Live Through This: The cheap guide to DM/WP Brutes

Heraclea · 09-02-2008 02:22 PM

=== Live Through This: The cheap and trashy guide to the Dark Melee / Willpower Brute ===

Willpower and Dark Melee work together like a thin slice of sharp Cheddar cheese on top of a piece of warm, fresh apple pie. Willpower is a solid defensive set that gives you the benefit of Stamina x 2 1/2, because Quick Recovery is one and a half times as good as Stamina. It has some issues, including alpha strike survivability and the need to be surrounded by mobs for best regeneration. It also lacks the self heal found in other defensive sets.

Dark Melee provides that self heal in your secondary. It is not a big burst damage primary. But Dark Melee also contains a toolbox of handy abilities that increase your survivability in other ways. You get a mag 3 immobilize and DoT as your tier 9. You get a single target Fear. You get a longer lasting Build Up that's an AoE and does damage. Your self heal does damage, and is up reasonably often. The two power sets just work well together.

Another advantage of the Dark Melee set is that it takes a lot of exotic enhancements outside of the normal melee ones. This guide is by no means a comprehensive guide to invention sets, but briefly mentions some of the more unusual ones you may wish to consider.

Active survivability is the watchword here. This build proposes that you wait until after both Quick Recovery and Stamina are in place before you take two defensive toggles, an approach I generally take with Willpower characters. You get a small to-hit debuff in Rise to the Challenge; you get larger ones in many of your attacks, with the largest weighing in with Touch of Fear. These stack. You can incapacitate a foe for a fairly long time with Touch of Fear; for a shorter time, with Air Superiority. You can immobilize an enemy with Midnight Grasp. And you can heal yourself with Siphon Life.

The bottom line is, unless they kill you almost immediately, you're probably going to live through this. And they won't.

At any rate, these are the powers of the two sets, and the pool powers, I recommend:

Level 1 - Shadow Punch
"It stands for knife"

You definitely want this fast tier 1 attack.

Target slots: 6
Slotting priorities: Accuracy, Damage, Recharge, Endurance, in roughly that order.

Cheap stuff:

All of your attacks take To Hit Debuff and Taunt enhancements as well as melee damage enhancements. These are sets that are in relatively low demand. You can also get Recharge and Endurance buttons from the To Hit Debuff sets. And guess what! 2 "Dark Watcher's Despair" buys you a 1.5% hit point buff! Use two of these, and four of your favorite melee damage sets, or just straight IO's and SO's for the balance.

You may ultimately want to put a damage proc in this, although all of those are costly. Dark Watcher's gives you a slow debuff on your target. Perfect Zinger has a chance for psi damage. Triumphant Insult: chance to disorient. Deflated Ego: chance for recovery debuff. All of these buttons are options in addition to the ones you find in the single target melee sets.

Level 1 - High Pain Tolerance
"Some day you will ache like I ache"

You don't have the choice of Mind over Body at level 1. Which is for the best: you don't want it until later, anyway. Why eat your endurance with a toggle?

Target slots: 3+
Slotting priorities: Heal. Damage resistance is a distant second

Three slot this for Heal. Damage resistance slots are very optional. Base resistance is 5.63%, and you can get just over half that again by slotting damage resistance. Not the best choice for scarce slots.

Cheap stuff: The Healing invention sets tend to be coveted. So are the Damage Resistance sets. Their acquisition is not a priority unless you are a very lucky girl.

Level 2 - Smite
"I'm Miss World, somebody kill me"

You also want the tier 2 attack. This is much faster than the tier 3, does less damage, but does not lock you into a 3 second animation.

Target slots: 6
Slotting priorities: Accuracy, Damage, Recharge, Endurance, in roughly that order.

Recharge is a slightly higher priority with this attack than with Shadow Punch.

Cheap stuff: See Shadow Punch.

Level 4 - Fast Healing
"I'm stupid, I'm smarting"

Target slots: 3
Slotting priorities: Heal

ED caps your max benefit at 3 slots. You want all 3 of them obviously, this is your basic, passive, health regeneration.

Cheap stuff: Healing invention sets are expensive, and this guide is for cheap trash like us.

Level 6 - Air Superiority
"She walks over me"

As far as I am concerned, any melee character really needs good reasons to take another travel power than Fly. This is especially true redside, where Super Speed is just broken, and only taken by PvPers - and we don't PvP either: we're melee, we're not stalkers, and we need Fury for damage.

This attack gives you solid mitigation with its near certain knockdown. The damage it does is not inconsiderable, but that's just the cherry on top.

Target slots: 6
Slotting priorities: Accuracy, Recharge, Endurance, Damage

I like to emphasize accuracy and recharge in Air Superiority. Its chief purpose in your build is for mitigation and control, so you will be using it often. Teamed, you may often be cycling between mobs and keeping them on their backs. If you slot for recharge, you will also want some endurance reduction in there as well. These first three attacks will become the core of your attack chain; the remaining attacks are situational, except for Boxing.

