Ice/Psi Tank Advice

[jprewitt73]

Recently hit 50 in my new project and wanting to see some alternate opinions. I absolutely love Ice Armor and Mass Levitate is one of my favorite powers now. This is what I am planning on running, but wanting to know if anyone else sees areas I could improve. 

 

It seems the Mids export feature is not working for me right now, so this is what I am running: 

 

Anyone with experience for either of these sets have any advice or words of wisdom to get the most bang for the buck with this build?

 

[WindDemon21]

On 8/29/2023 at 5:02 PM, jprewitt73 said:

Mass Levitate

REALLY wish they'd make the damage on mass levitate hit on the initial knockup, not when they fall, and it easily is a power that should have a larger 15ft radius or tbh heck even 20. :/, and fix energy absorption after they nerfed it for no reason :/. At least tanks can somewhat bypass that with their higher stats, but between the EA nerf and the stupid defense nerf, the set has almost zero defense against fire/cold, just mostly cold resistance. Really dumb, sets that were DESIGNED with smash/lethal defense working on *most* of those exotic types, never got the defense for them in their normal shields, ice and stone armor got especially hit hard on those. 

 

Psy melee at least on the other hand is extra good on tankers since it's lower on aoe, but the tank boost helps it, and it's single target is good.

 

That said, EA is also important for your endurance, more so now that you get almost nothing by stacking it, that was the completely unjustified nerf. So you really only get the initial defense from the power off the first target which is only 5%, and the additional is really minor, i think .25% per target. Before, it was still a little more on the first target IIRC i think 2.5%, and then it was 1% for each target hit, and all of it stacked before. That's a HUGE nerf, especially since that is/was your only form of fire/cold defense. Could usually 3 stack, but most often would have 2 stacks up on it for a total tank value of like 30%, and up to 45% if you pushed to 3 stack it and always had a full mob. Now you can only get at most with 3 full mobs about 19.375% defense, before, you could get

That said, you'll still definitely want to get more standard defense in the build, for debuffs too, whereas before, EA could push enough defense that the DDR the set had did enough to keep you topped off.

 

Between EA, and your defense toggles and rest of the build, regen is also very important with ice armor, which is all defense, max hp, and some slow/-damage. So regen pushes your build really far.

 

In that regard, I always do at least 2 lotg on the toggle,s defense/end and defense/7.5% global, good stats, 10% regen, and that recharge global. I usually do 3 though, toss in the defense there. While you don't need the max hp with dull pain/hoarfrost, it does help to let you not need to use it as much, and save it for the heal.

 

Good job making sure to FF proc TKB and mass lev, esp mass lev, that's super important to help make up for the lower aoe, but on that note, even the best aoe melee, will still want icicles ASAP. Any damage aura is not only really good aoe damage over time, but is also really important to help double check aggro. Obviously less needed on ice with CE, but it's still really good damage and always make sure to get asap.

 

Sadly, stalagmites is also TERRIBLE for either damage or crowd control, the damage is lower than most aoes, and the stun, is only a 10% chance and doesn't last long. It's recharge is also 64 seconds, which is twice as long as any other regular epic aoe, it also only hits 10 targets, opposed to regular aoes that hit 16. Outside of theme, there is really no reason to ever get it on any build. The only use slotwise you'll get out of it is damage procs, but any other epic aoe will generally get you more damage by being worth slotting, and recharging faster (procs work on them too). The only proc worth using compared to another attack, is the achilles heel -resist proc.

 

On tanks especially, you can get permafrost, but it's also not a must have asap power. Definitely the main spot to swap icicles earlier into the build, and you'll want to maximize the resist and absorb procs from the ATOs, psi blade to make a fluid chain really needs maxed recharge, so an ato set is good there, it's not going to proc the resist proc well there, but hopefully should enough to keep it stacked up. However toggles are a terrible place for those especially because they'll never fire off against a single target where you end up needing them more like against AVs.

 

Since the resist proc set also has the extra resists with the 6th bonus, in this case fire resist, you'll want that since the double nerf to ice armor via EA and the standard defense typing nerf which means the set gets almost zero "fire" defense now. So I'd put the gauntleted fist set into psi blade, and then 5 of the might of the tanker (minus the dam/rech) into telekinetic blow.

 

Then in Greater Psi Blade, two-fold, One, you'll want that big 5% smash/lethal defense bonus from the winter set, so put 5 in there minus the acc/dam/rech, and then in the 6th slot, a niche to hold attacks, put in the entomb absorb proc, which basically turns the power also into a quasi-"heal". But a case could still be made to just 6 slot the set for the 5% fire/cold defense too.

 

Then between sweep and mass lev, since you need the 6th slot on mass for the FF proc, I do 3 eradication, and 2 purples I think acc/dam/rech, acc/dam/end/rech, and energy proc from erad, (3.13% e/n defense bonus and proc) and the boosted dam/end, and fire proc from the purple set to max that power out, then on sweep I'd put a full set of Avalanche for the stats and the tasty 5% s/l/f/c defense bonuses (and kd proc).

 

The main 2 armors and weave, just do 3 LOTG def/end, def, def/7.5%, then in Energy absorption, do 2 lotg def/end/rech, def/7.5%, two pvp's boosted def/end/rech, and 5% resist proc, and then 2 power transfers, end mod, and heal proc. That slotting will get you 56% regen (plus heal proc would value around 75% regen or more on big mobs), max defense for the most part, some end/rech stats, and some end mod on it to keep you topped off.

