Shield/Axe Tanker advice

[BabySkull]

Hello, I've recently just got back into the game, and I'm really interested in a Shield/Axe tank. Not really sure how well it'll play solo though, I don't really have much friends but I do like being tough to kill precisely since I'm typically solo. Any advice for a fledgling hero would be greatly appreciated.

[mcdoogss]

I don't have that exact combo, but I have played both sets.  You are going to have exceptional damage, especially AOE.  Axe is a top tier damage set, and Shield while being a top tier armor set also has some tools (AAO for +dmg and Shield Charge for an extra AOE) to add to that damage.  Pretty much every power includes knockdown, so you will be able to have a very high percentage of uptime on the FF +recharge proc.

 

The flip side of this is that both sets are pretty endurance hungry and neither includes any endurance recovery help.  You'll want to prioritize sl0tting the perf shifter +end proc and an end mod IO in Stamina, panacea +hp/+end proc in Health, and Miracle + recovery proc in Health.   Along with that, slotting end reduction in your attack powers especially the aoes.  

 

With Shield I like to slot the power shifter +hp proc as soon as possible, as the set lacks any sort of heal or even +regen and while leveling you are going to be under defense softcap for a little bit.  So you'll be taking damage.  The preventative medicine +absorb proc is also a priority.

 

A couple of guides to understand the benefits of +recovery, +end, + regen and +hp procs: 

 

 

 

 

[tidge]

I think this is my Shield/Axe build at level 50

 

Spoiler

Primary Power Set: Shield Defense

Secondary Power Set: Battle Axe

Power Pool: Force of Will

Power Pool: Leadership

Power Pool: Teleportation

Power Pool: Concealment

------------

Level 1:                 Deflection          

 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 (*) Unbreakable Guard - +Max HP

 (*) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance

 (*) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance

 (*) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime

 (*) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance

 

Level 1:                 Chop    

 (A) Hecatomb - Damage/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Hecatomb - Damage/Endurance: Level 50+5

 (*) Hecatomb - Chance of Damage (Negative): Level 50

 (*) Hecatomb - Damage: Level 50+5

 

Level 2:                 Battle Agility      

 (A) Reactive Defenses - Defense

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Endurance/RechargeTime

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Defense/RechargeTime

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage

 

Level 4:                 Gash     

 (A) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage:

 (*) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Damage/RechargeTime

 (*) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime

 (*) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime

 (*) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime

 (*) Superior Gauntleted Fist - RechargeTime/+Absorb

 

Level 6:                 Mighty Leap      

(A) Blessing of the Zephyr (Travel/Endurance): Level 50+5

 

Level 8:                 Weaken Resolve             

 (A) HamiO:Lysosome Exposure (Accuracy, Defense Debuff, ToHit Debuff): Level 53

 (*) Shield Breaker - Chance for Lethal Damage

 (*) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage

 

Level 10:              Active Defense

 (A) D-Sync Deceleration (Slow/Rech/End): Level 52

 (*) D-Sync Deceleration (Slow/Rech/End): Level 52

 

Level 12:              Phalanx Fighting              

 (A) Kismet - Accuracy +6%

 (*) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 

Level 14:              Against All Odds              

 (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 16:              Taunt   

 (A) Mocking Beratement - Taunt

 (*) Mocking Beratement - Taunt/Recharge

 (*) Mocking Beratement - Taunt/Recharge/Range

 (*) Mocking Beratement - Accuracy/Recharge

 (*) Mocking Beratement - Taunt/Range

 (*) Mocking Beratement - Recharge

 

Level 18:              True Grit             

 (A) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance: Level 50+5

 (*) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)

 (*) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance

 (*) Panacea - Heal: Level 50+5

 (*)Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%

 (*) Healing IO: Level 50+5

 

 

Level 20:              Pendulum          

 (A) Multi-Strike - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50+5

 (*) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage

 (*) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage

 (*) Perfect Zinger - Chance for Psi Damage

 (*) Superior Might of the Tanker - Recharge/Chance for +Res(All)

 (*) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage

 

Level 22:              Wall of Force     

 (A) Javelin Volley - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5

 (*) Javelin Volley - Chance of Damage (Lethal)

 (*) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage

 (*) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage (Energy)

 (*) Bombardment - Chance of Damage (Fire)

 

Level 24:              Shield Charge   

 (A) Mocking Beratement - Recharge

 (*) Mocking Beratement - Accuracy/Recharge

 (*) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage

 (*) Perfect Zinger - Chance for Psi Damage

 (*) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance of Lethal Damage

 (*) Force Feedback - Chance of Global Recharge

 

Level 26:              Grant Cover      

 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Defense

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Endurance/RechargeTime

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Defense/RechargeTime

 (*) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime

 

Level 28:              Axe Cyclone      

 (A) Fury of the Gladiator - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5

 (*) Fury of the Gladiator - Chance for Res Debuff

 (*) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage

 (*) Perfect Zinger - Chance for Psi Damage

 (*) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage

 (*) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage

 

Level 30:              Cleave 

 (A) Armageddon - Damage: Level 50+5

 (*) Armageddon - Damage/Recharge: Level 50+5

 (*) Armageddon - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50+5

 (*) Armageddon - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50+5

 (*) Armageddon - Damage/Endurance: Level 50+5

 

Level 32:              Build Up              

 (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up

 (A)Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 35:              Combat Teleport             

 (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Range / Endurance: Level 50+5

 

Level 38:              Infiltration          

 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 

Level 41:              Unleash Potential           

 (A) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb

 

Level 44:              One with the Shield       

(A) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance

 

Level 47:              Maneuvers        

 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 

Level 49:              Stealth 

 (*) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)

 

Level 1: Brawl    

 (A) HO Nucleolus (Accuracy/Damage) Level 53

 

Level 1: Gauntlet             

 

Level 1:                 Sprint   

 (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 2:                 Rest      

 (A) Interrupt Reduction IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 4 :                Athletic Run      

 

Level 2:                 Swift     

 (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 2:                 Health  

 (A) Miracle - +Recovery: Level 40

 (*) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery

 (*) Numina's Convalesence - Hea

 

Level 2:                 Hurdle 

 (A) Jumping IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 2: Stamina               

 (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End

 (*) Performance Shifter - EndMod

 (*) Power Transfer - %Heal

 

 

I did level it up with some differences (besides the lvl 50 enhancements)... my recollection is that Battle Axe is not as slow as War Mace, but it did feel a little clunky until I got Global +Recharge, I wouldn't say it is much worse than other Tanker secondaries. By the time you get Axe Cyclone (and have Shield Charge), you will get a sense of how powerful the combination is. The Primary powers will let you include plenty of LotG +Recharge pieces.

 

I'll repeat some advice for Tankers: Don't sweat turning on, or even slotting, the primary toggles until they will actually make an observable difference. It took me some time to wrap my head around Active Defense. I have it slotted (at level 50) such that it recharges in about 80 seconds. This is overkill but I originally was just using IOs (so I had 2 slots) and I was lazy and didn't test with just a single D-Sync. There are a handful of deep slows in the game but for most content it is probably ok to cut it closer to 100 second recharge, I want to say that I have perma Active Defense down to the lowest level TFs, but I can't recall and I'm too lazy to math it out.