Brute Help!!!

[damnimgood]

I'd like to use Dark Melee with a Brute and I'd like to know what secondary I should use. One of these please:

Bio

Dark

Fiery

Invul.

Regen.

Shield.

SR.

[Snarky]

I have incarnated both Dark/Invul and Dark Dark.   They are both insanely powerful.  They are completely different playstyles.

 

Dark/Invul (particularly when built for high recharge) is a monster tank-Brute.  The synergy of Dark-Invul cannot be overstated.  They were made for each other.  The combat heal and End recovery tools of Dark spackle over the clunkiness of Invul and it does not get any smoother.  It Brutes well despite the lack of significant AoE due to the 30 sec buff being up a lot.  The thing hits like a truck.

 

Dark/Dark does more damage easily due to the damage aura.  It does not Tank well at all.  Oh, it is freaking durable as it gets when built well, but it only agroes stuff in melee range.  No one else can see it.  You bounce from place to place like Jason from Friday 13th.  Show up kill disappear.  The Dark/Dark does not build for tankiness at all...just recharge.  and thereby gets as tanky as dark armor will ever get.  The thing farms, any map, and does well.  cannot hold agro beyond what is in direct melee with it.  kills anything that gets near it, fast,

 

These are both very expensive builds.  I have them both set up on Excelsior.  They are the only two I don't regularly scavenge for parts.  That and a SS/Invul build Hyperstrike designed.  (he could prob tweak these and get a little more performance...)  I have had so many great days running these three Brutes I always want them available.

 

Good luck in your Dark fate....

 

 

http://www.cohplanner.com/mids/download.php?uc=1461&c=669&a=1338&f=HEX&dc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

 

 

http://www.cohplanner.com/mids/download.php?uc=1558&c=712&a=1424&f=HEX&dc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

[Ruby Rocket]

Dark Melee/Shield work very well together.  Very easy to cap defense and has some really good damage.

 

Dark Melee/Dark Armor for when you want to make sure everything on the map is dead and don't mind that you can't see your toon EVER.  I solo GMs with my Dark/Dark.  If you go Dark Armor... make sure you get Cloak of Fear so you have something cool to look at (other than the smudge on your screen).  You can also pair touch of fear with Cloak of Fear and lock down Bosses and the occasional AV.

Edited November 15, 2020 by Ruby Rocket

[garvisdol73]

I have a Dark Melee/SR brute that is a lot of fun to play... though, to be honest I find my Dark/Rad more fun.  The build is attached here (hopefully) if you might be interested.  I'm not going to say it's the best build ever but it is pretty inexpensive.  The defense is very high so as to hit or come close to the incarnate cap.

Brute - Dark Melee - Super Reflexes.mxd

[Nemeroff]

 

<-- Dark Melee/SR

2 things about SR that stand out: 1) it's a late bloomer; 2) you need about every power in the set, some people some love Elude, some hate it.

DM/SR is "a very safe build" someone once said. I don't have a completed build to post, I'm only in the 40s, but I love SR. It's Defense but turn it on and forget. It's soo minor but SR isn't shiny like Invul, or have props like Shield; good for thematics.

 

Is SR the best? (shrugs), define "best" all sets have pros & cons. I like Dark Armor too fun, lots of tools, can be tight on End.

 

Edit: I never made Bio, Firey, or Regen so I can't comment on those

Edited November 16, 2020 by Nemeroff

[ninja surprise]

Bio - I have a Bio/DM tank and it's a total hoot. But Bio is super vulnerable to debuffs and slows so you're either totally awesome or dead.  Look like a lumpy tree stump or with min FX look like Pigpen.

Dark - Dark/Dark is the original theme pairing, with Soul Drain buffing the damage aura and Dark Consumption getting all your End back after 3 Dark Regens. Snarky described it well. You have to use IOs to get knockback protection. Look like a pile of angry pixels surrounded by ghost-skulls.

Fiery - I hate the pulsating fire aura and never play it. Otherwise it'll be like /Dark but with another +Dam buff and self-buffs. Also need IOs for KB protection and LOTS of IOs to make it tough. Look like a walking campfire.

 

Bio, Dark, and Fire have damage auras if that's your priority.

