Building for S/L Def and Melee?

[Daramar]

I've been tooling around the forums and seen way too many great builds. I've also found a few top tier builds that have BOTH s/l and melee def soft capped or even incarnate soft capped. @Snarky has a dark/dark, @Infinitum has an rad/electric, and @Camel has a fire/em tank (off the top of my altitis raddled head)

 

I'm curious if you guys build specifically for s/l AND melee (if so why) or if you were trying for 1 and just happened to get both?

[Snarky]

22 minutes ago, Daramar said:

I've been tooling around the forums and seen way too many great builds. I've also found a few top tier builds that have BOTH s/l and melee def soft capped or even incarnate soft capped. @Snarky has a dark/dark, @Infinitum has an rad/electric, and @Camel has a fire/em tank (off the top of my altitis raddled head)

 

I'm curious if you guys build specifically for s/l AND melee (if so why) or if you were trying for 1 and just happened to get both?

I normally build all my Brutes for S/L def softcapped.  Melee is nice if it happens.

 

Dark Armor is odd in that it is not as important to chase Defense.  Yes, the maxim Def>Res>Heal is absolutely true.  Except when it is not.  Dark has no Defense Debuff Resistance, so against certain enemies your defense is gone.  It has great resists that can be easily raised and one of the best heals in the game.  But what about defense then?  Dark has stealth, which DOES NOT SUPPRESS.  So you can jump 5 longbow and start eating their faces and the next group of 16 longbow 20 feet away ignore you.  Dark has two toggles that 1) Stun 2) Fear  (Pump your build for accuracy, one of these has crap inherent accuracy. )  Mobs that are mezzed do not attack, so you need less defense.  So you pull what you want to fight and screw with them while burning them down.  That is Dark's "defense"  Then resist what hits.  The heal is HUGE, quick, and recharges fast.  If you are running Dark/Dark you also have a combat heal in your attacks and most of your attacks apply to-hit debuffs, another way to "add defense"

 

Most of my Dark Armor builds do not pump their defense numbers that high, you found one of my experiments evidently lol.  Here is my current Dark/Dark that I have set up and ready to roll anytime.  (Sigh, though so many other projects, so little time)  30% S/L, 39% Melee

 

This Villain build was built using Mids Reborn 3.0.5.7
https://github.com/Reborn-Team/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Snarky 5.0: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Dark Armor
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Smite -- TchofDth-Acc/Dmg(A), TchofDth-Dmg/Rchg(3), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(3), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), TchofDth-Dam%(5)
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(7), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(7), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(9), GldArm-3defTpProc(9)
Level 2: Death Shroud -- SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprUnrFur-Dmg/Rchg(11), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), SprUnrFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), SprUnrFur-Rchg/+Regen/+End(15)
Level 4: Murky Cloud -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(17), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(19), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(19)
Level 6: Shadow Maul -- Arm-Dmg(A), Arm-Dmg/Rchg(21), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(21), Arm-Acc/Rchg(23), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(23), Arm-Dam%(25)
Level 8: Fly -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A)
Level 10: Obsidian Shield -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(25), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(27), UnbGrd-Max HP%(27)
Level 12: Siphon Life -- SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBrtFur-Dmg/Rchg(29), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), SprBrtFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SprBrtFur-Rech/Fury%(31)
Level 14: Touch of Fear -- CldSns-Acc/ToHitDeb(A), CldSns-%Dam(50)
Level 16: Dark Regeneration -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(33), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(33), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34)
Level 18: Dark Consumption -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(34), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(34), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
Level 20: Cloak of Darkness -- Ksm-ToHit+(A), Rct-ResDam%(36), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(37)
Level 22: Kick -- FrcFdb-Rechg%(A)
Level 24: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(37), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(37), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 26: Soul Drain -- SprAvl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(39), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), SprAvl-Rchg/KDProc(40)
Level 28: Cloak of Fear -- CldSns-%Dam(A), CldSns-Acc/ToHitDeb(42)
Level 30: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 32: Midnight Grasp -- Hct-Dmg(A), Hct-Dmg/Rchg(42), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Hct-Acc/Rchg(43), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Hct-Dam%(43)
Level 35: Oppressive Gloom -- HO:Endo(A)
Level 38: Soul Tentacles -- Bmbdmt-Dam(A), Bmbdmt-Acc/Rech/End(45), Bmbdmt-Dam/Rech(45), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech(45), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech/End(46), Bmbdmt-+FireDmg(46)
Level 41: Dark Obliteration -- Rgn-Dmg(A), Rgn-Dmg/Rchg(46), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), Rgn-Acc/Rchg(48), Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Rgn-Knock%(50)
Level 44: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 47: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 49: Soul Transfer -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Fury 
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), Mrc-Rcvry+(15), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(17)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(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 4: Ninja Run 
Level 50: Cardiac Radial Boost 
Level 8: Afterburner 
------------

