Totally_Grounded

Still a better guide then the one that suggested skipping Upgrade Equipment. Pistols is very much a style choice. What sort of villian are you building, what are the secondaries, any pool powers you absolutely want to have, etc...? I'd say instead that they are an option but by no means a requirment in a thug build.

Something you may want to add. Using Equip Thug on the bruiser and handing him Hand Clap is a lot like sliding up the difficulty of your mission without actually gaining any exp from it. It disrupts your cones and can piss off teammates. MMs already have a somewhat questionable reputation in groups, best not to aggrivate the situation.

Might also want to put a note in on just how to use BG as it still amazes me how few MMs make use of one of their most survival enhancing abilities. Not to mention a link to the number binds for MMs that make life easier for all.

I'm still waiting to see the Thug/Traps villian run by based on the Boondock Saints. It just seems so apt, I'm amazed I've yet to see it.

Thug/Dark is truely a wonderful set, a being of absolute divine synergy that can out live and out level just about anything yet concieved beyond a pre-fix /regen scrapper. But I have a few issues here.

We won't go into the debate over whether or not a MM needs any attack as it's well plowed ground. I also won't go into the Howling Twilight debate, though the ability to literally save an entire team by yourself AND stun the enemies at the same time is frankly not a power I'd ever want to be without.

But taking Shadowfall late, Fearsome stare incredibly late and not taking Upgrade Equipment is just boggling to me.

Shadowfall is more then just defense, it allows you the power of position, the time to decide when and where to strike. And once struck it adds a bit of defense on top of that. It also allows a MM to slip into an area of heavy resistance and summon up the troops right in front of the enemies he's about to assault.

Fearsome Stare is your opener. Imagine the scenerio you've set down, where the MM runs in the middle of a group of enemies, goes booga booga and is hit with a stun/hold/sleep or simply more alpha damage then he/she was capable of handling. Now imagine instead he/she stayed at a relative range, safe under his/her shadow fall and opened with Fearsome Stare. Even if only a few succumb to the fear, you've still mitigated damage considerably. And if all are feared? You're now free to drop a pit, pick out your favorite target and send in the boys with an "Attack My Target" (still in defensive so you can hit a quick "follow" if things get dicey)

Now the biggest concern, not taking Upgrade Equipment. How much damage are you really willing to give up just to save a power slot? Not to mention Hurl, Footstomp, double cone ripping from your enforcers... and it just looks great. Trenchcoats and makes, tattoes and bandanas, suddenly you're not ashamed to have your thugs seen in public.

Just my thoughts from playing my own Thug/Dark