 

If keeping earth epic for theme, honesty the most focused power in it i go for is quicksand (just god PLEASE let them lower its cast time to 1s already ugh, I'd just slot a boosted 50 slow in it, in salt crystals,  it's worth that 4th slot for that extra 1.88% s/l defense, and then also put in that call of the sandman heal proc, Since ice armor is low on heals/regen, that equates to easily using the power twice a minute, which is 30% hp, which equates to about 120% regen as well which is pretty decent, though given the recharge on the power, while that's nice, i know slots might be tight, and it doesn't help you against a small number of targets either, so this proc is skippable if slots are that tight.

 

Likewise, on armors that are very low on heals/regen like ice armor, non-negotiable, I always slot health with at least 4 slots, panacea heal and proc, and numina heal and proc, and stamina is always power transfer end mod and heal proc, and pshifter proc.

 

That slotting alone equates to like 175% regen, and a good amount of recovery, and you could add the regen tissue unique too for 25% more regen, and add the impervious skin unique for another 25% regen.

 

You can save a slot by not needing the slow resist unique, ice armor if anything at least has a lot of slow resistance more than any other set.

 

You're also going to absolutey want hasten much earlier in the build. Especially pre-mass lev when psi blade sweep is your only aoe, but also for when you get mass lev to spam it more. Honestly build up is nice, but tanks can much more easily get away with putting it off until later, and since you don't really use boxing at all, put that off as late as possible and get the more important power first, so put hasten at 12, cj at 14, and boxing at 20.

[jprewitt73]

You definitely gave me a lot to think about. I am working on a new and updated build and will post shortly with your advice. I truly appreciate it. 

[jprewitt73]

CrystalClearChakra.mbd

 

I took your advice on several parts of the build and this is what I have settled on for now. I feel pretty comfortable with it. I really don't like using the winter sets as I don't see their overall value being worth the effort of obtaining. Yeah, I could farm or do some market PvP, but I'd rather go with the option I can buy now. Patience is not one of my virtues. I've got perma Hoarfrost, Mass Levitate hitting every 6 seconds (without the FF +recharge proc considered), and Energy Absorption up every 20 seconds. Definitely enjoying this look. I'm not quite at the HP cap, but I didn't factor in any Accolades. With Accolades I am over the cap. 

 

Any additional things I should consider changing?

 

[WindDemon21]

17 hours ago, jprewitt73 said:

CrystalClearChakra.mbd 42.43 kB · 0 downloads

 

I took your advice on several parts of the build and this is what I have settled on for now. I feel pretty comfortable with it. I really don't like using the winter sets as I don't see their overall value being worth the effort of obtaining. Yeah, I could farm or do some market PvP, but I'd rather go with the option I can buy now. Patience is not one of my virtues. I've got perma Hoarfrost, Mass Levitate hitting every 6 seconds (without the FF +recharge proc considered), and Energy Absorption up every 20 seconds. Definitely enjoying this look. I'm not quite at the HP cap, but I didn't factor in any Accolades. With Accolades I am over the cap. 

 

Any additional things I should consider changing?

 

You definitely still want icicles WAY earlier. Put permafrost off, it doesn't do much in comparison, and those slots are just procs they can go In tough or I think even frozen armor if you're worried about those uniques sooner.

 

Also it's hard to see where your stats are at but I'd imagine you still need more defense especially versus the defense debuff types (lethal/energy)

So would split up sweep and mass lev, putting 3 eradications in them and then two OFs for the 12% regen each.

 

The winters do have lots of defense stats, and also a big hole for fire resists since ice armor has basically zero defense against fire now after the stupid defense and EA nerf.

 

I would also move the set in GPB to psi blade, and then in GPB do 4 kinetic combats for 3.75% s/l defense, you can boost the 35 ones and since GPB has bonus accuracy it's still decent even though KC has terrible acc stats, and then get the entomb proc which is an absorb proc in that power. Then you'll have two absorb procs firing off.

 

You can even move a slot to it and slot an acc/hold/end entomb for 6% more fire resist and better stats on the power too.

 

But as mentioned too, this is a really good spot for at least the blistering cold set which gives 5% smash/Lethal defense, AND a hold proc which will almost always stack to hold a boss even right away. (Skipping the acc/dam/rech) and then that entombed absorb proc in the 6th slot.

 

Likewise on Ice Blast, much better value with the purple set in it though I'm sure you chose decimation in a frugal choice, purples aren't terribly hard to come by though so it's worth it. (If one of those is the bu proc you'll almost never see it in that power, but you'll see the purple proc quite a bit)

 

I also wouldn't bother slotting chilling embrace, it's really not needed and those slots serve you better elsewhere like in the psi blade/gpb swap listed above.

 

Generally you'll almost, or should never be using hibernate. And you'll definitely want concentration earlier to help your aoe output, so swap those to get concentration earlier.

 

Also, move that UG Max hp proc to tough, there is no reason not to get that 1.56% free extra s/l defense by doing that.

[jprewitt73]

I took your advice and moved around some slots from Chilling Embrace and added to Tough to add the S/L defense. With one application of Energy Absorption I am sitting at well over 50% defense to S/L and E/N. 

 

As for Icicles, I don't mind holding off on it, as when I exemp, Chilling Embrace seems to anger enough mobs to hold them to me during team battles that I don't really need it. Without CE I would definitely move it up. I plan on keeping Permafrost as the added S/L resist is something I really like having. Even if it isn't much, it's still worth it in my mind. I added another slot to Psi Blade and reworked some of my attack slotting based on your advice as well. 

 

I will plan on buying a entomb proc (merits ftw) but I don't see myself spending much on the rest of the winter sets. Maybe if they drop in price someday, but for now I just can't justify. I'm limited in my play time, so I use what I have very efficiently. 

 

Thank you so much for the advice. I truly appreciate the information and assist. 

 

CrystalClearChakra.mbd