Snarky

I have run SS/Invul, Dark/Invul, and Dark/Dark Brutes at 50 as mains on Homecoming in the area of 6months + each. All are incredible. What do you like from your Brute? A Damage Aura, Unkillable to most stuff? Huge AoE? Some direction is good. No Brute is THE best. Moist Brutes can be made into 'one of the best at X' and really good at Y/Z. Some are the best at X, but usually there is a trade off. Fire Armor Brutes put out the most damage. Not the sturdiest in the land.

Here is a build that was posted in my request when I first got on Homecoming. This was my main for almost 6 months. Thanks again Hyperstrike!!! The build is just incredible to run. This Villain build was built using Mids Reborn 3.0.4.7 https://github.com/Reborn-Team/MidsReborn Click this DataLink to open the build! Level 50 Magic Brute Primary Power Set: Super Strength Secondary Power Set: Invulnerability Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Leaping Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery Villain Profile: Level 1: Punch -- OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg(A), OvrFrc-End/Rech(3), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End(3), OvrFrc-Dmg/End/Rech(5), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(5), SprBrtFur-Rech/Fury%(7) Level 1: Resist Physical Damage -- RctArm-ResDam(A), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx(7), RctArm-ResDam/Rchg(9), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(9), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(11), GldArm-3defTpProc(11) Level 2: Temp Invulnerability -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(13), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(13), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(15) Level 4: Haymaker -- SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprUnrFur-Dmg/Rchg(19), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19), SprUnrFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), SprUnrFur-Rchg/+Regen/+End(23) Level 6: Dull Pain -- DctWnd-Heal/Rchg(A), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(23) Level 8: Knockout Blow -- SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx(25), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(25), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(27), SprBlsCol-Rchg/HoldProc(29) Level 10: Resist Elements -- RctArm-ResDam(A), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx(29), RctArm-ResDam/Rchg(31), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(31) Level 12: Kick -- FrcFdb-Rechg%(A) Level 14: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(31), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(33), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(33) Level 16: Unyielding -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(33), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(34), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(34) Level 18: Rage -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(34) Level 20: Resist Energies -- RctArm-ResDam(A), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx(36), RctArm-ResDam/Rchg(36), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(36) Level 22: Weave -- ShlWal-Def(A), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(37), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(37), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(37), Rct-ResDam%(39) Level 24: Combat Jumping -- ShlWal-Def(A), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(39), ShlWal-Def/Rchg(39), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(40) Level 26: Hurl -- SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(A), SprWntBit-Dmg/Rchg(40), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(42), SprWntBit-Rchg/SlowProc(42) Level 28: Invincibility -- ShlWal-Def(A), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(43), ShlWal-Def/Rchg(43), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(43) Level 30: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(45) Level 32: Foot Stomp -- SprAvl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(45), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46), SprAvl-Rchg/KDProc(46) Level 35: Tough Hide -- ShlWal-Def(A), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(48), ShlWal-Def/Rchg(48), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(48) Level 38: Maneuvers -- ShlWal-Def(A), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(50), ShlWal-Def/Rchg(50), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(50) Level 41: Superior Conditioning -- PrfShf-End%(A) Level 44: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A) Level 47: Physical Perfection -- RgnTss-Regen+(A) Level 49: Super Jump -- WntGif-ResSlow(A) Level 1: Fury Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A) Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A) Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(15), Mrc-Rcvry+(17) Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(17) Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 50: Agility Core Paragon ------------ | Copy & Paste this data into Mids Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1455;663;1326;HEX;| |78DA6594596F12511886CFC060854281D642293B08B45059D46B4DB4A5E942D284C| |45B82ED11262194B018B9F4C27BAD1A6F5C2F4CDC7F82BBFFC2ED0FB8246A34DE8C| |1FF3BD6D4D6692E1C9BCF37EE7BCDF9973A85C58743E5BBE785228E3A75BF55EAF7| |6AA3BE84B5BA5DED036AD82AE31BA670DB156912D29F3D54147766BD57E57B61BFD| |66985F2DCA73B2DD93F995F6F941AB2DBBF5B35A4BEB0F856B637BBB952F6B8D665| 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Incarnate Trials. For obvious reasons, big Leagues, overarching league strategy, big goals/rewards. I think the Magisterium might be the best example of this, but I also enjoy Keyes. Except green patches. LGTF. A non partisan romp that requires an understanding of the goals, has some interesting mechanics (a Hami fight!), and just has a ton of stuff if you want to go Brutal Melee clearinghouse. The new story arc from the current Dev Team. I am literally floored by how good the Doc Buzzsaw arc was. You look at what we got from people who were paid to do this compared with what the volunteer Devs did. (okay, the Late Game Devs did okay w Praetoria, except i HATE the politics behind it) But when you get right down to wish list for the future. More story arcs from the Dev team. Out of the park, beyond the parking lot, It's Gone!!!

