This may be obvious, but failing at x8 - or even x4 - missions, is no indicator of being "paper thin". You are performing well above the baseline - although I'd say any level 50 IO'd brute should be OK at x4 - depending on secondary and enemy group of course.
So yeah, now that you have spent even more inf, you can solo content intended for 8 people.
I think that your powerset combos in particular are not particularly synergistic (other than the end drain, which I don't find super useful in high end bruting), unless you take and use Lightning Clap, ELM provides nothing to offset ELA's weaknesses. Stone/ gives you soft control (I have a 50 sm/elm and most of his survivability comes from knockdown), DM gives you heals and minor controls, etc. I stopped playing my elm/ela in the 30s and moved over to the sm/elec & and elec/shield once this became evident. I think it's great for teaming and tfing but for solo content it just wasn't a combo I enjoyed.
:P
Guides: Dark Armor and IOs | SS/DA | Crabbing | Fortunata
The difference between 27% and 37% melee defense is the difference between 23% and 13% admittance: you nearly halved your incoming melee damage, and that's before considering the effect of lowering the chance of debuffs hitting. So, yes, it does make a pretty big difference.
I did not build my SS/Elec for defense, but I did take Tough and slot up Power Sink and Lightning Field for endurance drain. I do all right at x4, can't really manage higher, but that's already well above baseline performance and satisfying for me.
@SPTrashcan
Avatar by Toxic_Shia
Why MA ratings should be changed from stars to "like" or "dislike"
A better algorithm for ordering MA arcs
Setting your baseline at Malta and high-level Longbow as well as Arachnos is sort of like starting off with a motorcycle before you know how to ride a bike.
Arachnos, Malta and Longbow have damn near every trick in the game up their sleeve. Try a +2/x8 against Council or any other villain group. Start slow. My SS/Elec can to +2/x8 Malta with trouble, and +2/x8 Council with no problems. It's a matter of what you're facing. Punch the punching bag before you punch Tyson.
My guides:Dark Melee/Dark Armor/Soul Mastery, Illusion Control/Kinetics/Primal Forces Mastery, Electric Armor
"Dark Armor is a complete waste as a tanking set."
I used my elec/elec and elec/shield for lowbie sfs (lv 40 and below). In general, my elec/shield performs better. But you should be able to do +0x8. My elec/elec was only lv 46 when he did the 3rd respec, and he was able to deal with a Malta mob by himself. In addition to Tough and Weave, I have combat jumping and Darkest Night.
However, as a comparison, my frankenslotted elec/shield that didn't have tough or weave was able to handle +1x8 at lvl 46.
Remember that Elec Armor is second only to Fire in offensive resistance armor sets, so it is bound to need some sort of extra mitigation somewhere. With i19, You can definitely get a healthy mix of everything on an Elec/Elec with wise planning and a willingness to invest.
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.90
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Spiritual: Level 50 Mutation Brute
Primary Power Set: Electrical Melee
Secondary Power Set: Electric Armor
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Charged Brawl -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(5), HO:Nucle(5), Hectmb-Dam%:50(36)
Level 1: Charged Armor -- RctvArm-ResDam:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(7), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(7), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(9)
Level 2: Jacobs Ladder -- Oblit-%Dam:50(A), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(9), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(11), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg:50(11), Oblit-Acc/Rchg:50(13), Oblit-Dmg:50(27)
Level 4: Conductive Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(13), RctvArm-ResDam:40(15), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(15)
Level 6: Lightning Field -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(A), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg:50(17), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx:50(17), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg:50(19)
Level 8: Thunder Strike -- Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(A), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(19), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg:50(21), Oblit-Acc/Rchg:50(21), Oblit-Dmg:50(23), Oblit-%Dam:50(23)
Level 10: Build Up -- Rec'dRet-ToHit/Rchg:20(A), Rec'dRet-Pcptn:20(25), RechRdx-I:50(27)
Level 12: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(25)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Run-I:50(A)
Level 16: Static Shield -- ResDam-I:50(A), ResDam-I:50(43)
Level 18: Grounded -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(A)
Level 20: Chain Induction -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(39), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(40), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(40), Hectmb-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(40)
