Julio_Thomas' Guide to the SS/INV Brute-V 2.0
By
Bane311,
Posted on: 2006-06-26 13:08 in Player Guides
Invulnerability:
Back in Issues 3 and 4, Invulnerability was at its zenith. The Devs removed the rooting effect from Unyielding Stance (renaming it to Unyielding) and allow Unyielding to stack with Temporary Invulnerability. These changes made Invulnerability in general, and Tanker Invulnerability in specific, peerless. Mobile mez protection and the ability to essentially cap Resistance to all Damage types, except Psi and Toxic, made Invulnerable Tanks virtually unkillable. Also worthy of note, Invincibilitys defensive boost was better unslotted than it is 6 Slotted today.
Changes to Invulnerability in Issue 5 cut the values of all Resistance and Defense drastically and ED cut it even further. Now, Invulnerability is a shadow of its former self.
That doesnt mean that Invulnerability is a bad set. Its just nowhere near as good as it used to be. Invulnerability gives great Resistance to Smashing and Lethal damage, but is very light in Energy, Fire, Cold, and Toxic damage and is completely defenseless to Psionics.
As a Brute, the goal of your Defense is to allow you to survive long enough to SMASH. You dont need to survive as long as a Tank, because things are going to drop much faster around you than around a Tank.
Brute resistance values are the same as a Scrapper, which is 75% of the value of a Tanker. Devs have confirmed that Brutes actually have the same 90% Resistance cap as Tankers. Invulnerable and Electric Armor Brutes are the only ones that can reach this cap alone, albeit much later in the game.
Now, the powers
..
1. Resist Physical Damage (Default at Level 1) You have to take this. You have no choice. RPD is a good, not great power, as it gives you a Base of 5.63% resistance to Smashing and Lethal damage. Since its a passive power, it uses no Endurance. By itself, you wont notice anything, but it layers well with all of your other S/L Resistance.
IF you decide to slot it, slot no more than 3 SOs.
Base Numbers:
Base Resistance 5.63%
3 slotted Resistance 8.78%
6 slotted Resistance 9.28%
Slotting: 1-3 slots. Resistance only.
2. Temporary Invulnerability (Available at Level 2) This is one of your most important powers. It gives you a base of 22.5% against S/L damage. S/L is the most prevalent type of damage in the game. This is usually the first defensive power chosen. It does cost Endurance to run. Early in your career, youll be slotting it with Endurance reducers.
Base Numbers:
Base Resistance 22.50% (Smash/Lethal)
3 slotted Resistance 35.10%
6 slotted Resistance 37.13%
End Cost .13 per Secs
Activation Time .67 Secs
Recharge Time 2.00 Secs
Slotting: 3 - 4 slots. 0 1 End, 3 Resistance
3. Dull Pain (Available at Level 4) This power is also vital for your protection. Dull Pain used to increase your Base hit points by 40% and slotting it with Heal enhancers allowed you to boost your Health regen rate. Recent changes to the power now have Heal enhancers actually ADDING hit points on top of the initial 40% boost.
This power is effectively your Psionic protection, your Energy protection, your Toxic protection, your Elemental protection. 40+ % extra hit points are nothing to sneeze at. This is a 6 slot power, if there ever was one.
Base Numbers:
End Cost 10.4
Activation Time .73
Recharge Time 360 Secs
Duration 120 Secs
Slotting: 6 slots. 3 Recharge, 3 Heal
4. Resist Elements (Available at Level 10) Like RPD, this power gives you a Base of 5.63% resistance to Fire and Cold damage. Many feel that Invulnerabilitys passive powers arent worth getting or slotting. Personally, I think there are other powers Id prefer to have than this.
Base Numbers:
Base Resistance 5.63% (Fire, Cold, Toxic)
3 slotted Resistance 8.78%
6 slotted Resistance 9.28%
Slotting: 1-3 slots. Resistance only.
5. Unyielding (Available at Level 16) This is your Status protection. Arguably, it is your most important defensive power because being stunned, held, or disoriented shuts down all of your defensive toggles. Defeat usually ensues if this happens.
Unyielding does give you some minor resistance to all damage types (except Psionics), but it is offset by a 5% Defensive Debuff that you incur when using the power. The debuff seems like overkill after the I5 and ED. Initially, Id only single slot this power. I consider this my Status protection only and consider the extra Resistance as gravy. Eventually, you should consider slotting this power up.
