Murder! ...I mean Build Advice DM/Elec


Dark_Healer_NA

 

Posted

I don't post often, but I've been playing for a while. This is my first brute build and I'm sure it's pretty flawed, but that's unavoidable. (damnable natural learning process!)

Goals for this character -

- High Survivability
- Nearly endless endurance, if I manage the clickies right.
- High DPS
- AV soloing.
- ...murder.

I already realize that this isn't the most popular combo right now, but I'm enjoying it. Even if I can't achieve those goals, I want it to get as close as possible.

My basic question: how can I maximize survivability on this character? Am I headed in the right direction?

(Also note I have nowhere near enough money to complete this build immediately. My only 50 is a MM with whom I dislike farming.)

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Electric Armor
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Smite

  • (A) Gladiator's Strike - Accuracy/Damage/End/Rech
  • (3) Gladiator's Strike - Accuracy/Damage
  • (3) Gladiator's Strike - Damage/Recharge
  • (19) Gladiator's Strike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (19) Gladiator's Strike - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
  • (21) Siphon Insight - Chance for +ToHit
Level 1: Charged Armor
  • (A) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance
  • (5) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Recharge
  • (5) Titanium Coating - Endurance/Recharge
  • (11) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
  • (31) Titanium Coating - Resistance
  • (36) Titanium Coating - Endurance
Level 2: Lightning Field
  • (A) Multi Strike - Accuracy/Endurance
  • (11) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage
  • (13) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage
  • (13) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage
  • (17) Fury of the Gladiator - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (17) Energy Manipulator - Chance to Stun
Level 4: Conductive Shield
  • (A) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance
  • (9) Titanium Coating - Resistance
  • (9) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Recharge
Level 6: Touch of Fear
  • (A) Siphon Insight - ToHit Debuff
  • (7) Siphon Insight - Accuracy/ToHit Debuff
  • (7) Siphon Insight - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (43) Siphon Insight - ToHit Debuff/Endurance/Recharge
  • (48) Siphon Insight - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
Level 8: Siphon Life
  • (A) Gladiator's Strike - Accuracy/Damage/End/Rech
  • (37) Healing IO
  • (46) Gladiator's Strike - Accuracy/Damage
  • (46) Gladiator's Strike - Damage/Recharge
  • (46) Gladiator's Strike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (48) Gladiator's Strike - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
Level 10: Static Shield
  • (A) Titanium Coating - Resistance
  • (21) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance
  • (23) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
Level 12: Boxing
  • (A) Accuracy IO
Level 14: Tough
  • (A) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance
  • (15) Titanium Coating - Resistance
  • (15) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Recharge
Level 16: Grounded
  • (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
Level 18: Swift
  • (A) Run Speed IO
Level 20: Health
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
  • (23) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance
  • (27) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
Level 22: Lightning Reflexes
  • (A) Run Speed IO
Level 24: Hasten
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (25) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (25) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 26: Soul Drain
  • (A) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (27) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage
  • (34) Obliteration - Damage
  • (34) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (34) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge
  • (36) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
Level 28: Energize
  • (A) Panacea - Heal
  • (29) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance
  • (29) Panacea - Heal/Endurance
  • (33) Panacea - Endurance/Recharge
  • (33) Panacea - Hea/Recharge
  • (33) Panacea - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
Level 30: Stamina
  • (A) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge
  • (31) Performance Shifter - EndMod
  • (31) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
Level 32: Midnight Grasp
  • (A) Gladiator's Strike - Accuracy/Damage
  • (37) Gladiator's Strike - Damage/Recharge
  • (39) Gladiator's Strike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (40) Gladiator's Strike - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
  • (40) Gladiator's Strike - Accuracy/Damage/End/Rech
  • (40) Accuracy IO
Level 35: Power Sink
  • (A) Performance Shifter - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (36) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge
  • (37) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge
Level 38: Power Surge
  • (A) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance
  • (39) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
  • (39) Titanium Coating - Resistance
  • (45) Titanium Coating - Endurance/Recharge
  • (48) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Recharge
  • (50) Titanium Coating - Endurance
Level 41: Gloom
  • (A) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (42) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage
  • (42) Devastation - Damage/Endurance
  • (42) Devastation - Chance of Hold
  • (43) Devastation - Damage/Recharge
  • (43) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
Level 44: Darkest Night
  • (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff
  • (45) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Endurance
  • (45) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance
Level 47: Combat Jumping
  • (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)
Level 49: Weave
  • (A) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance
  • (50) Shield Wall - Defense/Recharge
  • (50) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +3% Res (All)
------------
Level 1: Brawl
  • (A) Accuracy IO
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Unbounded Leap - +Stealth
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Fury
Level 6: Ninja Run


