New to Bruiser..need Adept 3 advice.

[Luyes]

Newb Bruiser here. Only level 12.  So far I'm enjoying the class.I believe I have all the basics down:Top 3 stats:  Str, Agi StaTraits to upgrade: +Sta & %HpI'm having trouble figuring out which of my CAs to bother to make into adept 3s.  I harvested 2 rares so, I chose to upgrade "Heated Fist" & "Blazing Strike".Was wondering if anyone had any tips on what to upgrade as I level up...or if there's a list of recommended upgrades anywhere?Thanks! <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Gestalt79]

<p>Welcome and glad to hear you enjoy your Bruiser so far.</p><p> The CA I would focus on upgrading first would be my 3 stances, or whichever stance you use the most.  After that, Ignore Agony line (self heal) and FD would be high on my list.  The Quarrel line (buff that procs taunt + dmg) is nice free damage even if solo and is a good choice.  We have a slew of damage CA obviously, so pick whichever ones you want, the level of CA/spells no longer relates to hit chance or resistance anymore.  However, if I were to pick, I'd upgrade my highest damage arts first, because you'll typically unload those big guns early in every solo fight and when grouping will add a good strong initial taunt/damage attack to start the hate generation off right.</p><p>Edited for clarification</p>

[Pnaxx]

<cite>Ulrik@Najena wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Welcome and glad to hear you enjoy your Bruiser so far.</p><p> The CA I would focus on upgrading first would be my 3 stances, or whichever stance you use the most.  After that, Ignore Agony line (self heal) and FD would be high on my list.  The Quarrel line (buff that procs taunt + dmg) is nice free damage even if solo and is a good choice.  We have a slew of damage CA obviously, so pick whichever ones you want, the level of CA/spells no longer relates to hit chance or resistance anymore.  However, if I were to pick, I'd upgrade my highest damage arts first, because you'll typically unload those big guns early in every solo fight and when grouping will add a good strong initial taunt/damage attack to start the hate generation off right.</p><p>Edited for clarification</p></blockquote>I agree with that. I would also add that the self buffs would be one of the first. It really depends on your level and how fast you are leveling. If you are blazing through, then maybe just sell the stuff and save up for the higher levels when maybe you will slow down a bit. To save money I would suggest the STR line of AA's too. Welcome to the bar, ur stool is right over there next to that smelly Ogre.

[Luyes]

Thanks for the tips guys!Not leveling too fast....only level 15 now.  Checked out the prices for T2 Scholar recipie books......looks like I'm going to be using app IVs till level 22+ when the prices start to go back to normal.  Got lucky and found a Scholar 14 book for about 45s, so was able to upgrade FD.Anyway, thanks again for the tips!  Loving the Iksar Bruiser.  The Iksar were one of my fav races in EQ1.

[Luyes]

Not much happening in the Bruiser forums eh? <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/ed515dbff23a0ee3241dcc0a601c9ed6.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />Anyways, I'm now 27.  Been working on my str tree..4883 ATM. Gonna go for 48882 on str and work on Enhanced: Ignore Agnoy or start on the int tree...not sure yet.  Still using the armor I got from TD.  Think I'll most likely stick with it till I can get imbued mastercrafted stuff at 32.  Trying to upgrade my CA...but the prices on recipe books is ridiculous sometimes. 3pp for a Scholar 19? no thanks.Still having a blast with my Bruiser.....even though I found it easier to solo with my Necro/Conj.  Much more challenging. <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/e8a506dc4ad763aca51bec4ca7dc8560.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />Wish these forums were much more active though.

[Solu]

<p>Just advice but unless you are tanking for groups often no real reason to go into defense AA until 70+.  I flew to 68 and hit RoK with 4/4/8 in three trees and full knockouts, heal, fd and detaunt proc.  Never really felt the lack of defense.  Also 8 into the attack tier is a huge waste of AA.</p><p>Ad3 is more of the same.  Unless its your last version of that CA... wait unless you stumble onto the loam and have a giuldy who can make it.  Even with the cash flow that is RoK, Ad3 CAs will pretty much take it all away 70+.  Much better investment to keep your gear current and MC if you can swing it, at least the imbued pieces.</p><p>And do rush to RoK, it makes the rest of the game look [Removed for Content].</p>

[Quicksilver74]

<cite>Luyes wrote:</cite><blockquote>Not much happening in the Bruiser forums eh? <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/ed515dbff23a0ee3241dcc0a601c9ed6.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />Anyways, I'm now 27.  Been working on my str tree..4883 ATM. Gonna go for 48882 on str and work on Enhanced: Ignore Agnoy or start on the int tree...not sure yet.  <b>Still using the armor I got from TD.</b>  Think I'll most likely stick with it till I can get imbued mastercrafted stuff at 32.  Trying to upgrade my CA...but the prices on recipe books is ridiculous sometimes. 3pp for a Scholar 19? no thanks.<b>Still having a blast with my Bruiser.....even though I found it easier to solo with my Necro/Conj.</b>  Much more challenging. <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/e8a506dc4ad763aca51bec4ca7dc8560.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />Wish these forums were much more active though.</blockquote><p>I bolded to key parts.   Your nearly lvl 30 and using armor that you've outgrown.   I knwo the stats on teh TD armor are just way overpowered, but the mitigation is not.   Brawlers rely on avoidance, but we DO get hit, and if you don't have up-to-date armor you are going to get hit MUCH harder, and therefore have to use yoru self heal MUCH more often....   Definetley as soon as you hit 30 get the lvl 30 mastercrafted gear, and you will see a world of difference.  </p><p>   And yes go INT line, crits are awesome.   INT line and WIS work well with STR.  </p>

