blasters lead off battles with their snipe, effectively allowing them to reduce the enemy count by one by initially one-shotting and taking out an enemy. If you’re hit while in the middle of activating this power, it will be unqueued and your time and endurance will have been wasted. But this isn’t how the elec/elec blaptroller plays. The last thing you want to do is draw intention to yourself before hopping in to a mob and activating Short Circuit. After mobs are drained of endurance, it IS safe to execute a Zapp, but it’s far more effective damage per second to continue a chain of your AoEs and excellent single target melee damage + Lightning Bolt. Zapp just doesn’t fit in an unorthodox blaster build. If you solo far more often than you team, I can see this fitting in to the build, when you’re only facing 3ish enemies per spawn. Take it if you exclusively solo, but you have better options if you plan on teaming.

Rating: 2/5
Recommended Slotting: 3 damage, 0-1 accuracy (0 if you plan on using it exclusively with Aim + Buildup), 1-2 interrupt reducers (2 if you plan on using it in the middle of a fight), and then recharge/endurance to taste to fill out the slotting.

Tesla Cage- Ranged single target hold, low endurance drain
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 10 seconds
Duration: 8 seconds
Endurance cost: 6.9
Range: 60’
Brawl index: .4167 (Energy)

Foe holds are crucial for any blapper build to be effective, and in conjunction with mass-villain controlling capabilities, they are what have deemed this build the blaptroller. Tesla Cage is excellent for holding threats when you don’t want to see what may happen when they regain a bit of endurance. It is also crucial for those rare occasions in which you may miss a baddy when Short Circuiting either due to bad luck or being out of range. In conjunction with Holds from the secondary power set, Tesla Cage will be able to stack to hold bosses, and holds most lieutenants and minions by itself right off of the bat. This power will be crucial to your leveling and safety when in melee; ice blappers revolve around the concept of being able to hold enemies and then smash their faces in, it’s what makes them so effective. What makes this build more effective is the ability to “group hold” with Short Circuit and isolate other threats with 2-3 single target holds that match the two holds of the Ice blaster primary (gaining more hold options from the secondary and epics.)

It’s also important to note that another Elec^3 guru of the forums, Circuit Boy, has discovered that Tesla Cage also has an impressive –recovery attached to it, for around 8 seconds. That makes it an excellent power for suppressing, say, boss recovery in PvE, or giving you a ranged option to slowly drain your opponents in PvP, in addition to a potential hold.

Definitely don’t miss this gem of a power. With enhancement diversification, this power has become more critical than ever for your control.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended slotting: 1 accuracy, 2-3 hold durations, 1-2 recharge

Voltaic Sentinel- Summoned “pet”, low endurance drain per bolt
Accuracy: 175
Activation time: 3 seconds
Recharge time: 120 seconds
Endurance cost: 26
Range: 60’
Brawl index: 2.2222 per bolt fired; up to 10 bolts total fired (usually expires before this) (Energy)

Many people see Voltaic Sentinel in the electric primary and get excited by its pet-like qualities; it makes the electric sets seem even more controllerish. However, unlike the superior controller and dark defender pets, Voltaic Sentinel is unbuffable and cannot take any damage. As a result, all damage it deals leads to the agro it inspires being drawn to your sweet, breakable body. But Voltaic Sentinel IS extremely cost-efficient and helpful in taking down enemies more quickly. VS CAN be used effectively in the blaptroller build; it can be one of the most efficient forms of damage offered to either the electric primary or secondary

The reasons why I normally advise against getting him are as such:
1). He rarely gets off all 10 of his shots, unless it’s an AV battle.
2). The aggro being redirected to you is often seriously an issue.
3). Soloing, he doesn’t help that much; with access to a Snipe and powerful melee attacks, you can quickly defeat things with single target damage. Basically, I found that Sparky really didn’t decrease the number of attacks it was taking me to defeat spawns solo, so his damage was superfluous. That combined with how mediocre his damage is in terms of a team, and you have little reason to take this power.

Rating: 2/5
Recommended Slotting: It has a huge inherent accuracy bonus, so don’t worry about slotting that. Instead, go for 3 damage, and that’s really all you need.

Thunderous Blast- Ranged AoE nuke, high endurance drain
Accuracy: 105
Activation time: 4 seconds
Recharge time: 360 seconds
Endurance: 15.6 (but will drain you completely if used on a large number of enemies)
Range: 60’
Brawl index: 13.889 (Energy)

Ahh, the Holy Grail of the electric blaster set? Close to it, although Short Circuit and Tesla Cage probably edge it out in my mind. TB is an excellent nuke… ranged (as if it were a problem to enter melee with this build), high endurance drain, excellent damage, and leaves the baddies riveting for a few seconds. This power is key to effectively soloing large groups, and an absolute godsend in teams. It allows you to decimate a group of baddies of your choice before popping a few blues and moving on to the next batch for a slightly slower but just as painful death to another group by Short Circuit + ensuing beating. Always use Aim + Buildup before utilizing this power.

