Need Help with new Brute/Theme

Hello everyone,
I've been playing City of Heroes on and off since beta. I'm making a comeback to the game. I want to make a new massive Single Target damage brute but I don't know what sets to go with. I'm trying to stay away from SS or Electric. I'm trying to make a theme of an ancient Warlord/War marshal but I can't think of anything. Thank you for taking the time to look at the post. Any help is much appreciated!

Single Target Warlord? I'd say go Dark Melee.

Perhaps he channels the power of the souls that he has crushed?

Dark Melee delivers big, rapidfire numbers of Single Target damage. Also, it gives you Soul Drain, Dark Consumption, Siphon Life, and Touch of Fear. All of these are widely loved powers, minus Touch of Fear, which is still a nice power to have around.

Soul Drain is a PBAoE power that deals a tiny amount of damage to the enemies it hits, but increases your damage into the stratosphere for each enemy it hits. For half a minute, you deal enough damage to consistently one or two-shot enemies, including bosses. It's hard, but you can even make it permanent if you're a VIP and slot heavily for recharge.

Siphon Life is one of the coolest melee attacks in the game. You reach out your hand and yank it back, as if tearing something away from the enemy. Your opponent takes big damage, and you get a chunk of health restored. This don't ever fill your health meter to full, but it can be made part of a regular attack chain, and you SHOULD make it part of your regular attack chain. It's one of the strongest powers int he set.

Dark Consumption is like Soul Drain, only it restores your endurance by a good bit for every enemy in its range.

Touch of Fear does zero damage, but it inflicts the Fear status on enemies. It doesn't seem like much, but it animates fast and also lowers the enemy's chance to hit you. Oh, you can also stack its effects when facing strong enemies, making you able to Fear Elite Bosses.

If you're returning from long ago, when Dark Melee was considered the biggest joke in the game, then stop thinking like that. It's been revamped into a beastly set.

There are a lot of sets that would work for a secondary on your concept. It would depend on -how- this ancient warlord still lives and walks amongst us. You could pick Dark Armor, Fiery Aura, Energy Aura (customized black to match Dark Melee), Regeneration, Willpower, Invulnerability, Super Reflexes...

Dark melee would be a great choice for single target damage on a brute, works great with fury. Also is a really nice set with procs in it. It pairs up well with most sets, really works great for sets that don't have a heal or can use the extra -tohit for survival.

I really like to pair up single target sets with a damage aura, especially on brutes. It will help you keep agro and fury, let you switch targets for your attacks and let your damage aura take out what ever health they have left. Of course that only leaves fire, electric, dark and stone has a lower one. I had a dark/fire awhile back was pretty fun, I will probably roll up a dark melee again someday.

If you're patient, Titan Weapons/Energy aura is fantastic. It'll fit your "Warlord" concept too. However, Broadsword and katana are also available for brute. I couldn't get into battle axe or war mace sadly. I've already been exposed to banes before trying war mace.

I would think Sword for Ancient Warlord myself. And maybe undead so I'd think dark first, but...

katana and broad sword if I remember correctly, have a melee defense buff built in, so it would be good paird with a set with some defense.

Maybe one of those with sheild defense. You can even have an elemental Dark sheild that looks like dark armor (but on your arm).

If willpower can be colored dark (not sure) it would be an effective paring, the Parry from Katana would plug up the melee hole of the elemental defense you get from willpower.

Dark/Dark is really nasty, all the too hit you get with a little defense built in is hard to hit.