I've taken a EM/ Brute to 50. There's mixed opinions about EM/, but I love it. The animation times are rather long for energy transfer and total focus, yet it allows a couple of extra seconds for other powers to recharge at the same time. Whirling hands, imo, could use a damage increase (claws 'spin' move makes WH look foolish in comparison), but I can still tank groups at +1/x8
/FA I had on a toon until lvl 46, when I deleted her out of frustration. Just couldn't stand the 0 KB protection. However, that was months ago before I learned about -KB io's, so with a combo of those and acrobatics from the jumping pool, you should be ok, the damage it puts out is good enough to stick with it, and I've seen other /FA brutes run into hoards of mobs and come out smelling like a rose anyway. (also, if you have the cyborg pack, self-destruct followed by rise of the phoenix = win)
All in all, if it's fun then it's for you. Not fun? Roll something else.
Well, I had an EM/FA for a while. Still do, but stripped him as I never play him. Pretty strong soloing combo with the dual BUs, just very weak for AoE.
I found with high recharge I was actually killing myself more than the enemies were due to ET.
So eh, it's an alright combo. The stuns from EM help with mitigation for FA. Unless its a concept char you'd be better off with something else though. ET and TF being so glacially slow is bad news bears when you need to hit Healing Flames in a hurry.
Support Guides for all Corruptor secondaries and Fortunatas
The Melee Teaming Guide for Melee Mans
The Melee Teaming Guide for Melee Mans
Mu Mastery's Electrifying Fences melds better with the PBAoE nature of your AoEs than the cone immob from Soul.
Long animations and a fast recharging heal making up most of your mitigation isn't a good mix.
Forget taking the rez for giggles; it'll be part of your attack chain unless you IO so much defense and recharge into the character the resist toggles are your tertiary protection.
I dont really have a lot of personal experience with either set so Im going off what Ive read across the forums to try to imagine what this build can and cant do. I have roughly 1 billion inf so far to spend on this if I get attached enough to make him worth dumping sets into.
Energy Melee
I know the aoe is severely lacking for dmg and taunting aggro, Im banking on blazing aura and burn to help make up for this. Im also hoping the heal should be enough to make up for extra Hp lost due to ET.
Fire Armor
My conclusion so far is its kinda on the squishy side as far as armors go but with enough sets and recharge turns into a beast. Blazing aura/burn will also help me throw out some slightly more exotic dmg than smash/nrg. I might even pick up the rez post-patrons just for giggles if possible
Power pools
fitness, leaping, speed, fighting...been around long enough to know thats the staple for fire armor
Patron?
Very likely soul mastery to futher expand my array of dmg types but mu mastery also a viable choice. No preference either way at this point.
@Injenius~Virtue
Stonefather - 50 Stone/WP/Soul brute
Sable Affliction - Earth/Dark/Fire Dom
Wild Cipher - Beast/Time MM