Base Numbers:
Base Resistance 3.75% (Smash/Lethal)/ 7.5% (Fire, Cold, Energy, N. Energy, Toxic)
3 slotted Res 5.85% (Smash/Lethal)/ 11.7% (Fire, Cold, Energy, N. Energy, Toxic)
6 slotted Res 6.19% (Smash/Lethal)/ 12.38% (Fire, Cold, Energy, N. Energy, Toxic)
End Cost .13 per Secs
Activation Time 2.33 Secs
Recharge Time 10.00 Secs
Status Resistance Disorient, Hold, Knockback, Immobilize, Sleep Mag 10.38
Slotting: 3 - 4 slots. 0 1 End, 3 Resistance
6. Resist Energies (Available at Level 20) Same as the other passives.
Base Numbers:
Base Resistance 5.63% (Energy, N. Energy, Toxic)
3 slotted Resistance 8.78%
6 slotted Resistance 9.28%
Slotting: 1-3 slots. Resistance only.
7. Invincibility (Available at Level 28) This used to be THE power in the set. Now, its just good. Invincibility gives you increased Defense and an Increased To Hit Buff when surrounded by enemies. It also gives off a low-level Taunt, which keeps enemies stuck to you. The power used to give a flat % increase for each foe in range, but its been recently changed to give the bulk of its defense with a few people in range. The increase caps at 10 enemies.
For a SS/INV Brute, slotting for Defense is more important than for To Hit Buffs. Slotting for Taunt might not be a bad idea, but you dont want too much aggro.
Base Numbers:
End Cost .208 per Secs
Activation Time 3 Secs
Recharge Time 10.00 Secs
Range 8 Radius
To Hit Buff - 2% Buff for each Foe in Range, up to 10 Foes
Defense Buff 3.75% Buff vs. all attacks for first Foe in Range (except Psi); additional 1.1% Buff for each additional Foe in Range, up to 10 Foes
Slotting: 3 - 5 slots. 0 1 End, 0 1 Taunt, 3 Defense Buffs
8. Tough Hide (Available at Level 35) This passive gives you some defense against all attack types (except Psionics). It can almost eliminate the Defense Debuff caused by Unyielding. Tough Hide is arguably the most helpful passive you have. Itd be nice if it came a little sooner in the build. You should probably at least take it with the default slot. You can slot it up later, if you like.
Base Numbers:
Base Defense 3.75% Buff vs. all attacks (except Psi)
3 slotted Defense 5.85%
6 slotted Defense 6.19%
Slotting: 1-3 slots. Defense Buff only.
9. Unstoppable (Available at Level 38) Unstoppable allows an Invulnerable Brute (assuming you keep your toggle defenses up) to reach Tanker resistance caps to ALL Damage Types, except Psi. Unstoppable gives you 3 minutes of extremely high resistance and incredible End regeneration. Since its a Click power, it cannot be detoggled in PvP.
Imagine, the mere thought of capped resists, limitless endurance, Rage, and a full Fury bar
..wicked.
Of course, there is the matter of the Crash. Unstoppable drains 90% of you HP and all of your Endurance when it drops. It also keeps you from recovering Endurance for 15 seconds afterward.
When it was possible to cap resistance without Unstoppable, it fell into disfavor. Now, its the only way to cap non S/L damage. Many dislike the crash, so its very much an optional pickup. I have it, and I love it.
Base Numbers:
Base Resistance 52.5% (Smash/Lethal, Fire, Cold, Energy, N. Energy, Toxic)
3 slotted Res 81.9% (Smash/Lethal, Fire, Cold, Energy, N. Energy, Toxic)
6 slotted Res 86.63% (Smash/Lethal, Fire, Cold, Energy, N. Energy, Toxic)
End Cost 2.6
Activation Time 3.1 Secs
Recharge Time 1000 Secs
Duration 180 Secs
Status Resistance Repel, Knockback, Knockup
Status Resistance - Disorient, Hold, Immobilize, Sleep Mag 17.3
Endurance Recovery 100% Recovery Rate Increase
Slotting: 4 - 6 slots. 3 Recharge, 1 3 Resistance
Power Pools:
Invulnerable (and Energy) Brutes have the most flexibility regarding Power Pool choices. Since both of these Brutes have comprehensive Status protection in their secondaries, neither is forced into a specific Travel Pool to offset a weakness. Unyielding gives protection to Knockback, which Dark and Fire Brutes would LOVE to have. Electric Armor Brutes also have Knockback protection (in Grounded), but the protection only works if you are on, or near the ground. Generally speaking, Fire and Dark Brutes (and PvP-centric Electric Armor Brutes) usually get the Leaping pool to get the Knockback protection in Acrobatics. Many Stone Brutes get Teleportation, since you cannot jump or fly when using Rooted.
IMHO, there is truly only 1 mandatory Power Pool for the SS/INV Brute. That would be the Fitness pool. There are a few Brute builds that have Endurance recovery powers in their Primaries and/or Secondaries that make Stamina less needed (or unneeded). Unfortunately, SS/INV doesnt. It is VERY important to get Stamina as soon as you can. I personally recommend getting it at 20. As a Brute, its important to keep on moving to keep your Fury up. Stamina cuts your downtime drastically. I (foolishly) waited until 24 to get it on my Brute, and even with just the default slot, the difference was very noticeable.
