Choosing between Brute and tank

[MajikMayhem81]

I'm not exactly a newbie tackling this dilemma, though it does have me in somewhat of a pickle.  I mained an ss/invul brute that I tanked with back on live, but I did have a stone/dark tank and a sheild/fire tank at 50.   My experience with tanks stops there, and that was pre-incarnate content. Since I've been back I only have a VEAT (never played one before homecoming) a fire/kin controller, and a spines/fire farmer at 50.  The VEAT is fun no doubt and stupid tanky, but I really wanted to play a tank or tanky brute again.  I tried getting my ss/invul up and running, but I just wasn't feeling it.  I know there has been some changes made to tanks and brutes latley, and I figured the tank forum would be the best place to ask.  I really love ss, but thought I'd pair it with a resist set this time, and rad/  looks like a lot of fun, and I'm really digging the costume I made for him.  I tried playing both of them at low levels, and the increased time to kill things on the tank is noticeable. I haven't gotten rage on the tank though, which really make a big difference as far as the set goes.. After putting couple of builds together in mids, the tank is pretty much sitting at 90% resists to everything except for cold and psy, so he has the Brute beat there no doubt.  I'm just curious how the damage is at 50 now?  Does it seem like the gap is shorter between tanks and brutes or are brutes still miles ahead? 

Edited April 23, 2020 by MajikMayhem81

[Rathulfr]

4 hours ago, MajikMayhem81 said:

Does it seem like the gap is shorter between tanks and brutes or are brutes still miles ahead?

TL;DR: the gap is shorter, but Brutes still come out ahead on damage, especially single-target.  Tanker AoEs are now better than those of many Brutes; however, it really comes down to specific builds.  YMMV.

Edited April 23, 2020 by Rathulfr

[Hyperstrike]

If you're looking for best damage, Brute.  Period.
If you're looking for best, overall, survival numbers, Tank.  Period.

'Nuff said.

[Heraclea]

If value to teams is first on your mind, Tanker is your first choice.  Brutes are adequate tanks in most situations.  Tankers are the tanks you want for the most difficult to tank content.   Brutes can get there with adequate investment.  They're coming from behind to get to the level the Tanker already is wit much less investment.  If you have limitless resources a tanking brute can be made.  If you have similar resources a DPS Tanker can be made. 

[oOStaticOo]

I would say it depends on what sets you want to run.  If you want to run Defense sets then Brute is the best choice to run for Soft-capping Defenses and Maximum Damage output.  If you want to run Resist sets then Tanker would be the way to go as they are easier to max out Hard-capping Resists.  WP is also best on a Tanker since Tankers have a higher HP cap.  Regen is only offered on Brutes.  Overall I would say that usually Brute wins out in most choices when it comes to most players.