The Go Go Gadget Guide to Everything Gadgets

How do they (Mental and Gadgets) compare for ranged DPS?

Also, Does Mental have something similar to EMP III?

1. I don't have my old notebook infront of me now to tell you. If anything far range probably favors Mental with Mass Lev just because the 3PI's are burst powers and they get the auto buff. It also depends if the rotation for Gadgets is played as Tunso tests it or if animation time cutting with outside tools is used, or reverse jumping with a specific power.

2. They can use Mass Terror & Mass Lev from within Invisibility. Their hits from those 2 powers seem to do reduced damage if you use them from your normal dps tray after you've transitioned out of Invisibility. That's when I checked during Mental's second update on Test Server. So I just always used those powers from within Invisibility since they're instant.

I think MT III is easier with Mental too because Resonance supposedly lasts longer. Someone told me they could revive someone and still have Resonance up by the time they're done. If you tried that with Battle Display, you'd lose it.

I just want to preface this by saying this guide helped a ton when I started out, thanks for this.
So I'm just getting back from a year hiatus and found that Sticky Bomb splits now and the AM disables WM so I cant spam those crits anymore, what should I replace it with? My old build was Sticky, Gauss, Napalm, EMP, Distract, Battle Display. Also, I see lots of Gadgets users run with Vortex; I never gave it a chance because I dislike the range limitation, am I missing out?

Vortex has the standard burst damage range (like Gauss and Napalm), the cool thing about it is that it PIs with itself so you can throw it into any loadout and it will always work without needing specific other powers to setup PI.

Ah thanks, I wonder where I got that misinformation about vortex.

I'm reposting these for a few new players that have contacted me. They're in an order I recommend viewing.





I've been working on 2 controller videos but they've been taking alot of my gaming time this month. One is a controlling 101 for new & casuals (something that will be better than from what I saw on the dcuo's website). The other is a longer and indepth controller 102 video. It goes through double ticks, control effects, weapon regen detail, and trinket cycling which not many players are aware of. It might be ready by the end of the month.



Update. At this point even the 101 video is going over to be around 20 minutes. I'm thinking of doing a 101 series with like 5 videos for PoT, weapon regen, Instant Power heals & Power return Supercharges, Debuffs and Control Effects. The 5 videos would be under 6 minutes and contain basic yet informative detail. I rather have it all in one video, but I'm pretty sure 20 minutes would be too long for some to sit and watch.

OK, so I am wondering if my loadout is OK. I found it online. here is the link. Can someone tell me if this is still a good loadout? It varies a little from the ones posted in the videos TheDark posted directly above. I have been following this guide basically and just got OK at it. I hate to have to change but want advice if there is a better damage loadout. thank you.

http://dcuobloguide.com/traits/powers/gadgets-dps-guide/

Be careful with dcuobloguide, they tend to be inaccurate, biased or outdated. For example, you don't need to actually hit enemies anymore for the Gadgets AM to work. And since they just tell you a specific loadout you might be missing important details or viable alternatives. (Although to be fair they do list some additional info)

I would only use a Fear Gas/Cryo Foam loadout in longer multi target fights. In standard trash fights or short boss fights burst will work better since you get the full damage up front even if the total damage of the dots could be higher when running full time.

The vast majority of the time I run a regular EMP+Distract loadout with Gauss Grenade, Napalm Grenade and Vortex Cannon. It's far from perfect since there is no PI to boost Gauss Grenade (Napalm gets boosted by Gauss and Vortex boosts itself) but it's quick and reliable, and for most fights you will either only do one rotation + Distract, or someone else will setup a PI for Gauss if it's a raid.

In longer single target or priority target fights I like to use Gauss - Foam - Stasis Field (best single target damage), and in longer multi target fights I like to use the popular Gauss - Fear Gas - Cryo Foam. When I use these dot loadouts in fights that permit it I like to mix it up with Intimidation instead of Distract and some specific weapon attacks clipped in between, but that's harder to pull off consistently and the dot rotations are solid without that. Also switching Distract for Intimidation is a damage loss if you just spam powers and takes away your Detaunt as well.

If you want to really max out your damage output then you can take Stealth instead of Battle Display and put BD on the Stealth loadout. TheDark can give you good advice on that. I stopped using it long ago and settled for the standard loadout with the weapon clipping option since it's more flexible.

OK, so I have more questions...bare with me. I am very new to AM mechanics. so I want to make sure I am understanding correctly...Questions in RED...Thank you for your help.

Yes. The burst loadout I use is Battle Display - Gauss - Napalm - Vortex - Distract - EMP. It works best on multi target short fights but it can be used in any other situation as well. In significantly longer fights, the dot builds will do more damage though.

In general, yes. In situations where I don't risk running out of power (groups with a troll, alerts without a troll with troll-less buff) I like to start with Vortex Cannon and clip it with BD then Distract, then go into EMP so I get a little bit of extra damage right at the start and setup dazed at the same time so when I go over to regular 1234 my Vortex Cannon will do more damage right from the first rotation. In solos and duos without a troll I often skip over Vortex when I don't want to risk running out of power. Keep in mind Vortex Cannon is midranged, but with EMP you want to be melee-midranged anyway.