Cheap stuff: This only takes single target melee damage sets.

Level 8 - Swift
"No babies sleep on atrophy"

Puts you in the running for Stamina. Improves Fly slightly. Helps you in taking point.

Target slots: 1, maybe 2
Slotting priorities: Running speed

Cheap stuff: Does not take

Level 10 - Indomitable Will
"Just you try to hold me down"

This is your mez protection. Get it as soon as you can. It also can be slotted for psionic defense. This is not a priority until late in the game, and not a large priority then, in my opinion. Slot it when you have the slots to spare.

Target slots: 1-4
Slotting priorities: Endurance reduction (high); defense (low, later), recharge (low)

Cheap stuff: Any of the defense/endurance inventions would be good here. All of the defense sets have one. Slot whichever drops.

If you slot any toggles for recharge, this is the one to slot for it.

Level 12 - Siphon Life
"Alive, but just barely"

This attack is key to the Dark Melee and Willpower synergy. It's a self heal that has to hit a mob to work, like the Kinetic heal. It also does damage! And it has a reasonable recharge, base is 15 seconds. The heal is around 10% of your hit points unslotted.

Target slots: 5-6
Slotting priorities: Accuracy, Recharge, Heal

Cheap stuff: The Heal sets are expensive. But most of them contain Heal/Recharge buttons. Frankenslot a couple of those in here and you can devote the rest to Accuracy.

Level 14 - Fly
"I'm so high I cannot walk"

Your travel power. You could postpone this. I've been playing long enough that level 14 equals travel power, always, for me.

Target slots: 1-2
Slotting priorities: Flight speed

Cheap stuff: Save up for the Freebird Stealth proc button if you want to play Grandville. Fortunately, villains now have alternatives.

Level 16 - Rise to the Challenge
"Was she asking for it? Was she asking nice?"

A key power in the Willpower secondary, this one adds substantially to your regeneration.

Target slots: 4-6
Slotting priorities: Heal, Endurance Reduction, Taunt(?)

You may or may not want to slot Taunts in this. 2 Taunt IO's will guarantee that the taunt in this power will overlap its very short duration on +3 boss enemies. If you tank for teams, this may be worth your while. Otherwise, not so much.

Cheap stuff: Note that this does not accept Taunt sets, which otherwise would be quite attractive here.

Level 18 - Health
"Your milk turns to cream"

See Fast Healing, level 2

Level 20 - Quick Recovery
"I want to be the girl with the most cake"

This is the reason you rolled a Willpower brute.

Target slots: 3-4
Slotting priorities: Endurance recovery

Cheap stuff: If you're lucky enough to get the Performance Shifter Chance for Endurance, you may consider adding another slot to either this or Stamina.

Level 22 - Stamina
"Go on, take everything, I want you to"

Yes, you want this too. And yes, you want this now.

Target slots: 3-4
Slotting priorities: Endurance recovery

See Quick Recovery, level 20

Level 24 - Mind Over Body
"I've got a blister from touching everything I see"

Now, and not before now, we take armors that improve defenses passively and cost endurance.

Target slots: 3-4
Slotting priorities: Damage Resistance, Endurance Reduction

Cheap stuff: If you are rich, use one of the sets that improve maximum hit points or regeneration. Impervious Skin and Titanium Coating are good.

Level 26 - Soul Drain
"The abyss opens up, it steals everything from me"

This is one of the handiest Build Up style powers in the game. It must hit mobs to do anything. It lasts for 30 seconds. And its power increases with the number of mobs it hits. It is useful if you need to tank a little, as an opening AoE. It has a very long recharge. It also does some relatively minor damage.

Target slots: 4-6
Slotting priorities: Accuracy, Recharge, To Hit Buff

Cheap stuff: The Gaussian's Synchronized Fire Control set offers a valuable hit point bonus and movement bonuses for this power.

Level 28 - Touch of Fear
"You're gutless"

This attack does a mag 3 fear on a single melee target. Very handy. It deals no damage, but can mitigate a lot of damage.

Target slots: 4-5
Slotting priorities: Accuracy, Recharge, Fear Duration

Cheap stuff: The Fear sets are usually fairly inexpensive, and do exactly what you want in the power. Glimpse of the Abyss is highly recommended, for accuracy bonuses, hit point bonuses, and bonuses for recharge time at 5.

Level 30 - Heightened Senses
"I fake it so real I am beyond fake"

Your second passive defensive toggle, this provides defense against exotic attacks.

Target slots: 3-5
Slotting priorities: Defense, endurance reduction

Cheap stuff: Defensive sets are costly. Serendipity is a low level set that provides bonuses to regeneration and hit points, and tends to be slightly less expensive than many.

