Struggling with what I want to pair with /Rad... (Claws or EM?)

[Story Archer]

I'm not that experienced with Brutes, but I've run a ton of Scrappers and Tankers. I know I really want to see what /Rad feels like on a Brute but I'm unsure as to my primary. At the moment I'm torn between Claws and Energy Melee.

 

I have a Claws/SR Scrapper and I really enjoy her. I like having the ranged attack in Focus and Spin is a terrific AoE, but /Rad isn't exactly hurting in the AoE department with a couple of mini-nukes to throw around and I plan on having a ranged attack from my Epic.

 

I've never played Energy Melee before but I've always wanted to, which is why it's a little ahead right now - that and thematic reasons, of course. I can tell that Whirling Hands is meh but since /Rad comes with those nice mini-nukes, I figure I'll be relying on it less than I otherwise would be. I'm also taking Cross Punch in the build I've put together so that would help a little bit in that department.

 

I guess the question is, is there any reason why I wouldn't want to play an EM/Rad Brute, and since I don't get to play Brutes much, would this give me a good sense of what the AT feels like? The only other Brute I've run was a Staff/Electric and I've enjoyed her, but I haven't gotten her past L30 yet because I keep finding myself drifting back to Scrappers for more damage or Tankers for more survivability. Also, any advice from veteran EM players if I do go this route? TIA!

[Snarky]

1 hour ago, Story Archer said:

I'm not that experienced with Brutes, but I've run a ton of Scrappers and Tankers. I know I really want to see what /Rad feels like on a Brute but I'm unsure as to my primary. At the moment I'm torn between Claws and Energy Melee.

 

I have a Claws/SR Scrapper and I really enjoy her. I like having the ranged attack in Focus and Spin is a terrific AoE, but /Rad isn't exactly hurting in the AoE department with a couple of mini-nukes to throw around and I plan on having a ranged attack from my Epic.

 

I've never played Energy Melee before but I've always wanted to, which is why it's a little ahead right now - that and thematic reasons, of course. I can tell that Whirling Hands is meh but since /Rad comes with those nice mini-nukes, I figure I'll be relying on it less than I otherwise would be. I'm also taking Cross Punch in the build I've put together so that would help a little bit in that department.

 

I guess the question is, is there any reason why I wouldn't want to play an EM/Rad Brute, and since I don't get to play Brutes much, would this give me a good sense of what the AT feels like? The only other Brute I've run was a Staff/Electric and I've enjoyed her, but I haven't gotten her past L30 yet because I keep finding myself drifting back to Scrappers for more damage or Tankers for more survivability. Also, any advice from veteran EM players if I do go this route? TIA!

I havent tried it but it looks like EM/Rad would be a powerful Brute.  gl

 

Oh, and because I found this great gif I want to share....

 

[venetiasilver]

1 hour ago, Story Archer said:

I'm not that experienced with Brutes, but I've run a ton of Scrappers and Tankers. I know I really want to see what /Rad feels like on a Brute but I'm unsure as to my primary. At the moment I'm torn between Claws and Energy Melee.

 

I have a Claws/SR Scrapper and I really enjoy her. I like having the ranged attack in Focus and Spin is a terrific AoE, but /Rad isn't exactly hurting in the AoE department with a couple of mini-nukes to throw around and I plan on having a ranged attack from my Epic.

 

I've never played Energy Melee before but I've always wanted to, which is why it's a little ahead right now - that and thematic reasons, of course. I can tell that Whirling Hands is meh but since /Rad comes with those nice mini-nukes, I figure I'll be relying on it less than I otherwise would be. I'm also taking Cross Punch in the build I've put together so that would help a little bit in that department.

 

I guess the question is, is there any reason why I wouldn't want to play an EM/Rad Brute, and since I don't get to play Brutes much, would this give me a good sense of what the AT feels like? The only other Brute I've run was a Staff/Electric and I've enjoyed her, but I haven't gotten her past L30 yet because I keep finding myself drifting back to Scrappers for more damage or Tankers for more survivability. Also, any advice from veteran EM players if I do go this route? TIA!

