Devices help needed...

[AncientSpirit]

My Energy/Devices Blaster, Child of Vulcan, just hit 38 and got a new power - Explosive Blast.  I hate it, and want to respec out of it   

On the primary side, Vulcan uses single target attacks mostly - with NOVA being the notable exception - and AIM.  On the Devices side, he uses Targeting Drone and Cloaking Device.

Given all the IOs he has that increase accuracy, I've been thinking of dropping Targeting Drone and maybe even AIM (though I do like its damage boost).   And I've been thinking of adding Speed to Cloaking Device to get the stealth factor for laying down my Trip Mines when soloing.

But I'm wondering if Smoke Grenade is any good, and when does it get used - and Taser.  And I've also heard that people use Auto Turret to grab the attention and argo of psionic damage dealers and others. 

Does anyone use these powers, and if so do you recommend them or have you respeced out of them?

Any and all feedback appreciated.

[DMenacer]

I've seen others use Smoke Grenade for hiding their selfs (they threw it on the villains which kept them from seeing him) awhile they laid their mines and for getting around groups without being seen.

[GhostMachine]

Do NOT drop Targeting Drone; it and Trip Mine are the best powers in the Devices set.

That said, pick up Teleport Foe to go with the Trip Mines if you don't already have it and slot an Acc in it - 2 Accs if you can afford it. Don't bother with range or anything else. You can dump minions, and I believe some Lts, on top of a mine field with TP Foe.

One thing about the drone is, most people think having it means you don't need to slot accuracy enhancements, and that's not true; if you don't have acc enhancers and your toggles get dropped, you're hosed until the drone recharges, and the acc enhancers help a ton when fighting mobs that are red or higher. 

I wouldn't drop Aim, because it comes in handy a lot. It does boost dmg, but it also boosts Accuracy. There are plenty of times, even at lvl 50, when I've been glad I have Aim.

Smoke Grenades some people love, some hate. I didn't like them and respecced them out fairly quick. But they've been changed since I had them. I still am not fond of them.

Taser I never bothered picking up, but from what I've heard, its a good power for Assault Rifle Blasters, since a Beanbag + Taser combo is supposed to be pretty good.

The Auto Turret used to be good, because you could target it and TP it around with Recall Friend, but they put a stop to that; I used to use it when soloing Nemesis or Malta missions by dropping it somewhere safe then TPing it around a corner or right into a group of mobs as a distraction. Now its only really good as an extra bit of firepower if you're on a team and battling an EB or AV or a lot of mobs, or if you don't mind kiting mobs to the turret. The turret shoots about a dozen times (if it isn't destroyed by the enemies before then) and the attack is similar to AR's Burst but without the defense debuff, then it explodes harmlessly. If the Auto Turret could be set up quicker (it takes about as long as a Trip Mine; maybe slightly longer), it would be a lot more handy.

[Midnight]

My /Traps blaster has web grenade, targeting drone, cloaking device and taser. In my opinion, everything else slows down the breakneck playstyle that toon has. That said, I also have a mez heavy primary (Sonic) which affects this playstyle heavily.

[AncientSpirit]

Good idea about Teleport Foe and Trip Mines.  But don't know what pool I'd drop to carry it.   Right now, I'm carrying Fitness, Flight, Speed and Medicine - and really rely on Medicine a lot to stay alive at times.  (Don't know why people think you can't use it during a fight.  I do all the time without the least trouble.)  

Until recently, all I used from the Speed pool was Hasten to drop trip mines faster.  But lately I've been thinking about adding Superspeed to combine with Cloaking Device for the stealth factor.  Problem is, it  isn't really in Child of Vulcan's character, and that's important to me.   (Hell, I hated Vulcan flying until he crafted his Rocket Boots.)  So, I may just have to bite the bullet and ditch Hasten.  

Anyway, I'll try it on the Test server.   See what happens.  

Midnight, can you tell me more about Taser.  How effective is it?   What's its range? 

Thanks again.    

[Midnight]

Taser is around 15', about the same as your shortest ranged attack. It's capable of mezzing an even-level boss for a few seconds. It's good for keeping Lt's off your back when solo.