marcussmythe

Just a drive by - Im not sure your going to find yourself needing the +REC/+REGEN out of physical perfection - those small bonuses are going to vanish compared to leveraging a full Parasitic Aura siphon - maybe if you plan on standing 1v1 with AVs and Pylons it might help? Also, focused accuracy - once your wearing IO Bonuses across the board and the high inborn accuracy of fully slotted attacks, Im not sure youll need the bonus much at all - maybe the rare enemy that triggers a T9 Defense? Crowds of Force Fields? PvP? Youve already got one ranged attack. A second might take you into having a decent ranged attack cycle (which is unecessary, but great fun). Let me try this build... drops the energy epic for gloom (ranged, great single target DPA) and Superjump (so you have one travel power, and because SJ is soooo much fun...) Probably a bit over-defended, but you can switch agility for musculature, or group your ATOs back up for recharge rather than splitting superior brutes fury to double-dip the Smash/Lethal Bonus. S/L isnt -capped-, but Defensive should get you most of the way there, or again, you can juggle some bonuses and sacrifice elsewhere - Ive found that at endgame, whatever killed me, it probalby wasnt smashing/lethal damage. Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.962 http://www.cohplanner.com/ Click this DataLink to open the build! Level 50 Natural Brute Primary Power Set: Staff Fighting Secondary Power Set: Bio Armor Power Pool: Leaping Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery Villain Profile: Level 1: Precise Strike -- SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx(3), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(3), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(5), SprBlsCol-Rchg/HoldProc(7) Level 1: Hardened Carapace -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(7), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(9), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(9) Level 2: Inexhaustible -- DctWnd-Heal(A), DctWnd-Heal/Rchg(11) Level 4: Guarded Spin -- Arm-Dmg(A), Arm-Dmg/Rchg(11), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(13), Arm-Acc/Rchg(13), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(15), Arm-Dam%(15) Level 6: Environmental Modification -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def(17), Rct-ResDam%(17), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(19) Level 8: Staff Mastery Level 10: Adaptation Level 12: Eye of the Storm -- Erd-Dmg(A), Erd-Acc/Rchg(19), Erd-Dmg/Rchg(21), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg(21), SprBrtFur-Dmg/Rchg(23), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23) Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(25) Level 16: Ablative Carapace -- Prv-Heal/Rchg(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(25), DctWnd-Heal/Rchg(27), DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(27) Level 18: Serpent's Reach -- SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprUnrFur-Dmg/Rchg(29), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), SprUnrFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SprUnrFur-Rchg/+Regen/+End(31) Level 20: Evolving Armor -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(33) Level 22: Boxing -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(33), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(33), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50) Level 24: Tough -- Ags-Psi/Status(A), Ags-ResDam(34), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx(34), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(34) Level 26: Innocuous Strikes -- Erd-Dmg(A), Erd-Acc/Rchg(36), Erd-Dmg/Rchg(36), SprBrtFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), SprBrtFur-Rech/Fury(37) Level 28: DNA Siphon -- Prv-Heal/Rchg(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(37), DctWnd-Heal/Rchg(39), DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(39) Level 30: Weave -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(39) Level 32: Sky Splitter -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(40), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(40), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), GldStr-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(42) Level 35: Gloom -- Apc-Dmg(A), Apc-Dmg/Rchg(42), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), Apc-Acc/Rchg(43), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Apc-Dam%(45) Level 38: Parasitic Aura -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(45), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(45), Prv-Heal/Rchg(46), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(46), Prv-Absorb%(46) Level 41: Genetic Contamination -- Erd-Dmg(A), Erd-Dmg/Rchg(48), Erd-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48) Level 44: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A) Level 47: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48), RechRdx-I(50) Level 49: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(50) Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A) Level 1: Fury Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A) Level 2: Health -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A) Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A) Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A) Level 1: Combo Level 1 Level 1: Combo Level 2 Level 1: Combo Level 3 Level 8: Form of the Body Level 8: Form of the Mind Level 8: Form of the Soul Level 10: Defensive Adaptation Level 10: Efficient Adaptation Level 10: Offensive Adaptation Level 50: Agility Radial Paragon ------------

I have. And, I will get the numbers for you ASAP. I have LOTS of Alts and as such I can kind of pick and choose as I go, but tossing 60 Incarnate Threads from a new 50 is no small cost. Let me go and see... I figured test server once I thought about it - more impressed if its on live. Im still working on incarnates and IOs for my only 50.

