You can soft-cap a SD for about 400-500 mil. The build won't perform like one that costs 4x that, but it will do alright.
General guidelines:
Gaussian's in Buildup
Grab Tough/Weave (slot a steadfast 3% in tough)
Grab Combat Jumping for 1.88% def (~2.5 slotted)
6 slotted Red Fortunes for 2.5% range defense
Touch of Death in One Single-Target, maybe Oblits if you wanna splurge
Scirrocco 5 slot + Generic Rech in Shield Charge
That avoids LOTGs and BoTZs sets, two of the bigger price tags on a SD.
Edit: As for Battle Axe vs War Mace, both are nice sets. War Mace was buffed with Clobber, so it's quite a nice set, though Battle Axe has some cool weapons that you won't get on war mace. I'd choose which one looks cooler.
Oh, and Axe does more KD, while Mace does KD/Stuns, so you might find Axe has more consistent mitigation.
edit 2: I forgot, Mace offers a pipe wrench and shield offers a manhole cover. Fun stuff.
"Cool" is a matter of opinion; I think the Mace options are very cool. 
Quick summary of the differences between Axe and Mace:
Two of Axe's attacks have slightly higher damage than than the equivalent in Mace (Cleave > Shatter, Pendulum > Crowd Control). However, Mace has Clobber, which does more damage than Cleave, Axe's most damaging attack, and Whirling Mace, which does slightly more damage but is otherwise identical to Whirling Axe.
Although two of the three Axe multi-target attacks do more damage than the equivalent attack in Mace, this advantage is offset by the fact that Shatter's cone is signficantly wider than Cleave's, (45 degrees vs 20 degrees) and Crowd Control can hit twice as many targets as Pendulum. (10 vs 5) Cleave actually has a max target number of 10 vs 5 for Shatter, but in practice that's not very helpful difference since the arc of Cleave's cone is so narrow. Both Pendulum and Crowd Control have an 180 degree arc, so it is quite possible to fit 10 foes in that area.
Bottom line, most consider Mace to be the superior AoE set since its attacks can hit more foes more often, though with slightly less damage than you would get with Axe.
The KD vs KD/Stun issue is purely a matter of personal preference, IMO. Some people hate the "stun stumble", but I love the ability to stun bosses and Lts. at will with Clobber.
Hope that helps!
My Characters
Knight Court--A CoH Story Complete 2/3/2012
Given the choice between lethal and smashing damage, I would always opt for smashing damage.
Regardless, you will love Pendulum or Crowd Control. These attacks hit EVERYTHING (and crowd control is on a 12 second timer).
Thanks for the responses.
I leveled a new BA/SD brute up to almost lvl 7 last night, a virtual clone of the WM/SD I had played the prior night. Man, they are both a lot of fun, but I think I like the Mace a little more than the Axe, it just seems smashier. I'm not sure if it's the sound effects or using a slicing weapon vs. bludgeoning, but I just like the feel of mace better I think.
I'm going to get them both up to 10 I think, and play them one after another, instead of letting a few nights pass, but I think WM is going to win out.
Assuming I'm going to be using WM, I'm looking at Mid's trying to figure out a build. So far at lvl 7 I have Bash, Deflection, Pulverize, Jawbreaker, and True Grit. I can see getting Clobber at 8 and Active Defense at 10. AAO and Whirling Mace seem like no-brainers at 16 and 18. That leaves me 12 and 14 for swift, hurdle, and/or health, so I can take stamina at 20.
Is it viable to leave off Battle Agility until 22? Are swift and hurdle decent choices over health if I'm using Ninja Run as my travel power? Do I need to get into the fighting pool earlier?
Also, I don't understand Phalanx Fighting. Mids shows defense values of 2.25 and 3.75. When I select it and leave 0 allies, it says 0, add 1 I get 2.25, then it adds 2.25 for additional allies. What is the 3.75 about? It is really 0 with no allies?
Once I get high enough level that I'm going to respec, which attack power should I drop? Seven attack powers, plus kick, seems a little much. And I assume I should use kick rather than boxing because it's SD, right?
It seems like I have a lot of questions, especially for playing brutes for so long, but I'm just not used to the weapon sets or shield defense. Thanks if you can give me some more help.