The other intriguing aspect of this power, besides its massive damage, is its massive drain. Honestly, it has one of the best side-effects of a nuke. Basically, anything that’s left standing will be left completely drained, and won’t be recovering its endurance any time soon. Alternatively, you could use it as a ranged drain power for safely absorbing Alphas by neutralizing an entire group from range; personally, I think the damage is the more effective trait of the power, and that you can normally just defeat the group in the first place.

It’s very easy to follow this up with a blue + Powersink, Consume, etc. to quickly recover all of your endurance, if any survivors are left .

Rating: 5/5
Recommended slotting: 3 damage, 3 recharge reductions; or, if you want to go for the ranged drain approach, 3 drain and 3 recharge reductions.

4). Electric/secondary combinations

Which secondary power set is best for your Electric primary? Well, it depends on what you want to do.

Electric/Electric: This power combination, along with Elec/Energy, is what I recommend most. It combines great utility, holds, beastly melee attacks, and more endurance drain in to one neat little package. If this is your first Electric blaster, Elec/elec is easy to develop a concept for, easy to play, and is a very powerful combination. It compliments the primary extremely well.
Rank in terms of power: 1st, tied with Electric/Energy

Electric/Energy: Another very strong combination. It’s nearly identical to Elec/elec in terms of play style, powers, strength, etc. with subtle differences. Both are great toolbox compliments to an already diverse primary. Ultimately, it has stronger melee than elec/elec, and blooms a bit earlier too.
Rank in terms of power: 1st, tied with Electric/Electric

Electric/Dev: Another very powerful combination. It does very little in terms of increasing your control or scrapping components. It does, however, help fill the small hole of little AoE damage, with Trip Mine letting you deal much more mass damage. It’s also a nice toolbox assortment of powers that let you cater situations to your needs. This build is much more Blastroller, or even plain old regular Blaster than it is Blaptroller. It’s not far behind the first two.
Rank in terms of power: 3rd, tied with Electric/Fire

Electric/Fire: Surprisingly, the electric primary is likely the best way to make use of the Fire secondary. How? The drain from the primary lets you safely execute the AoE destruction from the secondary. With Short Circuit and Ball Lighting slotted for drain, the combination of Aim + BU + Short Circuit + Ball Lightning + Combustion + Fire Sword Circle is definitely an impressive sight.
Rank in terms of power: 3rd, tied with Electric/Devices

Electric/Ice: This power combination is a bit weak. The gap from 3rd to 5th is a very large one. It has very little in terms of damage, with the melee attacks being less effective than /Electric and /Energy, sacrificing this damage for a LOT of control. The problem, though, is that the controls aren’t complimentary—the Electric primary focus on endurance drain, while the Ice secondary focusing on slows and knockdown. The only ground for overlap is holds, but that can be accomplished through stronger power combinations, such as Elec/Elec.
Rank in terms of power: 5th, dead-stinking last

5). .:ELECTRICITY MANIPULATION:.

Electric Fence- Ranged single target immobilize, endurance drain over time
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 1.2 second
Recharge time: 4 seconds
Duration: 18 seconds
Endurance cost: 7.8
Range: 50
Brawl index: 2.7778 (Energy), over 5 ticks of damage

Electric Fence is a nice power, considering it’s required to take from the electric secondary. It has a decent brawl index for an immobilization power (the same as Charged Bolts), albeit DoT, and a decent amount of endurance drain as well. This power is useful in lower levels for isolating a baddy temporarily while doing decent damage. I found it effective in lower levels to Fence a baddy that had begun engaging me in melee and then back-up… at that point, it’s like an effective hold for you to take on the rest of the group with more breathing room. It fills the gap nicely in lower level attack chains and I find it nice to finish those left with a sliver of health. However, it won’t be used much later in the build upon obtaining better attacks and better methods of control.

Recommended slotting: Default slot with 1 accuracy

Charged Brawl- Single target melee, endurance drain, sleep
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: .6 seconds
Recharge time: 10 seconds
Endurance cost: 10.2
Range: 5’
Brawl index: 5.4445 (Energy/Smashing)

Wow!! What a powerful second level attack. Charged Brawl has a greater brawl index than Lightning Bolt from the electric primary set. Charged Brawl will likely be your most heavily used attack, and it will serve you well. Quick activation time, short recharge, excellent damage, and its “disadvantage” is having to enter melee, something the blaptroller takes care of quite well . Note its very large endurance cost, however.

