so i've been modeling for awhile i understand both zbrush and max pretty well and what good topology is now my question is as far as modeling characters for games is it better to start in max and bring to zbrush or start in zbrush?

i would recon starting in max as although i may not know much about them both max would allow you to quite easily create things like chain mail. and other intricate things that require arrays and mirrors

hope this helps

start in max to get basic shape and loops correct, then zbrush it.