Ill mention the other Power Pools and give a quick overview as to their effectiveness for the SS/INV Brute:
Concealment Concealment has some uses in PvP to let you sneak up to Heroes and SMASH them. Limited use for PvE.
Fighting Fighting is great for picking up some extra S/L Resistance via Tough. Boxing is a good a filler attack to build up Fury. I wouldnt recommend Weave, as Tough Hide gives better Defense without using Endurance.
Flight Air Superiority is arguably the best Power Pool attack in the game. Damage is OK, but AS really shines in the fact that there is an extremely high chance of knocking down your Foe. Combined with the Knockdown present in most SS powers, you can effectively play Boss Pinball by keeping tough enemies off of their feet. Flight is a safe, albeit somewhat slow, travel choice.
Leadership In PvE, the percentages are low for the benefits derived. Leadership has much more PvP plusses.
Leaping Super Jump is a very Brute-ish travel power. Combat Jumping is a great power for the extra defense and mobility.
Medicine Aid Self can really help a Brute to keep his HP high while Dull Pain is recycling. Im a recent convert to the usage of this pool. In PvP, this is a very good choice for a Brute to pickup. It also has usage in PvE when fighting high level Critters.
Presence Intimidate and Invoke Panic are real PvP plusses. Very few players have Fear protection. The Presence Pool can be used effectively in PvE as well.
Speed Hasten does allow you to attack with your big guns more frequently, which is always a good thing. Super Speeds lack of vertical movement makes it a little less desirable in CoV than in CoH. Hasten isnt a slam dunk pick anymore, but it is still very desirable.
Teleportation Recall Friend is a power that teammates love! Teleport Foe is a great PvP power. Imagine this
..
Pop Rage. Teleport a Squishy to you. Hit him with K.O. Blow. Hold takes effect. Beat down Squishy with impunity. If the Squishy files away, TP Foe him again. Rinse and repeat!
Patron Power Pools (New for I7):
I7 introduced Patron Power Pools (henceforth referred to as PPPs). PPPs are the Villain equivalent to the Ancillary Power Pools Heroes get access to in Levels 40 50. PPPs are meant to round out your Character, by giving that Character access to Powers that offset inherent weaknesses in your AT. For example, Brute attacks are primarily Melee ranged. PPPs give Brutes access to Ranged attacks. SS Brutes do have a Ranged attack in their Primary (Hurl), but all of their Damage is Smashing. All of the Brute PPPs offer Attack types other than Smashing.
In the minds of many, PPPs suffer from 3 major flaws:
1. Permanence: Unlike Hero APPs, Villain PPPs CANNOT BE CHANGED ONCE CHOSEN. The reason the Devs gave for this was that future contacts were tied to the Patron you chose. This also means that NOT choosing a Patron would cut you out of a significant part of the endgame, including the ability to get Hamidon-Origin equivalent enhancements (A requirement to do the Lord Recluse SF is that you have a Patron Badge).
2. Lack of Diversity: Because the PPPs are permanent, the Devs decided to make the pools essentially clones of each other. This keeps someone from unknowingly gimping their Character. For instance, all of the Brute PPPs offer 1 single target ranged attack, 1 ranged immobilize, 1 ranged AoE attack, and 1 pet. This shuts Villains out of some of the better utility Powers available to the Heroes (i.e. Focused Accuracy, Conserve Power, Force of Nature, Psychic Mastery).
It also means that the Patron Powers may not mesh well with someones chosen Power set (i.e. No Fire Mastery, no Cold Mastery, no Earth Mastery). The Hero APPs are sufficiently varied enough to allow for virtually any concept you want.
3. Role play: Many people find the fact that you essentially MUST choose a Patron to limit their creativity. Many just dont want to swear allegiance to ANYONE in game. Especially not to Arachnos!
Im of the opinion that the PPPs arent going to change, as if any one PPP IS markedly better than any of the others, people would be upset if they couldnt respec into it. Since they are all essentially equivalent, there is no right choice for Brutes regarding the PPPs. If you PvP, many Brutes that do seem to favor Black Scorpions Web Grenade, since that power has a fly and jump component to it.
PvP and your Brute
..
So, you wanna flex your SS/INV muscles in PvP, huh? I am far from a PvP expert, as I prefer PvE. But Id like to impart a few PvP points to you
First off, read this, Buffy's Harsh Guide to PvP realities. Then, read it again
.OK? Good.
Now, here are a few more points that might bum you out a bit.
As of this writing, Fury isnt generating against Players at the rate the player base was originally told. _Castle_ commented on this bug HERE. Fury generating at minion levels really hurts a Brutes ability to deal damage, as no experienced PvP player will go toe-to-toe with a Brute long enough for the Brute to gain any appreciable Fury. Without appreciable Fury, Brute base damage is LOWER than a Tanks damage. Rage helps with this some.
