Damage is pretty standardized in PVP. It's mostly based on activation times. You kinda answered it for yourself, in that respect. Electricity as a primary with either Shield or something novel as a secondary. Invulnerability is an amazing set versus most enemy groups you'll meet, and decent versus the others. You could also try an /Electricity Brute, which synergizes well with Electricity, but isn't a defense set. However, this character would probably be much better in PVP than a defense-based one.
Personally, I think Electricity/Electricity is the way to go in your situation.
I can't really speak to it's usefulness in PvP, but you might consider Fire Melee/???.
Fire Melee/Shield for example is a great, not often seen, combination for Brutes.
While it lacks the smash-factor of sets like SS, WM and SM - It has fantastic single target attack chain potential.
Fire Sword Circle is a solid PBAoE attack, with a decent radius. (I tracked my damage output on both my FM/SD and SS/SD and Footstomp and FSC ended up dealing roughly the same amount of damage over the course of several ITFs)
Some people hate Fire Breath, I skipped it myself, but you can always grab another TAoE from one of the patron pools.
I went FM/SD/Mu, since I had the ST damage covered with FM I figured why not run around with 4 AoE attacks as well. 
The reason fire/shield is rarely seen on brutes is that it's flat out *better* on scrappers. Post Against All Odds. Also, it's squishy as hell even with SOs (Yes, I know it's "amazing" with IO sets, but so are most brute secondaries so I don't count the IO set factor.) Scrappers can get away with that if there's a tanker in the team. Brutes can't as easily, as they're often expected to BE the tanker on the team. Not that it's not a good combination - just giving my opinion on why it's not seen often red-side when compared to blue-side.
I will happily second Fire Melee. It lacks screen shake (sadness) but it is incredible anyways. It has high single target damage and high aoe damage and as a special treat fire damage is resisted far less often, in general, than smash or lethal. Especially in PvP. After all, anyone can grab toughness - not everyone can grab +10 to 20% fire resistance in a toggle.
I've never been able to make a brute not suck in pvp unless someone is stupid enough to stand there and let me build fury (ie another brute, like you said) so I don't use mine for that outside of brute vs brute cage matches for giggles. I would *think* that a resistance set, especially one with psi resistance, would be best... but DO NOT level fire/elec. That is a combination of pure evil. An abomination that remains the only brute I have ever deleted post 22. Though I'm sure it's somebody somewhere's favorite combination ever - that's why I love this game. 
Weight training: Because you'll never hear someone lament "If only I were weaker, I could have saved them."
Quote:
Something to consider, but in PvP, defense sets are not very effective (generally)..especially on melee sets. Resistance sets with a heal tend to do a little better (but not much). I don't have personal experience with this, but I would think since single target damage is really what you want in PvP with a decent resistance set...either SS/Fire (which you have) or... preferably, fire/fire would do reasonably well as the single target damage should be quite good.|
Originally Posted by Mr_Grumpums
So I currently have the following brutes at either lv 50, or so close that it shouldn't much matter:
- SS/SR - SS/WP - SS/Fire - Claws/Elec - Stone/WP I tend to prefer brutes with heavy damage attacks or AoEs that they can use to start fights off with a bang (Footstomp, Fault, Spin, Shield Bash, Lightning Rod). I also like being able to at least 1v1 in PvP against another brute and not walk away weeping like a schoolgirl who's pet goldfish just died. Any suggestions? I'm kind of thinking about another Elec/Shield. I had one at lv 50, but it kind of got deleted due to an argument. Also, I have no idea how Elec melee or Shield work in PvP. |
I've tried PvP'ing with my brutes and while I've had some success, it's much more frustrating to PvP as a brute then it is as a corruptor, dominator, or stalker (for me brutes are tied with MM's in terms of PvP frustration).
The Porcelain God - DarkKinetics Corruptor
Meat Juice - DarkDarkSoul Brute
Pretty and Strong - Do you really have to ask?