 

Posted

The combination is pretty darn good at a baseline. My frankenslotted DM/Elec has soloed energy-dealing AVs with minimal insp use, and can stand toe-to-toe with most smashing/lethal ones solo. With good resists, Energize, and Siphon Life, plus sapping mobs pretty quickly with Power Sink, survivability is pretty good, though not quite comparable to softcapped characters in most situations.

Between Energize and Power Sink, endurance just is not a problem 95% of the time. It can come up in extended fights versus single/scattered targets, but even then, problems are fairly minimal if you carry a few CaBs.

For maximum survivability, I'd go one of two routes--laying on as much defense as possible, or +Recharge to get Energize/Siphon Life up even more often (with some +HP accolades and IO bonuses on either route.) I can't open your build at the moment to get into specifics of it, but the one thing that strikes me is that the -KB IO is probably unnecessary in PvE. I can't remember ever getting knocked back on my brute when I wasn't doing something stupid to cancel Grounded, and you don't have Fly anyway. Since endurance is usually just fine, I might not bother with the proc in Stamina, either, but it could make the difference in AV fights, I suppose.

And for not enough money, well. With a build like that, you're probably talking billions.


Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.

 

Posted

Thanks Kelenar, that kind of commentary is very helpful. All the Electric Armor I turned up in a few searches turned out to be out-dated when I made my character a few days ago. He's 33 now and I'm seeing much of what you said about performance in play already.

How about power picks? Am I missing anything I'll definately need? (I have no brutes beyond lev 42).


 

Posted

I won't claim that this build is great, but I tried to focus on S/L def and recharge bonuses. Lightning field got kinda shafted, but the build seems like a good start for someone with better mids skill than I.

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Electric Armor
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Smite -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(5), HO:Nucle(37)
Level 1: Charged Armor -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(7), RctvArm-ResDam(7), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(9)
Level 2: Lightning Field -- HO:Nucle(A)
Level 4: Conductive Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam(5), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(9), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(11)
Level 6: Touch of Fear -- SipInsght-%ToHit(A), SipInsght-ToHitDeb(46), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(46), SipInsght-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(50), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 8: Siphon Life -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(11), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(27), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), Heal-I(37), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 10: Static Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam(15), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(17), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(17)
Level 12: Boxing -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(13), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(13), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15)
Level 14: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(19), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(19), RctvArm-ResDam(21)
Level 16: Grounded -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
Level 18: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 20: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Numna-Heal(21), Numna-Heal/EndRdx(23), Numna-Heal/Rchg(23)
Level 22: Lightning Reflexes -- Run-I(A)
Level 24: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(25), RechRdx-I(25)
Level 26: Soul Drain -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(27), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(34), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Oblit-%Dam(37)
Level 28: Energize -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(29), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(29), Dct'dW-Heal(31), Dct'dW-Rchg(31)
Level 30: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(33), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(33), P'Shift-End%(33)
Level 32: Midnight Grasp -- Hectmb-Dmg(A), Hectmb-Dmg/Rchg(40), Hectmb-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Hectmb-Acc/Rchg(40), Hectmb-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Hectmb-Dam%(46)
Level 35: Power Sink -- Efficacy-EndMod(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(36), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(36), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(36)
Level 38: Power Surge -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(39), RctvArm-ResDam(39), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 41: Gloom -- Apoc-Dmg(A), Apoc-Dmg/Rchg(42), Apoc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Apoc-Acc/Rchg(42), Apoc-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Apoc-Dam%(43)
Level 44: Darkest Night -- DarkWD-ToHitDeb(A), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(45), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/Rchg(45), DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(45)
Level 47: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(48), LkGmblr-Def(48), LkGmblr-Rchg+(48)
Level 49: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
Level 6: Ninja Run



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Posted

The only thing that I see questionable is the socketing of Lightning Field. Procs in damage auras are not that great, and Lightning Field really shines in conjunction with Power Sink when you socket it for endurance mod.

