Fire/Dark or Dark/Fire?

[JnEricsonx]

Going to remake what I think was my first Brute back in the day, a Dark/Fire due to two self heals, and because I always liked that "shadows and flame" description of the Balrog in LOTR.  However, as my Brute was Dark/Fire for the heals due to soloing a lot, I have to ask, how is Fire/Dark?

[Heraclea]

Dark/Fire sounds a lot more fun to play than Fire/Dark.  /Fire is a very forgiving armor set with several skippable powers.  Dark/Fire complement themselves in several ways.  Fire armor is dependent on a self heal, and Dark Melee gives you one on top of that.  Dark Melee does consistent -tohit on enemies, which is the moral equivalent of defense.  Since Fire Armor is all resistance, you'd be adding layers. 

 

Fire/Dark support each other in different ways.  Fire is weak on control, but Dark Armor gives you several different kinds.  Still sounds to me like an end hog and painful to level.

[JnEricsonx]

I remember having to IO up a Spines/Dark Scrapper back in the day.  Oh I made friends with every Kin I could find until I was even half comfortable with him.