Upon exiting the first tutorial zone, you'll get your selection of both a new power and a travel power (yay!). While it's tempting to get something flashy for your new power, we recommend that your third power be a defensive one - most all frameworks offer a solid defensive power in their Tier 1's. (Monk's note: Don't overlook this. Learning to block and having an active or passive defense power helps a friggin ton in this game.)
Well, currently playing an ice/munitions toon (Rook) in the high-school dropout theme. Really like him, but the only defensive power available at my first trip to the powerhouse is ice shield. It looks cool, but it's a block power, and I never remember to block. Anyway, if I pick up a offensive power now, does that mean I'll be able to pick up a defensive power from a third framework at lvl 8. (ie lightning reflexes), since I'll have 2 arbitrary powers at that point? Or would that be spreading myself too thin?
You won't be spreading yourself too thin. Getting to lvl 8 is really about as easy with or without a defensive power (so long as your offensive powers do enough dmg).
That being said, it will take longer to dig down into any of the trees. Although you might not need anything deep in those trees for a while, you'll be sacrificing a chance early on for a cc or high dmg AoE power. The cc is handy in pvp, but not necessary and the AoE is handy in pve, but not necessary. If you can hold off on one of those powers until 11, then you should be fine (which is when pve starts getting harder). On the positive side, you'll have access to three trees worth of powers, allowing you a great deal of variety and utility.
Note about blocking powers that I didn't realize at first: If you get a block power you actually have to open up your powers window and drag the block power to your block slot on the action bar (it is NOT passive). You'll know it's working because when you go to block, most of the powers will have some sort of visual verification, like a shield made of darkness or kinetic energy.
Right, I figured that out about ice shield, which does have a really cool visual. even after you finish blocking with it, you're rimed with ice for quite a while. I just don't have a handle on how often one uses block. Starting to wonder if ice was the right way to go, now that I don't like the look of ice slide.
Ice is probably best to only go down one other tree to pick up a better defense skill, then keep the rest ice.
As for Rook, I'd recommend doing something similar, but replace Ice with Munitions. It will give you enough utility that you probably won't need ice.
Sometimes, it's best to just keep 'em separated.
As for blocking, I block in pvp all the time when I'm getting wailed on, and in pve any time I see a power-timer-bubble-thingee above a mob's head. I still haven't figured out the power bubbles and their meanings, but i'm pretty sure the rectangle is single, the starburst is area and the trapezoid is cone. I need to look that up.
well, rook is already munitions/ice. You thinking straight up munitions might be better to start with? sorry for all the forum posts, I stayed home today to get go to the mechanics.
I've got to say, I'm not seeing much in the Gadgeteering framework. I guess I could pick up Bionic Shielding, but I much prefer the idea of a passive slotted defensive skill. I may just wait it out and pick something up when I ding 8.
Molecular Self-Assembly seems a lot like Regen. I'd probably go with that. Unfortunately, it only regens when your abilities come off cooldown, which means it's only working while in combat, unless it also works with your travel power, then you can on/off that bad boy until you are full between battles. I'd have to test it out to know for sure.
Seems like a decent way to keep your health and regen up while in battle though, if it rewarded enough.
I think Munitions (built custom) might be a great way to start out with Rook. Like I said, you can dip quickly into another framework to get regen, invuln or lightning reflexes. If you're looking to NOT waste a power in order to get the good defense, consider the following:
Dual Blades - Blade Tempest is small area cone - leads to Lightning Reflexes (passive dodge bonus)
Martial Arts - Thundering Kicks gives you a brief bonus to dodge on the third hit in a combo - leads to Lightning Reflexes (passive dodge bonus)
Might - Beatdown has chance for stun - leads to Defiance (passive, gain defense and energy when you get hit, scales with Con)
Gadgeteer - Experimental Blaster has a chance to do a lot of different things on charge - leads to Bionic Shielding (activated, heal when you get hit) and Molecular Self-Assembly (passive, gain health and energy every time your powers come off cooldown)
If you want to stick to yer guns (haw!), Gadgeteer isn't so far out there, and at least has a couple options to try out.
Apparently, I was wrong about Invulnerability. I can't find it as an early defensive power. Defiance is pretty cool, though.
