Need help making a lifesteal/drain tank build

[thesilverhelix]

From what I've seen my best bet would be either Dark Melee/Dark Armor or Dark Melee/Bio Armor. I want to make sure there isn't something I'm missing or something I haven't considered like additional powersets or how much the archetypes affect said powersets.

[Snarky]

2 hours ago, thesilverhelix said:

From what I've seen my best bet would be either Dark Melee/Dark Armor or Dark Melee/Bio Armor. I want to make sure there isn't something I'm missing or something I haven't considered like additional powersets or how much the archetypes affect said powersets.

It would be Dark Dark in my opinion. After taking every power except the T2 punch in Dark Melee (they are all good, and in my opinion necessary) you will have very little room left.  So, do you push more into theme? Or do you want to slant the armor and put on the extra gizmos to survive anything the game throws at you?

[Sovera]

Dark Armor has Dark Regen that steals HP from mobs and Bio Armor does the same with DNA Siphon (and Radiation Therapy). Of the two I'd say stick to Bio Armor for ease of use as Bio is much easier to use, though it is an offense oriented set which leaves holes in the defense.

 

For attack there is Rad Melee and Dark Melee. Dark Melee is literally life drain where Rad Melee we're draining the radiation that we inject in the enemy. Ignoring the wording of the power we still are draining HP from attacking enemies so it has the spirit of the life drain even if the game mechanics are not the same.

 

If you go Dark Melee then it will solve 90% of Dark Armor's problems which shifts my advice above and leaves it neutral between both picks, but if you pick Rad Melee then my advice shifts further into Bio Armor as Rad Melee is endurance heavy, as is Dark Armor, and having both together will be a small nightmare to keep the blue bar afloat.

 

Rad Melee has, IMO, better AoE with a second damage aura and is easier to use, but the REAL AoE comes at level 30 which is still a long way to cruise with the AoE being solely two damage auras. It needs to proc radiation in order to heal from it so it's unreliabe in a pinch between chances to miss and chances to proc the contaminated mechanic, even though it evens out in the duration of a minute. It is known for its slow animations.

 

Dark Melee has an annoying Build-up mechanic in Soul Drain, 'worse' AoE (relies on a cone and an extremely weak TAoE) but that comes much earlier, a life drain, an endurance drain. It pays for all that utility by not being great damage, It has otherwise faster animations.

 

 

Both can be coloured at the tailor to fit themes.

[Erratic1]

Bio/Dark is a very interesting combo. You combine the very solid healing/recovery/damage boost to be found in Bio with more of the same from Dark Melee. I do not see any downside.

 

 If I were not currently avoiding Bio (its just too easy to lean on, and I have two Bio characters), I'd be sorely tempted to make one of these.

[Erratic1]

32 minutes ago, Sovera said:

Dark Melee has an annoying Build-up mechanic in Soul Drain, 'worse' AoE (relies on a cone and an extremely weak TAoE) but that comes much earlier, a life drain, an endurance drain. It pays for all that utility by not being great damage, It has otherwise faster animations.

 

It should be noted that both the "Build Up" mechanic and the Endurance Drain deal damage as PBAoEs which is boosted by Offensive Stance.

 

Edit:  Should also be noted, neither are quick recharge, so their use for damage is limited. 

Edited May 2 by Erratic1

[thesilverhelix]

8 hours ago, Snarky said:

It would be Dark Dark in my opinion. After taking every power except the T2 punch in Dark Melee (they are all good, and in my opinion necessary) you will have very little room left.  So, do you push more into theme? Or do you want to slant the armor and put on the extra gizmos to survive anything the game throws at you?

I'm not super attached to a particular theme yet, I'm more interested in having a build in mind and then creating a theme around what works more than anything.

[thesilverhelix]

Ideally I'd like to have as much healing as a can specifically from doing damage and all other defense outside of that is just a bonus but it doesn't seem like there's much in the way of options on that front

[Snarky]

32 minutes ago, thesilverhelix said:

Ideally I'd like to have as much healing as a can specifically from doing damage and all other defense outside of that is just a bonus but it doesn't seem like there's much in the way of options on that front

Dark Dark has no defense debuff resistance.  So any defense you slap on, in a fight with debuffer, will be stripped off.  In my opinion it is better to build up resistance values.  Resistance is it’s own resistance debuff resistance.   So even though the “cap” is 90, the goal is 100 to avoid debuffs.  
 

Dark Dark also creates a “faux defense” with it’s powers.

1) to hit debuffs.  
2) Fear aura

3) Stun aura

4) non suppressed stealth 35’

All of these things work to slow/stop/reduce the times you are attacked or hit.  Defense.  In my build I ensure these are functional.   

Edited May 2 by Snarky

[Snarky]

1 hour ago, thesilverhelix said:

I'm not super attached to a particular theme yet, I'm more interested in having a build in mind and then creating a theme around what works more than anything.

here is the version i run

Tanker - Dark Dark v7.01.mbd