Level 32 - Midnight Grasp
"You can try to suck me dry, but there's nothing left to suck"

Your tier 9 attack is a single target hold. With tentacles! Tentacles are good.

It does fair initial damage, and much damage over time. As a power, it tends to be rather situational, but it is useful when you want to beat down more than one enemy at once, or deal with a runner or range attacker while being tied down in melee. It immobilizes, but does not incapacitate, its single target foe; for incapacitating an enemy, use Touch of Fear or Air Superiority. Neither of those powers do this much damage, though.

Target slots: 6
Slotting priorities: Accuracy, damage, recharge, hold

Cheap stuff: This takes Hold sets, which are often less expensive. Four Trap of the Hunter gets you a hit point bonus and a general bonus to accuracy.

Level 35 - Boxing
"With a bullet, number one, kill the family, save the son"

I imagine you will want Tough and perhaps Weave here.

Target slots: 1-3
Slotting priorities: Accuracy, damage

Cheap stuff: This takes Stun sets. Three of the Stupefy set wins you recovery bonuses and hit point bonuses.

Level 38 - Strength of Will
"Watch me break and watch me burn"

This tier 9 of the Willpower secondary adds to your resistance and defenses for 60 seconds, and has an endurance crash when it wears off. Useful to take alpha strikes with if you need to do that.

Target slots:2-3
Slotting priorities: Damage resistance

Cheap stuff: see Mind over Body, level 24

Level 41 - Tough
"I shut my mouth with glue"

A small but worthwhile boost to your smashing and lethal resistance.

Target slots: 3-4
Slotting priorities: Damage resistance, endurance reduction

Cheap stuff: see Mind over Body, level 24

At this point, you should no longer need a build guide, and the powers you take after here are optional. Some of the stuff we skipped might be considered:

Shadow Maul, available at level 2. I did not take it because it locks you into a 3 second animation, which is hard to take when it misses. It does solid damage, but is not that good for Brutes because it contributes relatively less to Fury building

Taunt, available at level 12. Brutes are not tankers. But take this if you want to become the aggro magnet for team utility.

Dark Consumption, available at level 18. This is a very slow recharging AoE attack that drains enemy endurance and restores it to you. Since you shouldn't have serious endurance issues on this character, it is useful mostly if you want a second AoE.

Resurgence, available at level 35. This build is based on high survivability to begin with, and as such a self-rez is less than ideally useful to you, in my opinion.

You have one open power pool and a patron power pool open under this guide. Hasten is useful in this build. So are some of the AoE attacks from the patron power sets. You can also consider Taunt for team utility. Or something else entirely.

<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison

Heraclea · 09-02-2008 09:36 PM

This is a sample build made according to the ideas laid out in this guide, showing what can be done with (almost) exclusive reliance on the exotic sets.