End Drains....Malta Sappers, Super Stunners, Devouring Earth....some of the Shadow Shard mobs. This will slow your roll real quick. But without changing the game if you start increasing the number of end drainers all you will do is encourage teams to have one or two specific AT/powertypes. Which is the road to WoW rigid structure

This is why all the reality TV shows are filled with young adults. Try a "Real World" with real 50 year olds. Not a ton of drama. Sure if you get a mal adjusted and/or crazy few, or put in a mix of people that harbor a ton of predispositions to not liking certain other peeps you get drama. But pick normal fully grown people. Huge waste of money looking for anything entertaining to film. No fear.

All my main accounts toons start with Snark. (Famous or Infamous, branding is everything 🙂 ) Snarky, my main. Snarkbot, Snarkrot, Snarkinator, you get the idea... A couple days ago I set up a second account to run off my old comp. This will be a Farmer/Buffer account as I experiment with badging and in case (like it is in doubt) i want to PL a future alt. Finally, Name freedom! Errrr.. No idea what to name this guy. And all the good names are taken lol. Hmm, SS/Fire Brute Farmer. Skull head with horns, Sinister costume in tasteful black, dark red. Hmmm. Nope, got nuthin. Skull? Skully? All taken. Scratching my head. Skulz....available WTF? I have Skulz on Excelsior!!! Not much of a backstory for this new Rogue. Although I did write a blurb about "Not being paranoid, but I see all this graffiti about Go, Hunt, kill Skulz...." edit after 5 min, just thought of my battlecry "Oh no! They killed Skulz!" to be used after every defeat. Gotta love Fire Armor. (and i will be running regular content with him for badges/fun)

Fully Agree. Working on my main badger now. Played for years on live. Played for overa year on HC. This is my highest badger 1100+ and still going. To get a few of these I am having to really learn new things. One of the reasons I never had a serious Badger is I enjoy a different aspect of the game (I see that a lot in this thread, on these boards, although many enjoy aspects I do not and vice versa) I enjoy taking an alt (50% time a Brute) and going from 1st-50 doing TF/SF, Trials etc building them out and having fun. Generally been on PUG teams. Sullen, uncommunicative folks. I love 'em lol. Another favorite of mine is to "Solo the Game" Take one toon (always a Brute) and do every contact (all arcs, side arcs, every mission no matter how small) stopping Exp to do so. Have accomplished this Redside. Never Blueside. Have done Goldside twice on live. Havent played it here. Future goals. 1) Get a squishy and main that for a year or so. 2) Solo all Blueside Saying you are done is okay. You are done. To me that is like driving from the east coast to the west coast and saying you are done with America. You seen it all.... Yeah, lol, no. Did you stop at all the Bar-B-Que joints? Did you get off the super slab? Did you even see certain zones, er states, besides whipping in to read the roadside plaque to say you read each one in the state? I love the game, so I will never be done. Heck, i do not even play that well, so thats going to take a few more years to hopefully develop some ability roflmao. sigh, no seriously.

this is really good advice thank you. This gives someone the ability out of game to absorb the info and prepare. The true difference is leadership that actually rocks the socks off the Trial. (Which I found) But i for one am a slow learner and need to be able to see and think about things in advance of a list of instructions. I will review this before the Trial this weekend as I am still learning about the prep work and tactics. Thanks.

i bought a upgrade tower during 2019 thanksgiving sales. rather than buy a comp monitor i bought a 55 widescreen TV. had to get a desk upgrade. ( was using a 30x58 glass top from ikea, bought a second and made an L shape) plopped that in the corner of the desk. my old monitor/comp is now on the long desk arm for wiki, discord, etc the TV is not curved but it is very very nice for City of Villains. i recently started running a second acct on the old comp. (12x21) for setting up a farmer and danged, sad panda while looking at it lol. With my big screen I have so much room for bars/chat/map and still see a ton of game real estate. The difference between driving looking out a shape the size of a cardboard box or driving looking out the windshield of a semi truck.