(A minor note: Charged Brawl has a minute chance to sleep the target you’ve brawled. As if you needed any other benefits to this power)

Rating: 4/5
Recommended Slotting: 2 acc, 3 damage, 0-1 recharge, 0-1 endurance

Lightning Field- PBAoE toggle, endurance drain
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 10 seconds
Endurance per second: 1.6/tick
Brawl index: .4722 (Energy)

This power is often dismissed as being the most useless from the electric secondary; however, in an endurance-draining build, Lightning Field has its uses. After Short Circuiting, Lightning Field can be utilized to keep villains completely drained of endurance following a Short Circuit or Power Sink, all the while dealing a bit of AoE damage. This would allow you to maintain constant attacks after one application of full-on endurance drain, but at the cost of a power slot; because this build is EXTREMELY tight as is, in addition to slightly toggle heavy anyways, I find it to be nearly as effective to just reuse Short Circuit, Ball Lightning, or Power Sink when they’re available to assure a group’s complete draining. Fighting a boss, the occasional Tesla Cage and your blasts will usually keep him from recovering endurance after he’s drained. If you find room in the build to spare the power slot, Lightning Field is worth it; if not, don’t be worried about it, you can keep enemies completely drained regardless, even if it does mean taking down enemies more slowly.

Rating: 2/5
Recommended slotting: If you do get this power, I’d slot it 1-2 acc, 3 drain, 1-2 endurance

Havoc Punch- Single target melee, endurance drain, sleep, knockback
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 1.5 seconds
Recharge time: 14 seconds
Endurance cost: 13.5
Range: 5’
Brawl index: 7.2223 (Energy/Smashing)

HOLY!! This power is AMAZING. It will be doing roughly the damage of the electric primary snipe, Zapp, with 1/6 of the animation time and a much quicker recharge time. This will be your most effective means at taking down enemies, Ball Lightning’s AoE damage aside. You will be a Boss-killing, Lieutenant-hating, minion-crushing machine with this power. Because enemies will be completely drained of endurance or held, it’s perfectly reasonable for you to smash the bigger threats with Havoc Punch, Charged Brawl, and your Bolts while allowing Ball Lightning + Short Circuit to whittle away at the minions. Pick this power up immediately upon its availability, and I’m sure its 6-slot necessity goes with out saying.

(A minor note: Havoc Punch has a minute chance to sleep the target you’ve punched. This is usually obviated, because you often knockback your target at the same time, which wakes it up; in either case, they’re both still useful effects, depending on the situation.)

Rating: 5/5
Recommended slotting: 2 accuracy, 3 damage, 0-1 endurance, 0-1 recharge pick it up as soon as it’s available

Build Up- Self buff
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 90 seconds
Duration: 10 seconds
Endurance cost: 5.2

Increases your accuracy by 62.5% and damage by 100%. Yes, you need to have it. Once you have perma-hasten and all of your attacks/holds, you will be doing something consistently… at that point, you don’t need more attacks, but beefing up your current attacks helps IMMENSELY, especially AoEs and the hard-hitting melee attacks. Typically when waltzing into mobs, I hit Aim + Build Up -> Short Circuit, Ball Lightning, melee attacks, hold if necessary… and the damage is beautiful. Aim and Build Up together actually allow for both Short Circuit and Ball Lightning to deal excellent AoE damage. Build Up is also crucial for the most effective use of Thunderous Blast… Aim + Build Up should ALWAYS be used before Thunderous Blasting, as this will bring you close to the damage cap as well as give you more than enough accuracy to slaughter everything within range. Anyway you look at it, Build Up is godly.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended slotting: 1-3 recharge reductions

Lightning Clap- PBAoE disorient
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 1.2 seconds
Recharge time: 30 seconds
Duration: 9 seconds
Endurance cost: 13
Radius: 15′

With regards to the blaptroller theme, Lightning Clap is a seemingly helpful power on the surface. “I’m going to be in melee anyways, right? So disorienting the group will be perfect!” Not exactly. Disoriented enemies have the liberty to walk away from you… in this time they can regenerate a healthy amount of endurance, and can wander out of range of your Ball Lightnings, Short Circuits, and melee attacks. Once in a group of enemies, its best to keep them focused on you than giving them free will, as it will ultimately keep you safer by allowing you to more accessibly drain and scrap. If you want a “get-away from me” power, get Thunder Strike, which seems to have near identical changes to knockback/disorient, in addition to dealing a lot of damage.

Rating: 1/5
Recommended slotting: Skip this power.

