Introduction
This guide is written with the most in depth insight in the game from a regen scrappers perspective, but I have played all ATs and the guide is, I hope, generally applicable.
The DRR stands for Defense Resistance Regeneration. Cats theory is best thought of as Survivability is a stool, with one leg it wobbles, with two it can still be knocked over, with three legs it is as steady as a rock.
Now it is complicated by the fact that each of the DRR components can be further divided.
A +DEF is functionally the same as Tohit on the opponent. (The two are additive to each other.)
A +Res, is compounded or replaced by a dam on the opponent. (The direct replacement is exact, the two combine in an additive manner and are subject to a combined cap)
Innate regeneration can be boosted by heals (By self or others).
The handy rule of thumb is that 1% defense = 2% resistance in long term mitigation.
Plus/Delta
Each of these types of survivability boost have their own strengths and weaknesses
Defense
Strength :- Ghetto Status resistance, in that when someone is whiffing with a status attack, that attack does not affect you.
Weakness :- One shotting. If an attack is going to kill you if it connects, it eventually will connect and down you go. It may take a lot longer, or many encounters but eventually the dice will roll against you.
Stacking defense can be typed versus damage type or attack type the two do not combine correctly. Most buffs now stack to some degree or other, but caveat emptor and check that you are get the stacking you anticipate
Resistance
Strength :-True one shot protection.
Weakness: - It takes a fair chunk of resistance to be noticeable.
Regen/Healing
Strength :- Low down time.
Weakness :- One shotting, you cannot regen or be healed if you are defeated.
Synergy
This is where the stool idea comes in, what you try to do as a team, or as an individual, is to cover a minimum of two of DRR, and ideally you want to cover all three. Want to turn a regen scrapper into a I2 God- like one, throw him/her fortitude (+ DEF and nice other effects), and a sonic bubble or two (+Res). What hits through the + def is weakened by the +res and then regened back quickly.
Status effects will be reduced (though the +def) and one shot resistance improved (+res)
Breaking down the pairs
Defense/resistance a great combination of being hit less, and when hit hurt less. The risk here is attrition, with nothing to help you , it is easy to be worn down in a long fight. Green Inspirations covers this gap very nicely. INV tanks (and scrappers) are actually in this category once they get Invincibility.
Defense/regeneration an awesome combination (Cat shines hugely when he has fortitude). This combination reduces the alpha risk, and the one shot risk, but does not eliminate it. (that 5% chance of being hit is always there). Many /SR scrappers take the medicine pool for the self-heal, which effectively gives them this combination.
It is this specific combination that Cat uses in his AV soloing, Purple candy to provide the +def and his own self-regen
Resistance/regeneration if you have to take a pair this is the one to get. The smooth decline in HP afforded by significant resistance, meshes so well with the smooth replacement of HP by regen or healing. The resistance grants the one shot protection that is regens weakness.
Effective Regen rates.
The scalar for resistance and defense is now comparable in maths (even if off by a factor of two).
This plot shows the scalar multiplier for the regen rate for each of defense and resistance. To combine the effects you multiply through the defense scalar and the resistance scalar.
For Resistance (Muliplier = 100/(100-resistance))
5% = 1.05
10% = 1.11(one small Sturdy)
20% = 1.25
40% = 1.67
50% = 2.00
60% = 2.50
70% = 3.33
75% = 4.00 (Most cap here)
80% = 5.00
85% = 6.67 (Dwarf form cap)
90% = 10.00 (Tanker cap or maximum effect of +res and dam combined for all)
Luck is a +12.5% defense (25% reduction in damage taken for one)
Good Luck is a +16.5% defense (33% reduction in damage taken for one)
Exceptional Luck is a +25% defense (50% reduction in damage taken for one)
This second plot shows how the survivability really kicks up for the synergistic interaction of high defense and high resistance. (Shown on a log scale
here)
So to get you effective regen rate multiplier, you take the defense component, and multiply by the resistance component.
Regen rates of typical powers
Health = +40% (+78% 3 slotted with SO)
Fast healing = +75% (+146% 3 slotted with SO)
Integration 100enh +50% Unenh ( 245% 3 slotted)
For ease Ill use the 80%, 150% and 250% numbers of a true 100% boost rather than the ED amounts
To get a net regen you take the above multiplier and apply it to your regen rate.
So at a regen rate of 100% (baseline) and you have 50% resistance and pop 2 lucks versus even minions.
2(d) x 2(r) x 100%(r) = 400% Effective Regen rate
A stone tank with 3 slotted rooted (+200% regen) health (+80% regen) and granite armour 3 resistance and 3 slotted for defense (78% resistance, 31% defense)
Defence Scalar 2.6
Resist Scalar 4.5
Regen Rate of 380% (100 base + 200 + 80)
Effective Regen rate 2.6*4.5*380 = 4450
With the Earths Embrace slotted regen rate is boosted 1.6 fold for an ERR of 7120%
A fire tank without tough
Defence scalar 1
Resist scalar 2 (near enough 50% resists)
Regen rate 180% (assuming health)
ERR 360%
Healing flames is not accounted for
Ice tank (27.6% defence)
Defence Scalar 2.2
Regen rate 180%
ERR = 396%
However they pop EA and Hoarfrost (1.6 fold boost to regen and +9.5% to defence)
Defence Scalar is now 3.9 and Regen rate is ~290%
ERR = 1130%
INV tanks
S/L resist 66% - scalar of 3
Other resists 28% scalar of 1.4
Defence 20% with 5 mobs Scalar 1.67
31% with 10. Scalar of 2.6
Regen rate 180% (again with the health
)
Small group energy attacks ERR of 420%
Large S/L group with Dull Pain ERR of 2240%
Now lets look at Cat unaided and then with an AV killing set-up
Baseline 3 slotted health, fast healing and integration
Regen rate 470%
Turn on IH (no heals slotted) and its 1270% for a burst.
Thats pretty competitive with the tanks at first glance however look to the end notes for pure regen scaling.
To face up to the Arch-Villains Cat hordes and stacks 2 exceptional lucks. This alone floors their accuracy and provides a defence Scalar of 10. That 470% becomes 4700% (or 7500% with Dull Pain up).
A well slotted rad (or dark) defender (48% debuff on RI) allows everyone on the team to be at the defence cap on the scalar. (Scalar of 10)
A kinetics can floor the damage of any one target pretty quick putting the team at the resistance cap. (Scalar of 10)
Cautionary note:
Effective regen rate is at best a concept, a useful way of saying would I be better off with this combination than that combination. In particular its useful for quantifying the idea of how much better would I be popping this luck, or that sturdy. Take similar situations and see how you can improve your survivability.
THERE IS NO ACCOUNTING FOR THE ONE SHOT. It is also a maximum figure, as regen or heals are rarely used at full effect all the time.
Even at the regen cap of 3000% if you take your HP in damage in one go you get defeated. If you regen 15 HP/sec no amount fo damage at 14 HP/sec will ever hurt you. It scales from 1 to infinite according to the rate of the incoming damage.
