So just came back need advice on toon

[PeregrineFalcon]

11 minutes ago, A Cat said:

Brutes do have punchvoke, but it is single target instead of AoE like a tank. If we are examining things from this angle though, then why aren't actual tanks better? 

Actual tanks are better for teams than Brutes are. They're tougher, better at holding aggro and, unless your team is running pell-mell through mission map, will do as much or more damage than a Brute.

 

Yes, I see Bill Z Bubba. Wait, why do I have to roll for initiative?

[Without_Pause]

I'm guessing the issue here with brutes being on a team is due to Brute's damage cap and the ease in which they can get to it via a team versus solo.

[Techwright]

1 hour ago, Dazl said:

Sentinels would be the best “easy mode” toon for learning the basics and getting back up to speed. It may not become your main but it can be fun leveling one up.

I would simply add to this that I just hit 50 on an energy/energy Sentinel and he proved good in both solo and team environments.  Not that I'd do a Leroy Jenkins with him, but he was solid. If I'd chosen energy/invulnerable, I might have considered some additional aggression when running solo.

 

I also previous took a water/willpower Sentinel to 50, and he's a heap of a lot of fun.  My only drawback with him is that I had endurance issues in his rise through the ranks.  I patched that by doubling up on endurance reduction in some of the willpower powers.  Again, invulnerable may have been the easier, effective choice.

[Bill Z Bubba]

31 minutes ago, Without_Pause said:

I'm guessing the issue here with brutes being on a team is due to Brute's damage cap and the ease in which they can get to it via a team versus solo.

 

This is part of it but on the subjective side, for me, It's the difference in feel and when I brute, the difference is much wider between how it feels solo and how it feels on a team heavy with buffs compared to how the scrapper and tank feel solo or teamed. That wider disparity is why I think brutes shine on teams more. Granted, you have to solo just as often to feel it and some folks just don't do that.

[Zhym]

2 hours ago, Coyotedancer said:

My favorites for soloing are Stalkers. It takes a little more care than Leeroy face-punching everything with a Scrap or a Brute, but not so much that it's annoying to finish some of the tougher arcs all on your own.  

This is what I'd pick for my first reasonably survivable character.  Stalkers now do almost as much damage as a scrapper, with a good stealth ability that doesn't require taking another power pool.  The first toon I ran through all the redside content was a Stalker; being able to stealth past most of the mobs makes a lot of the missions quicker.  Or, if you choose to defeat all, then it's because you're choosing to, not because you have to (unless the mission requires it, of course).

 

And, really, sneaking up behind an enemy without them even seeing you then taking them down in one hit?  Never gets old. 

[Wuteva]

So I need a brutish tank that stalks while scrapping ....gotcha...😕

[gameboy1234]

1. Think up a cool concept with a costume that looks totally awesome.

 

2. Pick some good power to go with that.

 

Basically just have fun.  If nothing else, try one of everything.  I have a couple of defenders for the first time ever, they're fun!

[Zhym]

BTW, the key  to survivability is not the AT you choose, it’s IO enhancement sets.  Outfit your toon with the right IO sets (or almost any IO sets, really) and almost any AT can kick copious amounts of butt.

[Aurora_Girl]

3 hours ago, A Cat said:

I think it is functionally more or less about the same between scrappers and brutes

 

Because of this. 🧐

[Bill Z Bubba]

6 hours ago, Wuteva said:

So I need a brutish tank that stalks while scrapping ....gotcha...😕

 

I think you just described a stone melee/nrg aura brute with gloom and darkest night from soul mastery.

[Wuteva]

3 hours ago, Bill Z Bubba said:

 

I think you just described a stone melee/nrg aura brute with gloom and darkest night from soul mastery.

 

that runs at the speed of a snail 😄

[Aurora_Girl]

Stone melee, not armor. 

[Erratic1]

13 hours ago, Zhym said:

This is what I'd pick for my first reasonably survivable character.  Stalkers now do almost as much damage as a scrapper, with a good stealth ability that doesn't require taking another power pool. 

 

Or you could cheat and make a faux-stalker by building a Ninjitsu scrapper. Add a Celerity: Stealth IO to sprint and most things will never see you and you get a crit from hide (admittedly only every 20 seconds).

[Erratic1]

55 minutes ago, Aurora_Girl said:

Stone melee, not armor. 

 

I still want to see Savage/Stone being played so I can see someone in  Granite form using Savage Leap.

[Wuteva]

10 hours ago, Erratic1 said:

 

I still want to see Savage/Stone being played so I can see someone in  Granite form using Savage Leap.

I thought about that but the running like a slow moving glacier compels me not to OR i could run faster a not build defenses to psionics...but that would be hysterical

[Spaghetti Betty]

Dark/Rad scrapper. Dark Melee hits stupid hard thanks to some recent changes. You also have insane utility via dark consumption, siphon life, radiation therapy, and particle shielding, meaning you'll never have a problem recovering HP or end. Plus you get an added layer of -tohit added to mobs thanks to dark melee punches and Beta Decay. It will take a lot for you go to down once you start getting your key powers. And also very IO friendly once you start venturing into that.

[Heraclea]

For a restarter character, I recommend Brute or Scrapper.  Scrapper if you prefer to do more damage more consistently, Brute if you are comfortable with the fury mechanic.  On the Scrapper I would go with a defensive set like Energy or Shield - they get the same softcaps as a tanker on defense, but resistance sets like Fire and Invulnerabiliy are way lower.  Brute, anything you want can be made to work, although first characters probably should shy away from Stone, it's a dinosaur.

 

Attack sets.  Because of the numbers of mobs the game throws at you, AoE is king.  Radiation Melee, Spines, War Mace, Electric Melee all have plenty.  Dark has had its options somewhat upgraded, has fine synergy with any defensive set, and really benefits armors like Willpower and Shield that have no native self-heal. 

 

Or you could just roll a Tanker and relax. 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 14, 2021 by Heraclea