Really in Need of Some Sage Advice

[Marshal Valor]

I have never really been up on IO's to be honest, even back when the game was live. I was always turned off by what seemed at first glance to be an overly complex system. That said I'm trying to take a look now. I'm trying to build what I feel is the best brute possible. My current brute is SS/WP. Did I make a mistake here? I was told at end game that SS/Invuln was the best. I'll take any advice possible. Also for slotting. Right now I am still using standard crafting enhancements. I can say that even with stamina and the stamina power from WP (name escapes me at the moment) that I am still struggling with end. I have one crafted end reducer in each attack right now. I really need advice. Is there a set that's considered the best single target DPS for Brutes? Best overall secondary set?

[Sovera]

The best thing to do will be to follow a guide and not overthink it. 'Best' can be pretty subjective because there are different factors. The 'best' farmer is either a Spines/Fire or a Rad/Fire with others quite close behind. The 'best' at farming is not exactly the best at just playing the game though. Then if we go at the 'best' at killing tough stuff we once more find a completely different beast.

 

You did nothing wrong in picking SS/WP as it is a pretty solid pick and it will work just fine.

 

If you want the 'best', for me, it would be a Claws/Bio. They move fast, they activate fast, they don't need extra AoEs from epic pools and they are pretty darn durable and are a good middle ground between top ST and top AoE while also simple to use (the very very very best would a Titan Weapons/Bio, but I would never ever advise you to try running that without more cash and a better understanding of the game).

 

Regarding your endurance woes things will get better once you are better slotted. A single end mod in each attack is ok, but not amazing. You still need to generate end.

 

My advice will be:

 

-One Performance Shifter proc in both Stamina and your WP stamina power, then add a normal endurance modification in each on top of that. If you feel it's still going badly then try to find a second endurance modification into each.

- A Panaceia and Miracle proc on Health.

- Replace all your ST attacks por something like a full set of Focused Smite. Since the bonuses of Focus Smite aren't very good they are pretty cheap on the AH and you will get much better raw stats out of that than you will from generic slots. Generic slotting might be 66% accuracy, 95% damage, 33% endurance reduction, while a full set of Focused Smite will be 62% accuracy, 89% damage, 43% endurance and 66% recharge. The Crushing Impact IO set has better bonuses so is more expensive, but with a full set you'd get 68% to accuracy, recharge and endurance, and also 95% to damage.

 

Check how many Merits you have. You might have some decent cash on you and not know. Check the guide in my signature.

[Obus Form]

2 hours ago, Marshal Valor said:

I have never really been up on IO's to be honest, even back when the game was live. I was always turned off by what seemed at first glance to be an overly complex system. That said I'm trying to take a look now. I'm trying to build what I feel is the best brute possible. My current brute is SS/WP. Did I make a mistake here? I was told at end game that SS/Invuln was the best. I'll take any advice possible. Also for slotting. Right now I am still using standard crafting enhancements. I can say that even with stamina and the stamina power from WP (name escapes me at the moment) that I am still struggling with end. I have one crafted end reducer in each attack right now. I really need advice. Is there a set that's considered the best single target DPS for Brutes? Best overall secondary set?

@Marshal Valor I am going to break down your post into its component parts because some statements cover several large topics:

 

IO complexity:

With respect, because the performance you get from IOs versus normal (single origin, or just regular invention origin) enhancements is like comparing a car to a bicycle, and unless you're okay with playing at about 1/2 (sometimes less than 1/2 depending on your power choices) of what your character can do, it is just my recommendation that IOs are worth your trouble.  The majority of the "car" performance from IOs are the set-bonus effects (the bonus effects you get from slotting 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 of that set) and a 7 or so unique IOs that, when added up, really really really improves your defense/resists/endurance consumption/endurance recovery/damage/accuracy/etc. 

 

Just to prove a point, even blindly fully 6-slotting any melee-damage attack IO into your attacks will double your damage efficiency (including damage/accuracy/reduce endurance consumption/half the recharge time).  When I say double, I literally mean your damage will be 2x, your recharge will literally be halved, your endurance consumption will likely be halved, your accuracy will vastly improve, etc.  As @Sovera mentioned, putting the Performance Shifter: Chance for Endurance, and the Numina and Panacea proc into your Inherent Health power vastly improves performance.

