SS/SD Build Critique

I have an SS/SD brute for which I've been trying to come up with a build to work toward. I kept coming up with builds that were either too low defense-wise, or gave up hasten, or aid self, both of which I'd like to keep because SS/SD has such awesome damage that well, lacking Hasten seems a shame, and it's defense based with no self-heal, so a little aid self can be very handy when soloing.

After much work tweaking and tinkering... I managed this build. Please keep in mind that there's a slot left empty for the Gladiator's Armor +3% defense global, so add 3% to the defenses in the totals on this guy. This soft caps melee and AoE defense, with Ranged defense just 0.5% shy of the cap. At the same time, I managed to come up with perma-hasten (With the aid of the FF proc in Foot Stomp), and almost perma-double rage when considering the FF proc. And kept Aid Self as well. It's expensive, and it uses a couple of attacks purely as IO mules (Boxing, Hurl, I'm looking at you!), but I'm pretty proud of the numbers I managed to squeeze out of it, considering I didn't bring Combat Jumping to the party

Anyway, tell me what you think:

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

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Natural Brute
Primary Power Set: Super Strength
Secondary Power Set: Shield Defense
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Medicine

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Punch -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(13), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(13), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(15), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), Mako-Dam%(50)
Level 1: Deflection -- HO:Enzym(A), HO:Enzym(3), HO:Enzym(3), HO:Enzym(5), LkGmblr-Rchg+(7)
Level 2: Haymaker -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(39), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(40), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40)
Level 4: True Grit -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(7), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(9), Empty(36)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11), RechRdx-I(11)
Level 8: Knockout Blow -- Hectmb-Dmg(A), Hectmb-Dam%(9), Hectmb-Dmg/Rchg(17), Hectmb-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(17), Hectmb-Acc/Rchg(27)
Level 10: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 12: Active Defense -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 14: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A)
Level 16: Against All Odds -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 18: Rage -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(19), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(19), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(21), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(21), GSFC-Build%(23)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(33), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(34), P'Shift-Acc/Rchg(34), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(34), P'Shift-End%(36)
Level 22: Battle Agility -- HO:Enzym(A), HO:Enzym(23), HO:Enzym(25), HO:Enzym(25), LkGmblr-Rchg+(50)
Level 24: Phalanx Fighting -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 26: Boxing -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg(A), T'Death-Dam%(27), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx(45), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg(45)
Level 28: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(29), Aegis-EndRdx/Rchg(29), Aegis-ResDam(33)
Level 30: Weave -- HO:Enzym(A), HO:Enzym(31), HO:Enzym(31), HO:Enzym(31), LkGmblr-Rchg+(45)
Level 32: Foot Stomp -- Armgdn-Dmg(A), Armgdn-Dmg/Rchg(37), Armgdn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Armgdn-Dmg/EndRdx(37), Armgdn-Dam%(39), FrcFbk-Rechg%(39)
Level 35: Shield Charge -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(42), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(42), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Oblit-%Dam(43)
Level 38: Super Speed -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-ResKB(40), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(43)
Level 41: Aid Other -- Heal-I(A)
Level 44: Aid Self -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(46), RechRdx-I(46), IntRdx-I(46)
Level 47: Hurl -- Apoc-Dmg(A), Apoc-Dmg/Rchg(48), Apoc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), Apoc-Acc/Rchg(48), Apoc-Dam%(50)
Level 49: Grant Cover -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury

You have all the bases covered but damn if that isn't going to be an expensive build. If money is no object, more power to you. However, if you can do without Hasten and Aid Self, you can do something like the build I'm currently running.

My defenses are set, other than AoE, which I've found to be a non-factor, and I have no problems from the lack of Hasten or Aid Self. I always have an attack ready to go, even with heavy recharge debuffing, and any damage taken is solved with an inspiration. Oh yeah, my build is a billion or so less inf.