Huh. You got me there. I like to throw random comment. Always say Wazzup or Heyas at team start. Maybe ask about group intentions to clarify at beginning. After that my commentary generally goes down to "Here" or "Anyone have eyes on?" I think there needs to be a requirement of at least 25 words every 5 minutes or you are booted from the TF. Would that work for you?

Because it turns you into a rock. or a lobster. I only played one for a day. It was that bad. Cannot remember the exact details. But it was just unplayable to me. And my costume was gone.

50 is the new 35 🙂

To me this is the Gold Star answer of this thread. Whereas some have taken the thread as another reason to take up various banners (again) of change this, I hate that, why is this like the way it is and I dont like it...just really ...Snarky...tm.....stuff... Xeph found an answer that has the possibility of working. Today. Without altering the game or other peoples play experience one single bit. So, Fancy Bow to Xeph. This may not be the exact solution the OP wants. But it is the type of analyzation that looks for a solution in the "real world" rather than come up with a laundry list of stuff that needs to be 'fixed' before the OP can begin to find a way to reach a goal. hmmmm....I think i achieved a nice balance of complimentary and snarkiness in that. Danged, I am good.

A Super Strength Invulnerability Brute is a hoot and would fit your description. The Nano would give the Strength, the Armor, and the giant Heal as the nano worked. Willpower would work as well. Although Invulnerability has a toughness edge if built out to the insane levels seen at 50 these days

There are missions where you fight 5 at a time. Last weeks Hess I did with a team at +4/x8. It was miserable. We still didnt chat much... roflmao. But we finished it. ground those peeps down one ugly sliver at a time

The AVs are. Do you not find AVs tough? The minions? Not so much....

Hmmmm....seems a lot of the thinking on "Make teams more fun" devolves to "make things nearly impossible....oooooh so much fun!!!" It is a super hero game. If I want to be killed by fish monsters while i try to wield a rusty sword while wearing moldy armor there is another game for that

I've seen a LOT of what I consider 'odd' posts in this thread. But as I have read your replies and observations it has made me think you are not insisting anyone play a specific way to make teams better. You are honestly sounding out the boards for what can make the game better. That is nice. Obviously there are some serious disagreements here lol. Personally, i'm having the time of my life on PUG teams and with my SG. I know what to expect from both, and I have strong boundaries. One example: When I level an alt I have a couple ways I go. If I am exploring a new AT/Poweset I will 'slow level'. This involves 4 DFBs, then start TF and SF (i tend to Rogue) I do these specifically in order. I do not join a team running them at +/x anything. I seriously try to help the teams efficiently complete the assignments. (Pither would be proud!) I will gladly take extra time on most of these to complete them as kill most or any other odd (pre-stated) requests. Some will find this method boring as crap. I absolutely love it. If the leader/team decides to change the level I will request they do not. (I answered a specific ad, I am not a mind reader) If they insist, I tender my resignation. I will do +4/x8 ITFs. I prefer these on incarnates. It is a blast. If I am trying to be PL'd I will ask whoever is advertising if bringing a 35 Brute in is okay. They should know the toon will be not a lot of help. I will try, but surgeon hunting is about all i can do. Anyways, I hope you find new ways to make teaming more fun. I also hope this thread generates some good ideas for all of us.

I tried using discord during my last years excursion into WoW. $150 headset on my new box....never quite worked. I recently joined an AG in CoH. They require at least Discord to join....I cranked it up. It is really (yes, really) necessary to at least listen in Discord on complicated incarnate trials. I got my headphones out from under my desk and scraped off the dust with a napkin (not kidding) I plug the headset into my old box (i keep a second older machine up for Wiki, etc next to my gaming rig) I could hear! After a little experimentation I could talk! The danged headsets just never got along with the new box even though i downloaded drivers (prob did it wrong, but seriously. How could even I screw that up?) Anyways, i started my first MMORPG gaming session with Discord. It was, ahem, a game changer. It was the very difficult Magisterium Trial. We were going for the Really Hard Way Badge. And...nailed it. Without Discord....ooof. I don't even want to think about it. Now I am enjoying the SG and the new freedom of knowing what people are planning instead of guessing. Although during a Minds of Mayhem farm yesterday there was a discussion about peaches and eggplants (very random, funny) and someone felt the need to play the full "millions of peaches" song on discord...less funny lol. Still, this quirky group seems like people I can hang with for a while. And danged do they have organizational skills. We did 4 Incarnate Trials that night, hard ones, including the UG, and they were just fun, relaxed, and very competent. and...not all headsets are $150. Most of the cheap ones work way better than the ones collecting dust under my desk for nearly a year.

