Without_Pause

This should be asked in the Brute forum. What is the intent of the build? General content, farm, etc? I haven't looked as of late, but you might be able to find a build for general play oddly enough in one of the guides on farming in the Guides section. I just checked. I don't have a current build as both my general and farming builds are based on the old way Rad was done in terms of procs.

I'll add to the chorus of it being essentially a non-factor. I dinged 50 with my 4th Claws character if you add in my Fort, and there are just a couple mob types where it feels like watching paint dry. This is less an issue on Scrappers due to being able to crit.

1 slot Concentration. You can use those slots to add another Shield Wall to Hover and another LotG to CJ. That right there gives you 20% Regen. I figure that's better than some added movement and 28.11 HP. I could make a case for any of the high end Heal sets for Energize versus Harmonized Healing.

RE: Sonic. Via @Hyperstrike. If you enable Rune of Protection, You are Res capped to all but Psi and that's at 70%. You are still getting an incredible amount of mitigation even if you aren't using it. 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

This would make sense as I have never deep dived into the power but felt like it was underwhelming on my Fire/time Controller so I took it out. I had it for my Time/rad, but needless to say I will rework it.

These polls would be better if they did each set by tier. I got my fourth EA to 50. Just waiting on Tankers to get it. I think EA is somewhere in between S and A tier. The Psy hole in genuine Psy maps is absolutely noticeable. It's fine if Psy is sprinkled in a mission. It's just the heavy ones which can cripple the build and force someone to lower the diff setting if soloing. That said, I normally solo on +3/x8 for level 50+1 builds, and only the MJ mission with all of the Psy damage made me change from +2/x8 while leveling to 50, so EA is still pretty fantastic. I powered through the last two using tactics and knowing which things were causing the biggest issues. Hitting 50 and getting Incarnates will further push me towards just using brute force to get through missions. I would put Claws as A tier as well. The only issue here is when it is resisted, it becomes a case of watching paint dry. Scrappers have less issue with it due to crits and their ATOs helping with more crits so the damage being resisted is less of a factor.

Says a person who confidently offered up min/max options for soloing on the min diff setting the game has. I just find it hilarious to offer up things like a procced out build as something to use for soloing at the minimal diff setting or a Shield/dark or SR/dark Tanker. Again, there is zero advantage to the AoE size of Tankers when you are facing all of 3-4 targets. You would have to waste time herding up multiple mobs for it to matter and a Scrapper/Stalker/Blaster would have simply destroyed the mobs as they encountered them and moved on. Do note, if Tankers simply outdo Brutes regardless of the size of their AoEs, then that's just begging for Tankers to get nerfed. There's zero reason for a Tanker to out damage a Brute limited to the range of what a Brute can reach. Other things which would have worked well, any build which offers up two holds or some sort of stacked mezz. I have enjoyed soloing my TA/ice defender. I can't recall where I left off soloing it in terms of diff setting, but even +0/x1 would be a cake walk. I also have a few /ta Controllers who I like. (Who has deleted multiple tanks which I was soloing due to boredom)

Do note, I find Trapdoor tests irrelevant on a certain level. If nothing else, Trapdoor is so not what the person is going to do diff wise and the size of AoEs do matter in a Trapdoor test. Also, I've never had an issue of generating Fury on a Brute. They literally get an IO for it. Saying that, a Stalker or Scrapper is going to blow through these faster than either a Brute or a Tanker.

1. No. 2. How are those bigger AoEs doing on x1 missions?

I'll state the obvious, but if you go that low for diff setting you might be doing KB when you don't want to. Regen or WP will give you the best/easiest +End so I would pick one of those. Something like Kat would be great for either.

The case for Kin/sr is due to Kin having -Dmg it essentially adds in Res to a set which is practically going to cover Def by itself. Add in something like Tough and you are adding all the more to your mitigation. The case against it is having run DPA numbers while intentionally not giving other sets advantages that they will have when it is all said and done, and Kin still lags behind in DPA/DPS. Case in point, a gimped Claws build skipping FU still beats it. The damage might be acceptable, but it is easily in the running if not the outright winner for lowest damage from a melee set.

1. That speaks more to the power of procs than it does the sets themselves. 2. I went and did a comparison of two builds. Mine is a non-proc heavy build. The other is posted on the forums is proc heavy. Both use the same Def based armor. They have different melee sets so not a 1:1 comparison. My build has 27% more S/L Res. 16%-17% more E/N Res. It also has more Regen, ToHit, etc. So yes, by all means due to the power of procs some sets can overperform, but they are also sacrificing a rather noticeable amount of mitigation for it as well.

I want quotes on that. I've done missions where Level 50+1 builds for both sets have all sorts of trouble on them.

