Erratic1

I am a big fan of Brutes and part of the reason I have been fairly absent from these forums for most of the past year is burnout and frustration at the state of Brutes (not getting into it beyond that), so understand what I say next is offered honestly.... You should play this as a Scrapper or Stalker. The damage will be eye watering. I have both a WM/Shield and a WM/Ninjitsu Scrappers. If/when I return I expect it will be to finish up on the Battle Axe/Ninjitsu Scrapper. The absurd chance to crit coming out of stealth on him is out of this world. Oh, and follow nihilli's advice. FWIW, my WM/Ninjitsu Scrapper. Now imagine making those juicy Axe attacks from stealth combined with the Scrapper ATO.

You posted this back at a time when I was not around much. But it looks like you still look in from time to time, so.... My signature character is an SS/Bio Bute. While he is on version 6a, what follows is the targeted 7b version of him (always tweaks and adjustments): The differences from his current 6a version are not massive--S/L Def is a few points higher and S/L Resist came up about 2%, Hurl is a bit more damaging.

Bio, Energy Aura, Super Reflexes, Invulnerability....

We are going to have to work on the definition of McGuffin: For the duration of the quest we are on to unlock Incarnate powers the Well is a motivation, but it is relevant to an end state we are told we desire. This is unlike the breifcase in Pulp Fiction, whose contents are immaterial to the plot, its just important because it is. "Plot device" is probably a more apt term for the Well--it is a reason in setting for a setting change--your ability to move up to the supposed ranks of power of Stateman and Recluse. It is no more or less compelling than Superman having powers simply because he is an aliena nd so can be defined to have power. Power Girl (originally Supergirl from Earth 2) was at one point, when they pared the DC universe down to limited numbers of Kryptonians, was redefined to have been not Kryptonian and instead empowered by ancient Atlantean magic--so the reasons for super strength and the entire package of powers is ultimately, "simply because" regardless of what is presented, not just for Power Girl but Hulk, Dr Manhattan, etc. They are all contrived because people do not get super powers from any of the things stated to give ordinary humans powers and we have no examples of aliens (neverminding aliens who not only look completely human but are able to reproduce with humans). Would it have been cool to have some sort of implementation of "being taken over by the Well" built into the game? I can already hear the howls about losing character control. In any event, it is no more or less inspired than the otherwise meaningless "origins" we all carry around....well, actually it is a bit more inspired since at least there is a story arc involved, but only a thin, hair's width of a bit.

Not sure I see the merits in pushing S/L Def up on Bio, but depending on what you are willing to sacrifice...

Download the ZIP. Copy contents into a folder. Drag the executable to your taskbar. Run from taskbar. Do not bother with install.

In no way, shape, or form am I truly suggesting the following as it was more of an exercise to see if I could pull it off. On the other hand, the numbers aren't horrible....

The big problem is the combination of fade and detail. You can do one or the other. Its a rough go, but maybe you can do something to get it closer to what you want. Kuat.costume

I thought you had already done that.

Decided to take a swing at things and cribbed from the design for my SS/EA Brute who sits at 70% Smash/Lethal resistance (notably lower otherwise). The difference in offensive powersets places some limits on what can be done, as does trying to not too fundamentally redesign what you have (oh, but you are so close to perma-Hasten). Not sure if what follows is how new Mids handles data chunks or not. I would probably never take Overload or Rune of Protection, but I left them in.

What I typically do is: Open the ZIP file Copy the contents to another folder (I am lazy, so usually the new folder is in the Downloads folders) Pin the executable to my taskbar Run it. I have been away from the game for the last 9 months (and am only visiting the forum because someone asked a question), and just downloaded 3.6.6, did the above, and it runs. So you might give the above steps a try.