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

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Mutation Brute
Primary Power Set: Super Strength
Secondary Power Set: Shield Defense
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Punch -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg:40(A), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx:40(29), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg:40(29), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(31), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:40(31), T'Death-Dam%:40(31)
Level 1: Deflection -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:50(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:50(3), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:50(3), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(11), RedFtn-Def:50(25), RedFtn-EndRdx:50(27)
Level 2: Battle Agility -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:50(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:50(7), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:50(9), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(9), RedFtn-Def:50(17), RedFtn-EndRdx:50(17)
Level 4: True Grit -- Heal-I:50(A), Heal-I:50(5), Heal-I:50(5), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(7)
Level 6: Haymaker -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg:40(A), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx:40(34), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg:40(40), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(40), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:40(43), T'Death-Dam%:40(43)
Level 8: Swift -- Run-I:50(A)
Level 10: Active Defense -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(11)
Level 12: Air Superiority -- Mako-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx:50(13), Mako-Dmg/Rchg:50(13), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:50(37), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(39), Mako-Dam%:50(50)
Level 14: Knockout Blow -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg:40(A), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx:40(15), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg:40(15), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(39), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:40(39), T'Death-Dam%:40(40)
Level 16: Against All Odds -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 18: Rage -- GSFC-ToHit:50(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg:50(19), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx:50(19), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx:50(21), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx:50(21), GSFC-Build%:50(27)
Level 20: Health -- Heal-I:50(A)
Level 22: Stamina -- EndMod-I:50(A), EndMod-I:50(23), EndMod-I:50(23), P'Shift-End%:50(25)
Level 24: Phalanx Fighting -- DefBuff-I:50(A)
Level 26: Fly -- Flight-I:50(A)
Level 28: Grant Cover -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 30: Boxing -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(43), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:50(46), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(46), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(48)
Level 32: Foot Stomp -- Oblit-Dmg:50(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg:50(33), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg:50(33), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(33), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(34), FrcFbk-Rechg%:50(34)
Level 35: Shield Charge -- Oblit-Dmg:50(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg:50(36), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg:50(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(37), Oblit-%Dam:50(37)
Level 38: Kick -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Weave -- RedFtn-EndRdx:50(A), RedFtn-Def:50(42), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:50(42), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:50(42)
Level 44: Gloom -- Entrpc-Acc/Dmg:35(A), Entrpc-Dmg/EndRdx:30(45), Entrpc-Dmg/Rchg:35(45), Entrpc-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(45), Entrpc-Heal%:35(46)
Level 47: Dark Obliteration -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(48), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(48), Posi-Dmg/Rng:50(50), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(50)
Level 49: Combat Jumping -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
------------
Set Bonus Totals:

• 25% DamageBuff(Smashing)
• 25% DamageBuff(Lethal)
• 25% DamageBuff(Fire)
• 25% DamageBuff(Cold)
• 25% DamageBuff(Energy)
• 25% DamageBuff(Negative)
• 25% DamageBuff(Toxic)
• 25% DamageBuff(Psionic)
• 11.8% Defense(Smashing)
• 11.8% Defense(Lethal)
• 4.25% Defense(Fire)
• 4.25% Defense(Cold)
• 8.63% Defense(Energy)
• 8.63% Defense(Negative)
• 3% Defense(Psionic)
• 20.5% Defense(Melee)
• 14.3% Defense(Ranged)
• 5.5% Defense(AoE)
• 2.25% Max End
• 34% Enhancement(Accuracy)
• 37.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
• 5% FlySpeed
• 134.9 HP (9%) HitPoints
• 5% JumpHeight
• 5% JumpSpeed
• MezResist(Confused) 2.75%
• MezResist(Held) 11.6%
• MezResist(Immobilize) 20.4%
• MezResist(Stun) 4.4%
• 5% (0.08 End/sec) Recovery
• 10% (0.63 HP/sec) Regeneration
• 5.36% Resistance(Fire)
• 5.36% Resistance(Cold)
• 5% RunSpeed

| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|MxDz;1398;682;1364;HEX;|
|78DAA593CB4F534114C6E7D29696DE3E40844279F741298F0A3B1F0B134512139A6|
|01AA301A45618DAAB4D4BDADB44776EDCF95CB972E773ED2BD1FFC0B77F0F6A3DE7|
|7C5312E2D29BF6FBDD3933DFCC397367F23797434ADD3EAD2CFB6CB5D46C16CF345|
|AAE0EE45B6EC975EA35E5574AC52556CCEBAAD6B9426B4F378A05B7A16B65B7328A|
|AE65BDAB6B4DEAAC38BABAD369F69DAF55348D73739D97D05ABD5ECDAD386E4D379|
|B361A55A75C71C3A6835E9D5A19C35675698F1AB1737BCE760EEB14EAAD6A315F6A|
|BABA716B8832CBD23F6129F3B47D6A9D9051A31BC0A660FC0AB00514059FA86A651|
|957905E9654970D8404C1B06028228847059FC96519970557375C01B80270F5C2D5|
|0BD7177279E0F278528A43DE43E88E51EF984A92FA4C253E5432854A32A824834A6|
|651C92C2AF1D127F26376E55F90F9BED2823D08593D73120A1AD060DB2C61EF4A28|
|54062A82942398BE2E58BA2148D35C61E30A23B108128B20B16924368DC43248EC1|
|B651195DD6AABE8944C94A1561F42BEBEA75D1C3AF20C782E38FA02782988BF12F8|
|29E97E53613F762C40A101B3A50393121A3C84A1C762FD4E39C44C0EB171E9B1C93|
|A8C62D47052423F68D488596004995A7EFE2212F28E5D95D06C49B0700DD8161CDB|
|1164C93D617668625F969EFC05FC06FE08A6DAC01DC14F5A37615C09B8927025E14|
|AC295822BA53C724029B5B42920DDA64779293263766306672E8B1398C521CDE290|
|6E937FCE1435778FEF8E9ABFAFB8D0F907683D142C3C12681A9E33C373AF51EE1BE|
|02D8EC73BE03D769EB25834BBB8885D1CF51EDC4DFA71AAABFF44D6BCE62252C492|
|C88AF7E06EFED7F321D459ABE74290B4C07291E512CB659675960D964D962D96224|
|BFBE3813B7A9C133AC17292E514CB5D1EE4E7BB64B38458C22C1196284B2F4B3FCB|
|204B9CE5094BFB2FC079FDCA|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Well, trying to level up to build this guy (I can't stand to level a toon up without a game plan... I'm kind of OCD that way, so this toon has been sitting at level 2 for a LOONG time) I've noticed something: Definitely don't use Rage before SOs, because if you can't get it overlapping the defense crash will get you killed with a Shield Defense toon.

It really didn't matter on my SS/WP, but it matters on this guy

Other things I've learned:

SS/SD is a late maturing build. The defenses it provides are lackluster at low level, even compared to other Brute sets. You find your toon collapsing in a gasping, panting heap after one spawn for a LONG time. Even slotting end redux in your attacks you are going to feel like you're playing an overweight asthmatic until you get Stamina (And even then it's pretty rough until you get SO enhancers).

So pre-20/22, you're squishy, you run out of end constantly, and you don't really get to feel the great "smash!" that some sets get out of the box.

After SOs you can keep going all day, but you're still squishy, and AAO draws aggro very, very well, so you tend to end up squashed quite often (Unless you turn it off which just... defeats the purpose of going /Shield in the first place).

Then you get Foot Stomp. And you realize that at your last level up you apparently took a level in badass. Though this becomes more apparent after you get it slotted with acc and recharge. The extra mitigation that FS provides is the break point where this set goes from "suck" to "Hey, this is pretty good!". AAO, Rage, and FS get you to the point where other Brutes (And Corrs, for that matter) envy your damage output.

Of course... You still get squished fairly often. But at least you're feeling like you get some compensation now.

Then you get shield charge, and you can now lead a fight with FS, Shield Charge, and FS again (With hasten at least, and if you pause between each power long enough for the enemies to start getting back up again) which gives you about 5 seconds at the beginning of a fight where the whole spawn is knocked down and you're not taking damage. Well, ok, obviously you don't knock them all down every time, but you get most of them, and it serves to stagger the alpha very well, making you finally viable as a primary tank.

After that it's all about adding pools or set bonuses to boost your defense. I'm at 46 right now, and my defenses are up to 36-38% from the sets I've picked up along the way (Oblit, Mako, ToD, Gaussians, and a steadfast +3%). I have aid self. I can easily spawn a 52 boss farm for two and solo it.

One more level and I can get the three purple sets I'm planning on, and get that nice recharge boost. I already have the FF chance for +recharge proc in Foot Stomp.

Then 3 more levels and I can spend myself dry buying Enzyme Exposures (I'd get them at 47, except that I realized that if I used level 53 HOs, I can get all 3 positions soft capped without changing my build), and farm up some more moneys for that Gladiator's Armor global.

Things are going well, and my Brute not only feels like a Brute now, but a damn good one at that.

Here's my current build. Like the OP's posted build, the empty slot is for the Gladiator's Armor 3% unique, which puts this build above the softcap for all positionals.

