I made something silly: a strange kind of stunning brute/controller

[Darkir]

So I was inspired by some elec/kin/dark oppressive gloom testing on a corruptor to see what I could do with a stunning brute. It works surprising well. Wanna keep your team safe? Just keep everything stunned and savage leap to the next guys and stun them too. Just cloak of fear and oppressive gloom is enough to stun bosses, but not reliably. When you stack the stuns in electric fences and ball lightning though, most things get stunned around you and things are successfully mitigated. You really rely on dark regeneration to heal up your endurance though and even then cardiac really helps. Anyone here is the build I was playing with:

 

This Villain build was built using Mids Reborn 3.1.2.5
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Natural Brute
Primary Power Set: Savage Melee
Secondary Power Set: Dark Armor
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Savage Strike -- CrsImp-Dmg/EndRdx(A), CrsImp-Dmg/Rchg(31), CrsImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), CrsImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), CrsImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(3), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(3), UnbGrd-Max HP%(9), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(11)
Level 2: Maiming Slash -- SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx(A), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(40), SprBlsCol-Rchg/HoldProc(43)
Level 4: Death Shroud -- SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprUnrFur-Dmg/Rchg(5), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), SprUnrFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), SprUnrFur-Rchg/+Regen/+End(9)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11)
Level 8: Vicious Slash -- Hct-Dmg(A), Hct-Dmg/Rchg(25), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(25), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx(27), Hct-Dam%(27)
Level 10: Obsidian Shield -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A)
Level 12: Murky Cloud -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(21), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(23), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(23)
Level 14: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(15), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(15), Rct-ResDam%(48), Ksm-ToHit+(49)
Level 16: Dark Regeneration -- ScrDrv-Dam%(A), Obl-%Dam(17), Erd-%Dam(17), PrfZng-Dam%(19), TchoftheN-%Dam(19), ThfofEss-+End%(49)
Level 18: Rending Flurry -- SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBrtFur-Dmg/Rchg(36), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), SprBrtFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48), SprBrtFur-Rech/Fury%(48)
Level 20: Cloak of Darkness -- LucoftheG-Def(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(21)
Level 22: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(47), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(47), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(47)
Level 26: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(46)
Level 28: Cloak of Fear -- UnsTrr-Acc/Rchg(A), UnsTrr-EndRdx/Fear(29), UnsTrr-Acc/EndRdx(29), UnsTrr-Acc/Fear/Rchg(31), UnsTrr-Stun%(31)
Level 30: Tactics -- HO:Cyto(A)
Level 32: Savage Leap -- Obl-%Dam(A), Erd-%Dam(33), ScrDrv-Dam%(33), Arm-Dam%(33), PrfZng-Dam%(34), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(34)
Level 35: Oppressive Gloom -- AbsAmz-Stun(A), AbsAmz-Stun/Rchg(45), AbsAmz-Acc/Stun/Rchg(45), AbsAmz-EndRdx/Stun(46), AbsAmz-ToHitDeb%(46)
Level 38: Electrifying Fences -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(39), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(39), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), PstBls-Dam%(40), DblAct-Stun%(40)
Level 41: Ball Lightning -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(42), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(42), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), PstBls-Dam%(43), EnrMnp-Stun%(43)
Level 44: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 47: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 49: Soul Transfer -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury 
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A)
Level 1: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A)
Level 1: Blood Frenzy 
Level 0: Defense Amplifier (1 hour) 
Level 50: Cardiac Core Paragon 
Level 50: Marshal 
Level 50: Invader 
Level 50: High Pain Threshold 
Level 50: Born In Battle 
------------