That was a long ago post. Handily haven't changed Mids in forever. This Villain build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7 https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn Click this DataLink to open the build! LGBP: Level 50 Magic Brute Primary Power Set: Street Justice Secondary Power Set: Willpower Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Leaping Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery Villain Profile: Level 1: Heavy Blow (A) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance (3) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge (3) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge (5) Kinetic Combat - Knockdown Bonus Level 1: High Pain Tolerance (A) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance (5) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance (7) Unbreakable Guard - RechargeTime/Resistance (7) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime Level 2: Sweeping Cross (A) Obliteration - Damage (9) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge (9) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge (11) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (11) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge (13) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage Level 4: Fast Healing (A) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Endurance (13) Numina's Convalesence - Endurance/Recharge (15) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Recharge (15) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge (17) Numina's Convalesence - Heal (17) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb Level 6: Super Speed (A) Empty Level 8: Rib Cracker (A) Superior Blistering Cold - Accuracy/Damage (19) Superior Blistering Cold - Damage/Endurance (19) Superior Blistering Cold - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (21) Superior Blistering Cold - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (21) Superior Blistering Cold - Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime (23) Superior Blistering Cold - Recharge/Chance for Hold Level 10: Indomitable Will (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (23) Luck of the Gambler - Defense (25) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance (25) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge (27) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge Level 12: Hasten (A) Recharge Reduction IO (27) Recharge Reduction IO Level 14: Mind Over Body (A) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance (29) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance (29) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime (31) Unbreakable Guard - RechargeTime/Resistance Level 16: Rise to the Challenge (A) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Endurance (31) Numina's Convalesence - Endurance/Recharge (31) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Recharge (33) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge (33) Numina's Convalesence - Heal (33) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery Level 18: Spinning Strike (A) Superior Brute's Fury - Damage/Recharge (34) Superior Brute's Fury - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime (34) Superior Brute's Fury - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge (34) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff Level 20: Quick Recovery (A) Synapse's Shock - EndMod (36) Synapse's Shock - EndMod/Recharge (36) Synapse's Shock - Damage/Recharge/Accuracy (36) Synapse's Shock - Damage/Accuracy/Endurance (37) Synapse's Shock - EndMod/Increased Run Speed (37) Power Transfer - Chance to Heal Self Level 22: Boxing (A) Empty Level 24: Tough (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3% (37) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All) (39) Impervious Skin - Resistance/Endurance (39) Impervious Skin - Status Resistance/Regeneration Level 26: Weave (A) Reactive Defenses - Defense (39) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage (40) Kismet - Accuracy +6% (40) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All) (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 28: Shin Breaker (A) Superior Unrelenting Fury - Accuracy/Damage (42) Superior Unrelenting Fury - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime (42) Superior Unrelenting Fury - Damage/RechargeTime (42) Superior Unrelenting Fury - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime (43) Superior Unrelenting Fury - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime (43) Superior Unrelenting Fury - RechargeTime/+Regen/+End Level 30: Heightened Senses (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (43) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge (45) Luck of the Gambler - Defense (45) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance (45) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge Level 32: Crushing Uppercut (A) Superior Brute's Fury - Accuracy/Damage (46) Superior Brute's Fury - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (46) Superior Brute's Fury - Recharge/Fury Bonus (46) Kinetic Crash - Damage/Knockback (48) Kinetic Crash - Damage/Endurance/Knockback (48) Kinetic Crash - Accuracy/Damage/Knockback Level 35: Combat Jumping (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 38: Maneuvers (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 41: Superior Conditioning (A) Empty Level 44: Physical Perfection (A) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Endurance (48) Numina's Convalesence - Endurance/Recharge (50) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Recharge (50) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge (50) Numina's Convalesence - Heal Level 47: Taunt (A) Mocking Beratement - Threat/Placate Level 49: Combat Readiness (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge Level 1: Fury Level 1: Brawl

There is a joy to stunning Master Illusionists and finishing them off before they can go ghostie.

Just watched a clip of my most recent brute fighting a single target and she went from 0 to 60 Fury in about 8 seconds. So I am thinking the functional cap would be reached in about 12 seconds.

They are not weak when built correctly.

Energy Melee, because its attacks have a chance to disorient, stunned enemies do not attack, and time you are not being attacked plays to your strong suit--healing. To it add two powers: Cross Punch - It knocks foes down and you want the extra area attack as well as the recharge trick to be discussed below. Energy Torrent - Same reason as above. Slot Cross Punch and Energy Torrent both with Force Feedback. You will want at least enough recharge (global and individual power) such that Total Focus, after being followed up by Energy Transfer, is amenable to reaching reset following your plowing Energy Torrent into a group of enemies. Cross Punch is there to help out with Energy Torrent. You should be able to deal with tough single targets pretty quickly with fast recycling Total Focus/Energy Transfer and deal with groups between Energy Torrent, Cross Punch, and Power Crash (I know some people do not like it, learn to use it and it is quite useful both as damage and disorient). You could do similar with Super Strength and Foot Stomp, but I think the package is weaker for lacking the disorients and the Rage penalty when it expires.