[Luyes]

Yea, they've been smacking me around a bit.  Trying to rush to 32 so I can get the Imbued MC stuff.  Don't usually have to use the self heal unless I fight 3 - 4 mobs in a row.Solude: reason I'm working on 4/8/8/8/2 str is cause I read that's the best tree for leveling.  Chi "sounds" like an pretty nice ability.  <a rel="nofollow" href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?&topic_id=397074" target="_blank">http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/...topic_id=397074</a>Would the points be better spent elsewhere?Thanks again for the advice all!Edit: Just found a post on what you suggest would be a good leveling spec:<p> "really should create a text file with this already typed but...</p><p>You are reaching for str 4/4/8, int 4/4/8, wis 4/4/8, heal 5, knockouts 5 along the way to 70.  70+ I like to fill in defense AA since RoK is a whee bit less kind.  Currently 4/4/8/4 sta, 4/4/8/6/2 wis, 4/4/8/4 at 73 with heal, full knockouts line, fd reuse and detaunt proc.</p><p>STR starts to shine at 4/4/3 so some suggest going INT until then and then respec into STR.  Honestly those first points come so fast its splitting hairs.  Unarmed will carry you for a long long time.  I'm currently 73 with a 72 legendary 2h bo and frankly its still a big dps drop to use it but my respec is too expensive right now to go back to unarmed.  Eventually you'll be swinging your epic so its not a bad idea to get used to the feel of weapons in around level 77.  I switched at 68 and that was too early."</p>So, disregard my question...don't kill me Solude!

[Solu]

<p>When we talk about STR being a nice leveling tree we mean the tier 3 skill.  Everything else in the tree has a sweet spot of rank 1.  Difference between the crush mit debuff at rank 1 and rank 8 is tiny.  Riposting 1.5% or 5% isn't anything to write home about.  Chi is a great boss killer but its not going to make hero ^^^ soloable anytime soon.</p><p>To 70 my favourite brawler tree spec has been STR 4/4/8/1, INT 4/4/8, WIS 4/4/8.  I've been down the AGI tree, down the STA tree but until 70 that's my favourite.  In RoK though you have to face the fact that your epic is a weapon so at some point the unarmed uber fest comes to an end.</p><p>In the end it depends on if you want a tank build 2 tree, or dps build 3 tree.  In RoK that becomes 3 or 4 tree <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY<img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />" width="15" height="15" />  Now in RoK things have lots of HP so though the STA tier 3 tree is terrible for dps, the sta debuff is just plain awesome.  Its a flat 7-12% dps gain through taking that much hp off the top before you even get started.  Before RoK though you can fly through levels on green/blue content so the boost is negligible.</p><p>I'm 5% away from 75 and my shiny new 2H and AA mirror.  I'm itching to reparse legendary 2H int/wis/sta to unarmed str/int/wis.</p><p>Edit:  Hehe too funny, ah well leave my post anyway.</p>

[Quicksilver74]

<cite>Solude wrote:</cite><blockquote><p> Chi is a great boss killer but its not going to make hero ^^^ soloable anytime soon.</p></blockquote>Actually, thats exactly what chi does, (If you are at least 65 and have knockout combo).  Using chi with knockout will utterly and totally destroy most ^^^ heroics. 

[Solu]

Love to see that.  Solo, a hero^^^ even con can pretty much 2-4 shot me and takes way more than 20s of knockout to take out.  Named solo ^ yes, hero ^^^ not so much.  Chi is nice, Flock is nice too but frankly knockout combo is better since it does loads of damage and locks a mob down but when its over the mob better be dead cause I will be soon.

[Luyes]

Got Chi a few nights ago....pretty nice ability indeed!  Crane Flock & Eagle Shriek sound good as well.  Although I love Chi & Having the Title of "Tiger Sifu", I'm thinking of respecing to Crane flock.  Would be more useful for those muti pulls.First points in str of course: 4/4/8Question is, should I then put points in int (4/4/<img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> or work on wis next till I get crane flock, then start on int?50% more till 32....and I have a full set of MC gear including the imbued pieces waiting for me...can't wait!

[Luyes]

Silence = Figure it out your darn self eh?  Got the message!Went with your spec Solude: str 4/4/8, int 4/4/8, wis 4/4/2 ATM.So far, it's working great.  Do miss Chi one in a while....but what you gonna do?  ::shrugs::Out of all the characters I've created so far...I'm enjoying my bruiser the most.  Having a tough time finding a guild because of it though...no one wants bruisers. <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />Welp, looks like I'm gonna be guildless for a while.

[Pnaxx]

<cite>Luyes wrote:</cite><blockquote>Silence = Figure it out your darn self eh?  Got the message!Went with your spec Solude: str 4/4/8, int 4/4/8, wis 4/4/2 ATM.So far, it's working great.  Do miss Chi one in a while....but what you gonna do?  ::shrugs::Out of all the characters I've created so far...I'm enjoying my bruiser the most.  Having a tough time finding a guild because of it though...no one wants bruisers. <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />Welp, looks like I'm gonna be guildless for a while.</blockquote>Thats crazy. There are tons of Guilds on Lucan server that don't care what you are. I can't believe you don't have casual, friendly guilds. Maybe you are looking for a hardcore one though, in that case, yup, may have a hard time.