Level 22: Boxing -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(29), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(29), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(31)
Level 24: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam:40(36), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(37), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(37)
Level 26: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), LkGmblr-Def:50(34), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:50(34), Ksmt-ToHit+:30(34)
Level 28: Energize -- Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:50(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg:50(37), Numna-Heal:50(39), RechRdx-I:50(39)
Level 30: Lightning Reflexes -- Run-I:50(A)
Level 32: Lightning Rod -- Oblit-Dmg:50(A), Oblit-%Dam:50(36), Oblit-Acc/Rchg:50(43), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg:50(43), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(46), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(50)
Level 35: Power Sink -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 38: Power Surge -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg:50(A)
Level 41: Electrifying Fences -- Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob/Rchg:50(A), Enf'dOp-Immob/Rng:50(42), Enf'dOp-Acc/Rchg:50(42), Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx:50(42), Enf'dOp-EndRdx/Immob:50(48), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob:50(50)
Level 44: Ball Lightning -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(45), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(45), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(45), Posi-Dam%:50(46), RechRdx-I:50(46)
Level 47: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(48), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:50(48)
Level 49: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), LkGmblr-Def:50(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(31), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(31), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(33)
Level 1: Sprint -- QckFt-EndRdx/RunSpd:50(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I:50(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I:50(A)
Level 2: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:50(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%:50(A), P'Shift-EndMod:50(33), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc:50(33)
Mains (Freedom) @Auroxis
Auroxis - Emp/Rad/Power Defender Pylon Video Soloing an AV
Pelvic Thunder - SS/Elec/Mu Brute
Sorajin - Elec/Nin Stalker
Neuropain - Sonic/Mental/Elec Blaster
well, I just completed an I19 elec / elec brute and here's what her slotting looks like:
And this is what her stats look like:
Now, her defense's are not actually as high as this picture suggests. Somebody ran by and fortuned me and I hit the fortune by habit. It was the fortune of moon, so Defense here is up by 5%.
Now, my final slotting choices differed from this thread for a couple of reasons: http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=245395
Nalrok_AthZim made the point that Power Sink was an excellent Enemy Debuff, so I started off on this tangent:
Quote:
With a 5% recharge 4-slot on to-hit debuff for Darkest Night, I decided to gain some extra mitigation there, and converted Boxing over to Stun IO's instead of Crushing Impact.| Well, I take that back. I can see a possible option as being sacrificing some direct damage, maybe dropping charged brawl or havoc, and make up the 5% recharge on Crushing impact with the 5% recharge on Efficacy adapter, just need to pull a slot from somewhere else. |
Net result, 6.25% more recharge than I thought I was going to ultimately get.
The Achilles heel of this build is the lousy single target damage. I don't really feel like I have a sustainable quick attack chain, and the powers I would use without thought in a mob environment just seem to take too long and do too little against hardened targets.
* * *
As an edit, something I'm considering trying on the test server is swapping out soul tentacles for gloom. I took soul tentacles for a little bit extra "mob" mitigation and the 6.25% recharge boost from Posi Blast.
But I can also get 6.25% from the Decimation or Entropic Chaos sets which would git into Gloom. I lose a little bit of ability to soft-control mobs and catch runners, but I would gain some ability against hardened single targets.
Here's mine, I have everything slotted except thunderstrike in Gloom instead of apocalypse while I pickup the last two. I ran the incarnate arc on +0/x7 and it went easy.
Well, ok, the one portion of the arc that was tricky was trapdoor, I had to kill his spawns and lure him into the lava but I got him on my first try and was never in any danger.
I use this character as a farmer at +1/x8 against CoT possessed scientists and banished pantheon Borea missions in the warzone, as well as some AE missions for tickets. I've been contemplating swapping the titanium coating for reactive armor, and finding a way to fit in Dark Obliteration and the patron pet when I drop powersurge and fitness.
So not paper-thin. But I do agree that the single-target damage is anoyingly low, so I often run with bosses turned off.
