PLVRIZR

And @Haijinx started it 😆, but I fixed his joke, as I was also serious...for the same reason you mention.

Or (albeit to a lesser degree) during a Master of-Trial.

For me, compared to the retail release of Live in 2004, HC is just about perfect.

There, fixed that for ya.

I've never rolled this exact combo, but do have Inv/SJ and WP/Fire. The thing about WP, that makes up for chasing caps, is the Regen. If you look at his "stats" (def right at 40%), the WP/Fire tank should *not* be able to solo fire farm @ +4/8, yet he was my farmer, until I switched to a spines/fire broot....who I PL'd up with the WP tank. No incarnates or procs up, and it's 679% regen, with and a ridiculous, 1,100+%, with RttC saturated (10 baddies). Other than ex-ing down and facing defense debuffs, he's nearly unkillable, but not in an Inv health-bar-never-moves fashion, it just goes back up faster than it goes down. Also nice to see you took SoW, which gets poo-pooed alot, but I find great utility in it. Basically, I use it whenever up, like Dull Pain on Inv as a buff, rather than an emergency button. His recovery is enough that I don't really notice the end drop and, in an extended AV fight, enough blues drop that I never have to worry about it. This is one toon, I've never stocked recovery serums, either. As far as SJ, you've almost got to take all the attacks, to keep the chains going. Some hate it, but I rolled a DB scrap, back on live, when that first came out and enjoyed the interactive nature of the power set. SJ is modeled very similar. CR (which elevates you to combo level 3, immediately) + CU is already a devastating ST attack, with your added procs, it crazy. Spinning Strike is also nicely procced out. The bonuses for the combos will be gravy. Roll him up, and avoid the ITF until you get to Ageless DDR incarnate and have a blast. Should be hella fun.

Dark does need KB protection and, while Mag 10 can probably suffice, I shoot for 12-14 (and the BotZ in any travel power usually gets you over the top). Tanks shouldn't ever be flopping, IMO 🙂 Energy Def/Res will always be the most difficult, for Dark Armor, but with the other benefits of e-melee, you should be OK. It's not e-melee, but here's my Dark Armor (DA/DM/Soul) template...and it doesn't have many problems (even with energy damage), in the end game, especially incarnated. https://www.midsreborn.com/builds/download.php?uc=1587&c=702&a=1404&f=HEX&dc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

Wow, don't know how I missed that, but slotted it in Hoarfrost, in place of one piece of the Aegis. No other changes, from the build that was originally posted, except adding T4 Resilient (Core), T3 Melee (Radial) and T3 Ageless (Radial - DDR). Real World Update: So for Tanker Tuesday last night (thanks again Warboss for leading the missions and apologies for not making it on, on time for the WST ITF), we ran an 8 man all-tank team for lvl 54 Council missions and finished with a lvl 54 CoT mission, in PI. The toon rocked. I then went on a 54/8 ITF, as the only tank, and it was a cakewalk...especially since we had two kins (Hates and Night at the Opera - two known and bad ass VL-gazillion players), but even without the added Ageless DDR, handled the dark ambush, shard mission and AVs, without breaking a sweat. He *can* stand in the middle of two mobs in a 54/8 Big Mobs Tunnel fire farm, still. If you haven't rolled an Ice Armor tank, because of reputation or previous (Live) experience, you're really missing out.

I got no screenies, but tks for letting me join the PI missions team. Many Council and, finally, CoT were vanquished. Catch you all, next week!

And his father smelled of Elderberries...

^---this is the truth. Follow it and prepare to not be disappointed.

With those criteria, you can't go wrong with Shield or Invulnerability...regardless of secondary. SD is ridiculous positional def, with DDR and plenty of room to stack resists. DM is a great pairing, due to the inherent (albeit small) heal, but I find I play my SD/WM more, due to the better damage output. Inv is an amazing combination of Resists and Def (especially with Invincibility and surrounded by bad guys). My go-to is an old school Inv/SS and, while not a DPS monster, has tons of soft control with Foot Stomp and Knockout Blow, one of the best heals in the game with Dull Pain and can run even psionic end-game content, without blinking. I'll also mention Stone, as another "unstoppable" choice, just some don't like granite armor aspect, even though for 98% of content, you can go granite-less. Good luck and (in the words of David Lee Roth)..."tell us how you do!".

This is actually my first fave...also because I named him "Lich-ilicious". My go to, for bad-assety, is Thugs/Dark. Thugs/anything hits like a brick $hithouse.