 

When you feel up for it, you'll need to use Mids hero builder to plan your IOs built for your character.  You'll begin to see why other people in these forums always ask for builds designed for specific purposes.  And you'll come to see that adding up all those set-bonuses from IOs doubles, triples or quadruples the ability of your character.  Or sometimes it will fill in holes of that powerset as if the hole didn't exist in the first place.  Yes, set bonuses and unique IOs are really that powerful

 

 

Power choice /WP vs /Invuln or others

You ask if you've made a mistake - a legit question that can only be answered depending on your version of "end game", namely, Incarnate Trials or level 54 missions?  If you run level 54 missions, any powerset /WP or /Invulvn or anything/anything will be godlike as long as you carefully slot your build using IO sets.

 

It is only my conjecture and opinion that you may not have tested the endest of end-games, namely Incarnate trials.  iTrials really need your armor set to have resists.  /WP is not known for resist because it is a mixture of defence (dodging attacks), resists (reducing the amount of damage received when you actually get hit) and regen (rengerating lost HP).  This game has these 3 layers of staying alive.  /WP is a mixture of these 3, and /Invulvn is some defence with lots of resists.  Because of the way this game handles damage done to you, it is in your best interest to read this post (see link below) to understand the interplay between these 3 ways to stay alive, why level 54 missions require you to have 45% defense to at least Smashing and Lethal damage types, and why some armors are "better" than others in endgame iTrials. iTrials need your set to have lots of Smashing/Lethal and Energy resist.  Sometimes iTrials need Psychic damage resist too. 

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/1991-how-not-to-visit-the-hospital-layered-resilience-in-coh/

 

 

Best single target DPS, best overall secondary:

Play style. You need to figure out your play style when it comes to DPS and when it comes to staying alive

 

DPS:

Some sets do amazing single target, some are better at AOE.  You need to try them all (use the beta test server?) to figure out what works for you.  Claws and Super Strength are good for single target.  Spines is better for AOE damage and has spines animations (love it or hate it).  Titan Weapons is arguably the best single target AND best AOE damage, but you have to manage your "momentum" and windup animation very carefully, which is reportedly aggravating to a good handful of players. Some have cool animations, etc.  With exposure comes preference.  You can't pick your favourite or "best" flavour of icecream until you've tried them all.  So hop onto the test server and give it a shot.

 

Secondary:

Assuming you've read the link above, you'll understand that each secondary is a mixture of Defense, Resist, and Regen (or direct healing).  /WP gives you a mixture of all 3, with its strength coming from high Smashing/Lethal defense so that it is easier to slot IO sets to reach the 45% smashing/lethal defence softcap, and high Regen.  /Invuln strength comes from high Resist to and some Defense to Smashing/Lethal damage and Energy damage. 

 

Also play style.  Some secondary sets are very passive, like /WP where you either live or die,without emergency buttons.  Other secondary sets like /Invuln or /Dark Armour have a 1-click heal power.  Still, other sets like /Radiation Armor have several small "Regen" or "heal me" buttons that require you cycle through them to maximize your ability to stay alive.

 

Summary

These are really wide topics that honestly require you to read and understand the 3 ways of staying alive (defence/resist/regen or healing), as well as your preference for how you stay alive and how enjoy dealing damage.  While IOs sets are not mandatory, your performance is comparing a Car vs Bicycle <-- Not an exaggeration.  I strongly advise you try Mids, or at least download it and open a build found on the forums. 

 

Edit: Also, read this to understand IOs and how to slot them.  Again, all in your own comfort.

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by Obus Form
Added link for IOs

[Marshal Valor]

22 hours ago, Sovera said:

- A Panaceia and Miracle proc on Health.

Why health and not any of the other regen powers? I'm especially curious as I started an SS/Regen brute last night.

[Generator]

8 minutes ago, Marshal Valor said:

Why health and not any of the other regen powers? I'm especially curious as I started an SS/Regen brute last night.

I have to assume Health was specifically named as that is a power tht everyone has.  Hell, throw all those same (non-Unique) things into the Regen passives, too!

[Marshal Valor]

3 minutes ago, Generator said:

I have to assume Health was specifically named as that is a power tht everyone has.  Hell, throw all those same (non-Unique) things into the Regen passives, too!

 Will they work the same regardless if I put them into health or a regen passive?

