Scourm's "Check Please" Taskmaster Guide dps leveling pve pvp taskmaster
Guide by Scourm Last update at Jun 16th 2014, 07:19

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TASKMASTER 2015



THE OBJECTIVE

I've hinted that this guide would be coming for some time now and although it took a little longer than expected to get together all the information needed to create an outstanding and unique Taskmaster guide, it's finally here! Now we all know by now how versatile Taskmaster is and how many build variations there is. Most people build around the capabilities of each of his stances, such as Daredevil, Captain America, Spiderman and Hawkeye. From these four stances people usually focus on one, maybe two of his primary damage options, such as melee, ranged and area. Hell, some people even choose to focus on his control aspect in his kit and that's fine. There is no "right" way to build Taskmaster, because of all these possibilities in build variation, but there is a way to create a build that combines each and every aspect Taskmaster is capable of in regards to damage output and damage mitigation and that is the focus of this guide; to combine all his damage, mitigation, athleticism and unique presentation of character into one full blown battle guide.

I will also provide many separate branches to take this build in terms of viability and diversity as with the kit I have set up, there are an almost infinite number of possibilities in regards to gear choice and tactical gameplay.

THE HISTORY

By now those that follow my work are well aware of the quality I present in my guides and are comfortable with micromanaging and juggling many skills and incorporating them into any situation. This build is no different in that aspect and will present a familiar formula to those that have looked over my guides. This guide combines many familiar aspects of Taskmaster found in other guides around the forums, but also presents some unique and flavorful choices in other areas. I hope you enjoy the read and find this guide every bit as insightful as my previous work.

TACTICS

The scheme of this guide does not revolve around just one or two skills, no, this guide is all about skill management and proper and smart use of the skills available to you. With that said, there are five main attacks in this build: those attacks are Dismember, Rebounding Shield, Shield Crush, Deadly Volley and Nerve Gas Arrow. There are two other attacks that are primary features in this build, but are better served as utility skills: those two skills are Cyclone Club and Web Net. There is a rotation for all these skills;however, with so many varieties of attack, it's easy to get lost in exactly which rotation to use. With that said I will walk you through some of the basic rotations.

First we will start off with a basic rotation of using Rebounding Shield and Shield Crush.

Rebounding Shield-

Rebounding Shield as for this example, will serve as the fight starter. This attack will ricochet off of each opponent within the vicinity of the initial throw.

note: The initial throw of the shield has not got the best range, but the ricochet effect of the attack has an extended range, so if you are able to hit any object or enemy, as long as they are on the screen the shield will serve as a sort of missile and seek out someone to bounce off of.



The damage of the attack isn't the greatest with this build and while it's easy to increase the damage of the attack by making small changes, these changes can have a detrimental effect on the other flavorful aspects of this build. It's still a very effective tool and the dot applied by the attack is a very welcome addition to my rotation.

Shield Crush-

Shield Crush in all examples serves as the primary "burst" of this build. This move scales very, very well and can even serve as just a one pointer and still provide a nice burst. I decided to invest into the skill to provide a little extra punch at the end of my rotations and while maxing it would provide more burst, i would then feel obligated to gear towards the move and optimizing its full burst, thus taking away focus from other areas that are fleshed out. All in all it's your call as to if you want to max the skill or not, As I have it, it is still strong enough to be a feature of the build.




Now that you are so close to your opponent after using Shield Crush, this is the perfect time to utilize another skill, right? That is correct; you will now open up with "Dismember," which provides Tasky with a great STDS option and as the tooltip states, only gets stronger with consecutive strikes.

Dismember-

Dismember is my favorite attack in this build and as such I have maxed it out. Now I could go the way of maxing this skill's potential and send the damage ratings through the roof, but I like to keep myself flexible and adaptive. Not necessarily a master at one particular damage area, but an expert at many damage areas and a master at incorporating styles (much like Tony).