Quote:
I would recommend not taking both tier-1 attacks, because it really limits your room as you progress through the levels. Bash/Pulverize, Jawbreaker, Clobber, and your future attacks as you level later should round out your attack chain nicely. If you do take it now, plan to respec out of it later.|
Originally Posted by evil_tim
Assuming I'm going to be using WM, I'm looking at Mid's trying to figure out a build. So far at lvl 7 I have Bash, Deflection, Pulverize, Jawbreaker, and True Grit. I can see getting Clobber at 8 and Active Defense at 10. AAO and Whirling Mace seem like no-brainers at 16 and 18. That leaves me 12 and 14 for swift, hurdle, and/or health, so I can take stamina at 20.
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Also, if you drop one attack now, you have room for Battle Agility, which is certainly nice to have as it reduces the incoming ranged/AoE damage by ~25-40%, depending on your slotting as you level up, however as the bulk of damage will be melee it isn't too necessary.
Also, if you're not familiar with click-mez prots, you'll want to 3 slot it prior to IO's, or 2-slot it if you pick up hasten. With lvl 22 SOs, it will be perma this way.
Quote:
| Is it viable to leave off Battle Agility until 22? Are swift and hurdle decent choices over health if I'm using Ninja Run as my travel power? Do I need to get into the fighting pool earlier? |
Quote:
| Also, I don't understand Phalanx Fighting. Mids shows defense values of 2.25 and 3.75. When I select it and leave 0 allies, it says 0, add 1 I get 2.25, then it adds 2.25 for additional allies. What is the 3.75 about? It is really 0 with no allies? |
There is a bug in Mids (not sure if it includes brutes as I fixed it and forgot already) where it does not include the range defense in your total defense. You can check this by turning phalanx on and off and seeing if all positions are affected. If they are not, edit it by:
Menu->Options->Database Editor (window pops up)
Select "Main Database Editor"
Left Column: Single-Click Brute_Defense
Middle Column: Single-Click Shield_Defense
Right Column:: Double-Click Phalanx Fighting
Select the Effects Tab
Double-Click 3.75 Defense (Ranged) *to target* for... (if it has the stuff in asterisks it needs fixed)
Left Column, Affects: (Drop Down and change Target to either self or none)
Hit ok, save whatnot...
Now turn on/off phalanx, and it should work properly.
Quote:
| Once I get high enough level that I'm going to respec, which attack power should I drop? Seven attack powers, plus kick, seems a little much. And I assume I should use kick rather than boxing because it's SD, right? |
Quote:
Agreed. The standard advice for WM tanks is to drop either Pulverize or Jawbreaker, but Brutes fortunately also get the option to drop Bash. And that's what I'd recommend, unless the OP is concerned about having enough quick charging attacks to generate Fury, in which case skipping Pulverize is an option.
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Originally Posted by Tonality
I would recommend not taking both tier-1 attacks, because it really limits your room as you progress through the levels. Bash/Pulverize, Jawbreaker, Clobber, and your future attacks as you level later should round out your attack chain nicely. If you do take it now, plan to respec out of it later.
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My Characters
Knight Court--A CoH Story Complete 2/3/2012
I have used your input to come up with a first build attempt.
It is soft capped solo, at 47.1/47.1/46.7. I take Phalanx Fighting and Grant Cover early because I expect I might be duoing with my wife's BA/SD brute, Arc de Joan. I wanted to be soft capped solo, though, because I don't always play with her.
Is this build gimped at all? I don't think it will be TOO expensive. Hopefully within my 700 mil budget, not counting what he actually makes as I level him.
Appreciate any constructive criticism. Obviously, I plan on using Ninja Run as long as possible. I might need to move Super Jump up, though, if it gets too bad without it.