Brutes also have NO unresisted damage in PvP. In fact, Brutes are the only Damage first AT (excluding Khelds) with no unresisted damage of any type
.
Blasters get 30% unresisted damage on every attack
Scrapper Critical damage is 100% unresisted
Stalker Assassin Strike damage is 100% unresisted
Corruptor Scourge attack damage is 100% unresisted
A Fury-less Brute in PvP will do slightly less damage than a Tank, have fewer hit points than a Tank, and Scrapper resistance numbers. The combination of low to no Fury and no unresisted damage effectively turns a Brute into Tank-light. This doesnt mean that you cannot be effective in PvP. It does mean that your maximum effectiveness is going to be met when teaming or hunting squishier ATs (Defenders, Controllers, & Blasters). Without support, Brutes do not tend to fare as well against Scrappers or Tanks (ESPECIALLY Inv and Stone Tanks).
When the Fury generation issue is dealt with, Brutes will be more potent in PvP.
Slotting Philosophy
Here is an exchange from the previous version of this guide between Brachaesnethar and myself.
Brachaesnethar
Great guide! One thing I would suggest, though, is that Damage Enhancers really aren't as needed for superstrength Brute attacks. I usually slot my attacks with two accuracy (I hate missing), one or two endurance reducers (even with Stamina three-slotted, LONG fights can drop my endurance --- could drop one Endurance reducer if you were willing to rest periodically)... and one or two recharge reducers.
That's right, NO damage enhancers. I let Fury build up my damage. I'm more concerned with hitting and not missing (accuracy), lasting a long time (endurance reducers) and attacking FAST to build Fury (recharge reducers).
I skipped Jab and don't miss it. A Disoriented foe can wander away at high speed, and isn't attacking me to build my fury. With Punch, Haymaker and Air Superiority ---- and of course Brawl on auto-fire ---- I have ZERO down time between attacks. Of course, that's only because of the two recharge enhancers those powers have (actually I think Punch only has one recharge since it is already so fast).
Everyone talks about how slow Haymaker is, but with two recharges in it, it's almost always up. Combine Air Sup, Punch and Haymaker and I routine "bounce" bosses without letting them get any attacks in at all.
I skimmed the guide, to be honest, but if it's not spelled out, I'd recommend emphasizing that BRAWL should be an auto-fire power for all Brutes.
Me
I've heard the whole "Damage enhancers not required" thing from many people. IF you were going to skip them, a SS Brute with Perma-Rage would miss them the least.
Personally, I've got a small min/max in me that always slotted attacks 1 Acc/ 5 Dam back in they day. A Brute's job is Damage. I personally cannot ever see where it'd be a bad idea to 3 slot Damage in your primary attacks. 2 Acc SOs plus Perma Rage is serious overkill, unless you hunt Reds and Purps or PvP.
Ive come to realize that Brach was right. It took me some time to accept this concept. Brutes have a lower Damage base than Scrappers do. As a result, they get less from Enhancements then Scrappers do. Based on that fact, all Brutes should slot for Accuracy first, Endurance second, Recharge (if used at all) third, and Damage last. Fury (and, eventually, Rage) helps an SS Brute do decent damage.
Lastly, this is the Build for my current SS\INV Brute, Boombastik. At other times, Ive used the Presence pool and Flight, but Im really digging this version of Boom. Aid Self is a TREMENDOUS boon to Booms survivability, especially when fighting high level Longbow. For those for whom the whole tricorder thing would break their concept, Swapping in Boxing for Medicine (Punch or Kick\Tough) would help increase your survivability. IMO, Aid Self (since it heals from all types of damage) is better mitigation than Tough (which is Smash Lethal only). I think having both is overkill, but you would be one tough hombre to bring down if you did take both
..
