Do you slot your defenses first as a tanker?

[Suparaj]

Hi!  Do you slot your defenses (primaries) first as a tanker? Or do you build it like any other dps and fill out all of your attacks first?

[lemming]

I tend to try to build a fairly rounded tank lately for level 20 content, but I do tend to lean toward the defense side first.  There are some pool picks I try to cram in if possible such as Teleport Target since it's an all around useful power.

[Maelwys]

When levelling up; accuracy, damage and unsuppressed movement are normally my main priorities. Any defensive armor toggles typically get an endred in the base slot and fleshed out properly in the mid 20s.

[MonteCarla]

I'll usually slot my attacks up first for 1 acc, 2 damage at the least.

 

I find doing almost double damage and hitting my targets reliably has an immediate impact on my performance.

Shields are more of a long game - the difference between having 36% S/L Resists (1 slot) vs 45% (3 slots) is not so noticeable. The extra points from slotting become more important the higher you get for both Resistance and Defence builds.

I'll pick up Tough/Weave and start building for defences in the late 20s/early 30s once slots become more freely available.

 

There has been the odd tank where I've gone straight for defensive slotting for concept reasons, but I'll slot for attacks first if I'm being practical.

[Biff Pow]

Offense first, Accuracy and Damage is way more effective than a small increase in Resist/Defense. My one exception is a high value power like Temp Invulnerability (30% Resist S/L) where some enhancement will be noticeable.

[Suparaj]

thanks!

[SableShrike]

Also depends if you team exclusively!  A purely team Tank can get by maxing defenses and taking Taunt asap.

 

But this can hamstring you from doing any solo content, as you’ll not be able drop enemies fast (meaning they wind up doing way more damage to you).

 

Same idea behind a “pure healer” Defender; you’re forcing yourself into relying on others to play.

[Myrmidon]

On Excelsior, there are so many chances to find teams that building for Defense first and Damage second works out for any Tanker build that I make.

[Frozen Burn]

As I level up, all powers typically get the following 2 slots so that attacks have an Acc, endredux, and a damage; defensive typically have an endredux and 2 def or resists depending on the type.  When I get I get extra slots because something needs nothing other than the 1 it comes with or etc... I focus on defensive powers first - I'm a tank and being a meat shield is my job.  Otherwise, I'd have made a Brute instead to slot up the attacks first.  

 

If you team, even a little bit - I'd suggest slotting up defenses first, but certainly put the basics in your attacks so you aren't completely gimped.  

 

If you only solo - do whatever you want.

 

Also... it's your character - do whatever you want.  😄  

[ZemX]

I balance things since I am usually doing a mix of team and solo in the early levels and also because of what @MonteCarla mentioned above.  Always look at what each slot is buying you in real terms.  A few percentage points in an armor toggle when you are nowhere near the cap (or soft-cap) isn't that big a deal.  

 

But like I said, I solo at least some of the time and there it matters to have 3xDamage and 1xAcc at a minimum in attacks, so I am shooting for that.  I'll stick to maybe just one added slot in armor toggles and autos to give 2x def/res in them.  A nice compromise.   

 

Beware slotting EndRdx.  It is often mentioned and seldom useful... if you solo.  If you're doing all the damage, you want to improve damage-per-endurance on your attacks.  You can always slow down the pace of your attacks to conserve energy, if needed.  Damage is thus more flexible an enhancement in these levels because it lets you choose between full burn and steadier pace at will.

 

If you do know you'll be teaming almost exclusively, then yeah, I might suggest leaning more towards endurance and maybe even recharge to have a faster pace of attacks (and thus more punch-voke taunting).   Even then, leaning on defenses only buys you so much.  But you do want to set aside room for those one-slot wonders like Steadfast +def or Shield Wall +res. if you want to really maximize survival.  Also don't sleep on buying the max of amplifiers at level 1 when they are cheap and will last 8 hours of play or so.  Very nice in those levels.   As is any temp buff from DFB or from a supergroup base empowerment station (90 minute temp buffs that are often very worth it, particularly for resistance, endurance, extra knockback prot., slow debuff resistance, etc.)

[Arbegla]

I tend to throw endurance reduction into the base slot of my armors, and get at least 1 acc/1 dam/1 end reduc in my attacks as a priority. At low levels, endurance is an issue, and you can always use Orange or Purple inspirations to fill the holes in your build. I lean hard on inspirations when soloing at the low levels. Around level 14 or so I will open up MIDS and start tinkering with a long-term build but even then I try to match the slots and powers I already have so I don't have to do a respec.