 

Regen - if you love clicking buttons you'll love DM/Regen. Attacks animate fast so you click them a lot and you need to heal all the time so click those a lot too.  Minimal FX.

 

Invul /  Shield /  SR - These will all play very similar. Toggle up and go punch.  You'll be tough, have defense and resist. Where they differ:

 

Invul - Start with the most resistance, lowest defense, and least debuff resist but a big +HP/+Heal. Get +Def+Acc when surrounded. Most expensive to cap. Semi-minimal FX option but you still glow.

Shield - Start with medium def and resist, easily cap def and near-cap resist. Sweet teleport-nuke-attack. Get a +Dam buff when surrounded. Medium expensive to cap but doesn't require pool powers unless you want them. Always have a shield, no min-FX.

SR - Start with the most def, lowest resist, bonus to Recharge and run speed. Get +Resist when attacked.  Minimal FX means you can see your beautiful costume.

 

The other big diff is only SR and Shield have clickie mez protection, so if you run out of endurance and toggle-drop you still have KB/Stun/Hold protection until it expires or Dark Consumption recharges.  With all the others if you get sapped you're mezzed until someone saves you, you loser.

Edited November 17, 2020 by ninja surprise

[Shocktacular]

58 minutes ago, ninja surprise said:

Bio - I have a Bio/DM tank and it's a total hoot. But Bio is super vulnerable to debuffs and slows so you're either totally awesome or dead.  Look like a lumpy tree stump or with min FX look like Pigpen.

You could use the min effects and brown/tan colors to play a sand melee character, if that theme appeals to you.  Or maybe whites/light greys for clouds/mist.

Edited November 17, 2020 by Shocktacular

[Carnifax]

9 hours ago, ninja surprise said:

The other big diff is only SR and Shield have clickie mez protection, so if you run out of endurance and toggle-drop you still have KB/Stun/Hold protection until it expires or Dark Consumption recharges.  With all the others if you get sapped you're mezzed until someone saves you, you loser.

They'll also self stack. For Shield this is really useful because Active Defense has a fair chunk of Defense Debuff Resistance in there.

 

Course if you die you'll have to wait for it to recharge rather than just retoggling.

[Ruby Rocket]

/Dark Armor laughs in the face of Sappers and Carnies...  "ha ha ha... Your Sapper powers are weak compared to my natural endurance drain!"

Edited November 18, 2020 by Ruby Rocket

[Doomguide2005]

Took my Claws/SR a long time (or rather running a BS/Regen) to really understand the threat a Sapper represented.  Can't drain what you can't hit, especially when flat on your backside after getting hit by Focus or Shockwave.  One common mention about pairing DM and SR is the one thing SR lacks is any kind of +regen, +health or heal which DM provides in a strong attack which just happens to heal --> Siphon Life.

[Nightmarer 2]

On 11/15/2020 at 8:46 PM, Ruby Rocket said:

Dark Melee/Dark Armor for when you want to make sure everything on the map is dead and don't mind that you can't see your toon EVER.  I solo GMs with my Dark/Dark.  If you go Dark Armor... make sure you get Cloak of Fear so you have something cool to look at (other than the smudge on your screen).  You can also pair touch of fear with Cloak of Fear and lock down Bosses and the occasional AV.

You know there's a "No fade or pulse" option in Cloak of Darkness that allows you to see your character, right?

[Nightmarer 2]

On 11/15/2020 at 5:15 AM, damnimgood said:

I'd like to use Dark Melee with a Brute and I'd like to know what secondary I should use. One of these please:

Bio

Dark

Fiery

Invul.

Regen.

Shield.

SR.

All of them (except maybe Regen). On a Brute, I am partial to DM/Fire because Burn is so much better on Brutes than Scrappers, for the rest, I prefer the combo on Scrappers but either will work fine on Brutes (except maybe Regen).