It's got 7% less recharge than the OP's build, but uses no purples. I don't really understand why the OP's build used so many HO's; seems like a tremendous amount of straining against ED limits. This build also has something like 40% more regen which works very nicely once you get all the +HP accolades.

I also strongly recommend frankenslotting Foot Stomp. It's your bread and butter for AoE, and you want to max the recharge as much as possible. This build's FS will be up more often than the OP's due to its significantly higher recharge. You'll also love having the greater End reduction with this slotting. When SS is heavily slotted for recharge it becomes an End-sucking machine of epic proportions. EDIT: see also my slotting for KO Blow. Same recharge and damage as the OP's slotting, while using half the End.

EDIT: not sure why the DataLink isn't working. Including data chunk as a workaround:

| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|MxDz;1411;714;1428;HEX;|
|78DA9D93CB4F534114C6E7D296429F20944769A1B4BC1F8546178A89260A24189A4|
|01AD400522B8CB4492D4DEF6D82AEDCB873E54257EE7CAED568F43FF0895BF53FF1|
|51CF39DF405C7B03DFEFCE99EFBBF7CC746E767F3EA0D4EDB3CAF29F2F176C3B7FA|
|E5677744BB6EE149CD25E2594AD2572370A76D129D84E69DBAB948A8A239FD565AD|
|D3B97A55D7F239A7A62BBB4E3186A9797D5D576C9A2C967479E770D8BE54296AF23|
|9E9C31BDFCADE5E399DAB6ABD1390DBC59253D1B61D3483DDA253AAEC626A5917AA|
|34882C544BDB69D3413D9FA5AE74ED660FB5354EFF494B99ABE151EB8451D5B4016|
|C0ADC57802D412C2F784F1BA02C936AA39B8C6AEE14B444806E425CF91A7419FD40|
|190B99260BE666980378C24732B8CC435D67241F5AB2F875A10B82636BE28B5E14C|
|C2C483145EA310BF01414CF745E03B6053D3B829816644A82614A794DCA8B5414A9|
|7EA4FA911A442A85549222AD4859AD93520A009FA8773F7A57FE39825BA914B9836|
|6C1C16F4D6C6BFB0EFC103493216C42E131798E974AED2859ED6B58F52A7694663A|
|30E3EAB827F9A1846486EECB68F401409E88EC73C3137924A5AEC7C01341CF53849|
|F0932CF055FA8FF6EA454377E95CF54EAB5BC52EA1D9437F1A80FEB577D7129B9A8|
|14378B8C9F9060FFAC20755C304E3A60767AE0966412FBC01F7975A22118AC63C3E|
|FC8E82BBD3C6952C99F524AFD128CFCC632111E45785AB9186E6A66D89CA0619FBC|
|7EC40F040413412024980E0BAE52760CEF728FBD902EC65F02AF80D78289378202D|
|9278D7D12F629D8A7609F827D1AF62EEA296D7EB7344EC10C4EC10CF63983C37040|
|2B9E358761163331F7D1B7497FFC0D2DFF5B71496EC56DBE442A59388C8BECB2561|
|442FF7FBD3DFACA5B577D749723516B2C97787899659D65836B9B2C5B2C7996C6BB|
|C061AFE193DCD029963996D32C77D9E4F593F859022C4196104B98A58DA583A58B2|
|5CAF290A5F117F2D90306|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Your build shows two empty slots in Deflection when I load it. I'm not sure what the second empty slot is for, but as is, you are not soft capped. Your defenses are 40.2, 41.5, and 40.5%. None of which will cap with an extra 3%.

The reason I spent all that effort straining against ED with HOs is that I'm not using Combat Jumping. I had to make up an extra 2% defense that you're getting from that power to reach the caps. If I took CJ I could probably save myself a billion inf or so. But I want aid self, so it's not going to happen.

Also, the datablock you posted is for my build, not yours. I had to copy the post itself and have Mid's import that.

And I'd like to note that my build is working very well in practice. I'm at level 49 after 5 days of play, just PuGing. I hit 48 and after putting together a few IOs and training and such, I was without a team, so I went to Cimerora and farmed the wall until I hit level 49. Didn't die once, and I was hitting the 52 spawns preferentially.

So I think this build does well indeed. Especially when you consider it's not quite capped yet, and the end use will actually be lower once I slot the HOs.