commando as glass cannon?

[GigaBits]

I was playing around on my commando alt(ign bitsoarmor lvl 21). Looking and skills and postulating when and what I'm going to respec and I had this thought.

No other class in sl can dish out the amount of aoe damage that a commando has available. Unfortunately, this means dropping the health regen ability and probably the armor buff ability. I'm thinking I can make an effective "glass cannon" build. I have to be honest, however, and note that I'm not that great of a "tank" anyway. Could this be my alternative build...maybe.

In addition, I know that currently there isn't a whole lot of room for improvisation because of low level cap and a general understanding of how to run the higher level dungeons w/o this sort of glass cannon.

Mainly, I'm just curious if anyone else has tried this or has thoughts about this. I'm currently working on a build that I will, hopefully, be able to post at a later time. Thanks in advance:confused:

[Conradin]

Well the best way to find out is..... Exiriment. Ive spent hundreds of plat on builds. I would advise trying out different builds with slightly different skill configuration to get max damage.

[Punktate]

For AoE damage, stick to the cannon. Don't waste points that could go to buffing on skills that do around the same damage as a regular attack with a cannon.

http://www.spacetimestudios.com/showthread.php?35911-Punk-s-no-stim-needed-build.-Warning-Insanely-effective.

[GigaBits]

@conradin thanks for the advice, thats exactly what I've been doing.

@punktate I really like the no stim build and had been leveling with it, with variations but I think you missed what I was going for. Your build is a tank. The build I want to use/work out is more glass cannon or( I like this name better) a paper tiger.

Essentially ignore the buffs( except kr, it is needed) to beef up the aoe damage skills. Preliminary testing, as well as other reports here in the forums, indicate that a level equivalent rifle will do more skill damage than a cannon. In some cases by a rather large margin. So far I have been able to kill faster with skills than with a cannon, and without buffs you have to kill them quick.

I realize this goes against everything considered holy in the commando handbook but I don't really like to tank and the commando is the only class with serious aoe capabilities, at least so far.

[Punktate]

That's how it was meant to be lol. Good luck to your testing build though!

[Teddyache]

I think this build has a lot of potential, especially if you do runs with another tanking commando. I'm just building my commando alt and got to level 16 this morning. Did some runs accidentally with 5 random commandos and we blew through DMC with no one above level 17 on the strength of multiple AOE attacks (I have singularity at 6 and I think one of the others did too).

For the "paper tiger" AOE build, has anyone tried a gravity well, stomp, nebula, singularity combo? I'm thinking that 6 in each at level cap would do some mean damage and keep the mob on the floor while the team finishes them off. Could put the remaining point in the other AOE that slows also and throw that into the mix. Granted, this build will suck pots but as someone said in another thread, don't be cheap! If this build was paired with a tank that could take aggro against Guardian and a good healer or two, I think it would be a lot of fun to play. Thoughts?

[Acyer]

Bro just search for Zeros build best tanking/dps build. But i warn ya its a stim build.

Heres link http://www.spacetimestudios.com/showthread.php?34799-Zero-s-Build

[GigaBits]

I've checked every build on the forums and while some were close to what I was looking for, none matched up with the idea. Thanks, tho.:)

Here's what I have at 24, it works well with a second commando and *can* main tank, but I tend to eat stims like that. Otherwise, in a well rounded group I'm fine. Disclaimer: this is not a solo build, in testing this build did poorly in solo runs

0-0-0-6
6-0-5-5
0-1-/-/

Here's my experiences/ .02

Force hammer is single target, I don't need it. Neutron stomp is useful if your surrounded but with this build if your in that tight of a situation for it to be useful, your probably going down anyway. Vigor is a tank buff and could be useful but the points, to me, are better served elsewhere. Singularity, aoe knockback good damage, gets full 6/6. Graviton slam, slow effect is a big help as well as being an important taunt if you have to tank, gets 6/6 because it's okay damage, cone aoe and slow effect increase. Kinetic Resevoir speaks for itself but I found 5/6 to be sufficient. Gravity well, again, aoe plus the pull is a nice set up for either GS or Singularity. Nebula is great, but requires staying close and, like neutron stomp, things can get dicey. Growing rage is a 1 and will get the next point at 25 for +20 crit, which might not seem as good as full 6 of 6; all the aoe damage rolls, however, do add up for a pretty decent damage increase.

Anyway, that's what I've got so far. I'm not sure how it stacks up damage wise to punk's build, or anyone elses for that matter. I do know I wipe groups of enemies out as fast as anyone else and it's fun to play. One additional note, I switch between cannons and rifles for guardian runs, but most other maps I stick with a rifle for pure skill damage increase.