Nice, and rather a lot cheaper than mine (by avoiding those awesome-but-pricey winter sets)

Staff I think goes a long way to solving the basic problems with Dark Armor early on, and later on, when you can solve dark armor's problems other ways, staff will give more flexiblity. TW offers its own odd forms of mitigation - +Melee DEF in the first attack (fading in value late) and of course lots of knockdown, and really huge numbers.' If I had it all to do over again, Id probably have gone staff - the character concept is basically 'Balrog', and as Staff has a Halberd, it would work well as an Axe stand-in... but I didnt realize Staff had that option (wiki only showed trident) and I went with the flaming sword from TW. At this point, its cussedness, and 'can I make running an end-hog attention-sucking Secondary work with an End-Hog Somewhat-Wierd and underloved Primary' work - and the answer seems to be 'yes if you work at it' - headed to glory at the far end. I just wish we didnt get Bruising from Defensive Sweep. :(

Well, the flip side is, if your willing to marry yourself to the End-Reduction part of Staff, or to the End-Reduction Part of Bio, (or why-god-why-both), you can probably play the 'lets select every toggle in CoH and ignore Endreduction' approach. With Bio, I tend to like to 'build for' having the DEF/RES I want in defensive, and then use efficeint and offensive for when I dont NEED to hug those caps (which is most of the time). Given Staff+Bio, your final build is gonna be a really itneresting exercise - what stance(s) do I want to be in most of the time, what value do I get out of switching out of them, yadda. What might be cool is to, given time and INF, use multiple build slots as well as multiple stances to really go nuts. "How tough can I be, in a 'Tank' Build, with Defensive Adaptation, Defensive Stance, and appropriate Incarnates Slotted. Cool. Now, lets do a 'Murderparty' build, with nothing but Damage and Recharge everywhere I can find it, planning on being in Offensive Adaptation and Murder Stuff Stance. Finally, lets do an IDGAF today build, aimed at solid all-around and assuming Im in at least one of Efficient Adaptation or Stance, switching out from either as needed. If you can rejigger your whole concept by choosing Stances/Adaptations, Powerselection/Enhacnement Builds, and Incarnate Slotting before you step in the mission door, and further tweak it as you go... well, you might have 'the last melee character I will ever need to build'.