I've thought about this for about a day now. I still stand by my original response. I like characters (in all games) that I can bound through the environment like an exuberant two year old on a sugar high breaking things and taking their stuff. So....I Brute a LOT. Why are you on a character you are not enjoying? If you want me to play a Brute in some pre ordained mathematical function it will not happen. I have recently joined a very organized SG, and started using Discord. At best my character is like a trained dog. Go there. Dont attack. Attack X area/person Attack from behind. Favorite command "Clear this area" Nearly every PUG TF / mission team I already know which things to do. If the team leader has not stated in advance what the parameters are "speed, kill most, x creature farm" I will ask if anything like that is important. Discord not needed. Just a quick chat question. Then i go do my job. Break crap. Kill things. Get toys. One of my issues running a squishy is it takes me a while to determine how to use the powers effectively. Which groups to dominate. How to use the Blaster for fire support without pulling agro, etc. After (a long) time running various squishies I discovered that it is just experience with the mobs/TFs that led me to understand how to use the powers and what my job was. I still prefer Brutes. But now, on a PUG, I can just go do a good job. Whether people are running around splitting up and going nuts (they probably are) or are all huddled together moving from area to area (quite rare). That getting comfortable phase took me a very long time. If you want to play a specific support type for a very organized group I suggest you seek out players who share your play philosophy (They are out there!) PUGs have evolved (yes, evolved) into ROFLSTOMP steam rollers. That happened Redside BEFORE Incarnates and quickly spread Blueside. By the time of Going Rogue it was the de facto standard of PUG gaming. I will throw Brutes under the bus for this. Brutes, back in the day, did not take taunt. There was no inherent fitness pool (you had to use power picks for it, Brutes desperately need the End from it) You had to use two picks to get a travel power. It was the rare Brute that found room to take Taunt, especially on a levelling build. So Brutes would run into a big mob, absord the Alpha, get agro and Fury. If there were two Brutes on a team....The second Brute tended to go into the next group. This was the first incremental step into teams leapfrogging from mob to mob in game, no one ever quite being part of a team, but really spokes in a never ending wheel of pain to the mobs we encountered. Everyone taking their turn using their nuke or mez, or whatever to steamroll through ever larger and larger groups of baddies. Saying "STOP" now and asking everyone to go back to Tank/Blaster/Healer tactics..... You should let that dream die. At least on PUGs. Again, there are many very experienced players who run organized teams (and RP) through content. Just is not going to happen with a PUG, in my opinion.

i continue (and have since i started CoH) run Brutes exactly for this purpose. you want to help? trust me, i notice. thanks. you want to doorsit. have a jam! lol.

Dark/Dark Brute, just eeked past 1100

i just did them on my vet level 101 brute. all incarnated out, etc. set them at -1/+0 i have completed them on other toons back on live, but havent done them recently. this is my badger, so stress! easy peasy. literally a cake walk. just do not bog down killing mobs. errrr....be efficient....

yeah. so i have an SG mate that is helping me with the damage taken badges....how the heck does a melee get the healing badges. or mezzed? lol it would have taken me 3000 vet levels to get the damage taken badges knocked out. looking like 30,000 vet levels to get healing with the tools i know about....

I am an American. I will say it. Not to raise hackles for a laugh (although that can be a nice bit of whipped cream on top) I say it....because it is the TRUTH. Over the last few years I have actually modified HOW I say it, and placed some consideration on WHY the person is doing what I feel needs to be pointed out. Yet, in the end, I will be pointing it out. Basically no one gets to do whatever they want due to the fact no one should mention they are violating social rules, are ignorant of what is supposed to happen, or are doing something stupid. If I offend, that is not the primary purpose. Heck, I'm pretty lazy. I really did not want to have to mention it. But I will. If it is amusing, that is not the primary purpose. In fact it can complicate the resolution. I will speak the truth to the abusive, the ignorant, the stupid. I only have so much time left on the planet and I generally plan to put up with as little crap as possible for the remainder of my days.