Here's one of my dual builds. Take a look at it-- it has less resistances but leads in every other category you seem to desire while having significant global recharge (which leads to more DPS and survivability with the clicks). You'll not only have more single target DPS, but significantly more AoE-- Shadow Maul can be a beast of a skill when hitting 3 to 5 targets.


Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

War Hog: Level 50 Mutation Brute
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Electric Armor
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Smite

  • (A) Hecatomb - Damage/Recharge
  • (3) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (3) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (5) Hecatomb - Damage/Endurance
  • (5) Hecatomb - Chance of Damage(Negative)
  • (23) Gladiator's Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage
Level 1: Charged Armor
  • (A) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance
  • (7) Gladiator's Armor - End/Resist
  • (9) Gladiator's Armor - Recharge/Resist
Level 2: Shadow Maul
  • (A) Armageddon - Damage/Recharge
  • (11) Armageddon - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (11) Armageddon - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (13) Armageddon - Damage/Endurance
  • (13) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage
  • (40) Fury of the Gladiator - Chance for Res Debuff
Level 4: Conductive Shield
  • (A) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance
  • (15) Gladiator's Armor - End/Resist
  • (17) Gladiator's Armor - Recharge/Resist
Level 6: Lightning Field
  • (A) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage
  • (7) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Endurance
  • (9) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Endurance
  • (21) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod
  • (21) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy
Level 8: Siphon Life
  • (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
  • (23) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
  • (25) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
  • (25) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (27) Touch of the Nictus - Accuracy/Endurance/Heal/HitPoints/Regeneration
  • (27) Touch of the Nictus - Heal/HitPoints/Regeneration/Recharge
Level 10: Swift
  • (A) Run Speed IO
Level 12: Static Shield
  • (A) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance
  • (19) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  • (29) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
Level 14: Health
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
  • (15) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance
  • (33) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
  • (33) Regenerative Tissue - +Regeneration
Level 16: Hasten
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (17) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (19) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 18: Boxing
  • (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
  • (43) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
  • (43) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
  • (43) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
Level 20: Stamina
  • (A) Endurance Modification IO
Level 22: Combat Jumping
  • (A) Shield Wall - Defense
  • (29) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance
  • (31) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +3% Res (All)
  • (33) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
Level 24: Lightning Reflexes
  • (A) Run Speed IO
Level 26: Soul Drain
  • (A) Obliteration - Damage
  • (34) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (36) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge
  • (36) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (36) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (40) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage
Level 28: Energize
  • (A) Panacea - Heal/Endurance
  • (31) Panacea - Endurance/Recharge
  • (34) Panacea - Hea/Recharge
  • (34) Panacea - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
  • (46) Panacea - Heal
Level 30: Tough
  • (A) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance
  • (31) Gladiator's Armor - End/Resist
  • (37) Gladiator's Armor - Recharge/Resist
Level 32: Midnight Grasp
  • (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
  • (39) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
  • (39) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
  • (39) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (40) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
Level 35: Power Sink
  • (A) Performance Shifter - EndMod
  • (37) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge
  • (37) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge
Level 38: Weave
  • (A) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance
  • (50) Shield Wall - Defense
  • (50) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  • (50) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
Level 41: Gloom
  • (A) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge
  • (42) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative)
  • (42) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance
  • (42) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (45) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
Level 44: Dark Obliteration
  • (A) Ragnarok - Damage/Recharge
  • (45) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (45) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (46) Ragnarok - Chance for Knockdown
  • (46) Ragnarok - Damage/Endurance
Level 47: Darkest Night
  • (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff
  • (48) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Endurance
  • (48) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance
  • (48) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance
Level 49: Power Surge
  • (A) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection
------------
Level 1: Brawl
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Fury
Level 0: Ninja Run


 

Posted

I'm with Julius on taking Dark Obliteration if you can, if you plan for some general teaming or farming too. The patron AoEs are pretty good to add some damage against large groups of enemies. If you don't care much about AoE damage, though, Lightning Field alone will see you through.


Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.

 

Posted

Socketing lightning field for end mod sounds interesting. Does that actually work on npc's? They always seem to attack regardless of endurance. I also am very fond of AOE powers but didn't want to sacrifice single target damage/survivability if I can help it. Dark obliteration sounds nice.

The procs were in there mostly because it sounded entertaining to watch random things going off on baddies around me. I'm certainly willing to drop them, but isn't that -20% resistance one really powerful? I don't see anywhere else in my build to put it to reliably stick it on a target.
-

Your build seems very similar to mine, Dark Healer, but I can't see the totals atm (at work). I'll check it out more closely when I get home.
-

I like the build you posted, Julius, but it doesn't seem to have KB protection beyond the IO protection - won't that be a problem on a resistance set, or is it enough?
-

Also, does anyone have experience with Focused Accuracy? I was considering that PPP instead of Ghost Widow just for the accuracy booster (I *hate* missing).


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Prinny_God View Post
Socketing lightning field for end mod sounds interesting. Does that actually work on npc's? They always seem to attack regardless of endurance.
It does indeed work. Most NPCs have a brawl equivalent which is super low end so they can get something off even if it is a small something. But if you get yourself to the aggro cap, and suck them dry, then stand around and watch, you'll see they attack a lot less often, and only use their weak attacks. It is very nice.

As a side effect, teleport is fairly expensive, so against Skyraider porters and Malta Gunslingers and rikti headman gunners this keeps them in melee much more often. Not foolproof, but every little bit helps.


"Hmm, I guess I'm not as omniscient as I thought" -Gavin Runeblade.
I can be found, outside of paragon city here.
Thank you everyone at Paragon and on Virtue. When the lights go out in November, you'll find me on Razor Bunny.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Prinny_God View Post
I like the build you posted, Julius, but it doesn't seem to have KB protection beyond the IO protection - won't that be a problem on a resistance set, or is it enough?
It has Mag 13 KB protection even while jumping, and mag 9 even when exemplared to level 1. If I recall, 9 points of -KB are granted through the PvP resist set in that build, and 4 points through Steadfast Protection. Mag 13 KB protection is enough for probably 99.5% of the KB you will face in PvE.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Prinny_God View Post
Socketing lightning field for end mod sounds interesting. Does that actually work on npc's? They always seem to attack regardless of endurance.
It works quite well. I can solo +2/8 Cimerorans with ease not because of my defense or resists, but because they are mostly using an attack equivalent to Brawl for a significant portion of the fight. They neuter my defense because I have no DDR, but by the time I experience cascade failure they are out of endurance and tapping me with their worst attack.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Prinny_God View Post
I also am very fond of AOE powers but didn't want to sacrifice single target damage/survivability if I can help it. Dark obliteration sounds nice.
The build I posted has more single target DPS and vastly more AoE. Procs are part of the reason it outpaces, 90%+ global recharge (160%+ with Hasten) and the attack chain it enables is the other.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Prinny_God View Post
The procs were in there mostly because it sounded entertaining to watch random things going off on baddies around me. I'm certainly willing to drop them, but isn't that -20% resistance one really powerful? I don't see anywhere else in my build to put it to reliably stick it on a target.
It's not all that bad in Lightning Field. I prefer it in Shadow Maul, which can run the proc on up to 5 targets 2.5 times as often as Lightning Field can. Lightning Field is not a bad spot for it, but I hate for such a powerful proc to be checking but once every 10 seconds. The -resistance also works wonders in Shadow Maul, because the DoT nature of this skill means that 75% of the total damage it does is affected by the proc the very first time it fires.

If you have a hard time targeting Shadow Maul so that it hits 4 to 5 opponents, then it's definitely better placed in Lightning Field.


 

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Originally Posted by Prinny_God View Post
Also, does anyone have experience with Focused Accuracy? I was considering that PPP instead of Ghost Widow just for the accuracy booster (I *hate* missing).
Remember that you should have near-saturated Soul Drain up a substantial amount of the time when fighting masses of enemies. That alone will solve pretty much any accuracy problems you should have for its duration, and you can have it up more than half the time as an /Elec.

