Are there any powersets which are better on Brute than on other AT's ?

[Icono04]

I hope this question makes sense, but if not, another way to phrase it would be: If you have ever told someone "hey, if you only play [insert name of powerset here] once in your lifetime, you should play it on a brute, they get the best version of it" - what powerset(s) was that?

 

A bit of clarification: It seems to be generally agreed that where the same powerset can be played on several different AT's, it is better on some of those AT's than on others. Regen and elec melee are the only two I really know about, but I assume the same holds true for most if not all powersets, primary as well as secondary.

For myself, I haven't done very well with the few brutes I have played (eng/eng back on Live, elec/elec, kin/elec and db/fire on HC). That is a me problem, not the AT's fault; for whatever reason, brute is one of the AT's that just I just can't seem to gel with. I wonder, though, if the lack of gellling is because I was playing powersets which are more difficult to play, especially for someone like me for whom the brute playstyle is not intuitive.

And before anyone says "don't follow the meta, just play what you enjoy", the problem is that I have tried that 4 times already and failed to enjoy it, so maybe it is time to see if "the wisdom of the crowd" is better at picking brutes for me than I myself am 🙂  Oh, and this would be intended for PvE only, an even mix of solo and PUG teams, levelling on story arcs and TFs, maybe some itrials but no starred content or other hard content.

 

So, what powersets live their best life on a brute?  😉  As usual, many thanks in advance.

[Without_Pause]

Regen and EA since you can't get them on a Tanker. 😆 The bigger AoEs for the damage auras looks to win out on a Tanker versus a Brute, but hell if I'm not having fun on my Axe/stone. For melee sets, it gets harder. Savage could be in the conversation since it is so DoT based. It might overtake the bigger AoEs of a Tanker and the fact that Stalkers get a legit ST heavy hitter out of it, but DoT isn't really what a Stalker wants as it wants high burst damage. 

[Maelwys]

IMO since Fury has a big effect on Brimstone Procs; Stone Armor (non Granite) is a major contender for your secondary.
And since it also buffs DoT damage; Fiery Aura isn't bad either.

For Primary? Nothing will match a Scrapper vs a Pylon; and nothing will match a Tanker on an AE Farming map or ITF kill-most run... but if you go by Ston's old 2022 Melee Powerset Comparison for Trapdoor (back whenever that mission was a decent finger in the air for "overall offensive effectiveness") then the powersets that pull a smidge ahead or come very close on a Brute are: Staff Melee, Kinetic Melee, Super Strength, Electric Melee, Titan Weapons and Broadsword.
Of those I would probably go with Super Strength, personally. Single-stacked Rage slotted for +ToHit can do most of the heavy lifting to buff your accuracy levels enough to 6-slot your attack powers with Damage Procs... and the crash is much less of an issue whenever you're not double-stacking it and your attacks are proc-heavy.

TL;DR: "Maybe try a SS/Stone Brute?"
 

Edited 12 hours ago by Maelwys

[Erratic1]

1 hour ago, Maelwys said:

... but if you go by Ston's old 2022 Melee Powerset Comparison for Trapdoor (back whenever that mission was a decent finger in the air for "overall offensive effectiveness") then the powersets that pull a smidge ahead or come very close on a Brute are: Staff Melee, Kinetic Melee, Super Strength, Electric Melee, Titan Weapons and Broadsword.

 

Keep in mind Kinetic (and Psionic, which was missed) are underpowered, and Staff and Electric are mediocre. 

 

As for a suggestion, you might give Savage/Electric, Savage/Bio, or Savage/Fire a go--depending on what flavor or perks you want from your armor set. SS/Bio is my primary Brute and works well. (I have an SS/EA I am casually working up and she works well too.)

 

My most recent Brute (for redside play) is an Energy/Electric and has been enjoyable (at least up to level 35). Electric will not perform better on a Scrapper or Stalker, and you get a damage aura increased by Fury (a trick Tankers cannot match). Add too that while Tanker do get more area for their area attacks, Energy Melee's big hitters are single-target.

 

It is painfully obvious Brutes need something but we cannot even have the conversation as when the issue pops up, people who never post in the Brute forum (other than to suggest whatever power combination is under discussion would be better played on another AT) and sometimes admit they do not even play Brutes show up to insist Brutes are fine.

 

So for the time being, look to the specific combinations which either cannot be had on other ATs or which in combination emerge better for Brutes.

Edited 11 hours ago by Erratic1

[WuTang]

Primaries: Super Strength, Radiation, Energy, and I personally like Electric

 

Secondaries: Invulnerability, Bio, Fiery Aura, and again personally I like Electric

 

It's all down to playstyle, IMO. I don't gel well with Doms but have played on teams with some and they absolutely were clutch. I like Brutes and Corruptors. I have others that I like playing but those two ATs are my jam. And I think it's down to synergy within your build that'll determine if it's a "must play." I have a Rad/Fire Brute whose endurance use is crazy, but he absolutely melts mobs. And I have an EM/Rad that I can mash attacks 90 to nuthin and endurance is never an issue, and the ST attacks are brutal. I'm working on a Rad/Rad build, on paper it looks solid, we'll see how the combo plays out, could be my next "must play."

 

I say keep rolling the dice, but then you could be to Brutes as I am to Doms...just not in the cards.

 

I do agree with @Erratic1 that Brutes need a lil love, but that could just be my bias shining through.

[Uun]

Resistance-based armors (Dark, Electric, Fire and Radiation) are better on brutes than on scrappers or stalkers because of the higher resistance cap. They will still perform better on tanks than brutes due to the higher resist values. 

[Gobbledigook]

Brutes have the higher health and resistances cap, so you could take advantage of them. Solo you will be tough enough, but in a team those buffs will work well with the Brutes increased caps.

 

Invulnerability will give you good defense and resists and let you reach the health cap. It also gives +to hit so you can pick any primary you like.

Stone is also good for defense/resists/health and gives some +recharge and a proc. Endurance heavy though.

Bio if you want to focus more on damage, works well with a Brute.

 

Pick a primary attack set you like as that will be what you are using most of the time.