SWA: ...Baby, I Got It

There comes a point where advancing a tree is so cost-prohibitive that small dips into another tree might provide a DPS benefit.  I already spoke briefly about this in my previous Secret World Academy article.  When grabbing the next beneficial ability takes your build more than 19AP, you might not immediately think to splash into another tree.  Today, I’m going to provide the second part in a 3-part series, where I discuss passives that might give you that extra edge to tackle Blue Ridge.

Following up on my previous post that helps identify passives that might help create a build, this one takes the same list and organizes it based on what you already do.  Rather than helping you fill out a core build, this is meant to help you fill that one final slot.  Look for what you already have here.  Looking for an Elemental Striker crit build?  Go ahead and see what keys off Crit.  Note that the entries listed are slightly different.  Also note that the listed AP cost is as if you were just splashing into a tree to get this ability.

Afflicted

Dark Potency (Blood, Profane, 5 AP) Whenever you apply Afflicted, you gain a single stack of the Penetration Rating effect, which increases Penetration Rating by 30 per stack for 8 seconds. This effect can stack up to 5 times.

Unholy Knowledge (Blood, Sacred, 1 AP) Increases damage dealt by damage over time effects by 10%.

Impaired

Expose Weakness (Blade, Method 5 AP) Whenever you apply Impaired, you gain the Minor Penetration Chance effect, which increases your Penetration Chance by 10% for 8 seconds.

Street Fighter (Hammer, Grit, 3AP) Whenever you apply Impaired, you gain a beneficial effect that increases all damage dealt by 10% for 8 seconds.

Weakened

Paradigm Shift (Chaos, Theory, 5 AP) Whenever you apply Weakened, you gain a single stack of the Hit Rating effect, which increases Hit Rating by 30 per stack for 8 seconds. This effect can stack up to 5 times.

Gunsmoke (Shotgun, Control, 3 AP) Whenever you apply Weakened, the target takes 10 physical damage.

 

Gnosis (Chaos, Chance, 1 AP) Whenever you hit a Weakened target, there is a 33% chance to perform an additional hit dealing 16 magical damage.

Hindered

No Contest (Assault Rifle, Engage, 5 AP) Whenever you apply Hindered, your next hit cannot be evaded.

 

Toxic Earth (Elemental, React, 19 AP) Whenever you apply Hindered, the target also becomes Afflicted with a damage over time effect that deals 32 magical damage every second for 4 seconds.

Hothead (Pistol, Dangerous, 1 AP) Whenever you apply Hindered, you gain the Minor Critical Chance effect, which increases your Critical Chance by 10% for 8 seconds.

Critical

Mind over Matter (Elemental, React, 1 AP) Whenever you critically hit, the target also becomes Afflicted with a damage over time effect that deals 13 magical damage every second for 5 seconds.

 

Brawler (Hammer, Grit, 1 AP) Increases Crit Power by 15%.

Cool, Calm & Collected (Hammer, Grit, 19 AP)  Whenever you block an attack, your attacker generates additional hate towards you and you gain the Minor Ward effect, which reduces all damage received by 7.5% for 8 seconds.  Whenever you critically hit, you gain a beneficial effect that increases all damage dealt by 5% for 10 seconds.

Penetrate

Fluid Defense (Blade, Technique, 19 AP) Whenever you receive a glancing hit, you gain the Minor Ward effect, which reduces the damage you take by 7.5% for 6 seconds.  Whenever you penetrate, you gain a beneficial effect that increases all damage dealt by 5% for 10 seconds.