1.) You are not wasting your time. Invuln, despite age and problems, is still a 'solid standard' tank set, and offers great survivability and utterly minimal maintenance to get there. Turn on toggles, click dull pain as needed. Done. Sure, Psi Damage is a hole, but it can be patched with IOs and Incarnates, and despite much grousing (some of it mine!) it never gets ALL THAT common (though the Arachnos went a bit nuts with it. I think its a product of when that villian group was created - Invuln was quite the bees knees when they were inventing Arachnos - so the whole villian group is a bit of an FU to the Invulns out there) 2.) Street Justice might synergize particularly well with Invuln, inasmuch as SJ requires a bit more care and feeding than most Tank Secondaries. Combo System, yannow? So the fact that you can just forget your invuln other than to occasionally hit dull pain (and to listen for the sound of psi attacks and watch for the pink circles of FU) and focus on punching face will be nice. As for survival - I dont have a SJ build, and have not leveled it up. I do have an Invuln/Energy Melee build that, having taken all but two of its Secondary powers, should be dirt-easy to port over to SJ, or at least let you see what Invuln can be built out towards on the survival side without sacrificing recharge (hasten is NOT QUITE perma, but its close enough that I never noticed or cared) Highlights: With Agility Alpha, toggled up (note that Tough is just a mule to open up Weave), your at ~50% DEF all types (22% Psi), and resists are 90% S/L, 78% F/C, 61% Toxic, 59% E/N, and 41% Psionic, on top of capped HP at 3.5K. Dull Pain is well past perma, ~100 second recharge on 120 Second duration, and is a near full heal if your using it reactively rather than proactively. If you switch to Musculature Alpha, say when soloing, damage goes up, recharge goes down (though DP stays perma, delay on hasten climbs to 12 seconds, which you might start to notice), but defenses stay softcapped to S/L/E/N/F/C. Less 'overhead room' than in Agility, but your still there. Note I did NOT pursue Incarnate Softcap. Soloing, I didnt find I needed to be at softcap - the Incarnate stuff due to Incarnate Mechanics was at most +1 to me (due to Incarnate Level Shift), and I couldnt get to 54% without feeling too much pain elsewhere. Hover/Fly/Afterburner is concept (when opposed to the more END-Efficient CJ), and Afterburner makes a convenient LOTG mule. Gloom is chosen for its advantagous DPA, and to open up access to Winter's Bite set, with its 5% Defense to F/C/E/N all in one set. Whirling Hands is a wierd frankenslot - I wanted the Eradication 3-Piece, but not much beyond that, and given how many targets it hits, was a fun place for procs. Which procs? I went for damage, but some CC Procs in an already stun-inducing PBAOE might be fun. Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.962 http://www.cohplanner.com/ Click this DataLink to open the build! Hero V5: Level 50 Natural Tanker Primary Power Set: Invulnerability Secondary Power Set: Energy Melee Power Pool: Flight Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery Hero Profile: Level 1: Temp Invulnerability -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), GldArm-ResDam(3), GldArm-End/Res(3) Level 1: Barrage -- SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx(5), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(7), SprBlsCol-Rchg/HoldProc(9) Level 2: Energy Punch -- Hct-Dmg(A), Hct-Dmg/Rchg(9), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), Hct-Acc/Rchg(11), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx(13), Hct-Dam%(13) Level 4: Dull Pain -- Pnc-Heal/EndRedux(A), Pnc-EndRdx/Rchg(17), Pnc-Heal/Rchg(17), Pnc-Heal/EndRedux/Rchg(19), Pnc-Heal(19), Pnc-Heal/+End(21) Level 6: Resist Elements -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), TtnCtn-ResDam(21), TtnCtn-ResDam/EndRdx(23) Level 8: Unyielding -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(23), UnbGrd-Max HP%(25), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(25), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(27), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(27) Level 10: Fly -- Flight-I(A) Level 12: Resist Energies -- TtnCtn-ResDam(A), TtnCtn-ResDam/EndRdx(29) Level 14: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(29), RechRdx-I(50) Level 16: Resist Physical Damage -- ImpArm-ResPsi(A), ImpArm-ResDam(31) Level 18: Invincibility -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(31), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(31), Rct-Def/Rchg(33), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(33), Rct-ResDam%(33) Level 20: Whirling Hands -- Erd-Dmg(A), Erd-%Dam(34), Erd-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Arm-Dam%(34), Obl-%Dam(36), ScrDrv-Dam%(36) Level 22: Hover -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(36), LucoftheG-Def(37) Level 24: Afterburner -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A) Level 26: Tough Hide -- ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(A), ShlWal-Def(37), LucoftheG-Rchg+(37), LucoftheG-Def(39) Level 28: Build Up -- AdjTrg-Rchg(A), AdjTrg-ToHit/Rchg(39), AdjTrg-EndRdx/Rchg(39) Level 30: Boxing -- Empty(A) Level 32: Tough -- Ags-Psi/Status(A) Level 35: Energy Transfer -- SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg(A), SprGntFis-Dmg/Rchg(40), SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), SprGntFis-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), SprGntFis-Rchg/+Absorb(42), SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42) Level 38: Total Focus -- SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg(A), SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), SprMghoft-Dmg/Rchg(43), SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), SprMghoft-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), SprMghoft-Rchg/Res%(45) Level 41: Gloom -- SprWntBit-Rchg/SlowProc(A), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(45), SprWntBit-Dmg/Rchg(45), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46), SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(46), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46) Level 44: Weave -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(48), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(48), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(48) Level 47: Taunt -- PrfZng-Taunt/Rchg(A) Level 49: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Rchg+(50), LucoftheG-Def(50) Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Gauntlet Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A) Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A) Level 2: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A), RgnTss-Regen+(15), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(15) Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A) Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A) Level 50: Void Radial Final Judgement Level 50: Reactive Core Flawless Interface Level 50: Polar Lights Partial Radial Improved Ally Level 50: Barrier Radial Epiphany Level 50: Assault Radial Embodiment Level 0: Portal Jockey Level 0: Task Force Commander Level 0: The Atlas Medallion Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve Level 50: Agility Radial Paragon ------------