Now things start to get a little more "difficult" as now you will begin to include more skills in the rotation, to beef up your ttk and more specifically, your STDPS. To do this you will use two skills, "Web Net and Nerve Gas Arrow." These two skills will be your primary encounter attacks and will be followed by the three move rotation I described above. Web Net is only a one pointer in this build, but it is perfectly viable to take the points put into "Deadly Volley" and place them into Web Net, as the slow duration scales with point investment and it's got some really nice burst on it. Nerve Gas Arrow, much like Rebounding Shield will be heavily invested into and if you are keen enough in your awareness, then you notice that I have prioritized dot based attacks. The reason for this is because most times I will be in close quarters slashing away at foes with Dismember and the dots provided by the two attacks, along with the vulnerability applied by Web Net, boosts the damage of output three fold. Let's take a look at Nerve Gas Arrow.

Nerve Gas Arrow-

This will tick twice a second and the duration is extremely nice. Lay about three of these per any encounter and dot up your opponents with Rebounding Shield and finish off with Shield Crush + Dismember.

By now you are beginning to notice there is a rotation here and by assuming that, you would be correct. The rotation will go as follows, per any encounter.

Web Net>Nerve Gas Arrow>Rebounding Shield>Shield Crush>Dismember.

Web net to apply vulnerability, NGA to create a chaotic and trap filled battleground, Rebounding to follow up with a filthy dot and and to get rid of any pesky trash, Shield Crush to disperse of any elites and then open up with Dismember to finish off any champions/boss content. This is your primary STDPS rotation; however, this build offers more than just STDPS, as there is another skill I have yet to include in these rotations.

Deadly Volley-

The damage isn't great, but it doesn't have to be. Deadly Volley is mainly for enemy dispersion and keeping distance from dangerous cosmic affixes like poison gas, cosmic rings and giving yourself breathing room. It's also a great option to use when Rebounding Shield is on its routine countdown, as when Rebounding Shield is on countdown it's grayed out and unable to active until the shield returns to Tony, leaving you naked in some situations you'd rather not be so exposed to. Deadly Volley is a great follow up attack and with the high attack speed on the skill it provides a nice rapid burst follow up attack to mesh with Rebounding Shield.



Now there is another move that is a capable feature for this type of build, albeit, it limits the versatility between trees and seamless transition between the styles as I have them displayed, but that doesn't make it any less effective. This skill is Cyclone Club and with its lower spirit cost, higher tooltip damage at equal ranks and AOE-360 slow with ticks of damage every second, this skill is a shining knight for this guide. An extremely versatile utility skill, that is better used after Shield Crush and then followed up by Dismember. However, this rotation can be complex and clunky, so for the sake of convenience I have instead included Deadly Volley as the feature in its place. Another cool aspect of Cyclone Club, besides its very strong slow, is how well it activates the healing gained from the Daredevil stance, as the skill seems to better activate the heals than any other skill in his kit. It is for this reason that this skill still retains a place on my hotbar as it's magnificent in this role.

Speaking of Stances, let's take a look at the Captain Stance and the DD stances. These two stances are the primary features of my build and are the primary reason I can literally pull any type of rotation in any given situation.

Captain America and Daredevil stances-

That's an extraordinary amount of healing and sustainability for a Taskmaster built on micromanagement and dps. This type of healing will allow you to focus soley on your rotation and not watching your back. Focus on applying your dots and move on **quickly** to your next objective. One of the most unique aspects about my Taskmaster, besides the versatility and the micromanagement of skills, is how incredibly accurate he is to his comic book counter part. Not only do I utilize all his trees and abilities as he would, but he also has superb healing, defense and speed that is off the charts. There is not a more versatile Taskmaster around and I have the stats to prove it.




Now while my crit chance looks initially "low," you will see further in the guide, as you continue to read, why it is actually in a very good place. And with that said, I think it's time we look at gear. Lets see first hand how all these skills, trees and many other aspects of unbridled versatility are brought together to create this truly unique build, but first we must look at skill placement and hotkey binding.

Hotkey binding is a staple in every single one of my builds and it is what separates me from other players on this game. I am able to effortlessly blend my attacks together with seamless and tactical transition between styles; as the situations around me change, so too does my approach.