| Copy & Paste this data into Mids Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|MxDz;1456;698;1396;HEX;|
|78DA6594596F125114C7EF308394AD402976BAD0025DD8DA114D7C3475A97DB0506|
|BFAA0F105C772A1446CC9408DC68FE083718B897569AB269AF86234EAB7B046BF86|
|D5C425FA60C6C33DE7069ADE30F971FEF79CBBFCEF9D295C9DF195CBB34799E23D5|
|1331B8DE2716BADC95DF36673CD326B2A83E682471772B1C06B9C1B8BE615B34201|
|75CCF0325F697063C6B42E158F5997572DE659585DAD198B75CE4B01F137CFCD12B|
|71ACBD5BA5FC4B3D5CA72B3BA52F1C9DE3A049193F5EA9241B3AD150B66A3C9AD6B|
|3A2C2109CF8B1493CDD6980938A8B1E18BC8F81272B444E4C807AD744516FD5485E|
|8F845FC83ECFA8BF4F44166D4CD5EC24C8A2C526E69A273EC36F10E32791799B987|
|5C876C958A9CAA0F45CD4FEC46EE0B1083C8AE1032013E3BA95871665B6B77330F7|
|13E0DE72097E39A7008514F3A44A59E420E64501FC862FC08B2DD54C4DC8770830F|
|21F292A87AC98D5E7263FF6F22B9128235F9E5B4FE5E450CDF1D21CE61D2811FC8D|
|C3F488B6AEC3120A008C76D67E03A1E4290615270C721927A1AB8C61E9D8A7B54A1|
|BF02DF43D2C2D006768E6E22C7B690934F69E667C4E7C827501596168669B9BDB45|
|C05F612A1BBC3223634A682D427BDE8232F0CF2C2202F0CF24283E47E39783F0D3E|
|45836F803A288D1AFC887768689BF80939FC99F845117B0DC38851793ED1C3AD574|
|D65AFC1801169C008B91623D762E466EC08BA172717E3D398B709DD09B98CC429BC|
|0E9373C43C726A9E781A8B2F40EDB89C71FC0DCE30F196F88EF81E99FC40BC897B3|
|0A138258B53549CA6E23415A7A93843C5991B307318AE1D18909547921556C2DD03|
|D190AE18E4EF1644397C8B6D96138737A4B5BF05F06B49B39A78D3175A929DDFDBB|
|FA0C90F01488A90BE7ADA1F07CAFAB64B8AA3B33B7BF3BEEF92EEA3993CD916ED75|
|5D7461301D8604D973DED3119CEB0CCE7606A29DE954FE0359B4E753|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

[Frozen Burn]

But all Brutes / Tanks can keep their teams safe with 1 power... Taunt!  If they're looking at you, they're not looking at your team.  😄 

 

Glad you're having fun with this.  Keep on!

[Sovera]

Why not energy melee if it's the goal? You can already reliably stun bosses (and AVs) with TF and EF. Even WH has a stun component.

[Snarky]

I have a Dark/Dark Brute I ran as a main for about half last year.  Yes, it does a GREAT job at damage mitigation through crowd control. I have penned a couple diatribes on the fact Dark gets more mileage out of mezze than it ever will out of more defense.  So I chase resist and accuracy on that build.  (One of the mezze auras is garbage accuracy out of the box…

 

Having said that the Dark Armor is not perfect for team agro management.  This is due to the other great protection of Dark Armor.  Semi stealth.  You can be eating 17 mobs 30 feet away from all their friends and no one gives a crap.  No one sees you.  Maybe with a taunt bot build it would be a little better.  Once they are in your circle they are constantly agro’d by 3 auras.  But it is not perfect for grabbing attention in large battles in my opinion 

Edited January 10, 2022 by Snarky

[Sovera]

12 minutes ago, Snarky said:

I have a Dark/Dark Brute I ran as a main for about half last year.  Yes, it does a GREAT job at damage mitigation through crowd control. I have penned a couple diatribes on the fact Dark gets more mileage out of mezze than it ever will out of more defense.  So I chase resist and accuracy on that build.  (One of the mezze auras is garbage accuracy out of the box…

 

Having said that the Dark Armor is not perfect for team agro management.  This is due to the other great protection of Dark Armor.  Semi stealth.  You can be eating 17 mobs 30 feet away from all their friends and no one gives a crap.  No one sees you.  Maybe with a taunt bot build it would be a little better.  Once they are in your circle they are constantly agro’d by 3 auras.  But it is not perfect for grabbing attention in large battles in my opinion 

 

Stealth gets toggled off when in combat so that's not going to be the reason the other group ignores you. They do because you've reached the agro limit of 17 mobs. What I sometimes do when solo is go through 2 or 3 groups and break LoS. As the 17 mobs come and start being killed the others will join until eventually all three groups are dead.

