Scrapper is definitely the way to go for Fire/ or Elec/ because of the highest base damage and greater benefit that multipliers have on that.
All three of those are great combinations. I'm particularly fond of SS/anything 
fire or dark
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I'd go Elec/Shield Scrapper, simply for the fact that /Shield, IMO, won't let you play the Tank role on a team with your Brute nearly as well as other secondaries. And if you really don't care about that, remember that SS/Shield can be tough to manage when exemped down, as well(Really relies on those set bonuses to shine).
And if you don't team a lot or expect to exemp/lacky down, just ignore what I just said.
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Pelvic Thunder - SS/Elec/Mu Brute
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I would ask what it is you want to do.|
Originally Posted by HiddenJackal
I've come back after a few month break and I'm interested in getting a badass Shield brute/scrapper. If I go brute, well, obviously I'll have to take SS, but if I take FM or Elec I'll probably go with a scrapper.
From personal experience, what would you guys recommend? The end drain on SS looks worrisome although the damage of SS can be pretty awesome, especially imagining it paired with rage and AAO. FM looks great, although I'm not sure how the damage output is compared to SS. Elec looks great, but it looks limited in the aspect that its single target is weak, so it'd be strictly a farming build. |
SS/SD Brute: Possibility of excellent ST attack chain (requires gloom), excellent AoE through Footstomp, SC and potentially a PPP TAoE and massive mitigation from constant KD.
Ele I would avoid for a Brute, the ST is weak even on a Scrapper but the Scrapper's level of AoE output is tremendous.
FM/SD while does better ST damage for the most part on a Scrapper, is still excellent on a Brute.
I prefer my SS/SD to FM/SD strictly due to the level of soft mitigation afforded by SS. It is intensely endurance heavy.
Still FM/SD is an excellent combination.
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Originally Posted by Auroxis
I'd go Elec/Shield Scrapper, simply for the fact that /Shield, IMO, won't let you play the Tank role on a team with your Brute nearly as well as other secondaries. And if you really don't care about that, remember that SS/Shield can be tough to manage when exemped down, as well(Really relies on those set bonuses to shine).
And if you don't team a lot or expect to exemp/lacky down, just ignore what I just said. |
I agree on exemping down.
However I play the 'tank' role on my SS/SD Brute without issue.
I currently have DM/SD and WM/SD brutes. If I were to make another SD brute, I'd go with FM as primary. From my personal experience with my other FM brute, it has really good ST damage and pretty solid AOE. It's damage type is also less resisted. It's biggest hole which is lack of mitigation (KD, -Acc, etc) becomes a non-issue with softcap sets like SD.
One more thing, why not consider WM as your primary? WM is a beast when it comes to AOE and overall a very fun and brutish primary. Post-buff, I was really surprised how powerful it became and out of my 9 brutes, WM/SD is probably my favorite.
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It depends on how hard you push your Brute.|
Originally Posted by OABAAB
I currently have DM/SD and WM/SD brutes. If I were to make another SD brute, I'd go with FM as primary. From my personal experience with my other FM brute, it has really good ST damage and pretty solid AOE. It's damage type is also less resisted. It's biggest hole which is lack of mitigation (KD, -Acc, etc) becomes a non-issue with softcap sets like SD.
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I find in some situations the KD is irrelevant to my personal survival but very beneficial for squishies.
I find in more difficult circumstances, say soloing cysts on mish 2 of the ITF, the KD is priceless.
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Originally Posted by OABAAB
One more thing, why not consider WM as your primary? WM is a beast when it comes to AOE and overall a very fun and brutish primary. Post-buff, I was really surprised how powerful it became and out of my 9 brutes, WM/SD is probably my favorite.
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WM is an excellent "all around" primary, great AoE, decent ST and plenty of mitigation.
It also has a ridiculously satisfying smash-factor.
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That's true. I guess I should've clarified that there will be some occasions where mitigation such as KD will be beneficial for survival. MY WM/SD don't go anywhere near the ITF though. That honor is reserved for my SS/SR brute heh.
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Originally Posted by Deus_Otiosus
I find in more difficult circumstances, say soloing cysts on mish 2 of the ITF, the KD is priceless.
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I'm not planning on exemping down that much anyways.
And I'm looking at the difference between FM and SS--While Rage is in fact rather awesome, would the damage mitigated by the fact that FM is far less resisted by most mobs later on?
I guess the biggest thing for me still is just looking at the end use of SS/SHD, compared to the end use of FM/SHD. Yeah, I definitely plan on IOing one of them out, but the problem would be getting to there. I might stick with FM/SHD though just because it looks a lot cooler, especially the whole large fire sword with a shield deal.
Also, I don't want a WM brute because I already have a WM/WP brute and an SOA. And looking back, I think I'll be going with a SS/SHD brute first, just because the thought of all that mitigation really does seem juicy. Just gotta deal with the PITA end use.
I've come back after a few month break and I'm interested in getting a badass Shield brute/scrapper. If I go brute, well, obviously I'll have to take SS, but if I take FM or Elec I'll probably go with a scrapper.
From personal experience, what would you guys recommend? The end drain on SS looks worrisome although the damage of SS can be pretty awesome, especially imagining it paired with rage and AAO. FM looks great, although I'm not sure how the damage output is compared to SS. Elec looks great, but it looks limited in the aspect that its single target is weak, so it'd be strictly a farming build.