A key- Anti Heroic Charge
S key- Web Swing
D key- Cyclone Club
F key- Shield Crush
G key- Rebounding Shield
H key- Relentless (CC breaker)

Left Click (1)- Dismember
Right Click- Deadly Volley
Left Click (2)- .45 Calbier
Left Click (3)- Dual Wield
Left Click (4)- Action!
Left Click (5)- Web Net
Left Click (6)- Nerve Gas Arrow

Here is a look at how this build looks in its final form and a look at how I use two keybars to slot the two stances Captain America and Daredevil (this tactic should be familiar to those that have followed my "Glorious Purpose" guide).





That wraps up the battle plan for this build and although it will take time to master, you shouldn't be surprised. All of my guides take time to master, but the end result is undeniable and it's this reason that keeps you all coming back clamoring for more guides (and there will be more after this one I promise). Now we move onto gear, which I am sure is everyone's favorite portion of my battle guides.

GEAR



Now while I would love to go the route of maximizing damage in this build and thus focus my efforts on crit damage for my costume, I simply didn't do that. The reason for this is two fold: first, i wanted to create a guide that was unique, a guide that doesn't feature max dps, but a multitude of areas that are given love and giving literally infinite numbers of possibilities in regards to gear choice and secondly I wanted a build unlike anything I've used. I'm so used to running around like a chicken with my head cut off with Frank, because of his max dps focus, but very little defense. By focusing on another aspect besides Crit damage, I have given myself more breathing room and some, dare I say it, more comfortable play.



And yes I know some of the rolls are laughably bad, but crafting is sooooo boring! It's like shopping at Harvey's, man. I just want to get in there, get my milk and and go.

Now begins the look at blending the ultimate hybrid build together into one resolute foundation and to do this it requires some rather intriguing gear choices.

I regret nothing.



Right away you will notice the physical art combo of ACCOC and ACOC, a combo that I feature in my "Punish the Corrupt" build. Yes, I love this simple, cheap and highly effective combo (although it wouldn't hurt to reroll my ACOC). It's not flashy and there is no gray area. It's just a simple boost in the base damage featured in Taskmaster's kit and it's glorious.

Next, if not right away, you notice I use both the Taskmaster art and the Taskmaster medallion; now while this may incite a chuckle or two and it may appear cute, it's actually quite advantageous. Make no mistake about it, this is a hybrid build(there I said it). So, to stick to the theme of the build, I utilize many hybrid type items, but these items are very stout in various aspects, so first lets discuss the Taskmaster medallion.

At first glance it looks like a bunch of fluff and results in no real strengths, but with further analysis of the various affixes, you will see that this medallion is actually quite brilliant. There are not many medallions on the game that offer projectile deflection, so that alone on this medal makes it quite an addition. There are other features in the medal that suit it perfectly for this type of build. Namely the really nice health regen, which I'm sure with a better roll or even a rerolled unique, I could send my Health Regen to 25k (it's nice to have a balance). It's gives modest rates to dodge, brutal and crit rating, but boosts damage in literally every other area; areas, mind you, that are primary features in Tasky's kit like ranged damage and melee damage.

To top it all off it boosts Tasky's movement speed and if you haven't noticed by now how important move speed is to my guide, then I am ashamed of you. I feature movement speed pretty prominently in my guide and while it is flavorful to Taskmaster's character, it's no less dynamic. Having such high movement speed allows me to free up space in my gear set, to not have to rely on a teleport move and not having to slug through content in the game is always a plus. Not only that; however, it's also a very awesome attribute to fall back on in cosmic content, as it allows me to effortlessly evade AOE affixes like cosmic rings and allows me to open up with my rotations quick, because I'm not constantly having to use movement powers just to avoid content. Also, my Taskmaster runs faster than most characters fly. Hell, I've outran a Storm, Ironman and HumanTorch with my Taskmaster. Now that is freaking amazing.

The other item, "Taskmaster's Fighting for Loser's Guide," gives me everything I want and need in a artifact slotted for a hybrid build. Does it give defense? Check. Does it give solid damage rating? Check. Does it boost my crit rating for powers in both damage areas featured in my build? Check. Does it have Taskmaster's name on it? Check, check and check!

