I am done with Brutes

[Erratic1]

35 minutes ago, Hopestar said:

If the reason to play Brute was having a couple exclusive power sets, I think you can agree there's something very wrong there. That said, this thread is just full of silly opinions just like the start.

 

It was more than a couple back before Proliferation Madness. And to this day, you do not get to play Titan Weapon Stalkers, Ninjitsu Brutes, or Super Strength Scrappers.

 

 

[tidge]

On 8/6/2025 at 9:51 PM, Hopestar said:

If the reason to play Brute was having a couple exclusive power sets, I think you can agree there's something very wrong there. That said, this thread is just full of silly opinions just like the start.

 

The above may be ignoring that there is a helluva lot of content where different ATs don't have access to the same (or similar) tier powers because of when powers can be chosen... so it wasn't as if the game was designed to have primaries and secondaries (or Epics) be interchangeable.(*1)... i.e. level 50-only play. By my estimate, 99% of all "but balance!" arguments are predicated on level 50 builds (and what can be slotted at level 50, and what Incarnate powers can do for a level 50 build, etc.) I haven't forgotten that it was (on Live) the subscriber/prestige attacks that made early levels bearable, especially for ATs that might not even be able to string together enough attacks to face a classic 2-minions-and-1-LT spawn.

 

(*1) I can understand why a lot of the sets "ported" from one AT to another look indistinguishable, the same goes for certain Epic/Patron pools. The HC (power) devs appear to have settled on an approach that does most of what they want... but we have seen that the core mechanics of the ATs will cause slight but measurable differences in *solo* performance at some extreme settings. I appreciate when the HC devs tweak power sets to bring balance to over-performing sets and powers (so Dark/Soul changes, Seeds of Confusion, etc.)

 

Why the devs (and players... but at least players share their thoughts) care about the miniscule differences in solo play between three melee ATs at level 50 is a legit mystery to me... It seems clear to me that the devs have some clever ideas to implement for other ATs with powers that demonstrably under-perform... for example the adaptive recharge for (previously) long recharge AoE holds... abilities that should have always been on par with Blaster nukes but never came close. There are bigger fish/crabs/lobsters to fry with Kheldians (for example) and I still think there are a handful of Inherents that merit deeper consideration (specifically VEATs).

 

 

 

 

 

 

[normalperson]

I understand why the OP is upset.             I recently logged on to my Psi/Ele brute to discover "Power Surge" has been nerfed.            It recharges a bit faster, but now it only gives you 18.75% boost to your resistances, and only for 30 seconds.                  I like that it doesn't fully sap your End to zero when it expires, but 18.75% is a whole different story from what it used to do.               You were basically at 90% in everything for a couple of minutes, with decent enhancements.         

 

I can see why some people would consider that unfairly powerful for a non-tank, but it was only useable a couple of times per session.       I reserved it for emergencies, like if the team's tank accidentally pulls 2 or 3 spawns at once, or I accidentally aggro a spawn myself.            It was quite a power rush for the few minutes I had it, though. 

 

So I can see why the OP is upset.   You build a character you're proud of.   Situationally the best at something of anyone in the room, and then "Yoink!!!" it gets arbitrarily ripped away.   

I'll probably make an electric tank sometime soon, but I'm "once bitten" when it comes to brutes.               

 

The thing with Brutes is:  They are ONLY fun if you come up with a strategy.         It's not a class that you just throw into the fray and it plays well.       Tanks are designed to be playable/survivable with little or no understanding of game mechanics.   Scraps are the same for damage.    Brute has neither survivability nor damage unless you figure out a way to last a few seconds of continuous fighting. 

 

Brutes and Stalkers require finesse.       But you can't finesse anything if they keep changing the specs.        Each strategy is going to be very very dialed in to exactly what strengths/weaknesses your power set faces. 

[SomeGuy]

6 hours ago, normalperson said:

"Power Surge" has been nerfed.            It recharges a bit faster, but now it only gives you 18.75% boost to your resistances, and only for 30 seconds.                  I like that it doesn't fully sap your End to zero when it expires, but 18.75% is a whole different story from what it used to do.               You were basically at 90% in everything for a couple of minutes, with decent enhancements.         

 

I can see why some people would consider that unfairly powerful for a non-tank, but it was only useable a couple of times per session.       I reserved it for emergencies, like if the team's tank accidentally pulls 2 or 3 spawns at once, or I accidentally aggro a spawn myself.            It was quite a power rush for the few minutes I had it, though.

 

 

Funny, I think it got buffed. I never even had it on my bars before. If I even did take it, it was just a set mule. Now I actually throw an extra slot in it and have it on my bars, and use it.

 

These are my #s before and after I use the power:

 

 

I never considered it a great power because my build is already mostly resistance capped. No, I don't value HP/s anywhere near as much as DEF>RES>TOTAL HP, but it does give a decent HP/s boost while active, and that can be paired with Energize if need be. The two stack decently well together. And the end/s is a nice bonus. Basically, it went from a useless power with a really bad crash, to something that is actually useful, can still use it for a unique, and I can actually get reliable use out of it without the crash being momentum killing.

[normalperson]

I could probably dust off that toon and get the resistances up higher.    I had smash/lethal/energy to 90 without tapping the Power Surge button.    Probably around 70 for fire/cold   Lucky to get anywhere near 50 on Dark or Tox though.           The set has nothing for toxic, but with just a few set bonuses, Power Surge would cap it. 

 

But even if I got her power level back up to where I wanted it, she's just plain a different toon now.        If I were truly attached, I suppose I would make it work somehow.  

 

These changes only really discourage us away from our moderate to least favorites.          Unless there actually ends up being no work around.       I'm worried someday they'll set Brute soft cap to 75 like it is for scrappers, and that will be the end of the era. 

 

As it is, with some strategy you can make a not-quote tanker that deals continuous damage.         That's fun.     If they actually make brutes unable to tank, and therefore unable to live long enough to deal damage - then it just becomes a non-class. 

Edited Sunday at 07:42 PM by normalperson

[Wavicle]

It does get a little Toxic now, and regeneration from Power Sink as well.

[Maelwys]

Also it was Elec Armor in general that was changed, not just on Brutes...

 

 

 

 

[normalperson]

 

I imagine maybe they changed it because hardly anyone was playing it.    So I would be one of the few who disliked the change, and only because I had more or less mastered using it to good effect. 

I didn't really like the character, though, so its more of an excuse if I give up on her. 

 

If they really want more people to play /elec, then adding an alternate appearance for Lightning Field would probably do it.   Having the lightning come up at a 45 degree angle from your feet is kind of awkward.         Perhaps it could be more centered, and come out at a 90 degree angle the way Rune of Protection does it?       

[Wavicle]

Just so we are clear, Electric Armor was buffed, not nerfed.

[SomeGuy]

1 hour ago, normalperson said:

 

I imagine maybe they changed it because hardly anyone was playing it.        

 

 

Funny, cause after it got it's initial buff from the horrible state it launched in, ElA was arguably one of the best armor sets for melee in the game. I forgot about the Grounded change. That was super nice.