Quote:
Endurance: Like all fast-attacking sets, Claws can put a hurt on Endurance. However, it has pretty good cones that can cut down on the total number of attacks that you make in any fight. Just be sure to slot your attacks for Acc & End early on (let Fury handle the damage buffs).|
Originally Posted by Breth
I now have two sets i know nothing about. Can i have a little advice please to warn me about what to expect and what to build for? Soft capped positional defense i guess. Are they end hungry? Do i go for recharge? Do i need to get some Resist in there? Without a taunt aura, do i need taunt?
|
Defense: The number one priority is to softcap positional defense and DDR (don't neglect your auto defense powers). It'll all be very easy with a Claws/SR.
Recharge: Defense is the priority here, but then I would start to look at Recharge. SR gets Quickness for an instant free 20% global recharge bump, so you're already ahead of the game there. The first priority for recharge is the power itself, then on to the global bonuses (if you've only got 60% recharge in the power, you need 30%+ in global recharge to make up for it, so better to cap recharge in the power and pay for less global if you can). I love putting LotG sets in the toggles, at the very least, so that helps with global recharge. Some builds prefer Red Fortunes for 5% global recharge each and ranged defense, but they require more slots.
Hit Points: I like to slot for +HP to help keep survivability high. This'll also help when the opponents get on a lucky streak or just happen to slip a heavy hitter through. Frankenslotting attacks is one of the easier ways to do this, plus you get great Acc/Dam/End/Rchg in the process.
Resist: If you're taking Weave to softcap (and most builds do), then take Tough along the way for a nice little bump in S/L survivability. Other than that, I wouldn't worry about it. Tough will accept the Steadfast Protection 3% Unique, as well as something like Aegis for AOE defense (3- or 5-slotted), both of which will help you reach your softcap goals.
Taunt: Evasion has a Mag4 Taunt aura (Brutes only). Enjoy!
You little gem, thank you
Imagine playing a rotary saw that's coated in a forcefield. That's what Claws/SR will feel like.
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 think claws and SR are a good combo - claws' slight end discount helps partially offset the expense of the fighting pool toggles you'll be running, and the slight recharge discount, combined with quickness, means you don't need to worry about slotting for it as much.
In terms of slotting, of course the first priority is to softcap your positional defenses. Tough with the 3%, weave, and combat jumping get you started, set bonuses will have to cover the rest. After that, I'd actually go for HP and regen first - softcapped defenses are very nice, but without something to layer with them they're still vulnerable to bad luck. You want recharge too, of course, but especially HP is probably at least as high a priority.
Cheap options for +def bonuses include smashing haymaker in ST attacks and multistrike in PBAoEs. As a bonus, smashing haymaker also includes a HP boost. Red fortune in toggles can help cover ranged defense as well as providing a bit of recharge. Of course, there are also the usual more expensive options like obliteration, mako's, touch of death, etc.
Fair warning: you'll probably feel a bit squishy before you get your defenses squared away, especially if teams are expecting you to 'tank'. Purple insps are your friend - if need be, make a macro to convert stuff you don't need (like reds) into purples.
@MuonNeutrino
Student, Gamer, Altaholic, and future Astronomer.
This is what it means to be a tank!
Quote:
You know you can turn off all the effects and it does not hide your costume at all anymore.|
Originally Posted by Breth
i don't want hidden by all of DA's costume obscuring effects
|
Also, I have a L50 claws/sr at 50 and he was quite fun, but I quit him because I could not stand all the auto hit stuff on task forces and tips/missions full of DE and carnies kicking the crap out of you. On a scrapper it would not bother me nearly as much, but when you are supposed to be the "tank" it is annoying. Yes we should all have weakness and that is a good thing, but with SR the weakness normally means NO protection at all and you take full damage to everything.
You will go to feeling godly to dead and you really never know when it might happen lol
/SR over-all though is great, but just think it needs to be revamped some to fit in better with the way stuff is today. I also think All the auto hit stuff in the game is BS, but oh well.
"I have always been a fan of science fiction. It all started when my parents forced me to go to church when I was a child."
Quote:
No, you can turn off the fade effect of Cloak of Darkness, which completely obscures your costume. You can't turn off the four or five layers of particle effects from the various Dark Armor toggles, and they really do make it hard to see your costume while they're up.|
Originally Posted by Jharber
You know you can turn off all the effects and it does not hide your costume at all anymore.
|
Quote:
|
Also, I have a L50 claws/sr at 50 and he was quite fun, but I quit him because I could not stand all the auto hit stuff on task forces and tips/missions full of DE and carnies kicking the crap out of you. On a scrapper it would not bother me nearly as much, but when you are supposed to be the "tank" it is annoying. Yes we should all have weakness and that is a good thing, but with SR the weakness normally means NO protection at all and you take full damage to everything. You will go to feeling godly to dead and you really never know when it might happen lol /SR over-all though is great, but just think it needs to be revamped some to fit in better with the way stuff is today. I also think All the auto hit stuff in the game is BS, but oh well. |
64% base ToHit does feel a little cheaty, though. Maybe try and team with someone with defense buffs?
And in the end, you have a Brute's HP to fall back on. Unlike SR Scrappers, you can actually take a few hits, though you want to stop them landing ASAP.
You can see my quest to optimize my Claws/SR brute here:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showt...=253346&page=2
Last post has the most recent build.
I would say overall I was oversold on the "goodness" of Brute claws ... Scrappers get more out of FU, a lot more. Brutes do have the bigger bag of HP and I think higher potential damage buffs ... I am at just over 2K hp on my Claws/SR. Also brutes get a taunt in Evasion I think (taunt aura).
If I had to suggest a different course to you, I'd say look at /Shields over SR or a set like Inv. For a brute you might get more mileage out of FM vs. Claws? My FM/Inv. has about 195 dps vs. my Claws/SR clocking at 187.
Or go scrapper and break the 200dps barrier (sans /Shield).
So, i have my new Brute in the character creator all ready to go, a Claws/ DA... I've never played Claws before. I create a costume by accident that i realise i don't want hidden by all of DA's costume obscuring effects and before you know it, i've gone for SR instead.
I now have two sets i know nothing about. Can i have a little advice please to warn me about what to expect and what to build for? Soft capped positional defense i guess. Are they end hungry? Do i go for recharge? Do i need to get some Resist in there? Without a taunt aura, do i need taunt?
A lot of the builds out there are post 50 and that's a long way off, so i'm not looking for ultimate build advice, not yet anyway.
... and finally. Are they fun?
Cheers
Breth