Last I use a Shrinking Serum to compensate for the heavy spirit cost this build presents. Without the Shrinking Serum it becomes increasingly difficult to manage spirit in a build like this. The added health helps too, but if for some reason you can't pick up a Shrinking Serum, might I suggest using an Advanced Super Soldier Serum.

Here are a few other artifact suggestions you can make in regards to this build. All of the following artifacts offer something to the build and fulfill roles that this type of build would demand.



Insignia's are important too!



Does my insignia also follow this theme? You bet it does. This is such an awesome insignia and it is literally perfect for my build. What more can I ask for? This insignia features everything I love about my build.

It's time; the conclusion of this build has come, as we take a look at the Unique set of my Taskmaster build.

Uniques



What can I say about this unique without drooling all over the place? I absolutely love this unique for Taskmaster. It's like a match made in heaven and is it not unlike Taskmaster to also use the skills he observes from his fellow villains in order to overcome them, should he have too (or rather, is payed too). Tony excludes no one from his literally thousands of video tapes of styles and martial combat. Besides, Tony makes a kick dandelions joke about Shocker during their fight in the game.



A glorious, glorious unique. The outstanding crit rating provided helps my build in a multitude of ways, whether by Shield Crush, Nerve Gas Arrow or Deadly Volley. The added projectile deflection to synergize with Tasky's synergies and medallion. The addition of movement speed and +1 strength exemplify the focus on Tasky's athleticism in this guide. There's also a modest bleed and +1 to all powers. Highly recommend this unique for those that purse a hybrid build like mine.



Tasky's iconic Frightful Four Hood is a dynamic addition to this guide. Now while there are other strong options to fit in here, this one helps the hybrid aspect of my build by giving a prominent boost to his "Deadly Marksman" tree. It also provides some strong health regen, which is of course, a strong feature in my build. The added spirit helps for sure, as this is a spirit heavy Taskmaster. It never hurts to have added damage to instigate and inspire micromanagement either.



There is literally no second or third option here for Taskmaster. This is his best in slot Unique of his entire set, let alone for slot 4. This unique and his Energy Shield unique have no replacements. The +2 on this unique is simply too strong to ignore. Add in the movement speed, damage versus bosses and a snazzy boost to health, this unique is the feature of any Taskmaster build. To put it in football terms, this unique is the feature back for Taskmaster builds and unlike NFL runningbacks, there is no wear and tear for this unique, as it's always excellent.



The other best in slot for any Taskmaster build. There is literally no other option to slot here for Taskmaster, as this unique services any demands a Tasky player could possibly have. If the Videotapes are the feature back of any Taskmaster build, then this unique is the shutdown cornerback for Taskmaster builds. It gives a significant boost to Tasky's defense, yet more health, +'s to his most important tree and crit and brutal rating. Check please?

As promised I will offer additional branches of uniques you could use that also fill a roll in this build and that allow for unique decisions and play style preference. These all have their own pros and cons, but they are all viable options, should you not have any one of the uniques I have listed.



LEGENDARY



For physical damage based characters, this legendary gives the most total damage output over Gungnir and Ultimate Nullifier and Excalibur or any other legendary for that matter. Nothing more really needs to be said, besides it boosts the base damage area of focus for Taskmaster and it's a perfect option in this build.

Whew! That's all for now!

Thank you for reading my Taskmaster guide. I hope it has reached the same amount of quality my guides have become known for and I hope you find inspiration in my guide as you delve into Taskmaster's character, as I did, in pursuit of creating your own unique build. I want to thank you all for supporting me and my guides and most of all for being patient with me while I hammered this thing out. This is a labor of love and it won't be long until I am working on yet another guide based around tactical preparation, micromanagement, unique gear choices and flavorful combat!

Please feel free to leave suggestions, feedback and criticism you may have in the comment section. Don't forget to either like or dislike this build and feel free to send me messages on the forums, in game or leave feedback in my thread.

-Godspeed and thank you for your support!