Street Justice doesn't suck, r-right guys?

[Vanden]

I have a level 50 Street Justice Brute, and he just does not feel that strong. The AoEs are tiny. None of the combo builders hit particularly hard, recharging in only 3, 5, 6, and 8 seconds, with matching damage scales (Most sets have a 10s recharge ST attack that isn't even the capstone power). Combat Readiness is just plain worse than Build Up. You can't use the AoEs freely because that eats your combos. And Crushing Uppercut, even at combo level 3, is weaker than it should be for its recharge (although if you consider it a clone of Knockout Blow with the same 5-second recharge penalty, it's as strong as it should be at combo level 2 and a little stronger at 3).

 

This set can't be bad, right? I'm just imagining things. That must be it.

[Bill Z Bubba]

It's apparently great for stalkers.

 

The set's never felt right to me and I was one of the people absolutely ecstatic to get it. Finally, I could play a straight up Fisticuffs set and not have to cobble it together from boxing, kick and air superiority on an intentionally gimped super strength character.

 

But even back before the snap, something never felt right.

 

I've got SJ/Inv and SJ/WP brutes. The WP will probably get deleted as superfluous. I'll keep the Inv just cuz I like her concept, but won't ever expect much from her.

 

I think it's the gimmicks. They just don't work out for me.

Dual blades combos.

Titan's momentum.

StJ's combos.

Staff's forms. (Granted, I do have a staff/bio that just lives in Body/Offensive modes, but even there I end up NOT using the attacks that would remove the lvl 3 overall damage buff)

Even Beam weapon's disintegration is apparently frelled.

 

I get the flavor thing but when the flavor detracts from the set instead of making it better then it's a bad flavor.

[Saikochoro]

I’ve only played StJ on stalkers and scrappers. It is bonkers on stalkers and easily one of the best primaries for them. Hits super hard.  My scrapper is only level 40, but StJ seems pretty good so far on it.  
 

I wonder if it just doesn’t pair with brutes well. I know some primaries favor various archetypes over others. Perhaps this is one of them.

[Vanden]

Yeah, it would be pretty good on Stalkers. Real Build Up*, and it loses only one of its weak combo builders for Assassin's Strike, which not only fills the role of high-damage non-capstone attack that the set otherwise lacks, but is also Assassin's Strike. Plus, for Stalkers the set's AoE is actually good.

 

*I can't help but notice that all the sets I know to be better on Stalkers (Staff, Kin, and StJ) are all sets with some gimmicky, weaker version of Build Up. *gives Rad and Savage the side-eye*

[Spaghetti Betty]

As much as I love the set, I'd have to agree. It is a little weak, the notable exception being Crushing Uppercut. That move destroys. And as good as TAoEs are, Spinning Strike's radius is hella small.

 

That's not to say the set severely underperforms. And some target shuffling in big mobs can still land you some nasty Spinning Strikes. The combo level system makes the set feel really interactive, and the way I have the most fun with the set is treat it like I'm trying to land a real combo instead of doing a standard MMO rotation.

 

It ends up looking something like:

Shin Breaker -> Initial Strike -> Rib Cracker -> Crushing Uppercut -> Shin Breaker -> Initial Strike -> Rib Cracker -> Spinning Strike

 

Sure one could add some more global recharge (Cross Scar currently sits at like 80% before hasten iirc) to get the 1,2,3 Uppercut, but if I was looking for a min/max optimal rotation, I wouldn't pick Street Justice.

As fun as the set is, I think the only changes I would ever want to see made to it is maybe a slight bump in damage, and possibly a slight increase to the radius of Spinning Strike. Honestly, I feel like Street Justice is one of those sets that's only maybe 2 or 3 buffs away from being OP.

[Sovera]

It's supposed to be great, but thanks to Crushing Uppercut's recharge I never managed to get into it. CU just has an awkward recharge that leaves a 2 second gap forcing to play the piano. CoH isn't exactly a game for that.

 

Tanker kinda fixes the tiny AoE though. Double it on a Fire Armor with Burn to hold the fort until 28.

[Vanden]

So it is decided! Buffs for Street Justice!

 

Rib Cracker

• Damage scale 1.32 -> 1.64
• Recharge 6s -> 8s
• End Cost 6.864 -> 8.528

Shin Breaker

• Damage scale 1.64 -> 1.96
• Recharge 8s -> 10s
• End Cost 8.528 -> 10.192

Crushing Uppercut

• Recharge 25s -> 20s

 

Combat Readiness now doubles all combo level gains for its duration

Sweeping Cross, Spinning Strike, and Crushing Uppercut now build combo when used at Combo Level 2 or lower (they still spend combo at level 3)

[Without_Pause]

I didn't mind my StJ brute for as long as I had them. My primary experience though is via a stalker. Add in ATOs and it is my 2nd favorite set.

[DreadShinobi]

Definitely best on stalkers, it looks pretty hilarious on a Stone Armor tanker in Granite/Rooted though.