Thunder Strike- Melee AoE, Knockback, disorient
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 3.3 seconds
Recharge time: 20 seconds
Endurance cost: 18.5
Range: 5’
Brawl index: 8.2223 (this is indeed the actual Brawl Index; pretty much every other hero planner is wrong. My in game tests + City of Data calculations confirm this) (Energy/Smashing)

I’ve definitely changed my perspective on this power over the issues; combined with Charged Brawl and Havoc Punch, you can have some very impressive melee damage. The activation time still bothers me, but it’s not that big of a deal if you keep enemies locked down. Keep in mind that the AoE damage it does is minor (1.1111 energy damage to each target), so think of it as a single target attack that has AoE knockback.

The knockback isn’t too big of a deal, and usually comes in handy more often than it hinders.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended slotting: 2 accuracy, 3 damage, 0-1 recharge, 0-1 endurance

Power Sink- PBAoE high endurance drain, endurance recovery
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 60 seconds
Endurance cost: 13

This is a tool no elec/elec blaster of any kind should be caught without regardless of build. Power Sink is an auto-hit endurance drain effect that relies on nearby foes (hard to accommodate with this build, right? ) that recovers endurance similarly to effects such as Consume. This, in conjunction with Short Circuit, will allow you to completely mobs of endurance, and in intermittent use with Short Circuit, the two powers will make certain that the enemies around you are completely sucked dry of endurance. There’s nothing like completely neutralizing your foes while regenerating your own endurance bar to full capacity. This power will make soloing immensely more viable for you, as if it weren’t enough, solving your endurance problems and increasing safety when duking it out with baddies. Definitely 6 slot this power; it solidifies your endurance bar and any endurance issues you may have had, while simultaneously ravaging your opponents’.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended slotting: 3 drain, 3 recharge reduction

Shocking Grasp: Melee hold, endurance drain, damage over time
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 15 seconds
Duration: 9.6 seconds
Endurance cost: 9.5
Range: 5’
Brawl index: 5.0 (over the course of 6 ticks of damage) (Energy)

An excellent power. In conjunction with Tesla Cage, this combination will allow you to one-two hold bosses, hold multiple lieutenants, and all around make certain you have control of everything around you. Although it has a high endurance cost, this is justified by a strong hold in addition to excellent damage, albeit over time. This power is worth slotting for both hold durations and damage. You can use it in regular attack chains as an attack or more dire situations to keep a troublesome foe off of your back. However you use it, Shocking Grasp is a welcome addition to any blaptrollers tool box that really benefits from the use of Hami Enhancements. Take note, though, that its damage is done over time.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended slotting: 2 accuracy, 2 hold, 2 damage for a “best of both attributes” approach; 2 accuracy, 3 hold, 2 recharge for increased control; 2 accuracy, 3 damage, 1 recharge for another high damage melee attack.

6). .:POOL POWERS:.

Although this build isn’t as cookie-cutter as a Fire tanker when it comes to power pools, there are still a few pools I would strongly recommend over others:

Fitness-

Stamina: Auto self +endurance recovery
+.42 endurance/second

Stamina is vital for efficiency in virtually every AT, every build, and this one is no exception. Blaster attacks are always heavy on endurance, particularly quick-animating melee attacks that allow you to attack often, and for high costs. This should really go without any explanation, but some blasters think that they can get away with Power Sink alone—the two combined are what is necessary for smooth, non-stop battling.

With regards to the prerequisites to obtaining stamina, you’ll want either hurdle/swift and then health. I tend to grab Hurdle on characters with Super Speed/Super Jumping (Hurdle stacks with Super Jumping and helps your vertical problems with Super Speed), and grab Swift on characters with Flight/Teleport (Swift stacks with Fly, and I don’t like “bunny-hopping” around constantly when not Teleporting, so Swift comes in handy for when I’m must running through a mission).

Rating: 5/5
Suggested slotting: 3 endurance recovery
Other prerequisites, leave with base slotting.

Concealment-

Stealth: Toggle self +stealth, +defense
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 20 seconds
Endurance cost: .38/s

Stealth definitely isn’t as useful as it used to be. Super Speed + Stealth offers complete invisibility, and while this is useful, it now suppresses the moment you begin an attack; this means you can no longer run into the middle of a group and start Short Circuiting undetected, because the spawn will aggro you as soon as Short Circuit begins animating. Stealth is still useful as far as powerpools go. Pick it up if you want to invis through to mission objectives, or if you find it easier to position yourself for Short Circuit when you can take your time setting it up.