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Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
---------------------------------------------
Name: Boombastik to 50
Level: 50
Archetype: Brute
Primary: Super Strength
Secondary: Invulnerability
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Punch==> Acc(1)EndRdx(3)Rechg(3)Dmg(5)Dmg(43)Dmg(43)
01) --> Resist Physical Damage==> DmgRes(1)
02) --> Temp Invulnerability==> EndRdx(2)DmgRes(9)DmgRes(11)DmgRes(13)
04) --> Haymaker==> EndRdx(4)Dmg(5)Dmg(7)Dmg(7)Acc(37)Rechg(40)
06) --> Combat Jumping==> EndRdx(6)
08) --> Knockout Blow==> EndRdx(8)Dmg(9)Dmg(11)Dmg(13)Acc(15)Rechg(15)
10) --> Dull Pain==> Rechg(10)Rechg(17)Rechg(17)Heal(19)Heal(19)Heal(29)
12) --> Swift==> Run(12)
14) --> Super Jump==> Jump(14)
16) --> Unyielding==> DmgRes(16)DmgRes(36)DmgRes(37)
18) --> Health==> Heal(18)Heal(50)Heal(50)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20)EndMod(21)EndMod(21)
22) --> Rage==> Rechg(22)Rechg(23)Rechg(23)TH_Buf(25)TH_Buf(25)TH_Buf(29)
24) --> Stimulant==> IntRdx(24)
26) --> Aid Self==> IntRdx(26)IntRdx(27)Rechg(27)Heal(31)Heal(34)Heal(36)
28) --> Invincibility==> DefBuf(28)DefBuf(36)DefBuf(37)TH_Buf(46)TH_Buf(46)EndRdx(50)
30) --> Hasten==> Rechg(30)Rechg(31)Rechg(31)
32) --> Foot Stomp==> EndRdx(32)Acc(33)Dmg(33)Dmg(33)Dmg(34)Rechg(34)
35) --> Jab==> Acc(35)EndRdx(46)
38) --> Unstoppable==> Rechg(38)Rechg(39)Rechg(39)DmgRes(39)DmgRes(40)DmgRes(40)
41) --> Mace Blast==> Acc(41)EndRdx(42)Dmg(42)Dmg(42)Dmg(43)Rechg(45)
44) --> Tough Hide==> DefBuf(44)DefBuf(45)DefBuf(45)
47) --> Web Envelope==> Acc(47)EndRdx(48)Rechg(48)Immob(48)
49) --> Taunt==> Taunt(49)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Run(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
01) --> Fury==> Empty(1)
---------------------------------------------
Hope you enjoyed this info. As always, please feel free to add your comments. If I missed something, bring it to my attention, so I can update it later.
Great guide, and I think this will help with my build immensely. What are your thoughts on a chain of attack? Do you use KO Blow as part of it, or is that situational? I've been running Jab-Punch-Haymaker, with the occasional KO Blow for good measure. Has taking Jab so late hurt your constant SMASHing?
I'm at lvl 25 now and was planning on taking Hurl and Hand Clap at 26 and 30. Again, these would be situational to compliment my regular attack chain. Is this overkill? I hadn't thought about Aid Self, but it's not a bad idea.
Again, great guide!
Please try my arcs:
Arc# 63910 "Why Do Bad Girls Like Bad Boys?" (length=Long, levels 40+)
Arc# 401500 "How to Be a Successful Professional Criminal" (length=Very Long, levels 1-10)
Thanks for the well wishes.
On that build, I took Jab that late because I really didn't have anything else I really wanted at the time. I've respecced since then and took Tough Hide at 35 and Hurl at 41. I was thoroughly unimpressed with the Damage of Mace Blast. Even with 3 Damage SOs, it seemed rather "Meh". I'll likely get Web Envelope for PvP purposes as my Lvl 47 power.
I seriously like Jab when I had it, but ultimately I found Brawl, with 1 End reducer, was sufficient as a Fury filler.
Wouldn't taking jab over punch be smarter for the earlier levels? The damage per second on jab is ever so slightly better, (a hitcheck every 3.07 seconds discounting the first attack means .615 BI dps, whereas for punch a hitcheck every 5.2 seconds means .534 BI dps). This is just flatline dps before you even factor in that jab builds fury faster. And the fast attacking chance of disorient makes me smile.
Just a thought. I liked the guide though, it makes me want to build a ss/inv brute.
thanks heaps I had plenty of thoughts on how my Brute was going and it would seem we have very similiar thopughts on this built type.
when i think brute, I think SS/INV as standard for this archtype
cheers and many beers, they help with keeping up the rage
Don't take hurl. I hate it. As soon as I get my respec I'm getting rid of it and taking either haymaker or rage. I am already using a jab punch jab air superiority chain to build fury and then KO blow when it's up. Hurl just doesn't do anything for me.
[ QUOTE ]
Don't take hurl. I hate it. As soon as I get my respec I'm getting rid of it and taking either haymaker or rage. I am already using a jab punch jab air superiority chain to build fury and then KO blow when it's up. Hurl just doesn't do anything for me.
[/ QUOTE ]
Hurl is quite skippable. It will never be a big part of your attack chain, but it is nice for a ranged attack to finish off runners in PvE or PvP.
I have a hard time believing you actually skipped Rage or Haymaker! I consider both of those items essential (ESPECIALLY Rage) to an SS Brute.
Jenius -
Jab is a decent alternative to Punch, if you want. I prefer to use Brawl with an End Reducer as my Fury builder, since it's free. Because Brawl's End cost is rather high for this, I consider the End Reducer a necessity.
dude i read your guide to ss/inv..um you actualy said ''you dont want to much aggro''...um dude..its supposed to say '' you want all aggro.....anyone who makes a tank and doesnt think they are supposed 2 find a way 2 take all aggro.is not playing the game right...and here u are actually telling people making tanks..that they dont want to much aggro..i cant believe i actually read that in a tanker guide....if u dont think that a brute is a tank u are mistaken..someone needs 2 take aggro..and there isnt any other class at all that should be designated 2 absorb damage..if u think pets should take a certain % of the damage..u dont understand the value of herding and killing at full speed..pets make that a struggle
Wow thenarrowway .. thanks for clearing that up. Here I thought we were in a BRUTE guide. Man.. I feel dumb now. Because everyone KNOWS that brutes and tanks are exactly the same, and can take just as much punishment as the other. Don't know what I would have done without you...