So - you have taken and used the seer since my last post? I am a confuse. *boggle* If you do have her and are using her, could you double-check the numbers your getting off her buff for me and let me know?

For my Spines Brute, I went Cimmerorans for their heavy single-target DPS - because the biggest struggle for my spiney is with single super-hard targets. Ive been curious about using the Seers to get a Fortitude buff (I dont know the VALUE of the Fortitude Buff the seer casts - but its confirmed she will cast it on you - and if its Defender Fortitude, well, Katie-Bar-The-Door... 15% DEF to all types and positions, 31.25% Dam, 18.75% To-Hit, at least per Pines... jesus)

More never hurts, but the imperfect answer is to get to 50, get into those +4/x8s, and see what hurts you. You also mention farming, not just 'I run every mission at +4/x8', and those are VERY different environments. If your farming, you can choose maps (Ninjas are easy to get through Oroborous, and of course theres always AE to make CERTAIN what you fight cant fight back meaningfully) and tune the mobs to fit your defenses. For farming, Id imagine 32.5%, or even 20% with some resistances, would get you there. If by +4/x8 you instead mean 'lets take every mission that comes in every story arc or while soloing Task Forces' - Youll probably want to build just as bloody hard as you can. Incarnate-Content baddies have more accuracy, and hand out FML level debuffing like its candy, and do wierd damage types... The gulf between Fire Farm/Ninjas/Puppies/Hydra and the likes of Talons of Vengance or Carnies or Incarnate Pantheon is a massive one. Its easier to fight +4 Puppies/Ninja than -1 Talons/Carnies/Pantheon.

Ice Armor is a "set and forget" primary, aside from Energy Absorption, and Ice/* has TWO auras that attract attention ... Chilling Embrace and Icicles ... not just one. It may just be that Ice is much less common, so few people have teamed with one/with a good one. I wonder how sticky Dark Armor can be made - 3 toggle auras...

Reporting Back in: 1.) Mid 30s 2.) Respecced - dropped a lot of power pool toggles, or left them as mules for KB resistance/things I dont turn on outside large teams with my buffs. Also dropped the DOT Aura. It goes back in much, much later, as do maybe the fear and stun auras - but for now, I dont need to feed them. Also tossed hasten for late game. Focusing on 'what makes my life suck less right now'. 3.) The self heal has heal, recharge, endredux, and chance for +END 4.) Health has every unique that gives +END that I could fit in. 5.) Stamina got its proc, too. Life is good. Jumped into a group of like 12 warriors on the streets of Talos, just to see if I could - had to hit my heal and eat candy that they dropped, but quite doable. I dont even have my 'good' attacks out of my secondary yet, and its still a wrecking ball that feels more scrapper than tanker in offense. Finally having enough END to lay about without mothering my blue bar like a parent with a sick child made all the difference. Went out and did some more teaming - yay, buffs! - aggro management isnt terrible, between taunt and my 'vanilla' taunt aura and the AOEs out of Titan. Ill definitely be getting the AOE toggles, though. Contemplating the Crowd Control Hybrid to stack with the mez auras I already have - but thats a level 50 problem. So, in no order - 1.) Dark Armor is expensive, but it gives a lot of options. FOR NOW Im ignoring the more esoteric ones, but theyll be coming back in. 2.) Titan Weapons is expensive, and requires a lot of attention. Once you End-Stabilize, and get your primary to the point where you dont have to baby sit it, you can afford to feed Titan Weapons its attention. 3.) Glad I didnt give this guy up. Im really looking forward to seeing what wierdness he can do at 50 when I start playing proc-games and CC-games with him. He may be the first character I IO two separate builds out for - Id like to do a 'max tank' IO build that focuses on survival, aggro-funneling, and CC, and a second 'I confused myself with a Scrapper' build to push the damage that the set can give. Dark Armor/Titan Weapons can be a great combo, and its turning into a fun one, but it wont be, ever I think, an EASY one. YMMV.