| Copy & Paste this data into Mids Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|MxDz;1465;674;1348;HEX;|
|78DA65945B4F134114C76777A7D6B694B620B45C2AB4DCA9AC2D37EF312A62A2342|
|121F1C1A84D032334564AB62591471FFC0C26CA5D7DF553F8317CF4C10701158D1A|
|85F5EC9E7F90649B6C7F33FF39FF3D67CEEC6EFEE944DDBB5BCFAE0A2D74A35CAC5|
|60BD7ADE59AF2E58BF3A5594308119C592C5A8F573AC7CCAC9FA6CDEE7221AFCA4A|
|9913B4C2C304CB13EA915AAC62E19AF5A46289D074A5523627CBA5F9855A98C7CEB|
|0B4381F7467334B4ACD45DCE1942ACE29ABBA505A8ADF5C2ACD9A7CCF99CA72B990|
|2F566BCA5A4950057D747DA64B68CE9F2DC53D479442BF0F3E60CA876081F9F2B8E|
|73B6D2D1710277E803F99277F81C3CC578E853D3EAD4EBA5A300CD633EB22609459|
|1F63AE92CB60AF61205F14F91A90AF01F97628CA27388FEFBCEE6AA72E801799CD9|
|7C0CBCCC41566888EC5CF7984FF83A349B146B3007207903B81DCADC8DDFA9BB947|
|5121EC31B4C95AFB16B8CD3CFD1A7C03BE65EE922BCC5E2DFC917227A5C87D62AE9|
|31A711B6ECBC81FAEB5F32F78001E325336F32B45C7E089C1938227054F173C5DF0|
|6C507423D7A0371E1092B4B6CFF575DF71E8173AF5A8093D6A7ACE3E83B4387A144|
|78FBAD1A36EF4A817E7F38DA25AB82E5FCB2A9F6FEF1AB8CEECDB0037C12DE626B9|
|DAD0A336F46600BD9254431275259D02297E9F661D388F8E5E3ECF813EB09F39380|
|00E8219E616B9D2B85F7A9CE037C41C6DA107CF56CF01D774E610B441E7E9230E69|
|A0CE54E4ED87B77F98FB3634C23C3B0A8E81E3CCDC39669AF696C1BE3319C16B608|
|CD64CD469BAFB96629B6659EEB1C8226E521EBDB376BB14F8D9CED4B6C594479996|
|08274573959DE0D11B0C65D7A3ECFD57742D65B8D5D4DFD6DCAF46F42E57F7E5B8E|
|B05BAEEC99FF528398F32E251463D4A204ADF0E56ECF7314A861E88663A52E8FF00|
|1BE8F611|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Edited February 4, 2022 by Snarky

[Gobbledigook]

I would build to cap as many resists as possible on a resist set first and any +defence you can muster is just a bonus. As said Resist sets don't have any defence debuff resistance and can easily lose that defence fast. 

 

Resistance and +regen/max health can work well also. +recharge is always good on resist sets as it helps with heals etc which will probably save you more than a little defence. Be prepared to be mobile on a resist set also, no shame in retreating, getting your heal then re-engaging. Dark Armor is a little different though as it needs mobs near, which is why i rate Rad armor over it. Most content you won't need to retreat though..

Edited February 4, 2022 by Gobbledegook

[Linea]

Generally you build for one or the other,  SLENFCTP or MRA.  Sometimes you get both by accident.  Sometimes you mix and match.  

 

I generally don't recommend mix and match, but sometimes I do mix and match myself, and as long as you realize you have some really odd holes in your defense, it can be very effective.  A notable hole in one of my M/sLEnFCtP builds is Smashing Ranged .... I'm nearly invulnerable most of the time, till some numb nuts puppy throws a rock at me *SMASH*.  So on that build I watch out for puppys and earth controllers, otherwise I shrug off pretty much everything else.  That map with all puppies all hurling rocks, yeah, that's NOT a map for that build.

Edited February 4, 2022 by Linea