Rating: 2/5
Suggested Slotting: 1 endurance reducer

Speed-

Hasten: Click self + recharge
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 450 seconds
Duration: 120 seconds
Endurance cost: 15 drop when it expires
.7 recharge multiplier

Hasten is needed from this power pool, and I’d recommend Super Speed as a travel power for convenience. Hasten takes precedence over Flurry for many a reason that I hope I do not need to expound upon within this guide. In a nutshell, heroes with Hasten are more effective than those without—its key to reducing downtime on long-recharge powers like Build Up and Thunderous Blast as well as to quickly recycling your more used attack powers, suck as Charged Brawl and Havoc Punch.

Rating: 5/5
Suggested slotting: 3 recharge reducers.

Leaping-

In reaching the end game, mezzing effects become more and more prominent, and while Short Circuit and your holds work wonders, one untimely hold can mean insta-face plant, as can a string of annoying knockbacks. This pool is the remedy to this problem, as well as offering a helpful vertical component in regards to traveling that the speed pool lacks.

There are three powers that you’ll find useful from this pool: Combat Jumping, Super Jump, and Acrobatics.

Combat Jumping: Toggle self +jump, +def, resist immobilization
Endurance cost: .03/s

Combat Jumping provides useful unsuppressable combat mobility and immobilization resistance, both of which are extremely helpful to this build. It also provides a negligible amount of defense. Its immobilization protection builds with level.

Rating: 3/5
Suggested slotting: 1 jump enhancement, for better combat movement

Super Jump: Toggle self +jump
Endurance cost: .23/s

Great travel power. Helps with vertical limitations.

Rating: 3/5
Suggested slotting: 1 jump enhancement

Acrobatics: self + resistance to knockback, holds
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 10 seconds
Endurance cost: .26/s

Acrobatics is the most useful power in this pool, providing both knockback and hold resistance. This is immeasurably helpful in fighting foes wielding either status ailments—we all know what it’s like to be chain-knocked down or held and slaughtered . Acrobatics only offers 1 mag hold protection—meaning if two get stacked on you, you’re gone—and offers no resistance to disorients or sleeps, so keep that in mind. You’ll still need to carry breakfrees around with you, just in case. Its knockback protection, is complete.

Rating: 4/5
Suggested slotting: 1 endurance reducer

Flight-

Hover: Self +fly, +defense
Knockback/knockdown animation becomes a backflip in air, avoiding getting knocked down
Endurance cost: .1/s

Hover isn’t nearly as maneuverable as it used to be, unfortunately; however, if your concept warrants never touching the ground, you can definitely make it work. Hover 3-slotted for speed, combined with Swift, is bearable combat movement. Hover also provides pseudo-knockback protection, since any attack that would normally knock you back merely causes you to do a flip-animation in the air instead.

Rating: 3/5
Suggested slotting: 3 flight speed

Medicine-

Aid Self:
17% base heal, self +resist disorientation
Activation time: 3 seconds
Recharge time: 20 seconds
Endurance cost: 13

The real point of this power pool is obviously to pick up Aid Self. This power now offers mitigation versus Disorientation, too, which comes in handy. Now that you must take the alpha strike when using Short Circuit due to suppression, you’ll take a lot more hits than you’re used to—and a yellow or lower health bar can be a very uncomfortable feeling for a blaster. This power solves that, allowing you to safely activate it uninterrupted after all bad guys have been drained, and shoot back up to full health, all the while gaining some Disorient protection. Very handy. (Keep in mind the power looks very technological—if your origin is magic or some such, you probably won’t want it )

Rating: 4/5
Suggested Slotting: 3 heals, 1-2 interrupt reducers, 1 recharge reduction

.:EPIC POOL POWERS:.

There are now five epic power pools to choose from, as you all may know: cold, munitions, force, flame, and the newest addition, electricity.
With regards to this build, I feel that Electricity is the hands down best addition, but the other sets can offer a lot, too. Keep in mind that all ratings are with regards to the Elec/Elec blaptroller build. (For more information on Epics outside of this guide, head here- http://www.nofuture.org.uk/cox/)

7). .:COLD MASTERY:.

Snow Storm: Ranged AoE toggle, foe –speed, -recharge
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 10 seconds
Endurance cost: .33/s
Range: 80’
Slow: -50% recharge, speed

This power is a decent means of control, especially versus things like AVs that your other control options don’t work against. However, in normal settings, it’s overkill that you likely don’t need. It also doesn’t synergize with any of your other powers. That being said, it’s one of the better options from this power pool.