Id expect them to show up early in a lvl 50 respec - I tend to slot them in early when Im building my respec builds (I dont pay as much attention as I should to exemplar impacts when Im doing my respecs) Leveling, Id put them in when theres no power you can take right now that helps you right now - but not be obsessed about runnign them. Their real value to me seems to be capping out defenses and resistances, which you arent worried about until 50, and in most cases the marginal value of extra def/res is less than the cost of the endurance to feed them. (most cases. If Im teaming, I turn them on)

Im attaching a Spines/Bio. I know you said 'no spines', but just use it for the Bio part - primary can pretty much be swapped for any other, just juggling the enhancements to fit in appropriate powers. I built this out to hit or snuggle standard softcap in defensive adaptation - leaving more build room for rchg and other things rather than trying to softcap in offensive adaptation - I wanted to have a reason to use all three 'stances' and switch between. My actual live build makes some changes, now that I look at it - I dropped Lunge (bad DPA) for SS (Quality of Life - I like having two travel powers), and switched Hover/Fly for CJ/SJ. Also rocks a bit less def than whats below (once I realized what I was getting from Defensive Stance). Still, should be a decent starting place. Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.962 http://www.cohplanner.com/ Click this DataLink to open the build! C'len: Level 50 Magic Brute Primary Power Set: Spines Secondary Power Set: Bio Armor Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Flight Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery Villain Profile: Level 1: Barb Swipe -- SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(3), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(3), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx(5) Level 1: Hardened Carapace -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(7), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(7), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(9) Level 2: Spine Burst -- Arm-Dmg/Rchg(A), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Arm-Acc/Rchg(11), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(11), Arm-Dmg(13) Level 4: Boxing -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(13), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(15), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15) Level 6: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(17) Level 8: Hover -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(17) Level 10: Inexhaustible -- DctWnd-Heal(A), DctWnd-Heal/Rchg(19) Level 12: Environmental Modification -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(19), Rct-ResDam%(21), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(21) Level 14: Tough -- Ags-ResDam(A), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx(23), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(23), Ags-Psi/Status(25) Level 16: Weave -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(25), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(27) Level 18: Quills -- SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBrtFur-Dmg/Rchg(27), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), SprBrtFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SprBrtFur-Rech/Fury(31) Level 20: Adaptation Level 22: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(31) Level 24: Ablative Carapace -- Prv-Heal/Rchg(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(33), DctWnd-Heal/Rchg(33), DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(33) Level 26: Ripper -- SprAvl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(34), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36) Level 28: Evolving Armor -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(36) Level 30: DNA Siphon -- Prv-Heal/Rchg(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(36), DctWnd-Heal/Rchg(37), DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(37) Level 32: Lunge -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(37), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(39), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39) Level 35: Gloom -- SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(A), SprWntBit-Dmg/Rchg(40), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(42), SprWntBit-Rchg/SlowProc(42) Level 38: Genetic Contamination -- Erd-Dmg(A), Erd-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Erd-Dmg/Rchg(43) Level 41: Parasitic Aura -- Prv-Absorb%(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(43), Prv-Heal(43), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(45), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(45), Prv-Heal/Rchg(45) Level 44: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(46) Level 47: Throw Spines -- SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprUnrFur-Dmg/Rchg(48), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), SprUnrFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50), SprUnrFur-Rchg/+Regen/+End(50) Level 49: Fly -- Flight-I(A) Level 1: Brawl -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(39), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(46), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46) Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A) Level 1: Fury Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A) Level 2: Health -- DctWnd-Heal(A), DctWnd-Heal/Rchg(50) Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A) Level 2: Stamina -- Empty(A) Level 20: Defensive Adaptation Level 20: Efficient Adaptation Level 20: Offensive Adaptation Level 0: Born In Battle Level 0: High Pain Threshold Level 0: Invader Level 0: Marshal Level 50: Assault Radial Embodiment Level 50: Void Radial Final Judgement Level 50: Reactive Radial Flawless Interface Level 50: Musculature Core Paragon ------------