Um.. no. Brutes are NOT tanks, our base numbers are lower, MUCH lower depending on your pri/sec choices. Yes, as far as villains go, we can take more than the others as a general rule, but to assume we can take the damage of a tank? That's just sheer ignorance on the fundamental differences. Please try a little more research.. or any at all will sufice.
Thank you, and have a nice day.
I'm not concerned about all hell breaking loose, but that a PART of hell will break loose... it'll be much harder to detect.
George Carlin (1937 - )
In heaven all the interesting people are missing.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)
thenarrowway: Masterminds are much better at mitigating Alpha Strikes than Brutes.
Frankly, even Dominators can basically eliminate the Alpha to such an extent that Brutes don't need to act as tanks.
That said: I like seeing Brutes aggressively run in. But that doesn't mean they need to slot up their aura for taunt or take the Taunt power. A little taunt plus a LOT of SMASH, goes a long way.
To the OP: nice guide, I'm working on a SS/Inv Brute, he's level 12 now, DOs are nice, but man he will be squishy til I get a bunch more slots.
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.
Great Guide. I have a lvl 41 SS/INV brute on Freedom and it's a blast to play. The only problem i have is endurance. I was wondering about slotting stamina. How many slots should you put into it before it caps out?
3 slot. But you might consider a 4th slot to put the proc +end from performence swifter.
Also check if you putted some end redux in your attack, till it's this that will drain the most of your end.
*edit*
Retracting my comments due to noticing this is a necro post..
50s:
White Valkyrie - BS/Regen Scrap
Fear of Silence - Ninja/Dark MM
Corporate Zombie - Necro/Poison MM
Ardent Cataclysm - Stone/Fire Tank
Angelic Heart - Peacebringer
Maelstrom - Elec/Elec Brute
Novastar - Energy/Fire Blaster
In September 2004, there was a poster (Shadione) who made the salient comment, Scrappers? Tankers? I just want to Punch the Bejeezus out of stuff! I dont believe Shadione is still with us, but if he/she was, Shadione would be a Brute!
This guide specifically deals with the Character I consider to be THE Iconic Super Person The SS/INV Brute. This version of the Guide considers some of the recent I7 changes to the character, as well as updated Power numbers (directly from the Devs) listed in the recently released Prima Strategy guide. Frequent Board Posters Lazarus and Foo have excellent guides on Brutes in General. Anybody new to the Boards interested in Brutes should definitely check their Guides out. Im assuming that everyone reading this Guide is familiar with the Brawl Index and how it scales damage. If youre not familiar with the concept, you can search the Boards for how it works. Basically, the higher the BI, the greater the SMASH!
In my opinion, Brutes are what Scrappers and Tankers should have been in the first place. In fact, it is common knowledge to people that have been around from I1 that the whole Brute AT was birthed from the fertile minds of frustrated Tankers that felt their damage was sub par. Fury was initially going to be given to Tankers, but the Devs found it to be too unbalancing. Hence, Tankers never got it, but Brutes did as their Inherent Power!
Brutes are big, tough Jokers who lay a world of hurt on anyone foolish enough to tangle with them. It shouldve been obvious that big, tough Jokers that Punch the Bejeezus out of stuff are staple characters in Comic Book lore. In CoH, Scrappers laid the hurt, but either used weapons or had darkity darkness pulsating form their fists. Tankers had the attacks that screamed Punch the Bejeezus (Stone and the Iconic Super Strength sets in particular) but, they were meh due to lower damage output.
Brutes get these attacks as PRIMARIES, which means the better attacks are available much earlier than their Tanker counterparts (Hello K.O. Blow at 8!). Fury, which mimics the whole The Madder I get, The STRONGER I get! thing is perfect for this AT.
Im going to go into my opinion as to how the SS/INV Brute should be built. As with all Guides, nothing in here should be taken as Gospel. Hopefully, youll find something useful in here for your fledgling Brute. There are few new things for an SS/INV Brute to consider in I7. Specifically, these items are Patron Power pools and PvP effectiveness.
Super Strength:
Before starting
There are many people that think SS is a gimped set since it only deals Smashing damage and Smashing is among the most resisted damage types in the Game, for both PvE and PvP. According to those people, Smashing resistance is available to any AT that wants to invest in some Power Pools to get it.
This guide is primarily for PvE. The PvP section will deal with some of the issues plaguing SS Brutes there. In PvE, SS is a mighty fine set. It is less so in PvP, particularly against INV and Stone Tankers, but still pretty potent.