Rating: 2/5
Suggested slotting: 1-2 endurance reducers

Flash Freeze: Ranged AoE foe sleep, minor cold/lethal damage
Accuracy: 55
Activation time: 3 seconds
Recharge time: 90 seconds
Duration: 18 seconds
Endurance cost: 19.5
Range: 60’

A marginal control power that doesn’t compliment you very well. Draining all the enemies of endurance is safer than sleep, and allows you to apply your AoE damage without fear of retaliation. This is, again, control overkill you don’t need that doesn’t supplement the build in any way. I was under the impression that sleeping a mob would allow you to enter in to Short Circuit completely safely—not the case thanks to the damage component of this power. Just skip the power if you go for this epic.

Rating: 1/5
Suggested Slotting: Don’t get this.

Frozen Armor: Toggle self + defense (smashing/lethal) + resistance (fire/cold)
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 2 seconds
Endurance cost: .16/s
Resistance: 21% cold, 7% fire
Defense: 10.5% smashing/lethal

The best power from this epic, which really isn’t saying much. It’s decent, but not my favorite epic armor. It’s improved quite a bit since the multiple changes to defense, at least.

Rating: 3/5
Suggested Slotting: 3 defense enhancements, 0-1 endurance

Hibernate: Click self + regeneration, +recovery, invulnerable
Activation time: .07 seconds
Recharge time: 240 seconds
Regeneration: +1000%
Recovery: +400%
Invulnerable

This power will automatically shut off after being in it for too long, and it has a pretty hefty recharge time. This obviously delegates it to being a panic button, in which you click it and shell up, recover to full, and pop back out. It’s not a bad panic button, but you won’t be able to move after you chill up, which can be a problem. If you pick up this power pool, I’d get this power because it will see use, and it just looks sweet

Rating: 4/5
Suggested slotting: 3 recharge reducer

Overall Cold Mastery Rating: 1/5; The cold power pool is worst in conjunction with this build, as it just has too little synergy.

8). .:FLAME MASTERY:.

Bonfire: Ranged location AoE, minor fire damage, knockback
Activation time: 3 seconds
Recharge time: 120 seconds
Range: 70′
Radius: 25′

A useful although admittedly situational power, Bonfire can work as a nice “pseudo-hold” versus multiple villains if you can pin them between it and a hard place. They’ll be knocked back again and again from the Bonfire into a wall, crate, or what have you, unable to do much while you have your way with them. It’s great for blocking doorways. It’s very situational, but you might have fun with it and put it to good use as backup control that can be used in a retreating situation.

Rating: 2/5
Suggested slotting: 1 recharge reducer

Char: Foe hold
Accuracy: 95
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 16 seconds
Duration: 14 seconds
Endurance cost: 10.7
Range: 80’
Brawl Index: 3.0 Fire (over 5 total ticks)

A very handy tool, Char can offer you a third hold in your arsenal. While this may be considered overkill, this allows you to do a few things: 1). Have two ranged holds, which comes in handy when you really, really don’t want to risk entering melee versus something and 2). Gives you three holds to cycle and spam when the need arises, providing supreme safety if one misses, while simultaneously saving you the need to slot them for duration excessively. I would pick this up, and then ease back a bit on the slotting of your other holds if you’ve slotted them heftily.

Rating: 4/5
Suggested Slotting: 1 accuracy, 3 hold durations, 1-2 recharge

Fire Shield: Toggle Self +resistance to smashing, lethal, cold, and fire
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 2 seconds
Endurance cost: .16/s
Resistance: 19.25% Smashing/lethal, 14% Fire, 7% Cold

One of the best epic shields, providing a substantial amount of resistance to three damage types (smashing, lethal, and fire) and a small amount to a fourth type (cold). This, like the other armors, will substantially increase your survivability and your ability to take alpha strikes. Get it and 6 slot it.

Rating: 5/5
Suggested slotting: 3 resistance enhancements, 0-1 endurance

Rise of the Phoenix: self rez, foe disorient, knockback
Activation time: 4.33 seconds (very pretty)
Recharge time: 300 seconds

One of the graphically best powers in the game, pick this if you like to dye a lot yet maintain some dignity and vanity. I normally don’t recommend powers that require a dead hero to work, though, choosing powers that prevent the death from occurring in the first place. But, if at level 49, you have nothing better to take, I can understand your desire to take it.

Rating: 2/5
Suggested slotting: 1 recharge reducer

Overall Flame Mastery Rating: 3/5

9). .:MUNITIONS MASTERY:.