On the flip, Bio is more management intensive than WP - and in the chaos of an 8 man team with an accidental double (or triple!) pull, I find on my own Bio that I dont always have sufficient brain to keep the Freak Tank that just self-rezzed from eating my backfield while also remembering to click to not die. Now, no doubt other people can manage it just fine - but as I come back into this game from a long break from MMOs and time spent playing ‘be hyper-focused and hyper-competent or the raid wipes’ MMOs before that... Im more and more aware of the limits of my ability to focus on all the things and execute at the same time. Which is to say that WP, or similar low management sets, may have advantages in the tanking role that can help mitigate a less-powerful taunt aura - they have more attention to see the whole board with. I also wonder if this is behind Invuln’s old reputation as a gold standard aggro magnet - a great taunt aura -plus- little care and feeding. Though everything I hear suggests that Ice is even -better-, it may be harder to do this with Ice due to that aggro management being active rather than passive? (Cannot say - have not played Ice Armor)

Just to point out: AVs don't resist -res debuffs. https://cityofheroes.fandom.com/wiki/Archvillain_Resistance Well, Hunh. Could have sworn they didnt. Good to know.

Just port the changes to the Sentinel version of SR out to other versions of SR. Most notably it adds an additional power, exclusive with Practiced Brawler, called Master Brawler. If you select it, your +Def Toggles now carry your mezz prot. Easy peasy lemon squeezy, everyone gets the version that works for them.

Once Deep Purple and Incarnates, a Scrapper or a Brute can survive anything they are going to meet in solo or team play. The Tanker is tougher, but its wasted toughness, and the Scrapper/Brute is doing all the more damage. Buffing Tanker Damage is not the answer (those ATs need jobs). Nor is making changes at lower levels. But how do we get a Tank to add value (offense) in the endgame without breaking it for lower levels (when they DO have a survival advantage, and it matters!) Suggestion: ATO Set Bonus, on an existing ATO set or new ATO set. 6 Piece. Effect of Bonus: "Bruising" now applies to all targets hit by any attack in the Tank's Secondary. Bruising applies a 20% Debuff to Resistance and Regeneration. 5% of this debuff is unresistable. The debuff will stack with itself from the same or different sources, to some limit (Id suggest no more than -50% Res and Regen) Impact: Only appearing in the very late game, when the scrappers and brutes are doing anything the tank can do, and doing it with triple the damage output, it changes Tank performance against super-hard targets. It wont make it a super-farmer or minion masher (they die too quickly for it to matter), but it will give them some team value not duplicated by a tough, ultra-high-damage scrapper or tougher, high damage brute.

You mean like the ones in my signature? Yes, exactly like that. I think you may be part of what got me thinking about it. Once IO Set Bonuses and Incarnates come into it, everyone is a buffing/debuffing/tank/nuker, with IO set bonuses and Incarnate Abilities kinda 'overwhelming' the underlying character, till it feels like AT/Powerset is just a matter of choosing a good 'framework' to support Set Boni and Incarnate stuff. That's the appeal of this game, prior to IOs and after ED, the game really took on the you have to team to advance flavor and it didn't sit well with me. IOs freed me up to solo more content that I would have otherwise been squashed by. I guess my gripe (inasmuch as I have one) is that IOs and Incarnates and some later powers/sets are so much better at raising practical survivabity on a soft character than they are on raising practical offense on a tough character. This is largely because Tanks were already so tough it was kinda silly, the fact that IOs and their ilk are soo good at DEF and RCHG and soo bad at damage, but mostly due to the ‘increasing return on further investment’ that you hit when slathering on defense and resist as they approach the cap. Its also waaaay too late to fix it, in terms of game design- and its not like a Tanker cant be radically tougher than the higher damage ATs. Its just that unless your job is annoying Lord Recluse with lots of towers up, the tank is wasting that survivability advantage, and once you reach ‘baddies cant kill me’ anything extra is fluff and yould be better served to flatten those baddies faster. *shower thoughts* Bruising was a step in the right direction - 20% Res Debuff is handy, and in theory allows the Tanker to 'make up' a little of what they are missing. The big problem is that it doesnt stack, doesnt last all that long, is only on the first (often worst) attack in the set, and the targets that it would be most valuable against (AVs) are basically immune to it. If the Bruising debuff was propagated to the rest of the Tanker Secondary attacks, was unresistable, and could stack some - and/or had a -regen component, equally unresisted - Id feel like the tank brought something of value in late game to make up for for what it loses in damage.