I chuckle at this mindset every time I play a Stone Armor character. And for those who have read my posts, you already know I think EA is fantastic as a set.

Ice/temp. End of Time is a fast acting PBAoE. Time Stop is yet another hold to be added with the holds Ice brings. You get +Recharge and there's nothing you need from being around mobs.

In short, more damage in less time and with a smaller gap to have the attack chain repeatable. It also doesn't factor in BU versus PS nor Cleave being able to crit. Kin's third best DPA is its T1. And then we talk about AoE. 😆

There's more armor sets than /sr. Regen absolutely could take on more toggles and adding Res and Def as you have gone out of your way to state how well those work would make Regen even better. Seriously, the one power set you are dying on the hill in terms of how good it is destroys your argument. Skipping powers wasn't THAT difficult as it meant taking less of other pools and Epics. My Regen Scrapper had zero issues fitting everything I wanted in, no real End issues, and I was using common Level 25 IOs when it was all said and done. SOs would have worked just equally as well if not better. Level 53 SOs would have. And yes, I was soloing on as difficult of content as the game allowed at that time. Even in the days of taking Stamina, taking the Fighting pool was an absolute norm for melee characters. If the Devs didn't intend for Scrappers to take it, then are we to expect that they only intended for Tankers to take it? A whole power pool for 1 AT? Tankers have the same issues taking it as Scrapper did, and they didn't have Regen or WP to offset the End cost. Lets not forget Dark Armor players using the Fighting pool as well and their tales of woe about end issues. Any squishy AT would also have the same issue with fitting it in, dealing with the end cost, and get even less value out of it. More so when Leadership exists. 'What the Devs intended.'

I explain it this way to my wife. If I need to go and make a build in certain MMOs, they are painfully obvious how to do. Power build? Collect Power items. DoT build? Collect DoT items. Getting the currency to do so or craft things, hey time gated crafting, and playing the game can be more of a love/hate thing. Mmm jumping puzzles. CoH? Getting currency and enhancements is cake. Playing the game. More cake. Need a build? *sigh* Go download Mids and start playing around.

You can't convince me that Energy is more resisted than S/L. Not as someone who has taken Claws to 50 multiple times.

The problem is all of that testing is done against pylons and Council. I'm not even saying EM is the highest, but it certainly isn't tied for 6th on a Scrapper.

The problem with holding out is that unless you know a fix is coming in the next update, you might be waiting for up to 6 months for a fix.

The difference is in how the market works. The HC Devs made that aspect easier. It is understandable based on numbers of players. We might hit all of 2k worth of players at one time. That would be a low pop server on Live if even that. If the Market got switched back, we would see an instant pick up in prices. If you want a level 50 IO then you would need someone to put up a level 50 IO. And as always, the game was going in that direction in terms of power balance to support a proper end game which never got fully implemented.

And it would at least make sense if there was some sort of formula which sets are based on. This way if someone wanted a quick high DPS set they could get that. If they wanted something slower but more burst damage they could get that as well. What I have learned is that no real attempt has been made to balance the sets from the start via any real formula, and Kin isn't even an original set.

I feel like Kin compares closest in terms of powers to Claws, so I went and did a straight DPS comparison between them. Claws simply won out from any standpoint I could find. FU/PS where not factored in as it would only make it worse for Kin. Since I have been leveling a BA/stone Brute as of late, here's another example of just how far behind Kin is. Cleave Arcana Time: 2.508. DPA: 68.848. Recharge 15 seconds. Concentrated Strike Arcana Time: 3.036. DPA. 73.359. Recharge: 20 seconds. Note, these are Scrapper numbers. Cleave can crit. CS just gives the ability to add another stack of a +7.5% ToHit buff. If you cycle that attack alone over time, Cleave runs away with damage and that's without crits. And yes: Focus Arcana Time: 1.32. DPA: 65.122. Recharge: 6.4. Note the recharge. And it's ranged. And can be part of a three power attack chain. "But Kin has a similar power." Focused Burst Arcana Time: 2.244. DPA: 45.722. Recharge: 8. FU for crying out loud has rather close DPA to Quick Strike. FU can be part of an attack chain and stacks +10% ToHit and +37.5% Damage. Power Siphon is an absolute albatross on that set. It literally does nothing better than FU. PS's recharge time is 2 minutes? WHAT.THE. HELL? You basically have to wait until CS so you can get that time down to 20 seconds. FU's base recharge is 12. Kin is so terrible overall one could argue PS needs as a base a +40% Damage bonus added to it.

Incarnates takes care of that. Same for Shield. Even if Incarnates patches holes for various builds, those two by far make out the best to me.