I think choosing shields for brutes over scrappers would only make sense if you pick a primary scrappers dont have like SS.
Got a SS/SD Brute and he is good but got bored.
Hits like a truck anyways.
I'd actually thought about SS/SD for that very reason, but I really don't want to roll another SS character, that would be my 4th.
So I guess you're saying the difference in "toughness" of the Brute wouldn't make up for what I'd lose by not going Scrapper?
Depends on what you want for the end game. I have a SS/SD brute and a fire/SD tank. The tank doesnt get played. My wife has a fire/sd scrapper.
The scrapper doesnt have as many hit points as the brute. The brute has access to more endurance than the scrapper.
Both are soft capped+ to everything. Both farm the same map with out a problem at +3 X8 with bosses. The fire/sd scrapper I think goes faster, but I ahve not timed it and I dont farm them for speed. Just a feeling.
I do not have SJ, staff, or TW, so I cannot offer anything on those.
I am currently working on an elec/energy scrapper just to see how it compares.
YMMV---IMO
Ice Ember
Right now I'm leveling up a stone/shield, he's currently level 41. I'm having fun playing the combo and I wanted stone melee but be able to do damage so I went with brute. Sure it lacks in the AoE department but so far he seems to hit hard and helps keeping team members alive. Here's kinda how I kinda try to play him when teamed. Find the hardest target in the group and go after him, keep an eye on team mates that are in melee and caught up in a big group (espically maps that doesn't give squishy's an option to stay at range). With focusing on the hard target with my single attacks that leaves Tremor, Fault, and Shield Charge ready to use on a group when a team member gets in over his/her head for some reason. With the enemies flopping that buy's my allies a chance to recovery or perhaps get out of harms way. I will say though the combo can be hard on the endurance bar if you get to "smashy". I also had a concept in mind, one that I used for a ranged toon that I liked and wanted to roll with a melee set aswell, and that seemed to fit the concept I was aiming for the best.
Really thought I could make myself love a Tank and for 26 levels I stuck with it, Aristos Shield/MA Tanker.
But whenever a Brute was on the team I felt useless. Brutes were jumping in, taunting, often taking aggro from me (I was also taunting) AND doing great damage. These weren't super maxed out FotM Brutes either, I'm talking mid 30s Claws/Inv Brutes were showing me up in almost every way.
Sure, as a Tanker I was tough enough to withstand almost anything, but considering Brutes were holding aggro AND doing great damage I started feeling pretty useless. So, I called it quits on leveling any more Tanks until something is changed with them and I'm back to my original intention, Aristos is a SJ/SD Brute and even at 12 he is amazing, Sweeping Cross hits HARD and I'm already tough enough to handle jumping into most spawns. I know Shield would be more damage on a Scrapper, but the inherent toughness of the Brute sold me.
Thanks for the advice everyone.
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Don't expect your shield brute to show up any inv characters. The taunt aura in inv is solid where the one in sheild is... not.
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Originally Posted by Lightslinger
But whenever a Brute was on the team I felt useless. Brutes were jumping in, taunting, often taking aggro from me (I was also taunting) AND doing great damage. These weren't super maxed out FotM Brutes either, I'm talking mid 30s Claws/Inv Brutes were showing me up in almost every way.
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Quote:
I thought Shield and Ice had the strongest taunt auras?|
Originally Posted by MikeRobe
Don't expect your shield brute to show up any inv characters. The taunt aura in inv is solid where the one in sheild is... not.
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Even if so that's ok, my main complaint was that a brute was managing to steal aggro from my tank, which was pretty much all I was good for. Actual tanking felt great, until I realized I could tank for 99% of the game with a Brute AND have great damage.
I don't recall whether Shield or Inv has the stronger taunt aura (Mids says both are 17 seconds), but they're both quite strong.
The damage you'd lose compared to a Scrapper will be substantial, while the survivability you'll gain will be pretty minimal. However, a Scrapper has a much harder time tanking for a team, so if that's what you want to do and Tankers are off the table, go Brute.
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Thanks and yeah, this is exactly what I'm going for, Brute's inherent toughness + mini-gauntlet will help my goals much more than the extra Scrapper damage would.
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Originally Posted by Hopeling
I don't recall whether Shield or Inv has the stronger taunt aura (Mids says both are 17 seconds), but they're both quite strong.
The damage you'd lose compared to a Scrapper will be substantial, while the survivability you'll gain will be pretty minimal. However, a Scrapper has a much harder time tanking for a team, so if that's what you want to do and Tankers are off the table, go Brute. |
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I recall reading somewhere that shield defense has a stronger taunt aura than invulnerability. |
Originally Posted by Hopeling
I don't recall whether Shield or Inv has the stronger taunt aura (Mids says both are 17 seconds), but they're both quite strong.
The damage you'd lose compared to a Scrapper will be substantial, while the survivability you'll gain will be pretty minimal. However, a Scrapper has a much harder time tanking for a team, so if that's what you want to do and Tankers are off the table, go Brute. |
If I were you OP, I'd roll a SS/SD. Like someone else said, that is something that is not available to scrappers and something that will rock your socks off thoroughly. Mine hits like a freight truck going downhill at about 200mph.
I know you've already done SS a number of times, but the pairing of SS and shield is something to behold (minus possible rage crashes heh).
Words to the wise aren't necessary- it's the stupid ones that need them.
"You're right...I forgot...being constantly at or the near the damage cap is a big turn off. Definitely not worth it."
- Vitality
I need some advice on a character I'm working on right now, a level 8 Shield/MA Tank. I want a Shield Defense character and I want to build for some awesome levels of toughness. Tanker damage is just something I can't get past, sure a Tank would be the toughest a Shield character can be but the damage is beyond anemic.
Despite the fact damage would be much better on a Shield Scrapper, I think wanting to build for toughness would lean towards Brutes.With a Brute I could still be tough enough for 95% of the game (maybe better than that!), AND have great damage.
I'm thinking Street Justice/Shield, any advice or builds on how to make a very tough Brute for this build?
Edit: If anyone has a SJ or MA/Shield Scrapper build they wanted to show off I will still consider that, Shield has a good taunt aura so I'd be open to a Scrapper if it can be tough enough.