Power Interaction.

Sure, it's a solid standard 1234 loadout. Honestly you can do solid damage with pretty much any combo as long as you get off EMPs and have at least some degree of interactions between your 123 setup powers. You could just as well use the Fear Gas - Cryo Foam loadout for everything although a pure burst approach is probably a bit more effective for short fights. Dots really only reach their potential when they can run their time.

Switching to Stealth is just a regular power cast, and switching back can be done by using most non-Stealth powers or attacks. The advantage of the Stealth-Distract loadout is that you have a second EMP shortcut in Stealth, and you have a full additional loadout to put a supercharge on, or anything else you want really. You just need to learn how to use it in a way that you won't run dry like a fool by getting interrupted and losing Battle Display while Stealth is on cooldown. It's not as easy to use as any standard copy paste 1234 Distract loadout but it does a bit more damage and gives you more options.

AWESOME! Thank you for the info. One more question if I may, "Dots"? what is Dots?

I was just looking on the wiki page at possible tweaks and I may use a couple loadouts...
It seems no matter how you go, Napalm is better than Fear Gas in slot 2...Fear gas inflicts burning if used right after Gauss Grenade(Electrify), but only increases damage by 35%, whereas Napalm increases damage by 50% and still inflicts Burning on electrified enemies...then in spot 3 I will probably use either Cryo or Vortex in slot 3...Cryo explodes adds frostbite on electrified and burning enemies(both attack 1 and 2). I have never used Vortex so I will have to test and see which does more damage. Any reason you prefer Vortex over Cryo in slot 3? Or Statis over Vortex and Cryo in slot 3? Or is it just based on the type of fight? thank you.

dot = damage over time

Forget about damage modifiers. If you have access to the lair system get the Max Damage tactical mod and it will fix your damage modifier to 60%, 70 if you use the Core Strength mod too. If you don't have access to tactical mods then you will lose out on >20% damage and at that point you don't need to bother min-maxing your loadout anymore.

Stasis is the best unconditional single target damage that Gadgets has [avg total of 80], if it gets the chance to run its time. It's only useful if you are in a longer single/priority target fight, in any other situation the multi target dots or standard bursts are better.

Vortex does standardized PI burst damage exactly like Napalm and Gauss Grenade [avg total 36, avg total with PI 54].
Jump cancelled Fear Gas with Explosion PI does slightly higher than regular burst but is a dot [avg total 57.5]. Cryo Foam with Explosion does even more but is a dot too [avg total 83]. Cryo Foam in particular can work well in a burst loadout since it's pretty high damage regardless with Explosion, but Fear Gas is basically a standard burst stretched over 4 seconds.
Also, ignore burning. It's pathetically low damage and you have to try really hard not to setup burning in any Gadgets playstyle. Doesn't matter if it's from Napalm, Fear Gas, Cryo Foam, Cryo Field or even Thermite Mine, whatever.

Last thing, don't get the illusion that your setup powers make a huge difference. As of now EMP will do most of your damage regardless of setup choices. As long as you correctly pull off the Distract, EMP, 123, EMP rotation you will do appropriate damage. If you know what you're doing your setup choices can make a noticeable difference but if you feel comfortable with a certain power then you can most likely use it without losing a lot of damage even if it's not the perfect choice.

OK, so I answered the mods question myself, but still a couple others.

With Max Damage everything will be 60% instead of 35-50% and Core Strength just adds 10%. I use Napalm over Fear Gas because you get the full damage instantly instead of stretched over 4 seconds. The total damage of both is comparable as I demonstrated in my post.

Well as I said you really need to try hard not to have it in any Gadgets damage loadout. Any optimized loadout with powers that interact will produce burning, at least in the 1234 playstyle. The only way I could see not setting up burn one way or another would be a pure Dazed WM loadout, but of course WM won't be competitive until at least the next GU. So since you will have burning anyway and it's such a tiny part of your total damage (look at the base numbers for burning and EMP and you will see what I mean), you don't need to build around it. It's there, it won't make or break your loadout, it won't make the difference between top of the scoreboard or second.

Battle Display has nothing to do with your damage, it's your power regen enabler. You only hit it once and as long as you keep casting powers it gets extended infinitely. You can see that it's up when you have the Display animation, if you lose it you will need to adapt quickly or you will run out of power. In theory you could use the AM without it but no one would suffer you on their groups if you did that.
That's why something like the Stealth loadout works: you start out in Stealth, hit BD in Stealth, then unstealth and go about your business without needing BD anymore.

Perfect! I think that answers all my questions. Thank you again! All very helpful advice and now I have a better understanding for sure.

Minor question: I've been bouncing back and forth between Health and Power for my blue generator mods. Which is preferred?

I troll from time to time but still fairly new at the role. I like the extra health for DPS'ing though.

It doesn't really matter. Power mods would increase the amount of power restored through Power Regen with the AM. Health is just health and your CR would ultimately determine whether you're knocked or not.

What do you guys use as a chest piece white mod? Core or Penetrating? Im referring to running newer content like DWF/BBS. Ty

If your cr is lower then what your fighting use penetrating
If it's the same or higher use core
I think lol I may have tht backwards