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Grim Hand of Death: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: War Mace
Secondary Power Set: Shield Defense
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Pulverize -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg(A), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx(5), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg(5), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(7), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), T'Death-Dam%(9)
Level 1: Deflection -- RedFtn-Def(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(3), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(3), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(29), RedFtn-EndRdx(29), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 2: Jawbreaker -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(9), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(11), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Mako-Dam%(17)
Level 4: True Grit -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), Heal-I(42), Heal-I(43)
Level 6: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 8: Clobber -- C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(21)
Level 10: Active Defense -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11)
Level 12: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 14: Battle Agility -- RedFtn-Def(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(15), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(15), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(39), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(43), RedFtn-EndRdx(48)
Level 16: Against All Odds -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 18: Whirling Mace -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(23), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(23), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(25), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(25), RechRdx-I(27)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(A), P'Shift-EndMod(40), P'Shift-End%(40), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(40)
Level 22: Phalanx Fighting -- DefBuff-I(A)
Level 24: Combat Jumping -- GftotA-Def(A), GftotA-Def/EndRdx(37), DefBuff-I(50)
Level 26: Shatter -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(27), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(31), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), Oblit-%Dam(34)
Level 28: Grant Cover -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A)
Level 30: Kick -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Crowd Control -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(33), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(33), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Oblit-%Dam(34)
Level 35: Shield Charge -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(36), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(36), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), RechRdx-I(37)
Level 38: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(39), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(39), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(46), Aegis-Psi/Status(50)
Level 41: Weave -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(42), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(42), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(48), RedFtn-Def(48), RedFtn-EndRdx(50)
Level 44: Build Up -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(45), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(45), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(45), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(46), GSFC-Build%(46)
Level 47: One with the Shield -- ResDam-I(A)
Level 49: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
Code:
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All those Red Fortune are a very slot-intensive way to get Ranged def, especially because it means that the S/L resistance in Deflection is unslotted and the resistance to everything else in True Grit is extremely underslotted.
Instead of 6-slotting RF, drop the End and End/Rchg slots and use a defense set with good 4-slot bonuses like LotG or GotA. Move the extra slots from BA and Weave to two-slot Blessing of the Zephyr (*not* the -KB IO) in SJ and CJ. That will give you almost as much ranged defense (6.26% vs 7.5%) as the three sets of RF.
The two now-empty slots in Deflection can be slotted with common resistance IOs, and you can add a couple of slots to True Grit to more fully enhance the +HP resistance in True Grit.
That's what I would do, anyway.
My Characters
Knight Court--A CoH Story Complete 2/3/2012
Quote:
Yeah, if you do have the cash free, go with this over red-fortune. Red-fortune is a cost-saving measure to hit the soft-cap, and the overall result is lower than what you'll get with the other sets. But as Finduilas said, if you skip the KB IO, you won't spend much at all on it.
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Originally Posted by Finduilas
All those Red Fortune are a very slot-intensive way to get Ranged def, especially because it means that the S/L resistance in Deflection is unslotted and the resistance to everything else in True Grit is extremely underslotted.
Instead of 6-slotting RF, drop the End and End/Rchg slots and use a defense set with good 4-slot bonuses like LotG or GotA. Move the extra slots from BA and Weave to two-slot Blessing of the Zephyr (*not* the -KB IO) in SJ and CJ. That will give you almost as much ranged defense (6.26% vs 7.5%) as the three sets of RF. The two now-empty slots in Deflection can be slotted with common resistance IOs, and you can add a couple of slots to True Grit to more fully enhance the +HP resistance in True Grit. That's what I would do, anyway. |
I recently made another brute, WM/SD this time. I've been reading about the smashiness of WM. I've had a 50 EM/ELA, 50 DM/WP, 35 SS/INV, 25 Claws/ELA, a lowbie SM/?, ELM/SD, and something else, probably.
I have to say, none of them seemed quite as smashy as this WM/SD brute. Also, I put him in armor with a kite shield and he just looks great smashing stuff with shield and mace. He's only lvl 7, but he's been a lot of fun already.
My question is about the difference between WM and BA. Looking them over, power by power in Mids, they seem almost equivalent. Slightly faster cast time here, slower recharge there, whatever. With one exception. Every single BA attack power does .67 KB, except Swoop, which does 7.79 knockup.
It seems like that would be better mitigation than WM with some .67 KB, and some chance for stun. Also, I got a little frustrated with my EM/ELA brute because of the mobs walking away from me after I stunned them.
Is that the main difference between them, stun/kb vs. straight kb?
Secondly, I am interested in soft capping the brute, but I've heard it's quite expensive for SD. I am not rich in infamy, I have about 700 Mil on my main, and probably less than 200 Mil on all my other toons combined. I'm sure that would soft cap SR, but I really like the shield aspect of SD, it just looks good with my toon, and does offer the other offensive capabilities.
Is there a way to soft cap a BA or WM/SD with that amount of infamy? Is it really necessary or just a nice-to-have? I have my DM/WP somewhat I/O'd out, maybe 500 Mil into him, but nothing extra special. I don't have any purples on him.
But I'm having a lot of fun with this toon. Either he or a BA/SD might very well become my next main, and I would like to optimize as much as I can afford. I do have ninja run, and I'm enjoying that, so travel powers can wait or potentially be skipped altogether.
Thanks for whatever input you can give me on BA vs. WM and soft capping SD.