Energy Melee / Energy Aura build help

[Radzwe]

Old school player returning to the game, and feeling overwhelmed completing a build.

This Mids is just my pick of the powers I like/want.  Not sure slots I need for set etc.

All critiques/advice welcome.

 

Thanks

Powers - Brute (Energy Melee - Energy Aura).mbd

[Uun]

• Energy Aura is typed defense (as opposed to positional defense), so you're looking for sets that provide typed defense set bonuses. For example, Brute's Fury provides a S/L defense bonus with 3 pieces that you can double up. Blistering Cold provides a S/L defense bonus with 5 pieces and a F/C bonus with 6 pieces. You're also going to want the Steadfast Protection and Gladiator's Armor +def uniques (which you can slot in Dampening Field or Energy Protection), as well as the Reactive Defense and Shield Wall +res uniques (which you can slot in any defense shield). Your goal is to soft cap defense to S/L/F/C/E, get as close as possible with N, and a reasonable level of resistance as a back stop. 
• Other than a small amount of resistance in Energy Protection and a small amount of defense in Energy Drain, Energy Aura has no protection against toxic or psi damage outside of Overload. I recommend taking Overload for this reason (or slotting a lot of T/P resist set bonuses).
• Consider dropping Build Up, which isn't as useful on a brute.
• I don't recommend skipping Power Crash. Without it, Whirling Hands is your only AoE. Power Crash is a wide cone that can hit 10 foes if you use it while Energy Focus is active.,
• Energy Mastery, while thematic, is largely wasted with Energy Aura. You won't need Superior Conditioning or Physical Perfection once you get Energy Drain and Energize.