As far as end drains in Lightning Field, if you go that route (and I did), I highly suggest frankenslotting similar to how Julius showed. You can slot it to get both good damage and good end drain out of it.


Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.

 

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Prinny_God, your build may be good when the toon is actually at level 50.

However, the order in which you get your powers are pretty strange...

> You got Lightning Field at level 2. What are you going to do with that at such a low level? It's a MAJOR endurance hog and drawing that much aggro to you at level 2 is going to get you killed, mainly because you have pretty much no damage mitigation.

> Let's look at your possible attack chain for the first 30 levels(not counting vet powers): Brawl, Smite, Siphon Life, Boxing. FOUR low-damage powers for an entire 30 levels? That's going to be a painful ride. Yea, you have Lightning Field, yes it contributes a lot of damage over time during an entire mission, but you're still not going to be able to kill anything in a reasonable amount of time. It's going to be hard for you to take full advantage of Fury due to your low-damage attacks. You're also going to take forever to kill 1 Boss, let alone solo AV's like you planned.

> You have all those damn toggles, INCLUDING Tough and you pushed Stamina off till level 30? If anything, get Stamina at level 20 or 22 at the latest.

Don't worry, it's not just you though. Other people putting builds up in this thread are having the same problem with build-order. One person up there got Boxing at level 18, Combat Jumping at 22 and then Tough at level 30? What's the reason behind that? Why not just Boxing at level 18, Tough at 22 and Combat Jumping at 30? I understand getting Boxing early because you may need a filler for your attack chain, but there's no logical reasons for pushing Tough off till level 30 when you can simply get it at level 22, right after you get Stamina and can handle another toggle.

Edit: By the way, why did you get Combat Jumping? You're using Ninja Run for a travel power...is Combat Jumping just there because you don't know what other powers to get?


 

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Originally Posted by SPiNE View Post
> You got Lightning Field at level 2. What are you going to do with that at such a low level? It's a MAJOR endurance hog and drawing that much aggro to you at level 2 is going to get you killed, mainly because you have pretty much no damage mitigation.
I personally take the damage auras at low levels if I'm going to be soloing, especially on AoE-light sets like Dark/. Having some AoE really helps speed things up, especially if you do something like fight -1/x8 newspaper missions. Pack 10 targets into one and it's doing pretty darn good DPE compared to a low-level attack chain.


Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.

 

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For the sake of anyone else interested and reading, here's an update on my experiences.

My brute is now level 47 and I've had a chance to solo quite a bit. First AV/Hero solo is finished, though I haven't been focused too much on hunting them. Met Numina on the Ghost Widow arc as a heroNumina was tough, but she went down eventually (her ambush spawns helped more than hindered). Thoughts:

-Endurance draining is useless against AV's and Giant Monster's, but quite useful on normal enemy spawns.

-The cost of recipes, for a character not receiving infamy from any source other than its own efforts, is beyond ridiculous. Some of the RECIPES in the builds posted (not counting the materials) number in the hundreds of millions alone, upwards of 700 million. More in a few cases. Prices have inflated FAR worse than when I last played. Purple recipe sets are expensive to the extent that I have no plans to get them.

-I'm disenchanted with Shadow Maul. The animation is cumbersome and it doesn't fit into an attack chain well. Often times you're locked up swinging while FURIOUSLY missing, unable to heal, move, or pop inspirations. I've dropped it and don't miss it, though I'll try it again if I can EVER afford/obtain the absurdly expensive -res proc. Plus, I dislike the overused (Sands of Mu ftl) animation.

-The cumulative effect of -ToHit and -End is making for a powerful character. I breeze through +1 or 2/8 on most enemy types (Malta gunslingers stacking holds makes this setting a PITA).

-Grounded is a great flavor power and makes Carnies/Malta much less frustrating. It's great to see teammates cringe and fret over end drain, then charge in and ignore it entirely yourself. Pfft, sappers? Drain THEIR end and leave them alive for free fury generaton.

-Not having IO benefits limits the character, but I can see the potential for growth and there's plenty of punch to squeeze out already. Tons of fun and I'll soon be 50 - the second I've had and enough to keep my interest.