Wherever possible, Ive updated the Power numbers with info from the Prima Guide. Im using Sherk Silvers CoH/CoV Hero Builder program to fill in any gaps. Thanks to Sherk Silver for this great program. Special thanks also to Sword, BuffyASummers, Iron Vixen, Foo, Lazarus, Arcanaville (her most awesome Mathiness), and everyone else that contributed a ton of numbers for me to crib little bits of to bring life to this guide.
On to the Powers ..
1. Jab (Available at Lvl 1) Jab gets a bad rap, as it only does minor damage. People tend to forget that Jab recharges Crazy fast and can disorient a foe. The quick, consistent damage can add up. As a Brute, fast attacks are important. The faster you attack, the more Fury you generate. With the level cap now set at 50, Jab is an excellent choice as a Fury building attack. If you pick up Jab, setting it as your default attack will allow it to be thrown virtually every other attack. If you decide to skip Jab, Brawl works pretty well as a Fury builder too.
Base Numbers:
BI 1.889 (3.4 with Rage)
End Cost - 3.536
Activation Time 1.07 Secs
Recharge Time 2.00 Secs
Status Effects Disorient (Foe) 10% chance for a 6 Sec Disorient
Slotting: 1-2 slots. 1 Acc or 1 End
2. Punch (Available at Lvl 1) Punch is one of your Bread and Butter attacks. Punch recharges twice as long as Jab. Punch is one of the many SS attacks that have the potential to knock your opponent down, or back. In earlier levels, Knockdown helps to keep your enemies on their behind, which helps to keep you alive. This attack is virtually never skipped. Slot it and love it ..
Base Numbers:
BI 2.778 (5.0 with Rage)
End Cost 5.2
Activation Time 1.20 Secs
Recharge Time 4.00 Secs
Status Effects Knockdown (Foe) 30% chance for a Knockdown
Slotting: 4-5 slots. 1 Acc and/or 1End, 3 Dam
3. Haymaker (Available at Lvl 2) Haymaker is a double-fisted hammer smash that has a longer recharge time, but does some serious damage. This attack is also almost always taken, but can be pushed back if there are other things you want to get early. This is for two reasons:
i. Slower Charging attacks generate Fury much slower than quickly recharging ones. In lower levels, Fury generation is where a Brute gets the majority of its damage
ii. SS gets its SMASH attack (K.O. Blow) much sooner than other Brutes do.
Base Numbers:
BI 4.556 (8.2 with Rage)
End Cost 8.528
Activation Time 1.50 Secs
Recharge Time 8.00 Secs
Status Effects Knockdown (Foe) 60% chance for a Knockdown
Slotting: 4-5 slots. 1 Acc and/or 1End, 3 Dam
4. Hand Clap - (Available at Lvl 6) This power is useful when you bite off more than you can chew. Merely retreating doesnt always keep you from face planting. The main drawback with this power is it does ZERO damage. It can knock back and/or disorient a group long enough for you to get away from a dangerous spot. I like it a lot, but some can find problems fitting it into their builds. The 2 trains of thought on this power are to either slot it minimally, or HEAVILY. There is a 20% Accuracy penalty on this power.
Base Numbers:
BI N/A
End Cost 13.00
Activation Time 1.23 Secs
Recharge Time 30.00 Secs
Status Effects Knockback (Foe) 100%
Disorient (Foe) 100% chance for 8 sec. 2.38 Mag vs. Critters\50% chance for 8 sec. 1.19 Mag vs. Critters\100% for 6 sec. 3.57 Mag vs. Players
Slotting: 1-2 slots. 1 Acc, 1 Disorient and/or 1 End OR 5 -6 slots. 1-2 Acc, 1-2 Rech, 1-2 Disorient
5. K.O. Blow - (Available at Lvl 8) This power is one of the main reasons you choose Super Strength. This is your BFG! This is the power that makes you smile if it hits and cringe when you miss. Every Brute, except Dark, gets at least 1 Extreme damage attack (Dark has extra utility and 2 really good damage attacks). The beautiful thing about K.O. Blow is it comes at least 10 levels earlier than any other Extreme damage attack.
For example, SS Tankers get K.O. Blow at Lvl 20, Stone Brutes gets their Extreme attack at 18, Fire at 32, and Energy gets 2 Extreme damage attacks (18 & 32). These guys will eventually catch up, and may surpass, your BFG later. But, you get to have fun at Level 8! This attack will lay out Minions and Lts. With Moderate Fury and will put a serious hurt on any Bosses you hit it with. (Its also fun to see people fly in the air with the rag doll physics engine and flop to the floor!)