[Meknomancer]

Been running the dm/fire a lot lately it melts faces and the touch of fear update has been my favourite part of i27. It died once on a +4 tf when i had defence knocked down a bit. Had to give up a lot of energy res to squeeze in an extra power and i didn't want to give up gloom and dark oblit so its not as tough as it was. Fortunately it kills stuff so fast thats not usually a problem:

 

Villain Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.7.2.10
https://github.com/Crytilis/mids-reborn-hero-designer

DM FIRE SOUL FEAR: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Villain Profile:
------------
Level 1:    Smite                SprUnrFur-Rchg/+Regen/+End(A), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), SprUnrFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), SprUnrFur-Dmg/Rchg(9), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg(11)
Level 1:    Fire Shield            UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(A), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(11), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(13), UnbGrd-ResDam(13)
Level 2:    Blazing Aura            SprAvl-Rchg/KDProc(A), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(17), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg(17)
Level 4:    Healing Flames            NmnCnv-Heal(A), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(19), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(21)
Level 6:    Touch of Fear            SprBrtFur-Rech/Fury(A), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg(19), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46), SprBrtFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), SprBrtFur-Dmg/Rchg(48)
Level 8:    Siphon Life            Hct-Dam%(A), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx(40), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), Hct-Acc/Rchg(43), Hct-Dmg(46)
Level 10:    Temperature Protection        StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), StdPrt-ResKB(40), GldArm-3defTpProc(40)
Level 12:    Super Speed            BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A)
Level 14:    Hasten                RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(25)
Level 16:    Plasma Shield            UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(21), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(23), UnbGrd-ResDam(23)
Level 18:    Dark Consumption        EffAdp-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(A)
Level 20:    Consume                EffAdp-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(A)
Level 22:    Boxing                Empty(A)
Level 24:    Tough                UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(25), UnbGrd-ResDam(37), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(50)
Level 26:    Soul Drain            Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(27), Obl-Acc/Rchg(39), Obl-%Dam(39), Obl-Dmg(50)
Level 28:    Burn                Arm-Dam%(A), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(29), Arm-Acc/Rchg(29), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Arm-Dmg/Rchg(37), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(46)
Level 30:    Weave                LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(31), ShlWal-Def(31), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(31)
Level 32:    Midnight Grasp            TchofDth-Dam%(A), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33), TchofDth-Dmg/Rchg(33), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx(34), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg(34)
Level 35:    Gloom                Apc-Dam%(A), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Apc-Acc/Rchg(36), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Apc-Dmg(37)
Level 38:    Combat Jumping            LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), Ksm-ToHit+(39), Krm-ResKB(50)
Level 41:    Dark Obliteration        Rgn-Dmg(A), Rgn-Dmg/Rchg(42), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Rgn-Acc/Rchg(42), Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(43)
Level 44:    Maneuvers            LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), Rct-ResDam%(45), Rct-Def/EndRdx(45), Rct-Def(45)
Level 47:    Tactics                EndRdx-I(A)
Level 49:    Vengeance            LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 1:    Brawl                Empty(A)
Level 1:    Prestige Power Dash        Empty(A)
Level 1:    Prestige Power Slide        Empty(A)
Level 1:    Prestige Power Quick        Empty(A)
Level 1:    Prestige Power Rush        Empty(A)
Level 1:    Prestige Power Surge        Empty(A)
Level 1:    Fury    
Level 1:    Sprint                Empty(A)
Level 2:    Rest                Empty(A)
Level 4:    Ninja Run    
Level 2:    Swift                Run-I(A)
Level 2:    Health                Mrc-Rcvry+(A), Pnc-Heal/+End(5), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(5)
Level 2:    Hurdle                Jump-I(A)
Level 2:    Stamina                PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(3), PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg(3)
Level 50:    Agility Core Paragon    
------------

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[Ruby Rocket]

On 11/29/2020 at 5:01 AM, Nightmarer said:

You know there's a "No fade or pulse" option in Cloak of Darkness that allows you to see your character, right?

No I did not.  All my Dark Armors have been saving citizens before that was an option.  Totally missed that update.

[Saikochoro]

My personal favorite pairing is dark melee/shield defense. I prefer this on scrappers, but this should also do very well on brutes. Between AAO, soul drain, and fury you should have quite the damage bonus rolling. 
 

You can never go wrong with dark melee/shield defense. 

[Steel]

It's in the patch notes for March 30 2009, so during Issue 13 (and just a few days before Architect hit the servers, so I guess that may have diverted some attention from this update).