You can also infer it's LOTS of energy damage 😄

Great stuff. Exactly why I posted. Love this community!

Ice is actually a defense set, with great inherent cold resists. We have been having a productive conversation in this thread, in the last day or so:

That's perfect. Done!

Thanks for the thorough review! Couple of comments: -As a tank, if I'm "Hibernating", I'm not holding aggro and not doing my tanking job. As a leveling build, I get you might need the power to survive the grinding climb, but I prefer to build to maximum durability, instead. I've been on 54/8 fire farms, 801.7 AE and 54/8 ITF and had enough healing with Hoarfrost to manage. -Which leads me to Entomb in Seismic. Getting the +absorb, every 6-7 seconds (another reason I didn't take Hasten, but will reconsider), plus the defense bonuses for F/C/E/N and AOE/Ranged, far outweighs any damage bonus from Armageddon...again personal preference and the fact that I don't solo my tanks. Since I still keep in touch with my old fire farmer friends, 20% fire Def and 56% fire resist, just wouldn't cut it. -Using MoT in Icicles means you (almost always) have two stacks of the +Resist. This guy is ridiculously durable, because of it.

I've got too many tanks to pick a victor. I do know most of my tanks would crush the fire farming and EM/EA brutes in my stable, however. Snark, we should meet in the arena and see if an Inv/SS or a Stone/SS could hang with your DM/Inv Broot... Might just come down to a draw, as neither would be killable and neither could dish out enough damage to matter...

I have posted, on several occasions, that I had a bad experience on Live, with an Ice/Axe tanker. While I made it to 50 (this was pre-IO and pre-incarnate), he was immediately shelved, in favor of my usual Stone and Inv tanks. Well, @Warboss convinced me to roll another and...color me impressed. Even with only 40% Fire def, he can hang in 54/8 fire farms (with EBs). I got *really* lucky and was invited to one of @Linea's 801 AE runs last night, this one an 801.7. Linea was running one of their usual indestructible scrappers (EM/EA, as I recall), but I was the only tank. There was also a spider VEAT, and the other five were a mix of trollers, corruptors and one defender. LOTS of deaths, but the only time I died, outside a team wipe, was when three or more of the EB mobs were aggro'd (and it wasn't me, I promise 😆), and it was only twice in the 45 min. or so it took to finish the mish. This was also with only the T1 Resilient Alpha and whatever insp dropped during the mish. I *was* smart enough to get the defense amplifier, before I went to Pocket D, because I knew it could get ugly, quickly. Any tips or comments on the build are greatly appreciated: This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.1.2.5 https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn AVALNCH_2.0: Level 50 Mutation Tanker Primary Power Set: Ice Armor Secondary Power Set: Stone Melee Power Pool: Leaping Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Earth Mastery Hero Profile: Level 1: Frozen Armor -- Rct-ResDam%(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(3), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(3) Level 1: Stone Fist -- SprGntFis-Rchg/+Absorb(A), SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), SprGntFis-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SprGntFis-Dmg/Rchg(7), SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg(9) Level 2: Chilling Embrace -- ImpSwf-Dam%(A) Level 4: Heavy Mallet -- SprBlsCol-Rchg/HoldProc(A), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(9), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx(13), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg(13) Level 6: Wet Ice -- EndRdx-I(A) Level 8: Hoarfrost -- Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg(15), Prv-Heal(15), DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(21), DctWnd-Heal/Rchg(23) Level 10: Taunt -- MckBrt-Taunt(A), MckBrt-Rchg(31), MckBrt-Taunt/Rng(31), MckBrt-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(33), MckBrt-Taunt/Rchg(33), MckBrt-Acc/Rchg(33) Level 12: Super Jump -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A), WntGif-ResSlow(27) Level 14: Permafrost -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A) Level 16: Icicles -- SprMghoft-Rchg/Res%(A), SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17), SprMghoft-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17), SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19), SprMghoft-Dmg/Rchg(19), SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg(21) Level 18: Glacial Armor -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(27), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(29), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(29), Ksm-ToHit+(31) Level 20: Combat Jumping -- RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(A) Level 22: Kick -- FrcFdb-Rechg%(A) Level 24: Tough -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), Ags-Psi/Status(34), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx(34), Ags-ResDam/Rchg(36) Level 26: Energy Absorption -- LucoftheG-Def(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(36), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(36), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(37), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(43), LucoftheG-EndRdx/Rchg(45) Level 28: Tremor -- SprAvl-Rchg/KDProc(A), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(39), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg(39) Level 30: Weave -- Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(40), Rct-Def(40) Level 32: Maneuvers -- RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(A) Level 35: Build Up -- GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(A), GssSynFr--Build%(40) Level 38: Seismic Smash -- SprEnt-Rchg/AbsorbProc(A), SprEnt-Acc/Hold/End/Rchg(42), SprEnt-Acc/Hold/End(42), SprEnt-End/Rchg(42), SprEnt-Hold/Rchg(43), SprEnt-Acc/Hold(43) Level 41: Salt Crystals -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 44: Fault -- AbsAmz-ToHitDeb%(A), AbsAmz-EndRdx/Stun(45), AbsAmz-Acc/Rchg(45), AbsAmz-Acc/Stun/Rchg(46), AbsAmz-Stun/Rchg(46), AbsAmz-Stun(46) Level 47: Quick Sand -- IceMisTrmt-+ColdDmg(A), IceMisTrmt-Acc/Dam/End/Rech(48), IceMisTrmt-Acc/Dam/End(48), IceMisTrmt-Dam/Slow(48), IceMisTrmt-Dam/Rech(50) Level 49: Stalagmites -- Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(50), Rgn-Knock%(50) Level 1: Gauntlet Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Sprint -- Qck-EndRdx/RunSpd(A) Level 2: Rest -- IntRdx-I(A) Level 1: Swift -- Run-I(A) Level 1: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A) Level 1: Health -- Prv-Absorb%(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(23), Mrc-Rcvry+(25) Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(25) Level 12: Double Jump Level 50: Resilient Total Core Revamp Level 50: Diamagnetic Interface Level 50: Melee Core Genome ------------ | Copy & Paste this data into Mids Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1450;700;1400;HEX;| |78DA5D93C94F535114C6EF6B5FA174A094022D9441CAD042E1D93A6E250C5168914| |4C3B669F0412BA5256D4D742F0E3B45D48DE386C4BDEE1D70E1ECCAF90FD0286074| |E5C23C4FDF776E005FD2FEDEFDEE3DE77CE7DEFB92A7475CB3B3638784E21ACEA54| |BA5D4F1747E5E2FDA93A7CAE972B69017F43887A6871293C387537BB458358D0358| |931AD167F57C49D78ECCE8A9A1E242A12827927A4ED7B563E5425EC7BB704D150A3| 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Make it two...Energy Aura (Armor)