Body Armor: Auto self +resistance to smashing/lethal
Resistance: 8.75%

While having a resistance power that’s on all the time, including when you’re mezzed, I’d prefer a toggle with a higher base value—Body Armor’s is much smaller than any of the other epic shields. Usually, you’ll need an armor with a higher base value to more easily survive alpha strikes, and once you’ve drained everything, there’s no worry of mez, and that is worth a toggle’s constant endurance cost. The benefitis of having Body Armor being an auto power just don’t outweigh the benefits of having a toggle armor in my opinion. But, if you do go munitions, which is very viable, you’ll still appreciate this power. Just note that you should be taking this pool for the hold and LRM Missile; Body Armor is just icing.

Rating: 2/5
Suggested Slotting: 3 resistance enhancements

Cryo Freeze Ray: Foe hold, minor cold damage
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 16 seconds
Duration: 12 seconds
Endurance cost: 8.6
Range: 60’

Another hold option, Cryo Freeze Ray has all the benefits previously listed of Char, with a few minor variations.

Rating: 4/5
Suggested slotting: 2 accuracy, 3 hold durations, 1 recharge

Sleep Grenade: Ranged AoE foe sleep, minor smashing damage
Accuracy: 80
Endurance cost: 19.5
Activation time: 1.87 seconds
Recharge time: 90 seconds
Duration: 15 seconds
Range: 60’

The information offered on Flash Freeze applies to Sleep Grenade, too.

Rating: 1/5
Suggested Slotting: Don’t get this power.

LRM Rocket: Ranged AoE
Accuracy: 75
Range: 150’
Endurance cost: 22.75
Activation time: 5.87 seconds
Recharge time: 240 seconds
Brawl Index: 6.9 (Lethal + Smashing)

This is a great supplemental power to a combination severely lacking in AoEs. Although there is a huge recharge timer on this power, it can help fill in the holes of this build very, very nicely. Although it has a sniper animation time, you can use it in the middle of battle if you Short Circuit everything first; which can be nice, ascertaining that there will be no return fire if the missile doesn’t kill everything. And, thanks to the Missile’s snipe range, you can fire it from farther away if the case doesn’t warrant Short Circuiting first. It’s not as effective as it used to be, since the consistency of Electric Mastery’s Static Discharge tends to be more useful, but this power is still a major motivation for taking this powerset.

Rating: 4/5
Suggested Slotting: 3 damage, 3 recharge, (Use Aim + BU beforehand.)

Overall Munitions Mastery Rating: 3/5

10). .:FORCE MASTERY:.

Personal Force Field: Toggle self+defense, +resistance, can’t attack
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 30 seconds
Endurance cost: .16/s
Defense: 52.5% versus all
Resistance: 28% Resistance versus all

If you’re accustomed to having a panic button, such as Phase Shift, this is your new solace. I’ve always recommend PFF as a panic button over Phase Shift, but with PS’s new recharge time and shortened duration, PFF outclasses it in every way possible. It has a quicker activation time, huge base defense and base resistance than nearly make you intangible, and is still a toggle. Definitely a very useful power, pick it up.

Rating: 4/5 (although you won’t use it often, you’ll feel like its rating is this high when you need it )
Recommended slotting: 1 defense enhancement

Repulsion Field: Toggle PBAoE knockback
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 40 seconds
Endurance cost: .49/s, each foe repulsed costs additional endurance

While this power can be fun and useful in the same manner as Bonfire, I’d consider Bonfire to be an all around more useful power, and the endurance costs of this power to be too inhibiting. You’re better off skipping it and relying on your regular means of control + defense to survive. PFF is a MUCH more useful prerequisite towards the higher end Force Mastery powers.

Rating: 1/5
Recommended slotting: Don’t get this power.

Temporary Invulnerability: Toggle self +resistance smashing/lethal
Activation time: 2 seconds
Recharge time: 2 seconds
Endurance cost: .16/s
Resistance: 21% smashing/lethal

A very effective armor, it provides the highest base of resistance vs. smashing/lethal of any of the armors in the Blaster epic sets. However, Fire Shield and Charged Armor aren’t far behind it, and the resistance they offer versus other damage types is usually more useful. TI is still a great power, however, and should not be neglected when picking up the Force Mastery set.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended slotting: 3 resistance enhancements, 0-1 endurance

Force of Nature: Click self +resistance all except psionics, +recovery
Activation time: 3 seconds
Recharge time: 1,000 seconds.
Duration: 120 seconds
Endurance cost: 7.5
Resistance: +35% versus all except psionics
Recovery: +100%

A very, very impressive power, Force of Nature will literally allow you to feel like a Tank or Scrapper during its duration. It has very high base resistance to all damage types other than psionics, and with TI up, you’ll almost ignore Smashing/Lethal damage. Also take note if its +recovery component—it’s a nice boost. It has an endurance drop when its duration ends, however, so be prepared for it. You should be carrying around catch a breaths anyways for using Thunderous Blast, so use one when Force of Nature crashes and then Power Sink to recover.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended Slotting: 3 recharge, 3 resistance

Overall Force Mastery Rating: 4/5

11). .:ELECTRIC MASTERY:.
Finally, electric blasters rejoice, a conceptually fitting epic—and a powerful one at that!