 

My own hold back against the concept is the usefulness of it. A tank/brute survives 17 mobs, and they are not going to move away because of agro, so the CC does not appear to have a practical use. Perhaps if it was available sooner than 35...

[Mopery]

My Dark/Electric Tank is usually standing amidst a crowd of dumfounded dimwit enemies stumbling about to and fro. Then I Lightning Rod them. 😁

[RobotLove]

1 hour ago, Sovera said:

Stealth gets toggled off when in combat so that's not going to be the reason the other group ignores you.

 

Cloak of Darkness retains a 35' stealth radius in combat.

[Sovera]

3 minutes ago, RobotLove said:

 

Cloak of Darkness retains a 35' stealth radius in combat.

 

Does it? Mids seems to agree in that the 35' is only suppressed when clicking on a glowie and makes no mention of fighting. I live and learn.

[Snarky]

It does not suppress ( at least all evidence in play indicates it is operating fully)

[Krazie Ivan]

some mechanical issues & End drawbacks aside... as with the Corr thread, credit due for creativity Darkir. keep things interesting
;D

[Snarky]

3 hours ago, Krazie Ivan said:

some mechanical issues & End drawbacks aside... as with the Corr thread, credit due for creativity Darkir. keep things interesting
;D

Oh I love it.   Probably one of the strongest Brutes I have.  Just not great for being the main agro controller

[Darkir]

13 hours ago, Sovera said:

Why not energy melee if it's the goal? You can already reliably stun bosses (and AVs) with TF and EF. Even WH has a stun component.

Because Savage leap exists and I can't go back. I can't. I won't. You cant make me.

[Yomo Kimyata]

I like it!  Cloak of Fear and Oppressive Gloom shouldn’t stack  on bosses though, since they are different types of mitigation (fear and stun respectively).

[Bionic_Flea]

2 hours ago, Yomo Kimyata said:

I like it!  Cloak of Fear and Oppressive Gloom shouldn’t stack  on bosses though, since they are different types of mitigation (fear and stun respectively).

He placed a stun proc in Cloak of Fear to stack stuns with Oppressive Gloom.  Sounds good; never tried it.

[Yomo Kimyata]

Ooh, I missed that.  How about a Triumphant Insult proc in there too?

[IronJuke]

This is my new build for Psionic Dark.  I really like it.  I made about twenty builds late last week look at forum posts and previous builds I had done. 

 

I was trying to come up with a replacement for my TW Brute, who was my main for a long time.   I may  make this a topic if interest is shown. 

 

Some choices I am facing.. take Tentacles instead of Gloom.  Which could yield even more defense if slotted with Enfeebled Operation, but that Defense isn't really needed.

 

Other choice would be between Widow and Taunt, which I'd probably go with Taunt vs the fun factor extra Pet. 