[Generator]

It depends on what the IO is doing.  If it's offering, for instance a flat bonus to your Regen rate, it doesn't matter which power it's placed in.  If it's a matter of the IO enhancing the power's Regen rate, then out it in whichever power has the highest base value.  Does this make sense?

[Marshal Valor]

27 minutes ago, Generator said:

It depends on what the IO is doing.  If it's offering, for instance a flat bonus to your Regen rate, it doesn't matter which power it's placed in.  If it's a matter of the IO enhancing the power's Regen rate, then out it in whichever power has the highest base value.  Does this make sense?

So if I slot Panacea with the Proc for hit points and recovery then I'd want it in fast healing vs health then?

[Generator]

I'll be honest, I'm at work and don't remember in enough detail to give a definitive answer.  So take the following with the important caveat that it needs confirmation.

 

My recollection is that Panacea's proc gives you some flat number of HP every time it procs, and as such t wouldn't matter which power it was placed in.  (Someone feel free to jump in and correct me here!)  🙂

[Obus Form]

1 hour ago, Generator said:

I'll be honest, I'm at work and don't remember in enough detail to give a definitive answer.  So take the following with the important caveat that it needs confirmation.

 

My recollection is that Panacea's proc gives you some flat number of HP every time it procs, and as such t wouldn't matter which power it was placed in.  (Someone feel free to jump in and correct me here!)  🙂

Yeah it doesn't matter where it's placed, it will proc regardless as long as the power is "on".

 

It is more advantageous to put Panacea proc into the inherent power pool power "Health" rather than the /WP Fast Healing because, even though Fast Healing and Health do the same thing (regen), Fast Healing heals more.  Therefore, put a heal IO in Fast Healing to maximize the benefit of Fast Healing, and put Panacea in the slower healing power Health.

[Sovera]

2 hours ago, Marshal Valor said:

Why health and not any of the other regen powers? I'm especially curious as I started an SS/Regen brute last night.

As others mentioned. Panaceia and Miracle uniques work best on powers that are autos. They will have the same effect anywhere then. But no one really slots Health for anything, while /Regen powers usually are slotted with sets. Putting the uniques there steals room that could be used for those sets.

[Troo]

On 2/26/2020 at 6:18 AM, Marshal Valor said:

My current brute is SS/WP. Did I make a mistake here?

There are no mistakes. It does come down to what a player likes or what fits their play style.

 

Be sure to slot the toggle powers with endurance reduction as well. Maybe add a couple endurance modifications to Stamina. (click image below for examples)

 

 

When starting to utilize Invention Origin Enhancement in melee attacks, There are popular sets like Crushing Impact, Touch of Death and Mako's Bite. Unlike common IO enhancements that boost one stat (Accuracy or Damage), Invention Origin sets can boost multiple stats.

 

For example using 2 Touch of Death enhancements we can boost 3 stats.

• Touch of Death: Accuracy/Damage
• Touch of Death: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance

A little more boosting using less slots can really add up.

 

On top of that, Invention Origin Sets also offer Set Bonuses which apply to all of a character's powers. Pounding Slugfest for example is available at levels 15-30 and adds 8% Regeneration, some defense and 2% Damage. Bonuses from various sets can accumulate 8% regen x 5 = 40% regen.

 

Here is some links to additional information: For Touch of Death https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Touch_of_Death, Paragon Wiki Enhancements https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Enhancement_Sets.

 

 

@Sovera note: the 'best' farmer may not even be a brute.

[Snarky]

I just posted a SS/Will build that us solid if not absolutely perfect. An expert might squeeze  more out of a build but it is pretty good

 

i seem to have this discussion a lot lately. Willpower is a very very good armor set.  I am hard to impress. Willpower impresses me. 
 

For endgame invulnerability will be slightly better most of the time.  I am talking incarnate trials. But in at keast a couple trials with a lot if psionic damage Willpower will be better

[Marshal Valor]

I am trying SS and Regen now. So far leveling up at least it outclasses SS/Invuln and SS/WP. I've played Regen before, just not on a brute. I'm blown away the damage that I can actually soak up.

 

I am torn though.

 

Should I go with IO's that boost my regen or IO's that boost my resists?

Also is there a Regen cap and if so what is it?

[Troo]

2,500% at level 20+ for Brutes  https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Limits#Health_Regeneration