Well, in the end it all comes down to playstyle, but if you want to do PvE and PvP I would suggest taking Super Strength or Energy Melee from my experience. Both pack quite a punch.
On the defensive side I find Invulnerability to be quite good for almost anything. Stone Armor is only advisable if you have access to a personal kinetic, otherwise it´s just un-brutish.
If it has eyes, you can blind it, if it has blood, you can make it bleed, if it has a mouth, you can make it scream.
I think energy aura is a fairly good all rounder and a late developer, and Elec Armour is pretty tough vs everything.
Definitely SS or EM for the primaty though. Depends on play style which works best for you, personally I prefer EM, but SS is pretty damn hot. Fire Melee is really nice for PvE but its very AoE centric, no secondry effects except DoT and lacks the single target punch of the other two.
Dark Armour is another set that has some nice toys in it, but end could be a problem if you took the ones that would be nice for PvP (or health could)
"Well, they found my diary today.
They were appropriately appalled
at the discovery of the eight victims
They're now putting it all together.
Women wrapped in silk
with one leg missing
Eight legs, one body, silk,
spider, brilliant!"
I can't recommend EM/ELA Brute enough for PVP. My build is something like this, the trick is to never ever jump in PVP! The Webnade is there to bring fliers down: -
01) --> Energy Punch==> Acc(1) Acc(3) Rechg(5) Dmg(43) Dmg(46) Dmg(48)
01) --> Charged Armor==> EndRdx(1) DmgRes(9) DmgRes(9) DmgRes(11)
02) --> Bone Smasher==> Acc(2) Acc(3) Rechg(5) Dmg(31) Dmg(34) Dmg(37)
04) --> Conductive Shield==> EndRdx(4) DmgRes(11) DmgRes(13) DmgRes(13)
06) --> Build Up==> Rechg(6) Rechg(7) Rechg(7) TH_Buf(15) TH_Buf(17) TH_Buf(25)
08) --> Swift==> Run(8)
10) --> Static Shield==> EndRdx(10) DmgRes(40) DmgRes(40) DmgRes(40)
12) --> Hasten==> Rechg(12) Rechg(15) Rechg(17)
14) --> Super Speed==> Run(14)
16) --> Health==> Heal(16)
18) --> Total Focus==> Acc(18) Acc(19) Rechg(19) EndRdx(23) EndRdx(23) EndRdx(25)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20) EndMod(21) EndMod(21)
22) --> Lightning Reflexes==> Run(22)
24) --> Stimulant==> Rechg(24)
26) --> Aid Self==> IntRdx(26) IntRdx(27) IntRdx(27) Heal(29) Heal(29) Heal(31)
28) --> Provoke==> Acc(28) Acc(31)
30) --> Grounded==> DmgRes(30)
32) --> Energy Transfer==> Acc(32) Acc(33) Rechg(33) Dmg(33) Dmg(34) Dmg(34)
35) --> Power Sink==> EndMod(35) EndMod(36) EndMod(36) Rechg(36) Rechg(37) Rechg(37)
38) --> Power Surge==> Rechg(38) Rechg(39) Rechg(39) DmgRes(39)
41) --> Intimidate==> Acc(41) Acc(42) Fear(42) Fear(42) Fear(43) EndRdx(43)
44) --> Invoke Panic==> Acc(44) Acc(45) Fear(45) Fear(45) Fear(46) EndRdx(46)
47) --> Web Envelope==> Acc(47) Acc(48) Acc(48) Range(50)
49) --> Lightning Field==> EndRdx(49) Acc(50) Acc(50)
Hehe, take grounded at 22 or 24, if you go PvP'in in Bloody Bay you're gonna need it 
For a decent PvE/PvP brute, what's the most advisable?
"Like War_Hero said, leave it as it is, it toughens up the softies." - Naz Nomad
Union Heroes
War Borg - Leader of The Paragon Knights
Union Villains
McCabe - Co-leader of The Rogue Knights
Defiant - Supreme Hero