You will not need Cross Punch since Energy Melee has Power Crash already which can hit 10 Targets in Energy Focus mode. You can Total Focus a Boss, angle right Power Crash For 10 Targets then Whirling Hands after. Ground Zero again.
It's solid.

[Story Archer]

9 minutes ago, venetiasilver said:

You will not need Cross Punch since Energy Melee has Power Crash already which can hit 10 Targets in Energy Focus mode. You can Total Focus a Boss, angle right Power Crash For 10 Targets then Whirling Hands after. Ground Zero again.
It's solid.

 

I kind of liked Cross Punch over Power Crash because it recharges a little faster, deals a little more damage and allows me to drop a +Rech FF proc into it.

 

Is there something about Power Crash I'm missing?

[venetiasilver]

1 minute ago, Story Archer said:

 

I kind of liked Cross Punch over Power Crash because it recharges a little faster, deals a little more damage and allows me to drop a +Rech FF proc into it.

 

Is there something about Power Crash I'm missing?

Higher Target Cap in Energy Focus mode.

[Erratic1]

1 hour ago, venetiasilver said:

Higher Target Cap in Energy Focus mode.

 

I do not find it often the extra targeting capacity of Energy Focus mode Power Crash is meaningful.

 

As for the initial question, you already are playing a Claws character, so on balance Energy Melee would probably be the choice between the two. I can very much get behind the notion of taking Cross Punch (something I do on SS characters) because EM is a bit weak area wise compared to other powersets. The other merit to Energy Melee paired with Rad Armor would be its support for using Energy Transfer (in Energy Focus mode) as quickly as you can get Total Focus to cycle as regen will help offset the health loss.

 

[venetiasilver]

2 hours ago, Erratic1 said:

 

I do not find it often the extra targeting capacity of Energy Focus mode Power Crash is meaningful.

 

As for the initial question, you already are playing a Claws character, so on balance Energy Melee would probably be the choice between the two. I can very much get behind the notion of taking Cross Punch (something I do on SS characters) because EM is a bit weak area wise compared to other powersets. The other merit to Energy Melee paired with Rad Armor would be its support for using Energy Transfer (in Energy Focus mode) as quickly as you can get Total Focus to cycle as regen will help offset the health loss.

 

I find myself using hover on melee toons lately so I can get better cone angles. an extra 4-5 targets is nice.

[Without_Pause]

I have hopped upward to get more coverage with cones. My criticisms of EM are two-fold. The animation time of TF, and it does arguably too much damage at least on a Scrapper as it overkills so many things. So so many things. I probably should run it on a Brute instead if TF was reasonable. Animation time is also why I don't have a Elec Melee character. I still yearn for a fast paced Sonic Melee set to be the energy damage type set for me. While I love Claws, Spin recharges slower on a Brute. 

[Maelwys]

Energy Melee is one of those sets where I love its performance but I really struggle to justify taking it on anything other than Scrappers (or at a pinch, Stalkers). IMO the ST chain is the main draw; and it's just so much more satisfying whenever you can stack the Energy Focus mechanic with a Superior Critical Strikes ATO Proc (or guaranteed Assassin's Strike Crits). Perhaps part of it is nostalga for the old days when my EM/Regen Stalker's Energy Transfer was always "quick mode", much to the dismay of many lowbie Zone PVPers...

Power Crash's scaling Target Cap is a nice touch; although I suspect it may be  more useful on a different secondary. I usually skip PC on /Rad because with all the extra AoE that Ground Zero and Radiation Therapy bring to the table; my AoE spike chain is typically just WH -> GZ -> RT -> WH; followed by finishing off any surviving EBs (plus the occasional Judgement). And my relationship history with cones attacks on melee ATs is firmly in "it's complicated" territory 
 

[WuTang]

One of my best Brutes is Em/Rad, tough, does great ST damage and good AOE, and easy on endurance. Solid choice in my book.

[Erratic1]

On 10/27/2024 at 3:27 PM, Erratic1 said:

I do not find it often the extra targeting capacity of Energy Focus mode Power Crash is meaningful.

 

Going to revise this to its usefulness depends upon crowd size. Been playing more x6-x8 lately and it is quite handy there.