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.4006
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Courtney: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Shadow Punch <ul type="square">[*] (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance: Level 50[*] (3) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance: Level 50[*] (13) Accuracy IO: Level 30[*] (15) Accuracy IO: Level 40[*] (39) Damage Increase IO: Level 30[*] (40) Dark Watcher's Despair - Chance for Recharge Slow: Level 50[/list]Level 1: High Pain Tolerance <ul type="square">[*] (A) Healing IO: Level 50[*] (5) Healing IO: Level 50[*] (15) Healing IO: Level 50[/list]Level 2: Smite <ul type="square">[*] (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance: Level 50[*] (3) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge: Level 50[*] (9) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance: Level 50[*] (9) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50[*] (11) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50[*] (25) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 40[/list]Level 4: Fast Healing <ul type="square">[*] (A) Healing IO: Level 50[*] (5) Healing IO: Level 50[*] (7) Healing IO: Level 50[/list]Level 6: Air Superiority <ul type="square">[*] (A) Accuracy IO: Level 40[*] (7) Accuracy IO: Level 40[*] (11) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 40[*] (17) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 40[*] (29) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 40[*] (37) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 40[/list]Level 8: Swift <ul type="square">[*] (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50[/list]Level 10: Indomitable Will <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50[*] (46) Defense Buff IO: Level 50[*] (48) Defense Buff IO: Level 50[*] (50) Defense Buff IO: Level 50[/list]Level 12: Siphon Life <ul type="square">[*] (A) Accuracy IO: Level 50[*] (13) Accuracy IO: Level 50[*] (34) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge: Level 50[*] (34) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance: Level 50[*] (43) Healing IO: Level 50[*] (48) Healing IO: Level 50[/list]Level 14: Fly <ul type="square">[*] (A) Flight Speed IO: Level 50[/list]Level 16: Rise to the Challenge <ul type="square">[*] (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance: Level 40[*] (17) Harmonized Healing - Heal/Endurance: Level 40[*] (36) Taunt Duration IO: Level 50[*] (39) Taunt Duration IO: Level 50[*] (40) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance: Level 50[*] (40) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50[/list]Level 18: Health <ul type="square">[*] (A) Healing IO: Level 50[*] (19) Healing IO: Level 50[*] (19) Healing IO: Level 50[/list]Level 20: Quick Recovery <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50[*] (21) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50[*] (21) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50[/list]Level 22: Stamina <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50[*] (23) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50[*] (23) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50[/list]Level 24: Mind Over Body <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 30[*] (25) Resist Damage IO: Level 30[*] (37) Resist Damage IO: Level 40[*] (37) Resist Damage IO: Level 40[/list]Level 26: Soul Drain <ul type="square">[*] (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff: Level 50[*] (27) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge: Level 50[*] (27) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50[*] (31) Adjusted Targeting - Endurance/Recharge: Level 50[*] (34) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance: Level 50[*] (46) Accuracy IO: Level 50[/list]Level 28: Touch of Fear <ul type="square">[*] (A) Glimpse of the Abyss - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50[*] (29) Glimpse of the Abyss - Endurance/Fear: Level 50[*] (42) Glimpse of the Abyss - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50[*] (43) Glimpse of the Abyss - Accuracy/Fear/Recharge: Level 50[*] (46) Glimpse of the Abyss - Chance of Damage(Psionic): Level 50[/list]Level 30: Heightened Senses <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 40[*] (31) Defense Buff IO: Level 40[*] (31) Defense Buff IO: Level 40[*] (48) Defense Buff IO: Level 40[/list]Level 32: Midnight Grasp <ul type="square">[*] (A) Trap of the Hunter - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50[*] (33) Trap of the Hunter - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50[*] (33) Trap of the Hunter - Accuracy/Immobilize/Recharge: Level 50[*] (33) Trap of the Hunter - Endurance/Immobilize: Level 50[*] (43) Damage Increase IO: Level 50[*] (45) Damage Increase IO: Level 50[/list]Level 35: Boxing <ul type="square">[*] (A) Stupefy - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50[*] (36) Stupefy - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50[*] (36) Stupefy - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge: Level 50[/list]Level 38: Strength of Will <ul type="square">[*] (A) Resist Damage IO: Level 40[*] (39) Resist Damage IO: Level 40[/list]Level 41: Tough <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50[*] (42) Resist Damage IO: Level 50[*] (42) Resist Damage IO: Level 50[/list]Level 44: Weave <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 40[*] (45) Defense Buff IO: Level 40[*] (45) Defense Buff IO: Level 40[/list]Level 47: Taunt <ul type="square">[*] (A) Mocking Beratement - Taunt/Recharge/Range: Level 50[/list]Level 49: Hasten <ul type="square">[*] (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50[*] (50) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50[*] (50) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50[/list]------------
Level 1: Brawl <ul type="square">[*] (A) Accuracy IO: Level 50[/list]Level 1: Sprint <ul type="square">[*] (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50[/list]Level 2: Rest <ul type="square">[*] (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50[/list]Level 1: Fury
------------
[u]Set Bonus Totals:[u]<ul type="square">[*]2% DamageBuff(Smashing)[*]2% DamageBuff(Lethal)[*]2% DamageBuff(Fire)[*]2% DamageBuff(Cold)[*]2% DamageBuff(Energy)[*]2% DamageBuff(Negative)[*]2% DamageBuff(Toxic)[*]2% DamageBuff(Psionic)[*]27% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*]11.3% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[*]2.75% Enhancement(Terrorized)[*]5% Enhancement(Immobilize)[*]168.7 HP (11.3%) HitPoints[*]MezResist(Immobilize) 2.2%[*]7.5% (0.13 End/sec) Recovery[*]12% (0.75 HP/sec) Regeneration[*]1.26% Resistance(Energy)[*]1.26% Resistance(Negative)[/list]------------
[u]Set Bonuses:[u]
[u]Dark Watcher's Despair[u]
(Shadow Punch)<ul type="square">[*] 22.5 HP (1.5%) HitPoints[*] 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery[/list][u]Dark Watcher's Despair[u]
(Smite)<ul type="square">[*] 22.5 HP (1.5%) HitPoints[*] 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery[/list][u]Crushing Impact[u]
(Smite)<ul type="square">[*] MezResist(Immobilize) 2.2%[*] 16.9 HP (1.13%) HitPoints[/list][u]Dark Watcher's Despair[u]
(Siphon Life)<ul type="square">[*] 22.5 HP (1.5%) HitPoints[/list][u]Numina's Convalescence[u]
(Rise to the Challenge)<ul type="square">[*] 12% (0.75 HP/sec) Regeneration[/list][u]Adjusted Targeting[u]
(Soul Drain)<ul type="square">[*] 2% DamageBuff(All)[*] 1.26% Resistance(Energy,Negative)[*] 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*] 5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[/list][u]Glimpse of the Abyss[u]
(Touch of Fear)<ul type="square">[*] 2.75% Enhancement(Terrorized)[*] 28.1 HP (1.88%) HitPoints[*] 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*] 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[/list][u]Trap of the Hunter[u]
(Midnight Grasp)<ul type="square">[*] 5% Enhancement(Immobilize)[*] 28.1 HP (1.88%) HitPoints[*] 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)[/list][u]Stupefy[u]
(Boxing)<ul type="square">[*] 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery[*] 28.1 HP (1.88%) HitPoints[/list]

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<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison

Nettik · 09-03-2008 03:16 AM

You and your weird obsession with cheese and pie.

This was a great guide and now I understand why you suggested the combination when I was asking for tanker ideas. Thinking up a concept to try this build as I type.

Thank you ^_^.

Magus_Prime · 09-03-2008 03:17 AM

Heraclea, you've done it again. Yet another well-conceived, ellaborate, and succinct guide to a willpower build. I especially enjoy the coined phrases for each power.

Magus Prime- lev 50 kin/ elec defender
Meta-Human- lev 50 fire/ ss tank
Cabal Bravo- lev 50 merc/ ff master mind
Schwarzchild- lev 50 grav/ ff controller
Shanghai Storm- lev 50 ma/invinc scrapper
Nicodemus- lev 50 db/ regen scrapper
Dragonhyde- lev 50 wp/ sm tank
On The Pinnochle server!

Heraclea · 09-03-2008 04:25 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I especially enjoy the coined phrases for each power.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bonus points for those who recognise the source.

<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison

DreamsRazor · 09-03-2008 07:24 AM

ummm I guess lyrics from songs by Courtney Love...(just a guess mind you)

"...well I have wrestled with reality for thirty-five years, Doctor and I am happy to state I finally won out over it." Elwood P Dowd (from the movie Harvey)

Heraclea · 09-03-2008 07:30 AM

Yep - all the quotations are from Courtney Love and Hole's album Live Through This.

<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison

Roderick · 09-04-2008 12:36 AM

Last double XP weekend, I had a mid-30s DM/WP brute, fully slotted with a mix of generic and set IOs. I spent most of the weekend solo or in small teams on Invincible. By the end of the weekend, I was level 50, with over half my slots empty because I only stopped smashing long enough to slot whatever SOs dropped to free some room. At this point, I was still destroying everything I laid my eyes on.

I've got about 90 million on that character, and at least one respec available. I think I'll be making use of parts of this guide. I really like some of the suggestions.

A question though: is Midnight Grasp really that good? I took it and was thoroughly unimpressed. So much so that I burned a freespec, and replaced it with Shadow Maul, because it seemed to help me more - mostly in that I was really feeling the lack of an AOE.

@Roderick

Heraclea · 09-04-2008 04:44 AM

[ QUOTE ]
A question though: is Midnight Grasp really that good? I took it and was thoroughly unimpressed. So much so that I burned a freespec, and replaced it with Shadow Maul, because it seemed to help me more - mostly in that I was really feeling the lack of an AOE.

[/ QUOTE ]

Depends on your teams and preferred style, I supposed. Shadow Maul is not much of an AoE. If you have Sands of Mu, you know how it works; that's the same power. You can get a second mob in its effect every once in a while if you corner pull. In the chaos of typical team situations it is hardly an AoE - if you want to hit more than one mob, Dark Consumption works better, and so do several patron powers.

Midnight Grasp is more of a control thing than anything else. It allows you to leave the Champion Smasher to go chase down the Juicer Chief, for instance. The DoT works best if you can leave one mob to work on another. Situational, but I find it useful.

<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison

Roderick · 09-04-2008 05:19 AM

I actually took the axe on this brute, because SM is better than Sands (it can be slotted), and the Axe gave me certain utility when fighting CoT ghosts. I fight CoT a lot and the ghost's debuffs are a major speed bump for me.

I usually play solo or on smal teams, for what it's worth. But I rarely have trouble getting two enemies into SM's cone, and have hit the 5 enemy target cap before. I guess it's just a playstyle difference.

You're definitely right about getting AoEs from patron pools though. I was very happy to get both Ball Lightning and Electric Fences.

@Roderick

TheSpellbinder · 11-23-2008 02:31 AM

As a HUGE Courtney Love fan, how could I not follow this guide?

Thank you, Heraclea!!! My DM/WP brute has been a blast to play thanks to your "We're trash, let's make the best of cheap slotting" philosophy. Sometimes, it's nice to remind folks that every once in a while, "trash" can become royalty. *grin*

Besserwisser · 01-10-2009 12:37 PM

Why would you take Stamina and not Dark Consumption? DC would save you two power slots to use and add a little bit of AoE damage. That could be used for Shadow Maul to get some more AoE damage (with the 7' range now I don't see how you could avoid getting atleast two enemies each use) and possibly Weave to help you against non-S/L damage.

Richard47 · 01-19-2009 12:36 AM

[ QUOTE ]

Level 32 - Midnight Grasp
"You can try to suck me dry, but there's nothing left to suck"

Your tier 9 attack is a single target hold. With tentacles! Tentacles are good.

It does fair initial damage, and much damage over time. As a power, it tends to be rather situational, but it is useful when you want to beat down more than one enemy at once, or deal with a runner or range attacker while being tied down in melee. It immobilizes, but does not incapacitate, its single target foe; for incapacitating an enemy, use Touch of Fear or Air Superiority. Neither of those powers do this much damage, though.

Target slots: 6
Slotting priorities: Accuracy, damage, recharge, hold

Cheap stuff: This takes Hold sets, which are often less expensive. Four Trap of the Hunter gets you a hit point bonus and a general bonus to accuracy.

[/ QUOTE ]

And just to clarify, it's an immobilize power not a hold power, unless you're lucky enough to get that really expensive hold proc.

The best thing is you can also slot some cheap melee sets to get them extra couple of healing or max health percentages.

"Fragments came floating into his mind like bits of wood drifting down a stream, and he fished them out and fitted them together."
- Elizabeth Gray Vining

Heraclea · 01-26-2009 10:34 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Why would you take Stamina and not Dark Consumption?

[/ QUOTE ]

Even if you don't take Stamina, you still want Health. That's playing to your strengths, given that your survivability depends so strongly on regeneration. So Stamina represents one more power choice, rather than three.

Dark Consumption's base recharge is three minutes, 180 seconds. Maximally slotted for recharge, it could be brought down to just over a minute and a half. It has to hit to give you more endurance too, and that's going to eat more slots. That's a very little bit of AoE damage, and it won't be up for every fight. Meanwhile, Stamina builds on top of Quick Recovery, is never off, and allows you to keep building Fury while worrying a lot less about endurance. In short, Stamina also plays to your strengths. Dark Consumption eats your slots to do less for you.

<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison

MightyForge · 06-12-2009 05:12 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A question though: is Midnight Grasp really that good? I took it and was thoroughly unimpressed. So much so that I burned a freespec, and replaced it with Shadow Maul, because it seemed to help me more - mostly in that I was really feeling the lack of an AOE.

[/ QUOTE ]

Depends on your teams and preferred style, I supposed. Shadow Maul is not much of an AoE. If you have Sands of Mu, you know how it works; that's the same power. You can get a second mob in its effect every once in a while if you corner pull. In the chaos of typical team situations it is hardly an AoE - if you want to hit more than one mob, Dark Consumption works better, and so do several patron powers.

Midnight Grasp is more of a control thing than anything else. It allows you to leave the Champion Smasher to go chase down the Juicer Chief, for instance. The DoT works best if you can leave one mob to work on another. Situational, but I find it useful.

[/ QUOTE ]

Regarding this, does DM play significantly differently on a brute than a scrapper? On my DM Regen I get the most benefit out of Smite->MidGrasp->Smite->Sipon Life. It's the highest DPS chain we have to date!

I'd be interested in hearing the results.

---------------------------------------------------------
"Light travels faster than sounds. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak." - LCG

PeterAlmighty · 06-15-2009 05:58 PM

Having played a DM/WP scrapper to the mid 20s and then remaking him as a brute (currently lvl 34ish) I'd say they feel pretty different. I dunno, scrappers have been my favorite AT for a long time, but eventually I just felt like "damn, this combo feels like it'd be more fun as a brute," and sure enough, it was One more thing: it always kinda annoyed me that DM scrappers don't have an attack with a high crit chance, as the other scrapper primaries do.

Aside from shadow maul, a lot of the DM attack animations are pretty quick, allowing you to build up fury quite quickly. For this reason, shadow punch is a must-have for a DM brute (IMO) because it is incredibly quick-activating, builds fury well, and does great damage. Also, I remember reading (over a year ago) that shadow punch has THE best DPA of any scrapper attack (could be wrong). As such, wouldn't the highest DPS attack chain make good use of this attack?

...Actually I just checked and it's not the highest DPA (maybe they changed it?), but it's still not too shabby at all.

BTW, great guide Heraclea! I too picked up air superiority (since I love it so damn much) and it fills in my chain and adds a lot of utility.

Regarding shadow maul: I took early and don't really regret it. The trick to getting a good bang for you buck with this power is to only use it once your fury bar is at least 2/3rds full, and to make sure to line up a few enemies with it! Having plenty of practice with Dark Melee and Sands, I consistently hit 2-4 enemies. Also, the nice thing about lining up a few enemies is that you're almost guaranteed to hit one of them, so you won't be crying yourself to sleep after hearing that disappointing whiffing sound for three agonizing seconds

A couple quick tips for hitting multiple enemies: If you're planning on hitting two enemies with it, line them up and aim for the guy in the back. If there are three enemies and you're confident on your ability, run a little bit around them so they bunch into a triangle formation, then activate shadow maul right as you're facing the closest corner enemy (with the two others are right behind him to either side). Lastly, the best way to hit 3+ enemies regularly is to practice simple herding techniques, even mid battle. If you can break line of sight around a sharp corner, the enemies will bunch up and make this really easy.

Hope that helps! Good luck to fellow DM/WP players!

Heraclea · 06-16-2009 05:21 PM

Shadow Maul vs. Smite is very much a matter of taste. The teams I've played on tend to be rather hectic, so my ability to line up mobs is mostly contingent on whether I am the "main tank" or not. My tanker definitely took Shadow Maul, and gets good mileage out of it. My DM/SR Scrapper (that's another good pairing with DM on a scrapper) also uses Shadow Maul.

But my Brute is more concerned with keeping Fury going than with repositioning mobs to execute the perfect attack. So I stuck with Smite for the faster recharge.

<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison

Mageman · 08-02-2009 11:36 AM

Generally, nice overall. However, you don't mention which of the Patron Power Pools would fit into the synergy of this class. Also, your choice of colors for post is just plain ugly. Maybe it would look better on the old CoV forums, but not now. Add in the fact that with the board changes, that your overall build is almost unreadable now that the old list items doesn't work.

I wish under this you had posted slotting with just SOs and/or just normal IOs. That would really be the best "Cheap Guide" and help people get to 50 without those level 50 IOs you put in your list.

I also don't agree with you about needing Fly at level 14. Yes, it's nice to have your own vertical movement power, you really don't need it. SS works fine in CoV as long as you run the bank missions. The first two get you the Raptor Pack (fly) and the Zero G Pack (super jump) capabilities. With these two, just turning them on long enough to get over that wall, they last forever. Yes, if you use them to clear map zones, they don't last long. Heck, even the Jump Pack prestige power from the Good vs. Evil edition will help you there, making those two timed powers last even longer.

Anyways, now that I've put my four cents worth, here's your fixed character build;

Courtney: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed

Villain Profile:

Level 1: Shadow Punch (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance: Level 50 (3) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance: Level 50 (13) Accuracy IO: Level 30 (15) Accuracy IO: Level 40 (39) Damage Increase IO: Level 30 (40) Dark Watcher's Despair - Chance for Recharge Slow: Level 50

Level 1: High Pain Tolerance (A) Healing IO: Level 50 (5) Healing IO: Level 50 (15) Healing IO: Level 50

Level 2: Smite (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance: Level 50 (3) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge: Level 50 (9) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance: Level 50 (9) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50 (11) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50 (25) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 40

Level 4: Fast Healing (A) Healing IO: Level 50 (5) Healing IO: Level 50 (7) Healing IO: Level 50

Level 6: Air Superiority (A) Accuracy IO: Level 40 (7) Accuracy IO: Level 40 (11) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 40 (17) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 40 (29) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 40 (37) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 40

Level 8: Swift (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50

Level 10: Indomitable Will (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50 (46) Defense Buff IO: Level 50 (48) Defense Buff IO: Level 50 (50) Defense Buff IO: Level 50

Level 12: Siphon Life (A) Accuracy IO: Level 50 (13) Accuracy IO: Level 50 (34) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge: Level 50 (34) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance: Level 50 (43) Healing IO: Level 50 (48) Healing IO: Level 50

Level 14: Fly (A) Flight Speed IO: Level 50

Level 16: Rise to the Challenge (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance: Level 40 (17) Harmonized Healing - Heal/Endurance: Level 40 (36) Taunt Duration IO: Level 50 (39) Taunt Duration IO: Level 50 (40) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance: Level 50 (40) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50

Level 18: Health (A) Healing IO: Level 50 (19) Healing IO: Level 50 (19) Healing IO: Level 50

Level 20: Quick Recovery (A) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50 (21) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50 (21) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50

Level 22: Stamina (A) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50 (23) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50 (23) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50

Level 24: Mind Over Body (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 30 (25) Resist Damage IO: Level 30 (37) Resist Damage IO: Level 40 (37) Resist Damage IO: Level 40

Level 26: Soul Drain (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff: Level 50 (27) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge: Level 50 (27) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50 (31) Adjusted Targeting - Endurance/Recharge: Level 50 (34) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance: Level 50 (46) Accuracy IO: Level 50

Level 28: Touch of Fear (A) Glimpse of the Abyss - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50 (29) Glimpse of the Abyss - Endurance/Fear: Level 50 (42) Glimpse of the Abyss - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50 (43) Glimpse of the Abyss - Accuracy/Fear/Recharge: Level 50 (46) Glimpse of the Abyss - Chance of Damage(Psionic): Level 50

Level 30: Heightened Senses (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 40 (31) Defense Buff IO: Level 40 (31) Defense Buff IO: Level 40 (48) Defense Buff IO: Level 40

Level 32: Midnight Grasp (A) Trap of the Hunter - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50 (33) Trap of the Hunter - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50 (33) Trap of the Hunter - Accuracy/Immobilize/Recharge: Level 50 (33) Trap of the Hunter - Endurance/Immobilize: Level 50 (43) Damage Increase IO: Level 50 (45) Damage Increase IO: Level 50

Level 35: Boxing (A) Stupefy - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50 (36) Stupefy - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50 (36) Stupefy - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge: Level 50

Level 38: Strength of Will (A) Resist Damage IO: Level 40 (39) Resist Damage IO: Level 40

Level 41: Tough (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50 (42) Resist Damage IO: Level 50 (42) Resist Damage IO: Level 50

Level 44: Weave (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 40 (45) Defense Buff IO: Level 40 (45) Defense Buff IO: Level 40

Level 47: Taunt (A) Mocking Beratement - Taunt/Recharge/Range: Level 50

Level 49: Hasten (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50 (50) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50 (50) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50

------------

Level 1: Brawl (A) Accuracy IO: Level 50
Level 1: Sprint (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50
Level 2: Rest (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 1: Fury

Heraclea · 08-03-2009 07:56 AM

Re-trying the build post, just for format purposes.

FWIW, I take Fly at level 14 because I'm an old fogey, and level 14 is for travel power.

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Courtney: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Shadow Punch -- DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx(A), DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(3), Acc-I(13), Acc-I(15), Dmg-I(39), DarkWD-Slow%(40)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(5), Heal-I(15)
Level 2: Smite -- DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx(A), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/Rchg(3), DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(25)
Level 4: Fast Healing -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(5), Heal-I(7)
Level 6: Air Superiority -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(7), EndRdx-I(11), EndRdx-I(17), RechRdx-I(29), RechRdx-I(37)
Level 8: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- EndRdx-I(A), DefBuff-I(46), DefBuff-I(48), DefBuff-I(50)
Level 12: Siphon Life -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(13), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/Rchg(34), DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx(34), Heal-I(43), Heal-I(48)
Level 14: Fly -- Flight-I(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- Numna-Heal/EndRdx(A), H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx(17), Taunt-I(36), Taunt-I(39), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(40), Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 18: Health -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(19), Heal-I(19)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(23), EndMod-I(23)
Level 24: Mind Over Body -- EndRdx-I(A), ResDam-I(25), ResDam-I(37), ResDam-I(37)
Level 26: Soul Drain -- AdjTgt-ToHit(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(27), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(27), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(31), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(34), Acc-I(46)
Level 28: Touch of Fear -- Abys-Acc/Rchg(A), Abys-EndRdx/Fear(29), Abys-Acc/EndRdx(42), Abys-Acc/Fear/Rchg(43), Abys-Dam%(46)
Level 30: Heightened Senses -- EndRdx-I(A), DefBuff-I(31), DefBuff-I(31), DefBuff-I(48)
Level 32: Midnight Grasp -- TotHntr-Acc/Rchg(A), TotHntr-Acc/EndRdx(33), TotHntr-Acc/Immob/Rchg(33), TotHntr-EndRdx/Immob(33), Dmg-I(43), Dmg-I(45)
Level 35: Boxing -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg(A), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx(36), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg(36)
Level 38: Strength of Will -- ResDam-I(A), ResDam-I(39)
Level 41: Tough -- EndRdx-I(A), ResDam-I(42), ResDam-I(42)
Level 44: Weave -- EndRdx-I(A), DefBuff-I(45), DefBuff-I(45)
Level 47: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(A)
Level 49: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50), RechRdx-I(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Fury

<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison

Toy · 04-25-2011 02:29 PM

I never took my time to gave my opinions on this great power combination and guide. This combination has being my favorite since 2010 and i even liked it more than SS/Invulnerability.
The damaged may not be the same, but the debuffs and -to hit, is something that both helped me in soloing and full team situations. This power combination was the initial one that make me starting to be in full teams and i started to like full teams.

About your guide, it explained me all that i needed to know and i found the IOS that helped me to make my build more powerful. I currently have one Dark/WP brute that i made her a Heroine as soon as Going Rogue came out, now i will make a totally different character concept with a very close build, but exploring other power options. This one will remain a Rogue.

Thank you so much for making this guide with one of the best songs from Courtney Love. Seeing the Victory server ''What are you listening to'' Thread, in my opinion you have very good and extensive music tastes.