There is an undocumented (I think) Accuracy boost of 20% with this attack, so it hits often. Another sometimes overlooked benefit to K.O. Blow is it has a Hold component to it. So, usually when it hits, the beneficiary is stuck for a few seconds. This gives you more time to SMASH them. K.O. Blow is usable to start fights against tough foes, but really shines as a Finisher when you have at least 40% of your Fury bar.
K.O. Blow is Brute iful! Slot it up!
Base Numbers:
BI 9.889 (17.8 with Rage)
End Cost 18.512
Activation Time 2.23 Secs
Recharge Time 25.00 Secs
Status Effects Knockup (Foe) 100%
Hold - Major (Foe) 100% for 10 sec. 3.57 Mag vs. Critters\100% for 6 sec. 3.57 Mag vs. Players
Slotting: 5-6 slots. 0-1 Acc, 1-2 Recharge, 1-2 End, 3 Dam
6. Taunt - (Available at Lvl 12) There is an ongoing dispute as to whether or not Taunt is needed for Tankers, much less for Brutes. Brutes cannot stand the Aggro heat as well as Tankers can, so Taunt isnt seen as a priority for Brutes. Taunt can help save a fellow Villains bacon and is moderately useful in PvP. In defense of Taunt, it can help a Brute that regularly teams up immensely in keeping Aggro. Aggro=Fury.
Base Numbers:
BI N/A
End Cost N/A
Activation Time 1.67 Secs
Recharge Time 10 Secs
Range 70 Ft.
Status Effects Taunt (Foe) 20 sec Duration vs. Critters\5 sec Duration vs. Players
Slotting: 1 Slot. 1 Acc and/or 1 Recharge
7. Rage - (Available at Lvl 18) You will love Rage when you get it. All of the Brute Primaries have a power to give you a temporary boost to Accuracy and Damage. Most have Build Up, which is a 10 second boost with a 90 second recharge. Dark has Dark Consumption, which damages others and gives extra Accuracy and Damage to the user. Rage is, special.
Rage has a 2 Minute duration with a 4 Minute recharge. While Raging, you get an 80% boost to your Base damage and a (Dev confirmed) 20% boost to you Base accuracy. At one time, the number was thought to be MUCH higher (in the 50% range), but it is still a very formidable To Hit Buff. When it wears off, you receive a moderate drop in End, a moderate Self - Defense Debuff, and you are unable to use any powers that affect others for 10 seconds.
Despite these disadvantages, Rage is great because you can effectively make the power permanent with 3 Recharge SOs. Rage can help you cap to virtually anything youd need to hit in PvE (around +4s) with only 1 Accuracy slotted in each attack. Rage also helps immensely in PvP.
IMHO, Rage is THE defining power in SS. As cool as Rage is, you might have to push it back for a few levels to get Stamina. (IMHO, Stamina is required for Brutes). But dont put it off too long. 3 Slotting for Recharge is essential and, if desired, you can add some To Hit Buffs as well.
Base Numbers:
BI N/A
End Cost 5.2
Activation Time 1.17 Secs
Recharge Time 240 Secs
Status Effects Damage (Self) +Dmg (80%)
Accuracy (Self) +Acc (20%)
Defense Debuff (Self) 20% Defense debuff
Endurance Crash (Self) 25 Endurance lost
Slotting: 3-6 slots. 0-3 To Hit Buffs, 3 Recharge.
8. Hurl - (Available at Level 26) Hurl is the only ranged attack in your Primary. You basically rip a big chunk out of the ground and throw it at someone. A big plus is you can knock fliers out of the sky with it. Its damage is consistent with Haymaker. Its a decent pick for later in the build. Its a great PvP power, but some choose TP Foe for that purpose instead. The animation is LOOOOOOONG, so it likely wont be a huge part of your attack chain.
Base Numbers:
BI 4.56 (8.2 with Rage)
End Cost 9.36
Activation Time 3.83 Secs
Recharge Time 8 Secs
Range 80 Ft.
Status Effects Knockback (Foe) 50% chance for Knockback\100% chance for disabled Flight (Foe)
Slotting: 3-4 slots. 1 Acc, 1 End, and 1-2 Range
9. Foot Stomp - (Available at Level 32) The last power in the set. Its your only Damage AoE attack, so youre most likely going to take it. People in a circle 15 ft. around you feel the hurt when you stomp. Damage is more than Punch, less than Haymaker. By the time you get this power, you are rounding in to your Defenses. Foot Stomp damages and knocks people down. An old SS Tanker I used to regularly team with referred to his Rage-Fueled Foot Stomp as his Blender of Doom. This power sucks End like crazy, but is definitely worth slotting up.
Base Numbers:
BI 3.94 (7.1 with Rage)
End Cost 18.512
Activation Time 2.1 Secs
Recharge Time 20 Secs
Range AoE 15 Ft.
Status Effects 80% chance for Knockdown (Foe)
Slotting: 5 - 6 slots. 0 - 1 Acc, 1 End, 0 1 Recharge, 3 Dam
On to Invulnerability