Justaris

I'd save the Fighting pool for a respec later on once you've got a fair amount of Defense from IOs and you're looking for Weave to push you up a bit more. You likely won't need Tough that much and it's a lot of picks early on for not much benefit. Once you have the IOs in place, a respec to put in all three powers at once is I think a better way to go. While you're still in the process of leveling, it's probably going to be dead weight more than anything until you have the other pieces there to combo with it.

I played a DA tank at 50 before the shutdown, and it did require some substantial IO investment, but the result was by far the best Tanker experience I've had. Probably the single most important element was the Theft of Essence proc in Dark Regeneration. It was slow going in the early levels, but once you start layering some real Defense into the build and beginning to solve some of the endurance issues it takes off. Mine was DA/Elec, I've pasted the final build below. Even without really high-end items like the Gladiator'a Armor +Def IO, it was a very strong build. Even better once you start to layer Incarnate content on top of that. I'd encourage you to stick with it. Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.96 http://www.cohplanner.com/ Click this DataLink to open the build! Tin Mage Mk. V: Level 50 Magic Tanker Primary Power Set: Dark Armor Secondary Power Set: Electrical Melee Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Flight Power Pool: Leaping Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery Hero Profile: Level 1: Dark Embrace -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), S'fstPrt-ResKB(3), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(3), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(5), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(5), RctvArm-ResDam(7) Level 1: Charged Brawl -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(9), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9) Level 2: Murky Cloud -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(11), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(11), RctvArm-ResDam(13), GA-3defTpProc(37) Level 4: Death Shroud -- Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Erad-%Dam(15), C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg(15), C'ngBlow-Dmg/EndRdx(17), C'ngBlow-Acc/Rchg(17) Level 6: Obsidian Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(19), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(19), RctvArm-ResDam(21), ImpArm-ResPsi(21) Level 8: Jacobs Ladder -- Erad-Acc/Rchg(A), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(23) Level 10: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(25), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(25), Mocking-Acc/Rchg(27), Mocking-Taunt/Rng(27), Mocking-Rchg(29) Level 12: Dark Regeneration -- Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(A), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(29), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(31), Theft-+End%(31), Mocking-Acc/Rchg(31) Level 14: Cloak of Darkness -- Krma-ResKB(A), LkGmblr-Def(33), LkGmblr-Rchg+(33) Level 16: Thunder Strike -- Erad-Dmg/Rchg(A), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Empty(40) Level 18: Boxing -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(36), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(36), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36) Level 20: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 22: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam(33), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(37), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(37) Level 24: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(39), GftotA-Def/EndRdx(39), GftotA-Def(39) Level 26: Fly -- Zephyr-ResKB(A) Level 28: Chain Induction -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(40), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(40), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42) Level 30: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 32: Oppressive Gloom -- Amaze-Stun(A), Amaze-ToHitDeb%(34), Amaze-Acc/Stun/Rchg(42), Amaze-Acc/Rchg(42), Amaze-EndRdx/Stun(43) Level 35: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def(43), LkGmblr-Rchg+(45) Level 38: Lightning Rod -- Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), Erad-%Dam(43), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(46), SMotTanker-Rchg/Res%(46) Level 41: Air Superiority -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(46), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(48), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48) Level 44: Soul Tentacles -- Acc-I(A) Level 47: Darkest Night -- HO:Enzym(A) Level 49: Soul Transfer -- Erad-Acc/Rchg(A), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(50), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(50) Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A) Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A) Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A) Level 2: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+(48) Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(50) Level 1: Gauntlet Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve Level 0: Task Force Commander Level 0: The Atlas Medallion Level 0: Portal Jockey Level 50: Void Core Final Judgement Level 50: Diamagnetic Radial Flawless Interface Level 50: Warworks Core Superior Ally Level 50: Ageless Radial Epiphany Level 50: Resilient Core Paragon Level 50: Melee Core Embodiment ------------

As PK said, Defender is probably your best bet as Defenders get the highest values for the support powersets out of any Archetype. There's a lot of variety in the support sets in this game, so you may want to try out a few things before settling on what you like best. Buffs and debuffs are a good deal more powerful in City of Heroes than in most other MMOs, such that they're a good form of support all on their own. Most sets have a mix of heals, buffs and debuffs but perform a certain role or fill a particular niche better than others. You really can't go wrong with any of the choices, so don't worry about making the 'wrong' choice and try to find something with an aesthetic or a mechanic that you enjoy. Welcome!

I played on Victory, mostly as a series of Tin Mage-inspired characters including Spectral Tin Mage and Tin Mage Mk. V, an empath and a dark tank respectively. I was involved in badgehunting and even a bit of arena PvP, though I wouldn't consider myself hardcore in that respect.

Triumph was one of my primary servers and the home of my primary badgehunter, Tetujin. I did a fair amount of incarnate content and Master runs towards the end of the game's life so I might be familiar to those of you who care about such things. Tetujin (Rad/Rad Defender) and Resonance Engine (Sonic/Sonic Corruptor) were my most frequently played characters towards the end and I was on the Help chat and the Player Questions area of the forums quite a bit. I also wrote a somewhat popular guide to Warshades back in the day.