Played around some more and arrived at two other versions making tradeoffs on ranged defense and recovery. Of the two I think I like the higher ranged defense one: This Villain build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7 https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn Click this DataLink to open the build! Street Druid: Level 50 Magic Dominator Primary Power Set: Plant Control Secondary Power Set: Savage Assault Power Pool: Concealment Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Speed Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery Villain Profile: Level 1: Strangler -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(3), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(3), BslGaz-Slow%(5) Level 1: Maiming Slash -- Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg(A), Mk'Bit-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Mk'Bit-Dmg/Rchg(7), Mk'Bit-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(7), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Mk'Bit-Dam%(9) Level 2: Roots -- SprAscoft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear(A), SprAscoft-Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/Rchg(11), SprAscoft-EndRdx/Rchg(13), SprAscoft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx(13), SprAscoft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprAscoft-Rchg/+Dmg%(15) Level 4: Vicious Slash -- Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg(A), Mk'Bit-Dmg/EndRdx(17), Mk'Bit-Dmg/Rchg(17), Mk'Bit-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Mk'Bit-Dam%(21) Level 6: Infiltration -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A) Level 8: Seeds of Confusion -- CrcPrs-Conf(A), CrcPrs-Conf/Rchg(21), CrcPrs-Acc/Conf/Rchg(23), CrcPrs-Acc/Rchg(23), CrcPrs-Conf/EndRdx(25), CrcPrs-Conf%(25) Level 10: Unkindness -- IceMisTrmt-Dam/Rech(A), IceMisTrmt-Dam/Slow(27), IceMisTrmt-Acc/Dam/End(27), IceMisTrmt-Acc/Dam/End/Rech(29), IceMisTrmt-+ColdDmg(29) Level 12: Boxing -- Empty(A) Level 14: Tough -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A) Level 16: Spot Prey -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 18: Vines -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(31), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(31), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(31) Level 20: Rending Flurry -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(33), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(33), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34) Level 22: Carrion Creepers -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(34), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(34), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(36), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36) Level 24: Blood Craze -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(36), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(37), Prv-Heal/Rchg(37), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(37), Prv-Absorb%(39) Level 26: Fly Trap -- ExpRnf-Acc/Rchg(A), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg(39), ExpRnf-Dmg/EndRdx(39), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), ExpRnf-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(40), ExpRnf-+Res(Pets)(40) Level 28: Call Hawk -- Apc-Dmg(A), Apc-Dmg/Rchg(42), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Apc-Acc/Rchg(42), Apc-Dam%(43) Level 30: Feral Charge -- CrsImp-Acc/Dmg(A), CrsImp-Dmg/EndRdx(43), CrsImp-Dmg/Rchg(43), CrsImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), CrsImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45) Level 32: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(45) Level 35: Link Minds -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(46), Rct-Def/Rchg(46) Level 38: Mind Over Body -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A) Level 41: World of Confusion -- MlsIll-Acc/Rchg(A), MlsIll-EndRdx/Conf(46), MlsIll-Acc/EndRdx(48), MlsIll-Conf/Rng(48), MlsIll-Acc/Conf/Rchg(48), MlsIll-Dam%(50) Level 44: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50) Level 47: Psionic Tornado -- Ann-Acc/Dmg(A), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50) Level 49: Stealth -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A) Level 1: Domination Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 1: Swift -- Empty(A) Level 1: Hurdle -- Empty(A) Level 1: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A) Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-End%(11) Level 1: Blood Frenzy ------------ Keeping Psionic Tornado at this point is purely about theme. A druid has to have his tornado. Double confusion powers seems a bit wasteful but Coercive Persuasion and Malaise's Illusion both give +Recharge and +Range Defense as their 5/6 slot bonuses. Just as a matter of efficiency it seems like a bad thing to pass up.

Three of us exploring different approaches is a good thing, no?

Energy Melee can lay out a nice ST hurting but tradeoff...its not exactly god's gift to AoE damage dealing. If you had a powerset with Energy Melee' ST and Radiation Melee's AoE...why would you use anything else? Really, I think it is the animation speed coming into play. Radiation Melee hits hard when it gets there but it is not a bam-bam-bam set but instead a WHAM.... ...WHAM... ...WHAM... set.

It is a cute idea, but think I am more attached to Energy Torrent. 🙂

Yep. And Timber Wolf has super strength...so brute. 😁

While it is infrequent at best to find anything child unfriendly in General, Help, or LFG on Torchbearer, I would still recommend muting those channels to achieve the OP's goals. But I have absolutely no memory of anything so coarse as OF solicitations in any of those channels on Torch.

Welcome to Torchbearer! While you are planning a family play group, if you ever need more people to help out there are plenty of us willing to do so. So feel free to yell.

The risk is when you are fighting few foes. If you are dealing with an EB or AV, Energy Drain is not going to get you much. I am hoping the plan to use Energy Torrent and Foot Stomp deals with trash. OTOH, even losing 20% Defense the character as presented would still have nearly 30% in S/L/F/C/E. So its not like you become a complete victim either way. Guess if worst comes to worst there is always popping puples.

From what I am led to believe, everything is better on some other AT than brutes unless you are pairing Super Strength with Energy Aura.