--------------------Original Post--------------------
For my second playthrough, I'm thinking of a Trauma Team Security Specialist build and I'd like any suggestions to make it viable:
The central concept is:
For attributes, I'm thinking 18+ Tech to craft your legendary smart SMG and legendary armors, letting you tank better, Body between 14~20 to pick up a lot of tanky perks, for starters.
Now the remaining part is where I'd like some feedback or suggestions:
Reflex is obviously the standard tree for boosting SMG damage, however a lot of the perks in reflex are based on hiding behind cover, or making recoil less severe, so actually a lot of the perks are irrelevant for a smart SMG. So my idea is to instead go low on Reflex and go 14~20 in Cool, which gives damage but also some tankiness due to resistance. What do you guys think is the better choice?
--------------------Update (Build)--------------------
So thanks to your inputs, I was able to work on the build a bit. The main thing I found is that out of the main choices we have, Reflex, Body, Tech, Cool, I think you should definitely prioritize getting Reflex up to 14 with this build. I tried Body/Tech first, but neither felt very good or fun (didn't try prioritizing Cool but it should be the same), but getting Reflex up to 14 first makes the gameplay very fun, especially with smart smg/ARs.
Much of the build is still being worked on, but I think I've identified the core components that should be worked towards in early-midgame.
Attributes and perks
[Reflex 14]
I plan to make a save around when I reach cool 12, then try the different paths to see which one feels most natural and fun, and I'll update this post with the results.
For my second playthrough, I'm thinking of a Trauma Team Security Specialist build and I'd like any suggestions to make it viable:
The central concept is:
- You're one of the two Security Specialists of a Trauma Team Squad
- As a Security Specialist you have to protect your squad and the patient, so you should be tanky, and not a sneak/high movement speed/dodgy character. So I think the character should have a high Body attribute with tanking perks in athletics
- As part of the Trauma Team corporation, you should have access to the best gear (through high Tech and legendary crafting)
- Use a smart SMG, one of the signature weapons of a Trauma Team Squad
For attributes, I'm thinking 18+ Tech to craft your legendary smart SMG and legendary armors, letting you tank better, Body between 14~20 to pick up a lot of tanky perks, for starters.
Now the remaining part is where I'd like some feedback or suggestions:
Reflex is obviously the standard tree for boosting SMG damage, however a lot of the perks in reflex are based on hiding behind cover, or making recoil less severe, so actually a lot of the perks are irrelevant for a smart SMG. So my idea is to instead go low on Reflex and go 14~20 in Cool, which gives damage but also some tankiness due to resistance. What do you guys think is the better choice?
--------------------Update (Build)--------------------
So thanks to your inputs, I was able to work on the build a bit. The main thing I found is that out of the main choices we have, Reflex, Body, Tech, Cool, I think you should definitely prioritize getting Reflex up to 14 with this build. I tried Body/Tech first, but neither felt very good or fun (didn't try prioritizing Cool but it should be the same), but getting Reflex up to 14 first makes the gameplay very fun, especially with smart smg/ARs.
Much of the build is still being worked on, but I think I've identified the core components that should be worked towards in early-midgame.
- Reflex 14
- Body 5
- Cool 12
Attributes and perks
[Reflex 14]
- Without reflex 14, your DPS suffers a lot because smgs and ARs are harder to use due to recoil and frequent reloading. I found that with the following perks, the gameplay with AR or smart SMGs becomes really fun and powerful.
- Bullet jock: Straight 10% DMG boost
- Bullseye: 10% dmg boost while aiming
- Eagle eye: Makes aiming really fast
- Duck hunter: 20% dmg boost to moving enemies
- Named bullets: 35% crit dmg
- Shoot reload repeat: After killing an enemy, it massively increases reload speed
- Skull skipper: Stackable recoil reduction when you hit headshots
- The interesting thing is that, for smart SMGs, these sets of perks can all synergize. With smart SMGs, if you press aim sight, you can actually aim your gun so that all your bullets become headshots (by aiming above the head). You'll notice that (assuming you're using a smart SMG to go for headshots), every single perk above becomes relevant. Even Duck Hunter becomes relevant because with smart bullets, you'll be headshotting moving targets a lot of the time!!
- Importantly, the gameplay feels super slick and fun to use smart SMGs to go for headshots this way. The DPS is great because you're getting mostly headshots, you reload INSANELY fast, you don't need to do much dodging or moving around, or crouching behind cover.
- With body 5, you can get a few really useful early perks:
- Pack mule: Big carrying capacity boost
- Regeneration: Health regen during combat
- Invincible: 30% max health boost
- Cool complements our build really well, and at 12 cool, you can have:
- Cold blood: stackable buff when u kill an enemy
- Will to survive: Cold blood stacks increase resistance
- Icy veins: Cold blood stacks decrease recoil
- Critical condition: Increase cold blood duration
- Predator: Cold blood stacks increase attack speed
- Defensive clothing: Cold blood stacks increase armor
- Frozen precision: Cold blood stacks increase headshot damage
- Rapid bloodflow: Cold blood stacks increase health regen in and out of combat
- Coldest blood: Increase max cold blood stacks
- At level 15, I have Reflex 14, Body 5, and cool at 7
- On very hard, enemies die pretty fast, but I definitely need to be careful or I'll die as well (so not exactly the tanky Trauma Team character yet)
- I definitely recommend the heal-on-kill frontal cortex cyberware to help with the health.
- I very often run out of SMG ammo during engagements, and some enemies mess up the smart SMG targetting. So I always bring a pistol and an AR (which conveniently are standard Trauma team gear), and switch as needed.
- I plan to hit 12 cool, but at that point we have to decide from a few possible options.
- I think we don't need any more Body or Reflex, but there are some great perks at Body 16 and then at 20, so if you want to go for Body 20, you can do that.
- Cool 20 will be great for DPS because Cool has great perks for us at 14, 16, 20.
- You can start leveling Tech also, to start working towards legendaries.
I plan to make a save around when I reach cool 12, then try the different paths to see which one feels most natural and fun, and I'll update this post with the results.
Last edited: