I played a Dark/Elec brute at lvl 40 in RV. Looked pretty good although not well suited to PvP IMO.
Dark/Energy might be better in terms of acc debuf synergy with def based protection.
However: My observations:
Avoid Shadow Maul. Yes, it might be great damage but it locks you in an appallingly long animation. Brutes win by their fury bar. The first two attacks combines with the +recharge power of elec (reactions?) cycle very fast to quickly build fury and stack debuffs.. and its at least part negative energy ie poorly resisted.
The Dark heal compensates for the lack of heal in elec - especially with the auto +recharge. Combined with the end recharging of elec defence means you are a marathon build - can keep going to build up that fury!. Elec armour also gives good resistance to end draining (the bane of a brute).
In the RV event, I was ok, but when i shone was protracted battles. You keep pounding away at a tank or scrapper who rapidly gets acc debuffed stacked and your fury builds nicely.
In summary:
Pros:
Seemed more of a PvE than PvP build
Seemed better solo than team build
Well suited to rapid fury building
+End and (limited) + HP faculties = able to keep fury up
Negative energy is poorly resisted
Able to quickly stack acc debuffs on ONE target
Psionic Resistance (which is rare)
Cons:
Seemed more of a PvE than PvP build
Seemed better solo than team build
Shadow Maul is pretty counter productive for the build.
Acc debuffs and Resistance armours not ideal syndergy.
Resistance is a little sub-par except vs energy.
Works by fury bar, not "big hitters" / "burst" damage.
Anyone else have any ideas / observations let me know. Currently at lvl 8 languishing...
My biggest advice is avoid shadow maul. When you have an inherent +recharge you dont want to be locked in a hideously long animation when you can be quickly building up fury and -acc debuffs with your other attacks.
Thanks for the reply Cognito 
Filter reached the heady heights of lvl 12 yesterday afternoon, it's been good fun playing him all the way so far!
I've skipped Shadow Maul too for similar reasons, Siphon Life (which I took at lvl 8) has saved my bacon a few times, it'll be much better when fully slotted, I've just put 2 acc do's in it for now.
I picked up Lightning Field at lvl 4 and it works well when taking on multiple enemies, I cycle my attacks on everything in melee range to debuff them and once fury has built up, the ticks from LF drop the mobs very quickly, as well as creating plenty of aggro 
I'm also going to put off getting a travel power till the mid to late 20's and rely on Hurdle + CJ plus the temp travel powers from Mayhem missions as well as the Goldbricker pack 
Next up at 14 is a choice between Touch of Fear or Static Shield.
Observations so far.....Solo's very well, also duoed with a Corr and again with a Dom and we flew through the missions.
Plays very differently to my SS/Inv Brute but just as much fun. End use is a problem in these early lvls, but that should change with decent slotting, Stamina and SO's...oh and one of the end rec powers.
I'll keep you updated as I progress.
Again, my observation from the RV event... Id go Static Shield. TOuch of fear is a lovely lovely power but the feeling I got was that Dark/Elec worked by quick cycling low powers which means that fear isnt as great (although still good). Getting held/mezzed is just bad news for a dark/elec (as fury drains, the dark debuffs fade, and the smash/lethal resist is nothing to write home about). Also IIRC protects vs the ultimate brute fear - end drain.
Touch of Fear probably relegated to second place behind Static Shield I think, but almost certainly worth plonking straight after.
However, if you are using electric field for AoE damage (I skipped it as I was going for a more solo freindly build - its an "occassional" toon), ToF becomes even less attractive.
Here is a build I made for DM/Elec
Any thoughts? I also thought about skipping shadow maul untill the very late levels where it becomes more of a AE finisher.
Untill then, I'd use shadow punch, smite and air superiority in my fury chain.
The theme of the build will be: a back-from-the-death-electrocuted-criminal or something.
Don't pay attention too much at the levels for the add slots. I didn't really work on the progression, rather on the final feeling of the build. I had to switch lots of things and that ended having some slots very late or way too early.
Here it is:
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Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
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Name: Build DM/ElA
Level: 41
Archetype: Brute
Primary: Dark Melee
Secondary: Electric Armor
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01) --> Shadow Punch==> Acc(1)Dmg(3)Dmg(3)Dmg(19)TH_DeBuf(40)TH_DeBuf(40)
01) --> Charged Armor==> DmgRes(1)DmgRes(5)DmgRes(5)
02) --> Smite==> Acc(2)Dmg(7)Dmg(11)Dmg(15)TH_DeBuf(37)TH_DeBuf(37)
04) --> Lightning Field==> Acc(4)Dmg(19)Dmg(25)Dmg(25)
06) --> Air Superiority==> Acc(6)Dmg(7)Dmg(11)Dmg(17)
08) --> Siphon Life==> Acc(8)Heal(9)Heal(9)Rechg(34)Heal(37)
10) --> Conductive Shield==> DmgRes(10)DmgRes(13)DmgRes(13)
12) --> Static Shield==> DmgRes(12)DmgRes(31)DmgRes(31)
14) --> Touch of Fear==> Acc(14)EndRdx(15)EndRdx(17)
16) --> Grounded==> DmgRes(16)DmgRes(39)
18) --> Hurdle==> Jump(18)
20) --> Health==> Heal(20)Heal(21)Heal(21)
22) --> Stamina==> EndMod(22)EndMod(23)EndMod(23)
24) --> Lightning Reflexes==> Run(24)
26) --> Hasten==> Rechg(26)Rechg(27)Rechg(27)
28) --> Fly==> Fly(28)Fly(29)Fly(29)
30) --> Shadow Maul==> Acc(30)Dmg(31)Dmg(33)Dmg(33)TH_DeBuf(40)
32) --> Midnight Grasp==> Acc(32)Immob(33)Immob(34)Immob(34)
35) --> Dark Consumption==> Acc(35)EndMod(36)EndMod(36)EndMod(36)
38) --> Power Surge==> Rechg(38)Rechg(39)Rechg(39)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Empty(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Fury==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Empty(2)
---------------------------------------------
Hi, my dm/elec is now lvl 18 and he's great fun to play.
Just a few thoughts on your build, from lessons I've learned so far:
Stamina is a must and I think you should try to get it at level 20, that way it will be three slotted by 22 ready for SO's. You could do that by taking Grounded in the 20's.
I also took Lightning Field at lvl 4 but it is a real end hog and running it with even just one other shield will cause endurance problems. At present I have it slotted with 1 acc and 2 end red DO's.
With regards to the shields, pre stamina you will be switching between them depending on the damage type you are going up against.
I've slotted Siphon Life with 2 acc 1 heal so far because I want it to hit as much as possible, more slots for heals will come later.
As for Shadow Maul, I too have skipped it so far but I'll pick it up in the 20's.
Lastly, enjoy the build whatever you decide to do, dm/elec is great fun and totally different to the playstyle of my SS/Inv.
Personally Id avoid shadow maul for reasons stated above. I found it much more effective to have ultra rapid cycling low attacks that could lay heap big acc debuff and give heap big fury bar.
For PvP you may want Shadowmaul to lay down the law once your fury has built up, but thats about it. Personally, Id stick to the tier9 immobilise power and concentrate on fast recharge on that, so you can quickly stack up immobilise and carry on your pummelling.
And for any brute, get stamina asap, slot x3 asap. Endurance is the brutes worst enemy. DM/Elec gives you plenty of tricks to keep end up - It plays like a brute who can sustain extremely high endurance bars but sacrifices big big hitters (but at 800% damage boost, even the smallest power packs a tremendous wallop! [img]/uk/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img])
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Pros:
Negative energy is poorly resisted<-------a pro??
Cons:
Shadow Maul is pretty counter productive for the build.<---- Not necessarily PVE as its a cone attack.
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Just me nickpicking with otherwise fair observations
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
I think the fact that negative energy is fairly poorly resisted by enemy must be considered a good thing, surely?
As for Shadow Maul being a cone. Fair point. Its a bit of a devil to get many enemies in the cone (can be done) tho. Id still avoid myself (for the specifics of a dark/elec brute)
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I think the fact that negative energy is fairly poorly resisted by enemy must be considered a good thing, surely?
As for Shadow Maul being a cone. Fair point. Its a bit of a devil to get many enemies in the cone (can be done) tho. Id still avoid myself (for the specifics of a dark/elec brute)
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The electric armour is least resistant to negative energy excluding toxic unpowersurged is all i was getting at. Worse so for those who swap grounded for acrobatics. Being grounded could make sets like ss/ favourable with hurl in the build but then more than you would dm/ you may want aid self in the build.
I have to work as many foes into cones all the time to hit as many as possible and save endurance/cut fight duration but you can almost forget that pvp.
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
I got a little dark/elec brute on the go at the mo...only bout lvl 13 at the mo...but i have had a lvl 28 dark/inv brute (deleted now) and i absolutly love shadow maul. i personally think its one of the best moves in the set. it does a fair bit of dmg. maybe you could use 2 moves in the time it takes for the animation....but be around the same dmg using those 2 against that 1....and less end if ur usin just one move.
Touch of fear has an 11% base ToHit debuff, and a 4.47 mag fear. Fully slotted with 3 acc and 3 ToHitt debuff is 95% accuracy and 56% ToHit debuff, according to Hero Planner. Absolutely top notch power, and a fair trade off of DM not being as damaging as energy melee.
Like the attacks or not, with so few attacks in the set u need all four, sm, sp, smite, midnight grasp.
It's a mag 3 fear,prima applied the level modifier to strength instead duration.
And it is a 95% / 56% increase in accuracy/to hit debuff.
3 to hit debuff SOs in ToF and you have a 17.16% debuff.
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It's a mag 3 fear,prima applied the level modifier to strength instead duration.
And it is a 95% / 56% increase in accuracy/to hit debuff.
3 to hit debuff SOs in ToF and you have a 17.16% debuff.
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I know prima gets things wrong, but without a reference for your figures, I wouldnt believe them to be accurate either. As I said, 2 applications of a move which with haste/lightning reflexes according to CoH hero builder has a 4.21 sec recharge (without slotting for recharge), can fear a boss... there is not much to argue about that its a superior power.
Actually you are incorrect about ToF having 95% 3 accuracy slotted since it has a +20% accuracy inherent bonus :
Making it 114% accurate with +5% from soul drain.
It is true that while the rest of DM attacks have a secondary of 5% ToHit debuff, ToF has 11%, enhanced 95% will make it closer to 21-22%.
Yes,ToF is a great power,nothing to argue about that.
Whenever hold/stun/fear... strength is a decimal,the guide applied the modifier to strength instead duration (confirmed by Castle).
Defense debuffs are Shedule B (20% increase per SO) - so 3 SOs give 56% increase.
11% * 1.56 = 17.16%
And you claimed that ToF has 95% Acc with 3 SOs - i didn't check if it has an additional bonus.
The final to hit chance vs. even levels without defense is:
75% * 1.95 [Enhancements] * 1.2 [Acc bonus] = 175.5% [capped at 95%]
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Here is a build I made for DM/Elec
Any thoughts?
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Why not slot lighting reflexes with fly? Perhaps consider 3 slotting lightning reflexes and 3 slotting hover, to get unsurpressed travel (I believe the speed of unslotted fly) and an extra power choice(not sure how well this plays out considering u used 6 slots, compared to 6 slots (LR & fly + possible 4 slot attack? i.e air superiority).
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Untill then, I'd use shadow punch, smite and air superiority in my fury chain.
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Id love to have air superiority in my build again but limited to 3 power pool choices and I prefer the teleportations control of your position and foes position more in PvP. Purely with a PvE build, apart from getting hit with web cocoon, it could certainly open up a free power choice with no downside.
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---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
---------------------------------------------
Name: Build DM/ElA
Level: 41
Archetype: Brute
Primary: Dark Melee
Secondary: Electric Armor
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Shadow Punch==> Acc(1)Dmg(3)Dmg(3)Dmg(19)TH_DeBuf(40)TH_DeBuf(40)
01) --> Charged Armor==> DmgRes(1)DmgRes(5)DmgRes(5)
02) --> Smite==> Acc(2)Dmg(7)Dmg(11)Dmg(15)TH_DeBuf(37)TH_DeBuf(37)
04) --> Lightning Field==> Acc(4)Dmg(19)Dmg(25)Dmg(25)
06) --> Air Superiority==> Acc(6)Dmg(7)Dmg(11)Dmg(17)
08) --> Siphon Life==> Acc(8)Heal(9)Heal(9)Rechg(34)Heal(37)
10) --> Conductive Shield==> DmgRes(10)DmgRes(13)DmgRes(13)
12) --> Static Shield==> DmgRes(12)DmgRes(31)DmgRes(31)
14) --> Touch of Fear==> Acc(14)EndRdx(15)EndRdx(17)
16) --> Grounded==> DmgRes(16)DmgRes(39)
18) --> Hurdle==> Jump(18)
20) --> Health==> Heal(20)Heal(21)Heal(21)
22) --> Stamina==> EndMod(22)EndMod(23)EndMod(23)
24) --> Lightning Reflexes==> Run(24)
26) --> Hasten==> Rechg(26)Rechg(27)Rechg(27)
28) --> Fly==> Fly(28)Fly(29)Fly(29)
30) --> Shadow Maul==> Acc(30)Dmg(31)Dmg(33)Dmg(33)TH_DeBuf(40)
32) --> Midnight Grasp==> Acc(32)Immob(33)Immob(34)Immob(34)
35) --> Dark Consumption==> Acc(35)EndMod(36)EndMod(36)EndMod(36)
38) --> Power Surge==> Rechg(38)Rechg(39)Rechg(39)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Empty(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Fury==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Empty(2)
---------------------------------------------
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I'm planning on making a DM/Elec Brute, Going to skip Shadow Maul for now, but will DEFINBATELY pick it up later, it'd be a great power to clear a swathe when your fury is built up very high. I'm not totally sure about ToF - as I plan on using Electric Aura in the higher levels to keep some DoT going. Tentacles seems a bit of a naff 9-tier power TBH. What powers would you say are skippable from both sets?
Just thought I'd ask if anyone has tried Dm/Elec yet? I rolled one yesterday and really enjoyed it....my thinking is that the primary with its acc debuffs and heal will make up for Elec Armours weaknesses....only at lvl 6 so far but it seems like a fun set to play.