Quote:
Well I think you're just talking about shield in these respect, in which case most of that is true.|
Originally Posted by TheBruteSquad
The reason fire/shield is rarely seen on brutes is that it's flat out *better* on scrappers. Post Against All Odds. Also, it's squishy as hell even with SOs (Yes, I know it's "amazing" with IO sets, but so are most brute secondaries so I don't count the IO set factor.) Scrappers can get away with that if there's a tanker in the team. Brutes can't as easily, as they're often expected to BE the tanker on the team. Not that it's not a good combination - just giving my opinion on why it's not seen often red-side when compared to blue-side.
|
However I see quite a lot of SS/SD and Elm/SD Brutes, SS obviously is unavailable on Scrappers but Elm/SD is far and away better on Scrappers (and considering Castle has come out and confirmed that Shield Charge's numbers are totally borked, and that the numbers for shield charge will probably be cut in half at the bare minimum, there's more to the story. To keep things simple, I think we can expect a very dramatic nerf of SC, with the Scrapper version being hit the hardest since it is far and away the most ridiculous of the 3)
SD is not as durable as WP or Invuln, but once you move into IO sets, it is without a doubt more offensive than either.
What you lack in durability, you make up with offense.
Regardless, my point was really that of all the SD combos for Brutes - I see less FM. For some reason I don't see much FM at all for Brutes of any secondary.
It is a largely under-appreciated set that offers fantastic ST DPS and AoE potential.
Which I find odd because FM is awesome on Brutes - and to my knowledge both with or without gloom Brute FM does better ST DPS vs. Scrapper FM both on the SO end of the spectrum as well as the bleeding edge.
So it's my opinion that adding SC & AAO to FM is pure win.
The OP is considering Elm/SD, and personally if I were to choose between Elm or FM to combo with SD, I would go FM.
Quote:
Fire melee isn't a high pick, in my opinion as it has no secondary affects that can help mitigate incoming damage. All the other brute primary's have some form of mitigation, but fire has ...well...just more damage. Don't get me wrong...I love my fire melee brutes...but I can certainly see why they're not 'popular'...and I'm ok with that...I like to be different |
Originally Posted by Deus_Otiosus
I see less FM. For some reason I don't see much FM at all for Brutes of any secondary.
|
.
The Porcelain God - DarkKinetics Corruptor
Meat Juice - DarkDarkSoul Brute
Pretty and Strong - Do you really have to ask?
Quote:
It's quite possible.|
Originally Posted by _Krom_
Fire melee isn't a high pick, in my opinion as it has no secondary affects that can help mitigate incoming damage. All the other brute primary's have some form of mitigation, but fire has ...well...just more damage. Don't get me wrong...I love my fire melee brutes...but I can certainly see why they're not 'popular'...and I'm ok with that...I like to be different
. |
It might be also why I don't see as many claws as you might expect, but I think most players are totally oblivious to the actual numbers.
The mitigation point is a good one, it's why I like FM/SD, SD softcapped provides a high level of survivability. And while my WP or Invuln Brutes will be the ones I turn to for things like taking on the entire FP at once on the RSF - I can turn to FM/SD for just about everything else.
i'm actually pondering trying a fire/shield brute.. would any of you mind posting a leveling build up to about 20?
most recent 50 - psy/mm blaster
Quote:
Any combination of Claws, ElM, FM, SM, SS or WM with most of the secondaries fits your bill for PvE. For PvP, I have no clue besides that brutes suck at it (unless vs other brutes).
|
Originally Posted by Mr_Grumpums
I tend to prefer brutes with heavy damage attacks or AoEs that they can use to start fights off with a bang (Footstomp, Fault, Spin, Shield Bash, Lightning Rod). I also like being able to at least 1v1 in PvP against another brute and not walk away weeping like a schoolgirl who's pet goldfish just died.
Any suggestions? I'm kind of thinking about another Elec/Shield. I had one at lv 50, but it kind of got deleted due to an argument. Also, I have no idea how Elec melee or Shield work in PvP. |
Fire/SR is delightfully violent. Most fun I've had in a while.
So I currently have the following brutes at either lv 50, or so close that it shouldn't much matter:
- SS/SR
- SS/WP
- SS/Fire
- Claws/Elec
- Stone/WP
I tend to prefer brutes with heavy damage attacks or AoEs that they can use to start fights off with a bang (Footstomp, Fault, Spin, Shield Bash, Lightning Rod). I also like being able to at least 1v1 in PvP against another brute and not walk away weeping like a schoolgirl who's pet goldfish just died.
Any suggestions? I'm kind of thinking about another Elec/Shield. I had one at lv 50, but it kind of got deleted due to an argument. Also, I have no idea how Elec melee or Shield work in PvP.
Too many alts to list.