Static Discharge: Ranged Cone
Accuracy: 75
Recharge time: 12 seconds
Endurance cost: 14.8
Range: 40’
Brawl index: 2.53333 (Energy)

Arguably the best power of the set, Static Discharge is exactly what the doctor ordered towards filling in the holes for Electric blasters. Never mind that it’s dramatically inferior to other Blaster cone attacks, combined with Ball Lightning, you now have efficient AoE damage. Combine that with your superior single target damage, and you start to feel like you have no drawbacks. Get this power and 6 slot it—if you have access to damage/range HO’s, stick them in here. They allow for both an increase in cone range, allowing you to hit more bad guys with it from a greater distance, while not sacrificing any damage potential.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended slotting: 2 accuracy, 3 damage, 0-1 recharge, 0-1 endurance

Shocking Bolt: Ranged foe hold
Accuracy: ?
Recharge time: 16 seconds
Duration: 14 seconds
Endurance: 10.7
Range: 80’
Brawl index: 1.389 (Energy)

Same commentary from Char and Cryo Freeze Ray apply.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended slotting: 2 accuracy, 3 hold duration, 1 recharge

Charged Armor: Toggle self +resistance to Smashing, Lethal, Energy
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 2 seconds
Endurance cost: .16/s
Resistance: +19.25% Smashing/Lethal/Energy

Arguably the best epic armor, Charged Armor offers great resistance versus the three most common end-game damage types, with its smashing/lethal being just a touch under Temporary Invulnerability. Get it, slot it, love it.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended slotting: 3 resistance, 0-1 endurance

EM Pulse: PBAoE foe disorient, energy damage, self –recovery
Accuracy: 75
Recharge time: 800 seconds
Duration: 18 seconds
Endurance cost: 26
Endurance drain
Target -regen

EM Pulse for defenders and controllers is the best AoE hold in the game. For blasters, it’s a much less effective AoE disorient without near as much power. When the Epic set first came out, I was ridiculously excited about this power, but now, it’s not as useful as I had imagined. It can be quite an effective panic button, and it is very nice AoE control for a Blaster, but in most situations, endurance drain is just more reliable, effective, obviously quicker to recharge, etc. If you take EM Pulse, consider it an extremely situational panic button, not an archetypal control power as it is for defenders and controllers. Use it when the going gets tough, and your endurance drain won’t quite reach everyone, or your drain is recharging, or you’re going to bite it anyways and want to help the team out.

Rating: 2/5
Recommended slotting: 1 accuracy; you could slot some disorient duration and recharge reduction, but why bother when your endurance drain is such a more effective means of control? Spend those slots elsewhere, and use this only in dire situations.

Overall Electric Mastery Rating: 5/5
The absolute best EPP for an Elec/Elec blaster; arguably the best epic armor, fills in the need for AoE damage, and supplements the build with more complimentary control.

12). .:SAMPLE BUILDS:.

This would be my proposed PvE build for the Elec/Elec blaptroller, picking up the Electric Mastery. This, in my opinion, is one of the most effective, and easy builds you can accomplish as an Electric^3 Blaptroller without Hamio enhancements. It’s extremely versatile, able to fulfill the roles of Blaster, Scrapper, and Controller very well. If you’ve never played an electric blaster before, this is the build I would suggest.
A few things to note:
-Powers like Aim, Buildup, etc. come at odd times; you might want to pick them up earlier for more burst damage or whatever other function they provide.
-Charged Bolts, Lightning Bolt, Charged Brawl, and Havoc Punch allow for continual single target attack chains. While I don’t feel this is necessary, as you’ll likely be holding, draining, etc. inbetween all of this, I know a lot of people can’t stand not being able to attack constantly—so the option is there. .
-Slot Short Circuit for damage until you gain access to SOs. Use it in tandem with Ball Lightning as efficient AoE Damage, when the foes aren’t as dangerous to approach in melee without draining them. Once you reach the 20’s, you’ll appreciate the tradeoff of damage for drain, as that’s right about when it’s getting too dangerous for you to enter melee without controlling the mobs first.
-Respec in to this build at 50, for slotting purposes. Again, you’ll want to pick up powers at different times when actually playing the build to 50.
-You’ll notice that many powers could be slotted more heavily; HO’s are wonderful for the Elec/Elec blaptroller, and dramatically increase your power. Get as many as you can.