The optimal role of Brick powersets?

omnius

I'm not really totally sure what that is. I understand fine that you can create STR based melee DPS. What I'm not sure about is how they stack up against melee builds from other melee powerset groups that tend to be more crit oriented. Is something like a typical Heavy Weapons DPS build competitive with melee DPS builds from other powersets?

flowcyto

Well, considering that any melee build can use FotTiger_Tempest and a Dex-focus, Might and HW can be competitive that way (not bothering w/ melee Earth). It's also worth noting that Brick builds can now use the Blindside buff (from Might), which needs Enrage ideally, so it may even now be that Str-based is preferable w/ that, but I don't know how the high-end parses match up for it all. Regardless, a normal Str + Enrage dps build using STR/Dex/Rec_Con and 3/3 in Overpower can still perform very strongly overall, while having more knock resistance (and knock power).

omnius

I've been leveling a HW as a standard STR/REC/CON wardicator, are you suggesting that for being a competitive melee DPS using the brick powersets I should be aiming for a STR/DEX and then choosing between either REC or CON as my 3rd?

I'm getting the impression my current setup is more along the lines of a middle of the road. I'm watching other melee powersets doing Grabs and leading the charge and melting down Orange enforcers within seconds (and not dying) and when I look them up afterwards I discover they're also just levelling like me. That's what got me wondering how brick sets like HW can replicate that, or whether those trees are simply inherently designed to be slow hitting tanks.

Also wondering what the HW equivalent to blindside would be.

How would you design a HW build for competitive melee DPS without being a glass cannon? If such a creature doesn't exist that's fine too, I'm just looking to know whether or not it does

flowcyto

It ultimately depends on how 'competitive' you want to be. No real hard answer there, other than that generally adding Dex SS to builds that don't already have it is a net dps gain (even if it's minor, due to the added crit%), and that Dex-focused setups can get the highest dps (though they still have to contend w/ DRs from dmg bonuses and on crit%). Generally you will have to trade survival for more dmg, though; that's just how it works out for any stat setup (even for Dex builds). Also, you may be trying to judge things too early, since you are still leveling.

It's tough to give more advice based on the other players, since there's not many details offered there, and builds (and gear) can vary widely (even when leveling). Could also be that those players are just vets and have a better feel for the strengths and limits of their build for the content at hand. HW can deal some decent burst AoE dmg and have some pretty nice CC w/ all the knocks (and Annihilate_Skewer still hit pretty hard for single-targets), so I don't think it's some sort of innate limit on the set or w/e. Gear options also can get quite stronger as you get closer to max level, so that may be a factor as well.

I don't believe that HW as a set has Blindside in it, but you could import a Demolish applier and Blindside from Beatdown or Uppercut for it, but then ofc you're not playing a pure HW build (then again, it could be argued that using a Dex-based MA toggle/form with HW is also not pure). I would still probably stick to the normal HW powers, esp since it can give you more experience w/ the set itself, but it is another option out there you could consider.

omnius

informative as always, thanks!

ajanus

A bit late to the party, so apologies for that. However, I just wanted to touch on something that may or may not have been considered when leveling through Alerts. Heirloom gear. I'm not sure the current Alerts were designed to handle characters decked out in full sets, but with good reason. I level toons almost exclusively through Alerts and have found that it really doesn't matter what role/powers you choose to level as, if you are sporting a full spread of heirloom pieces, you are really in a completely different category to those who don't have them.

Now, if you have a full set and still feel inadequate, then sure, maybe there is an issue with your build or SS preferences, so that might deserve further investigation on your part. However, I can say I have leveled many DEX and STR toons over the years and, at least while leveling, haven't found too much of a difference between them. It's really a matter of what you like to do. I have a few STR/Con/Rec toons and they never gave me the feeling like they were underperforming. I usually don't pair Str and Dex on the same toon only because I like Con and an energy stat.

I will say that I do tend to cheese my way through the Alerts though because I like testing weird things out while using AoPM, which, with Heirloom gear, gives a ton of buffers in survivability and energy management, so you can take what I say with a grain of salt.

Basically, I'm saying that I'm sure your build is fine and the difference you think you are seeing might just be a thing while leveling. Post-40-game is a completely different horse.