Neogumbercules

Get the Theft of Essence proc in Dark Regeneration. You'll end up gaining endurance every time you use it!

Like others have said, aim for recharge and the Cardiac Alpha. S/L defense is probably not necessary on a farmer. On a normal build it would turn you into a god. Since your goal is farming, you should be more concerned about kill speed. If you're solo on x8 you'll be getting more inspiration than you know what to do with. You'll practically always be at or near the defense soft-cap from your purple drops alone.

Think of it this way: If you have a fast kill speed and can endure the initial engagement, inspirations will cover pretty much every hole in your build.

If you're farming AE use the inspiration vendor to cap your damage and defense, then stock up on 10 lucks and 10 enrages. Make sure you have the map loaded and ready to enter beforehand. Then just jump into the mission and run to your target to trigger the ambushes. When your initial enrages start to wear off pop the 10 you have in storage, then use the lucks that you have to keep yourself at the soft-cap. If you want you can just spam F1-F5 constantly to use every inspiration that drops. I find that to be a pretty effective method.

I'd go for Ion (higher target cap and the damage proc is good.) Reactive for more damage. the +recharge Destiny and the support tree for Lore. Any pets you have are going to get instantly destroyed in an ambush. In a normal farm you can probably hold enough of the aggro to keep them going.

A while back there were people using power boost + a fully slotted Power Thrust to knock level 1 hellions halfway across Atlas park. That was hilarious. I think the devs made it so that doesn't work anymore, though.

Claws for Brutes is an extremely well-rounded set. The ST damage is pretty good and it has great AoE potential. The fast recharging powers ensure that you always have an attack ready to go and the set just feels fast. Personally I'm going with fire because I can squeeze 3 Spins into a single Fiery Embrace for massive AoE damage.

But pretty much any Brute secondary will work. I'd say go with whatever tickles your fancy.

You can probably go ahead and disable the fan voltage on your GPUs since there's no fan. Your temps seem OK, so I'm not sure they are overheating. As a previous poster stated you may be overheating your mobo chipset, so make sure you have enough airflow in your case.

And yeah as the other posters stated, 1/2 speed fans so they are quieter.

Run Prime95 and FurMark. Run those (separately and then at the same time) and monitor your temps. Those will stress your hardware more than any game. Then you'll be sure.

Definitely don't get an FX5200. Total, complete garbage. I had one for a while. It wasn't pretty.

Are you sure you can't stretch your budget to $400-500? You could get a whole new system that will crush the one you're going to upgrade. It's really not worth it. Totally understandable if you don't wanna, though.

Soulwind pretty much said it all. Need a bigger/better radiator. For an SLI + CPU loop you may even need a 360mm rad if it'll fit somewhere in your case. Then you can slap a few silent 120mm fans on it (I like Fractal Designs fans). Get a fan controller and set them to half speed.

I've never tried doing a water cooling set-up like that before, so maybe I'm overestimating what you need.

If it helps, I've found that if I click on a link and it hangs I can always hit stop then refresh and that almost always works. I just have to do it pretty much every time...

Been having this problem too! Thanks for posting this thread Zombie Man. Glad to know it's not just me.

I've been using a level 35 Claws/Fire to run the Frontload mission that I've been using on my SS/Fire, and I gotta say, this thing has a lot of potential. No Rage crash and Spin does immense damage. I'm thinking once this thing is fully slotted I could even outpace the SS. The endurance use is vastly better, and the addition of Eviscerate to my AoE arsenal seems to be a big help. Even if it doesn't outpace SS, just not having to deal with a Rage crash while producing similar performance would be awesome.

I won't be able to make any direct comparisons until I get her to 50, slotted, and do some serious testing, but so far it looks really good. On the build I've put together in Mid's Spin recharges in less than 4 seconds. That allows me to use it more often in the duration of a Fiery Embrace than I could with Footstomp.

Just doing some quick math (recharge+cast time/20) with my builds I can use Spin 3 times during a FE for 458/use damage and only 2 times with Footstomp for 378/use damage. That's under 85 Fury (+Rage on the SS) with ED damage slotting with a damage proc in Spin. Under a farming situation the increased radius of Footstomp doesn't really matter since I'll be completely surrounded by enemies all the time. The kicker will be how much of an increase the FF +rech proc will help the SS.

I think when the Claws hits 50 I'll do ten runs of Frontload with each of them at 2/8 and see how they average out. I'll use my usual method of mashing F1-F5 to use every inspiration that drops. While that will add a random element, that's how I play the mission every single time so I consider it "normal environmental condition."

Should be a good time waster, if anything.

PvP and Masterminds. Two things that will never be addressed. I don't mean to cry doom, really, but at this point it seems like the only thing Paragon is going to let the devs do is make new shinies. There's nothing wrong with that. Just sucks for MMs I guess. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood right now...

Lots of players who never picked up MMs before are gonna have a hell of a time experiencing all of the wonderful AI stupidity we've all been putting up with for years! :P

I don't have the resources to try it out myself, but it'd be interesting to see how Fiery Embrace has changed that.