Adding an extra zero in the /AH. Nothing like spending 20,000,000 on a FF +recharge 🙂 ...or buying Enhancement Converters, ten at a time, then accidentally buying 10 uniques, because I forgot to change it back to one each...

^----aaaaand, this. My version of 2. is in AV fights. I love kicking Rommie, whilst on one of my Inv tankers in the ITF, mocking him. Take THAT, shin guard. As you say, not expecting anything, but what a great feeling when it actually procs. Also, on 1., you've already spent $600+M on a fully tricked out Inv/SS build, so what's $2M in chump change (or less than $1M if you lowball the recipe/components and craft it), to NOT have to look at that empty slot.

Happy to help...and I'm the guy who winds up talking tanks...in all sections 🤑 Here's WP-F. Started him to fire farm ('cause I'm a tank guy) and, in the absence of ITF-scale defense debuffs, can deflect, defer and regen through damn near anything. Using Vorpal Judgement really makes his defense numbers silly... I will agree that Fiery Melee is not the best at anything, but does have nice places for the ATOs. I also go "against the norm" and routinely use the T9. Can't have a toon named "Will", without using the power "Strength of WIll", right? Props to @Sovera, as much of the WP side of this build is borrowed (stolen) from one of his builds and to @Warboss, for his template for Fiery Melee and, as his signature states: "Nothing warms your opponent like fiery melee"... https://www.midsreborn.com/builds/download.php?uc=1484&c=719&a=1438&f=HEX&dc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his scrap is a remake from Live and lives up to his "Slicer/Dicer" name: https://www.midsreborn.com/builds/download.php?uc=1461&c=689&a=1378&f=HEX&dc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

Don't have a broot, but have both a very durable (and enjoyable) tank: WP/Fiery and another hella-fun WP scrapper (DB/WP), if you're interested.

War Mace!...if nothing else, for the taunt animation 😆