Oh wow who would have thought it would be hard to get advice on an EM toon?
Build for defense. Your primary really does not benefit all that much by +rech or anything, so build for defense. You may have issues keeping aggro with whirling hands and EA secondary (has no taunt aura if I recall correctly) so Ide suggest picking up at least a PPP aoe or taunt.
Realistic suggestion, roll a new brute. If this is going to be your first io'd out brute, spend the money on something else. EM will disappoint you the minute you play next to a ??/ brute.
I would have said the opposite. /energy is typically considered the worst secondary.
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You can take a look at the guides in the sticky thread. Feel free to check out my guide on energy aura as well. We can make you a build. It would be helpful if you can tell us your preference on power choice and your budget.
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Energy aura with io's is a beast. You get to build up a set that starts out consisting mainly of positional defense. How can that suck? |
Originally Posted by JayboH
I would have said the opposite. /energy is typically considered the worst secondary.
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The problem with EA is its not very brutey. Why a brute set got a stealth power and no taunt aura is beyond me. Its like giving dominators/trollers a fury bar.
If you have the dough, EA can be made into a titan, but throwing money at EM is baby steps in comparison.
What is wrong with EM?
As it has been mentioned briefly, EA has no taunt aura. If you plan on tanking, you might choose a more appropriate secondary. I am not saying it can't be done- but it will be more challenging than you may think. Especially with a ST heavy primary like EM. If you had more AoE to enhance your taunt and aggro control it may not be such an issue, but it just isn't so with EM. EM/EA plays more like a hearty stalker on paper. I am sure it isn't a bad combo, but I don't think you will like it if you are planning on "tanking" and maintaining aggro.
Words to the wise aren't necessary- it's the stupid ones that need them.
"You're right...I forgot...being constantly at or the near the damage cap is a big turn off. Definitely not worth it."
- Vitality
The quickest way in Mids to cap S/L defense is to slot Kinetic Combats in your melee attacks. In reality though it can take a really long time to gather a full set of Kinetic Combats. On my EM/EA I slotted Smashing Haymaker in my melee attacks and when I finally acquire a full set of Kinetic Combats I just slot them over the Haymakers.
Haymakers grant 1.88 where as Kinetics offer 3.75 to s/l defense. IIRC
Any suggestions on a Build then?
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Not to mention that Kinetic combat is one of the most incredibly rare and ridiculously overpriced sets out there. Find a different alternative; you will not complete your build in the foreseeable future if you go with KCs.
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Originally Posted by warden_de_dios
The quickest way in Mids to cap S/L defense is to slot Kinetic Combats in your melee attacks. In reality though it can take a really long time to gather a full set of Kinetic Combats. On my EM/EA I slotted Smashing Haymaker in my melee attacks and when I finally acquire a full set of Kinetic Combats I just slot them over the Haymakers.
Haymakers grant 1.88 where as Kinetics offer 3.75 to s/l defense. IIRC |
Words to the wise aren't necessary- it's the stupid ones that need them.
"You're right...I forgot...being constantly at or the near the damage cap is a big turn off. Definitely not worth it."
- Vitality
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Energy Aura is built entirely around typed Defense. That doesn't mean it sucks but it is considered 2nd to positional Defense sets by many. That's largely due to a lack of typed Defense IO set bonuses that make such sets more difficult to softcap.
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Originally Posted by RabidBrian
Energy aura with io's is a beast. You get to build up a set that starts out consisting mainly of positional defense. How can that suck?
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Hannibal Quintilus
Any suggestions on a Build then?
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Twilight_Snow
We can make you a build. It would be helpful if you can tell us your preference on power choice and your budget.
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Quote:
I'm not going to say it sucks, but it's most definitely sub-par to other options.|
Originally Posted by RabidBrian
Energy aura with io's is a beast. You get to build up a set that starts out consisting mainly of positional defense. How can that suck?
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Softcapped defenses are great, until you get hit.
If the OP is looking for a set to "tank" with, they'd be better of with one of the layered defense sets - Invuln, Willpower, Stone.
And since EM is a single target heavy set, I think they'd be better off with DM which will provide greater utility along with solid (to amazing, depending on recharge) ST DPS.
All this is moot if the OP already has the EM/EA at 50 and wants to play it no matter what.
In which case:
- Pick up taunt.
- Grab at least one AoE from PPP (Soul or Mu being the better all around choices)
- Build for typed defenses and begin bidding on Kinetic Combat sets now.
- Be sure to softcap, at the least, SM & L.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by RabidBrian
If you have the dough, EA can be made into a titan, but throwing money at EM is baby steps in comparison.
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The set needs to be reworked.
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Gonna have to explain that one to me...| If you have the same dough, you can get much greater mileage out of it using other secondaries. |
And I never said EA is fine as is, I said with IO's its not the total crap set people make it out to be. Its also very softcap friendly for bargaineers.
Here's an entire thread dedicated to it.
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=223752
Quote:
The build I have is below. It's not soft-capped to all damage types and super optimized, but it's fairly robust against certain villain groups. I bought the Kinetic Combats three years ago when they were still cheap, and only recently got the character to 50. The suggestion to get Smashing Haymakers and replace them over time as you can afford Kinetic Combat is a good one.|
Originally Posted by Hannibal Quintilus
Any suggestions on a Build then?
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Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Aethereal: Level 50 Technology Brute
Primary Power Set: Energy Melee
Secondary Power Set: Energy Aura
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Medicine
Power Pool: Fighting
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Energy Punch -- F'dSmite-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), F'dSmite-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(3), KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(19), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(37)
Level 1: Kinetic Shield -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(7), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(17), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(27), RedFtn-Def(40), RedFtn-EndRdx(42)
Level 2: Bone Smasher -- F'dSmite-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(A), F'dSmite-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(5), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(9), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(15), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15)
Level 4: Power Shield -- S'dpty-Def(A), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx(7), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(17), S'dpty-EndRdx(33), S'dpty-EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 6: Dampening Field -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), ResDam-I(33), ResDam-I(50)
Level 8: Air Superiority -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(31), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(31)
Level 10: Whirling Hands -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(11), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(11), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(13), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Oblit-%Dam(19)
Level 12: Entropy Shield -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 14: Fly -- Flight-I(A)
Level 16: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 18: Health -- Heal-I(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Total Focus -- F'dSmite-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(A), F'dSmite-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(23), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(25), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(36)
Level 24: Aid Other -- IntRdx-I(A)
Level 26: Energy Cloak -- RedFtn-Def(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(34), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(42), RedFtn-EndRdx(43), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(45), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(45)
Level 28: Energy Drain -- H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(29), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(29), H'zdH-Heal/Rchg(39), Heal-I(40), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(45)
Level 30: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), AdjTgt-Rchg(37), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(50)
Level 32: Energy Transfer -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(36), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(36)
Level 35: Aid Self -- IntRdx-I(A), Mrcl-Heal/Rchg(37), Mrcl-Heal(39), IntRdx-I(39)
Level 38: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 41: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(42), Aegis-ResDam(43), Aegis-EndRdx/Rchg(43), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 44: Weave -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(46), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(46), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(46), RedFtn-EndRdx(48), RedFtn-Def(50)
Level 47: Overload -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48)
Level 49: Taunt -- RechRdx-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
Level 0: Ninja Run
Code:
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Thanks for the advice. I'll just play him as a strong single target brute. He is amazing at killing target Elite Bosses.
Any suggestions on a good build for PVE with Energy/Energy? This is my first brute and I've been saving up. I plan on tanking with him by the way. Any suggestions?