You seem to have the pros and cons down pretty well so all I can give you is my personal experience. I went Fire/Shield, and outside of attempting to solo AVs I never really found myself hoping for a self heal. Once I was soft-capped I never really had any survivability issues. As far as ST damage goes, I managed to down a Pylon in 5:30 with Monkeys saturating my AAO the whole time so I think that puts it somewhere around 250 DPS and this was on a very unoptimized build/chain at the time.

DM does do more ST DPS once you've got Soul Drain running with a fully saturated AAO, but even with the Judgement slot and an APP AoE you still won't match what a Fire/Shield can do with Fire Sword Circle, the Judgement slot and an APP AoE.

DM/Shield is probably the winner for best all-rounder and best AV solo'er but if AoE damage is more important to you, go Fire/ and never look back.

That's really not a good farming build.

For farming on a SS/Fire you really only want 1 thing. Recharge. Thanks to Stamina now being inherent you now have the option to add a few extra powers to devote to defense. I like to use defense powers as LotG mules. This allows you to build for more recharge and get a nice layer of defense to boot. Now, baring the use of super expensive uniques or purple sets, you can get a nice high-end build going. This is what I have right now:

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.93
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Technology Brute
Primary Power Set: Super Strength
Secondary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Punch -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(11), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
Level 1: Fire Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(7), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(7), RctvArm-EndRdx(19), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(43)
Level 2: Haymaker -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(3), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(11), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37)
Level 4: Healing Flames -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(5), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(5), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(39), Dct'dW-Heal(40)
Level 6: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), Krma-ResKB(40)
Level 8: Knockout Blow -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(9), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36)
Level 10: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(13), RechRdx-I(13)
Level 14: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(15), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(15), RctvArm-EndRdx(40)
Level 16: Plasma Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(17), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(17), RctvArm-EndRdx(43)
Level 18: Rage -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 20: Consume -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(21), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(21), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46)
Level 22: Blazing Aura -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(23), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(23), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(31), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46)
Level 24: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def(25), LkGmblr-Rchg+(25)
Level 26: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def(27), LkGmblr-Rchg+(27)
Level 28: Burn -- Oblit-%Dam(A), Oblit-Dmg(29), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(29), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(31), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34)
Level 30: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A)
Level 32: Foot Stomp -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(33), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(33), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34), FrcFbk-Rechg%(39)
Level 35: Fiery Embrace -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(39)
Level 38: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 41: Gloom -- Decim-Acc/Dmg(A), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx(42), Decim-Dmg/Rchg(42), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43)
Level 44: Dark Obliteration -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(45), Posi-Dmg/Rng(45), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46)
Level 47: Soul Tentacles -- Enf'dOp-Acc/Rchg(A), Enf'dOp-EndRdx/Immob(48), Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx(48), Enf'dOp-Immob/Rng(48), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob/Rchg(50), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob(50)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 50: Spiritual Core Paragon
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(34)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(37), P'Shift-End%(50)



Perma-Hasten with the Spiritual Paragon. Some would argue that Mu is a superior choice, and it may be. I haven't run hard comparisons, but I really feel like I'm killing faster with Dark Obliteration. Under a Fiery Embrace, the added upfront damage kills everything it hits right away which keeps me from wasting time and endurance on enemies who would otherwise be alive if I had used Ball Lightning and had to wait for it's DoT. Plus Gloom is just an awesome attack.

I might suggest DM/Shield. Good ST chain since you're going to be solo and the two sets go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Extra health in True Grit and extra damage/taunt from AAO. Once you get the aiming down on Shadow Maul you can routinely hit 3-5 enemies per use. I know you said it didn't matter to you, but it's also an end-game beast. And a mid-game beast for that matter...

I'd suggest taking Maneuvers early on to help get more defense.

Death Shroud doesn't cancel out Cloak of Fear as much as you'd think. I can't give you any specific details about how it works on a tank, but I respec'd into oppressive gloom long ago and never looked back.

Does anybody know if there are any solid ideas on what, if any, the problem is with MMs and the incarnate trial rewards?

Very high recharge with a good mix of defense is the path to success on a Fire/Dark. Your to-hit debuffs paired with the defense should be enough to floor any enemies chance to hit you. After that, you just need to focus on getting back your debuffs, especially tar patch, as fast as you can.

I'm on vacation at the moment so I don't have my builds handy. I'm sure someone will come around and post one for you since Fire/Dark is a pretty popular combination.

Basically, 20-25% defense to everything, then focus on recharge. I'll post my F/D build once I'm back home if you're still interested.

Also, your title reminded me of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13woBVQw1_8

Take Gloom from Soul Mastery.

Updated with Virusman's issue. Thanks for keeping the thread alive.

With the spiritual core paragon you can fire em off about every 45-50 seconds.

This looks like something I could add to the...

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showt...=1#post3544670