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.1.2.5
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Xenobia Splice: Level 50 Mutation Brute
Primary Power Set: Psionic Melee
Secondary Power Set: Dark Armor
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Psi Blade -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(3), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(3), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5)
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(5), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(7), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(7), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(37), UnbGrd-Max HP%(39)
Level 2: Telekinetic Blow -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(9), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(9), KntCmb-Knock%(11)
Level 4: Death Shroud -- SprAvl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(15), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(17), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17)
Level 6: Murky Cloud -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(11), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(13), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(13)
Level 8: Psi Blade Sweep -- SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBrtFur-Dmg/Rchg(19), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(21), SprBrtFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(23), SprBrtFur-Rech/Fury%(46), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 10: Concentration -- GssSynFr--Build%(A)
Level 12: Obsidian Shield -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(23), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(25), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(25)
Level 14: Super Jump -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A)
Level 16: Dark Regeneration -- Obl-%Dam(A), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Prv-Heal(42), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(43), TchoftheN-%Dam(43), ThfofEss-+End%(43)
Level 18: Kick -- FrcFdb-Rechg%(A)
Level 20: Cloak of Darkness -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(21), LucoftheG-Def(31), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(31), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 22: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(27), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(27), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(29), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(33), GldArm-3defTpProc(50)
Level 24: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def(29), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(31), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(33), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(39), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(50)
Level 26: Greater Psi Blade -- SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx(39), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), SprBlsCol-Rchg/HoldProc(40)
Level 28: Cloak of Fear -- GlmoftheA-Dam%(A), GlmoftheA-EndRdx/Fear(48)
Level 30: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 32: Mass Levitate -- SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprUnrFur-Dmg/Rchg(33), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), SprUnrFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SprUnrFur-Rchg/+Regen/+End(36)
Level 35: Gloom -- Apc-Dmg(A), Apc-Dmg/Rchg(36), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Apc-Acc/Rchg(37), Apc-Dam%(37)
Level 38: Boggle -- CrcPrs-Conf%(A)
Level 41: Dark Obliteration -- SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg(A), SprFrzBls-Dmg/EndRdx(42), SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), SprFrzBls-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(46)
Level 44: Darkest Night -- DmpSpr-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(A), DmpSpr-ToHitDeb(45)
Level 47: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48)
Level 49: Taunt -- MckBrt-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury 
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A), Prv-Absorb%(19), Prv-Heal(50)
Level 1: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A)
Level 14: Double Jump 
------------

 

 

 

Xenobia Brute Psionic Melee+Dark+Taunt.mxd

[Cancrusher]

It's surprisingly enjoyable to attempt strange builds that accomplish the same things a particular AT does well, in offbeat ways, through the combination of odd and quirky powers.

 

I do this myself- often for thematic/rp reasons but also, occasionally, just as a thought experiment.  It's always fun when it turns out to work better than you expected.

[Hjarki]

I have something similar with Stone/Energy, although it's more of an 'additional feature' to a build that's structure around damage.

[Yomo Kimyata]

This post inspired me.  I'm all for trying new stuff, so I wanted to mix up a stunning brute (along with my normal arsenal of fear and knockdown) with an ice melee *without* any of the stupid ugly elemental swords.  Some things I learned/discovered:

 

-- I'm not getting nearly as much stun as I anticipated.  Minions, sure.  But lts and bosses are very uncommon.  With Oppressive Gloom (mag 2) at ridiculous accuracy I should be getting 95% of minions and lts every pulse, and statistically I would expect bosses to get stunned more often from the (mag 1) proc disorients I have all over the place in fear and taunt.  Some possible explanations:  my accuracy in Cloak of Fear isn't high enough; there are so many other types of mez being thrown around (hold, fear, knockdown) that I'm just not seeing it; other.

 

-- I'm certainly going to try this again but with different power mixes and different ATs.  Brute (and stalker) benefit from having two spots in the Body epic pool to slot perf shifters though.  I generally don't like to "solve" my endurance problems in the post-game of incarnates, but that is the path of least resistance.  

 

-- There's a big difference in mitigation between mag 1 stun procs (fear/taunt) and mag 2 stun procs (end mod/immob).  Also, stacking stun with immobilize is really helpful, especially with things like Crey who seem to run for the hills when they get stunned.

 

-- I don't usually play far post-50, but I want to try out some things that I've never tried before.  Hybrid: Control; some wacky interface ideas.  I'll end up with Alpha: Vigor for the accuracy and endurance reduction, but will start with Nerve for T1.

 

Thanks for the inspiration!  Stay curious!