Why dont you post a Mid build and we'll critique....
I wouldnt want to make assumptions about pools and attacks and the like without something to go on.....and how much moola would you like to spend...theres basement dweller, studio apartment, 4 bedroom starter home, and mansion by the lake....
Its frightfully easy to softcap SR even with a minimal IO investment (and I think you can hit that mark with just SOs.)
Frog
I would post a build but i've never used mids.
I'll say i have all the /sr powers available at 25 with exception to agile.
I've got quick strike, body blow, smashing blow, and burst from kin.
Stamina, SJ, and hasten as of now. Was planing on picking up combat jumping later on for small +def
You are almost certainly going to want Tough and Weave on SR. You will want to put a Steadfast 3% global DEF into Tough.
You will want 3 DEF IO's in all of your toggle DEFs. If you have END issues you'll want a 4th slot for END reduction as well.
You can get by with 2 DEF IO's in your passive DEFs as the extra % the 3rd will give you is marginal. But, if you have the extra slots, might as well.
CJ or Hover are handy and add a little more global DEF when toggled; I prefer CJ for most characters but Hover is just as valid.
Pick up IO sets that grant positional DEF for your attacks and any utility abilities you have from pools. Your primary has a big effect on this as it will determine which sets you can slot. I haven't looked at a KIn / SR combo yet, but Burst you'll probably want to slot with Obliteration and some of the KB sets offer some DEF if memory serves.
Note that you might find yourself in the position of deciding if you want to slot an attack with a set that isn't ideal for it from a damage dealing perspective just for its set bonuses. It can be a tough call.
Before you hit softcap, 6 slot Elude with Red Fortune for a little extra Ranged DEF and to help keep Elude available for you in tough fights. Once you softcap you can respec Elude away - you wont need it anymore.
As far as Kin Melee goes, the highest I've gotten a character with it thus far is a Kin Melee / Energy Aura Brute that's at level 14 (pretty similar to Kin / SR, really, being DEF based). My plan is to go for global recharge first so as to keep Power Siphon and Burst as available as possible, followed by DEF, followed by HP / +REgen. I'm hoping that increasing the rate of damage and the respectable damage debuff of BUrst will help mitigation in the short term and give me time to build my DEF numbers up towards softcapping.
As far as Power Siphon being good, there are a lot of naysayers that point to PS working against the lower base damage of Brutes and also getting Lost in the Fury Sauce, but while there is truth in both arguments I still find it useful on my Kin Melee brute thus far. It might change as I level up, but right now it seems to perform well for me.
I generally lead off fights with Power Siphon, which allows me to build up my damage bonus very quickly, to 225% and more at peak (including Fury). By the time the Siphon wears off, my actual Fury level is typically accumulated up to a respectable level, which takes me into the next mob. At this point, my guy usually has to rest as he will be low on either green or blue or both (being 14th level and not having Health or Stamina or other mitigation), and the third mob starts again. If I dont need to rest, PS is usually up again for the third mob as well. I'll also try to save it for a boss fight where the extra smackage helps me out.
The t1 attack, Quick Strike IIRC, is actually really good and I'll probably keep it even after leveling up. Its really fast, and pretty reliably does knockdown as well, and helps fuel the Siphon effect. It's very solid in my opinion.
Don't forget loading Practiced Brawler with two Recharge IOs and an End Reduc. By the time you have levle 20 IOs it'll be almost Perma.
Alright, thanks for all the help. Gona see what i can do with him, hopefully i'l be able to work out something.
With Quickness, you should be able to perma-PB with just 1 IO Recharge. It's END cost is a bit high, so I slot 1 RECH and 1 END Reduc on my lvl 50 SR for maximum efficiency. I also have some global recharge from IO sets, and in practice have about a 10 second overlap where I have 2 PB's stacked. I set PB on AUTO, and let it do its thing without micromanaging it, which is nice.
Well first, i'm a vet thats recently returned to the game for GR. So far loving all the content and just everything that has been added to the game. I left the game a good little while ago but im still fairly familiar with IOs.
Well anyways i've got a kin/sr brute to 25 right now. I don't really have to much experience with /sr but i have always heard that it's a tough set to work with sometimes until heavy IOs and softcaping. Thats the way it feels right now, not impossible to play just a little bit more challenging than say a /wp brute.
I gues the point of this thread is to get some advice on both of these powersets. I think i have a fairly good hold on kin, although i was wondering if quick strike(think thats what it's called, the first power choice?) was worth keeping in the build. Other than that, i gues power siphon, worth it?
Really i've been wondering about /sr. I'm not clueless about IOs and i know how to make good use of them, but i cant seem to figure out how i could soft cap this toon. When would i be able to do this? How much would it run me for? I've heard it can be done fairly cheaply, well hopefully it can lol.
I should also mention that im not obssesed with hitting the soft cap. It's just as of now, SOs arent really getting me where i want to be with /sr. If i can get within a few % of the soft cap with being able to save a good bit of money, ill accept that. I just really want him to be more survivable than he is right now lol.
I'll appreciate any help i can get on this subject.