Gaidin

First, you should really consider getting basic IOs instead of SOs, as if you invest in level 30 IOs your're slightly better off enhancement percentage-wise and save a ton of influence by thr time 50 rolls around from not needing to constantly upgrade the SOs. Secondly, I also reccomend DM/SR if you're not doing set bonuses, as you can soft cap positional defenses and get the DDR to +95% to resist debuffs without set bonuses, unlike /Shields. Quickness, along with Hasten + attack slotting helps you achieve a good attack chain, since you're not getting recharge from set bonuses. I haven't loaded Pines up with this to see what you'd be able to squeeze out without sets, but if you can get 235% recharge (with Hasten) in Midnight's Grasp, you can run the optimal ST attack chain of MG>Smite>SL>Smite. Finally, DM gives you a self-heal in your attack chain, end management, and a to hit and damage buff, all of which /SR lacks. Finally, and this is big, if you're doing basic IOs (or SOs), you won't be using -res procs, so DM's damage type really means a alot for effectiveness.

I'm bumping this thread because this particular thread contains the most useful info and Bopper's call for testing deserves attention; there is a dearth of info on effectively leveraging procs in i25. Thanks, Bopper!

Thanks for the input. I tend to solo more than team due to extremely limited time to play, with the occasional duo with my wife or team with friends. I think I'll re-roll Scrapper and see how survivable it is. Kaeladin certainly is doing a lot of work,and I give him his due influence, but you still are taking the time to make multiple runs to make this particular dataset meaningful, so take your influence and like it! :D

Fist, I want to thank you for the time and effort you've invested into this particular comparison, as well as Kaeladin's contributions. I played beta to right before Incarnates dropped, so I've no experience with the new powersets and the info you fine folk are providing is much appriciated by this min/maxxer. My forum namesake was a BS/WP scrapper on live, but when Torchbearer first came online, I re-made him as a TW/Bio Brute, since I also didn't play Brutes much back on Live and wanted to try new stuff. I haven't finished leveling him and I'm having Scrapper-remorse, as Scrappers have always been my favorite AT. Presumably, you've only tooled around in the two TW/Bio ATs for pylons, but what would your impression be of the survivability between the two? Do you find the Scrappers extra DPS and not having to worry about building Fury a fair trade for the higher resistance cap, higher Regen rate/HP pool and inherent taunt?

I totally get desiring fun over efficiency except farming, for me, has nothing to do with fun because it's so repetative no matter what build you're running. I farm in order to be able to fund my fun and interesting builds, therefore efficiency at farming is paramount in order to give me more time to run other content on my fun toons and as little time as possible doing the repetitive farming. Spines/Fire Brute fulfills this goal the best, and has the added benefit to not require billions to achieve superior results. That being said, my wife hated the look of spines so much that she didn't want a farmer with it, so she rolled a Titan Weapons/Fire Brute and, while it isn't quite as efficient or easy as my Spines/Fire, it's very impressive and just as survivable, so I'd reccommend it for something not fotm. If you're stuck on Scrapper, then /Shield is the only secondary to have that make sense, due to it's superior SC with it being a pseudo-pet. (Same point if going with Electric Melee primary and it's tele-nuke.) Otherwise, I don't see the point since Fury + better/easier to achieve survivability on Brutes > crits in every other combination. Whatever you decide, good farming to you!

Did they change something? Back on Live, HOs worked when exemping: Optimal slotting for Siphon Life in DM/ was 3x Nucleolus and 3x Golgi and I don't recall issues exemplaring, though I stopped playing just before I22 dropped, so maybe I missed an update? Oh do they? I never played live so this all new to me, I assumed the HamiO's didn't work like attuned IO's since in the AH there isn't any attuned "non lvl" ones, they only have ones with specific levels. Yeah, I haven't purchased any yet, as I just dinged 50 with my first toon on the new servers yesterday, but they should work just fine when exemplaring as far as I know. :D

Did they change something? Back on Live, HOs worked when exemping: Optimal slotting for Siphon Life in DM/ was 3x Nucleolus and 3x Golgi and I don't recall issues exemplaring, though I stopped playing just before I22 dropped, so maybe I missed an update?

That is the ideal attack chain. It's been a while, but I'm pretty sure it goes Smite > SL > Smite > MG, or some variation on that. Yea, my brain has been a bit slow this morning while I multi-task work and forum browsing - you are correct and taking some old posts from live into account, you do in fact only take Smite/SL/MG. First, greetings to all old forumites - it's been awhile! Sant...er, Murc, nice to see you at it again. Munkilord, good to see you too! Second, MG>Smite>SL>Smite is the optimal ST chain and, if my brain isn't failing me from so many years ago, it requires 235% recharge in MG to achieve.

I haven't run a SM/ yet, but the 'port attack is gained at 32. Titan/Fire is excellent AoE and TW/ has high ST DPS possible, though it is resisted frequently; it's what my wife's leveling for farming, but you're going to be squishy against a lot of foes, so unless you're mainly fire farming, I'd go for a different secondary if you like TW. Bio or WP works well with it while giving you the end to run TW without being too clicky so Momentum isn't interrupted with too many clicks. If you want decent AoE, solid high ST damage output, and also a less-resisted damage type, I'd recommend Fiery Melee. It has good AoE and can dish out enough ST DPS for AV soloing/Pylon runs regardless of secondary choice. Alternately, Rad Melee has a good balance of ST and AoE ability, including a damage aura, and is part energy damage, though I've not rolled one myself, so that suggestion is more theoretical on my part (but I'm thinking that may be a good project myself). As far as secondary, it really depends on how heavily you're going to IO. If you can invest enough to soft-cap positional defenses, go FM/SD and Shield Charge will greatly augment your AoE and AAO will up all damage to make you an all-around powerhouse. If you want to invest a lot less, but still want to be able to solo AVs and pylons, then FM/SR is a viable option I had back on live - and Quickness makes achieving one of the top two ST attack chains much easier.