I tend to avoid the toggle damage/disorient auras on Dark, focusing more on hard protection than on soft. Thats a matter of taste, and Im sure Im not using all the potential of the set - I tend to treat Dark as a solid, broad based resist chassis with an amazing self heal and just enough DEF to pet me softcap the thing to positional attacks. Ive no doubt someone who took the entire set and planned for using the entire set could do even more with it - I just tend to like to save power slots and END for my secondary.

Right, right - but dont the buff values fade across the duration, ending in near uselessness? Or does the 'Mezz Prot' part of the buff value not fade? I need to explore this more - Im currently using barrier - I need to see how much barrier is left at the end of its duration so I can reassess defense choices.

Between what I read of what Sentinels did to SR and Regen, I start to wish they would ‘back-port’ those buffs to other instances of those sets. Master Brawler - no clickie mezz prot - would be joy, and the absorb shields would make a real difference for both sets on the melee versions of those ATs.

TW is very resource intensive - END, Animation Time, and Player focus/attention are all resources that it demands a lot of. I have 2 TW characters stalled - one a Dark/Titan tank, one a Titan/Bio Scrapper - because I found I was not having fun trying to feed both powersets the END/Attention/Animation Time time they demanded. TW/Bio Scrap would be a beast, as would the Tank I built - but they are hard to play and little fun in doing so, at least for me. As such, I recommend WP (feeds endurance, few emergency buttons) and Invuln (few emergency buttons, and at least not an END HOG). While WP may be ultimately slightly squishier at ‘Maximum Set Bonuses and Incarnates’ - its a tank. It will still be tougher than you would ever need to be, and it will feed more END to your TW end hog. I would actively disreccomend Stone and Dark.

2 SOs. At 50, prob 1 IO with external recharge.

How does one Perma a Destiny Slot Ability? Id think the downtime would be unavoidable.

Is SR viable at all? I mean, you can play it, but it doesn't feels it was meant for tanking. Scaling resist with HP loss is looking for trouble in my opinion. Everything can be built to work I guess, but Super Reflexes seems like a masochist pick. Anyone played a good tank build with SR? Im.. designing one now? Idea is that (unlike so many other builds!), you dont go chasing every pool in the game for +DEF, cause its all there already. You slot up to Incarnate Softcap (I picked up weave for that purpose) and then you go forth with everything missing you forever. Take Aid Self, skip hasten, put Practiced Brawler on Autofire... resits are running in the 25-55% range, before the 'scaling resist with decreasing health' kicks in. Now, where the money comes in - late, late game content comes with massive DEF Debuffs. They hand them out like candy. They are everywhere and they make baby jesus cry. Some spawns will floor a softcap RES character flat out, leaving them with just resistances to take damage on. SR Tanks are (if Pines is to be trusted!) very high on DEF Debuff Resistance, and can be driven to a higher starting defense - delaying or avoiding the DEF Collapse Cascade and the follow on debuffs that crush your resistance, regen, and everything else. I'll let you know how it goes in a month or never when I get it to 50. Going Claws for.. some good reason. Cause I miss claws and they made it better while I was away and I like the green arm blades. And who doesnt want good DPA Ranged Attacks on their melee toon?