01: Charged Armor => Titanium_Coating(1), Titanium_Coating(3), Titanium_Coating(3), Titanium_Coating(5), Titanium_Coating(5), Titanium_Coating(7)
01: Charged Brawl => Touch_of_Death(1), Touch_of_Death(7), Touch_of_Death(9), Touch_of_Death(9), Touch_of_Death(11), Touch_of_Death(11)
02: Jacobs Ladder => Obliteration(2), Obliteration(13), Obliteration(13), Obliteration(15), Obliteration(15), Obliteration(17)
04: Conductive Shield => Titanium_Coating(4), Titanium_Coating(17), Titanium_Coating(19), Titanium_Coating(19), Titanium_Coating(21), Titanium_Coating(21)
06: Hasten => Recharge(6), Recharge(23)
08: Thunder Strike => Obliteration(8), Obliteration(23), Obliteration(25), Obliteration(25), Obliteration(27), Obliteration(27)
10: Build Up => Empty(10), Empty(29), Empty(50), Empty(46), Empty(50), Empty(50)
12: Swift => SpeedRunning(12)
14: Boxing => Accuracy(14)
16: Health => Numinas_Convalesence(16), Numinas_Convalesence(29), Regenerative_Tissue(31)
18: Combat Jumping => Luck_of_the_Gambler(18)
20: Stamina => Performance_Shifter(20), Performance_Shifter(31), Performance_Shifter(31), Performance_Shifter(33)
22: Chain Induction => Touch_of_Death(22), Touch_of_Death(33), Touch_of_Death(33), Touch_of_Death(34), Touch_of_Death(34), Touch_of_Death(34)
24: Static Shield => Ribosome_Exposure(24)
26: Grounded => Steadfast_Protection(26)
28: Lightning Reflexes => SpeedRunning(28)
30: Energize => Doctored_Wounds(30), Doctored_Wounds(36), Doctored_Wounds(36), Doctored_Wounds(36), Doctored_Wounds(37)
32: Lightning Rod => Obliteration(32), Obliteration(37), Obliteration(37), Obliteration(39), Obliteration(39), Obliteration(39)
35: Power Sink => Performance_Shifter(35), Efficacy_Adaptor(40)
38: Tough => Titanium_Coating(38), Titanium_Coating(40), Titanium_Coating(40), Titanium_Coating(43), Titanium_Coating(46), Titanium_Coating(46)
41: Gloom => Apocalypse(41), Apocalypse(42), Apocalypse(42), Apocalypse(42), Apocalypse(43), Decimation(43)
44: Darkest Night => Dark_Watchers_Despair(44), Dark_Watchers_Despair(45), Dark_Watchers_Despair(45), Dark_Watchers_Despair(45)
47: Weave => Luck_of_the_Gambler(47), Luck_of_the_Gambler(48), Luck_of_the_Gambler(48), Luck_of_the_Gambler(48)
49: Power Surge => Recharge(49)
"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.
While running all my 50's through the Incarnate Arc I revisited my dusty elec/elec Brute. Now I had him completely IOed out, built for recharge. (I'm at work, I'll post his data chunk when I get home) So after unlocking his Alpha I decided to take him for a spin. I cranked his diff. up to +0/X8........... And got totally shredded by Arachnos, Longbow, CoT, Malta- basically anyone NOT Rikti. Same at X7, X6, X5, at X4 I was barely surviving.
I can't figure it out... I picked up Tough & weave to see if Tough helped.. same result. Now I did have 27% melee defense as a result of my Sets, so using my 2nd respec I pushed it up to 37%. And all of a sudden he is rolling through X8 missions with the help of a green here and there.
My question is this- Is Electric Armor THAT bad that I need not only Tough but near-capped defense to save it? Have others ran into this? I was orginally thinking the Spiritual Boost to get more Recharge but now I am leaning toward a Nerve Radial to push my defense higher. I just can't believe electric armor is that useless-feeling. I can't seem to drain fast enough to prevent almost instant death from mobs (this is pre-defense).
Just some info- I had and still have the whole Elec Armor set, didn't skip any. Even Power Surge wasn't enough. Just not used to being that ... squishy.
"Well, there's going to be some light music and a short note of apology saying, 'The universe ended last week, we're really sorry, we don't know what you're doing here, didn't you get the message?'"- Steve Moffat