MA wins pretty handily I think, as SJ doesn't really get anything that can compete with storm kick as a reliable part of a high-DPS single target chain. To compare each set's best attack, storm kick does about the same DPA as crushing uppercut with a combo level or two. Storm kick is every second attack for MA, whereas crushing uppercut can only be every fifth attack at the absolute top end iirc. Cobra strike, CAK, and SJ's combo builders are all in the same ballpark so it isn't going to be a night and day difference exactly, but MA should still be one of your better bets for single target.
Advantages for SJ include extra aoe, the combo system and the different style of animations, if you're into that. I have both sets IOed to heck and back at 50 and I enjoy both of them probably about equally. My gut feeling is that MA is slightly stronger in the end.
Obitus did an in-depth comparison between MA ans StJ a few months back and can be found here:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=276359
It has several DPS calculations for various chains which might help you decide. They are pretty even on a scrapper.
Thanks, you two. Reading that link now.
I'd figure MA is better at ST damage, but Stj should be no slouch, and offers better AoE.
But I'm not really a numbers guy.
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It has a cone AoE and a Targeted AoE, in order to get the most of both of those you have to position yourself. Whereas with with MA you get a PBAoE that can get super boosted crits. But I am just an MA fan, I was a bit disappointed when I found out StJ didn't come with a PBAoE.
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Originally Posted by DoctorWhat
I'd figure MA is better at ST damage, but Stj should be no slouch, and offers better AoE.
But I'm not really a numbers guy. |
"Yes, winning all the time can be boring."
-Knight_Chill
"It's amazing how well you can put up with endurance issues if you hide them under a large enough pile of bodies."
-Spiritchaser speaking on Dom Revamp
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To be honest, I don't think it's such a huge deal. Two of my melee peeps have tiny cones (Dark Melee broot and Elec Melee Scrap) so I'm not phased at all with Sweeping Cross.
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Originally Posted by Da_Captain
It has a cone AoE and a Targeted AoE, in order to get the most of both of those you have to position yourself. Whereas with with MA you get a PBAoE that can get super boosted crits. But I am just an MA fan, I was a bit disappointed when I found out StJ didn't come with a PBAoE.
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I've been running an StJ/WP scrap and I'm a bit underwhelmed by the damage. Crushing Uppercut doesn't seem to hit like quite the truck I expected, and it does require some self-positioning to optimize the Targeted AOE (Spinning Strike) and then the Cone (Sweeping).
Also honestly I'm not in love with the kicking animations of Shin Breaker and Rib Cracker. With they at least had an alternative punch for rib cracker.
My WM/SD feels like he hits harder -- with Clobber and Shatter -- but maybe that's /SD and not WM.
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Personally, I like Rib Cracker a lot, because not a lot of things in this game let you deliver a swift kick to a Nazi's crotch. Shin Breaker's not especially exciting, though.|
Originally Posted by Granite Agent
Also honestly I'm not in love with the kicking animations of Shin Breaker and Rib Cracker. With they at least had an alternative punch for rib cracker.
My WM/SD feels like he hits harder -- with Clobber and Shatter -- but maybe that's /SD and not WM. |
My StJ/Fire/Blaze brute does great damage, but it's kinda hard for me to separate how much of the awesomeness is Street Justice and how much is from the secondary/ancillary, since she's my only character with StJ/ or /Fire.
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You have no idea how tempted I am to make this my signature.
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Originally Posted by Hopeling
Personally, I like Rib Cracker a lot, because not a lot of things in this game let you deliver a swift kick to a Nazi's crotch.
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Shin breaker's secret use is on targets that you've just uppercut (?? Uppercutted? Goodness, that can't be right). They had to call it shin breaker instead of curb stomper though for labeling reasons. T for Teen, you know.
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'Cause "Shin Breakin" is much better than "Curb Stompin"?
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Originally Posted by PleaseRecycle
They had to call it shin breaker instead of curb stomper though for labeling reasons. T for Teen, you know.
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I prefer using Rib Cracker on a Carnie... oh wait, my stalker doesn't have Rib Cracker! 
I think for ST damage, both sets should be close and competitive. From the gameplay perspective, Martial Arts' dps is more "smooth" because each kick hits "similarly" hard; whereas, SJ has a wide discrepancy in low/high damage. The key to play a SJ effectively is not to waste your combo 3 Uppercut on something that only needs a light punch/kick.
What's left is to normalize all Assassin Strikes and improve Stalker's old sets (Claw, MA and EM)! You don't need to bring back the missing PbAoE attack. You just need to make the existing ones better! For example, make Slice a WIDER and LONGER cone.
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Eh. Curb Stomp usually applies to busting someone's head with your foot. Shin breaking is self explanatory.
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Originally Posted by Blue_Centurion
'Cause "Shin Breakin" is much better than "Curb Stompin"?
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http://www.virtueverse.net/wiki/Shadow_Mokadara
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Mmm mine is oneshotting yellow minions at combo3, oneshots liuts with a crit. Im at level 36|
Originally Posted by Granite Agent
Crushing Uppercut doesn't seem to hit like quite the truck I expected
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(That said, im pretty new to scrappers, so maybe this is not unusual and should be doing more damage)
I'm getting an urge to make a -bash-your-foes-with-your-bare-fists character. After getting my crab to 50 and beyond, I'd like a contrasting character that can annihilate bosses/EBs/Avs. Assuming a lot of +recharge, which of the above has better ST damage?