Gashes

what level are you? Until you hit 50, I recommend you keep it.

Fighting energy, some AV's, you will want it.
I've even used it while fighting an EB. Not that the eB could hurt me, but I couldnt have enough stamina to finish the fight. Unstoppable saved the day.

since being an incarnate, maybe ... once? I rotate my toons a lot, so my main (invul/ss) doesnt get as much play. I think it was a team wipe on an iTrial, I rez/break free/unstoppable, popped greens, then purples, and held both the AV (nightstar/siege?) until the rest of the team could regroup and rebuff.

Now, if I had the +Res/def incarnate buff, I probably wouldnt have needed it, but I was only +1, so I was getting hit hard by energy.

I play a dual build now, a fast recharge, hard hitting build, wiht unstoppable, and a max defense build without it.

If your not 50, you'll hate yourself for needing it, and its not there, esp in the 40-49 range.

Ice melee (dont laugh) is great for extra layer of defense, mostly in ice patch.
The AOE at lvl 38 does the same damage as footstomp, but cold damage (no rage, so it may appear to be less).

I have used ice patch, and used it to catch my breath, when low on endurance.
Its very survivable, low endurance, but not so hot on damage ...

Though the others also suggest a very practical secondaries.

The only issue I've seen with the scaling resists of SR, is, we are using the scrapper/brute numbers. Which is fine, but the objection (only one) I've seen, should we be using the tanker numbers, ergo, they kick in at higher values.

You'll ge ta lot of +regen, naturally, with many +health sets.

Similiar to Calderone:
~60% Defense (M/R/A)
Tough (fully slotted) (also can be used a mule for the +3% def IO)
+Recharge (for hoarfrost). Ice tanks easily can hit +100% rech debuff resistance.
+Regen (which actually comes along nicely from building for +HP anyway)

Void Judgement (-50% damage tree)
Rebirth Destiny (+regen tree)
(yes to these both)

Oh, if you dont want permafrost, you can slot 3% def IO in touch, and put the 20% slow/recharge movement IO (winter something) and still hit 100% recharge debuff resistance. Ever run across caltrops as if you were ice skating? ;-)
I dont slot (as much) for +hp, since hoarfrost, accolades, and regular +hp bonuses put me within 100HP or so of the tanker cap.

Thank you Kosmos.
I wasnt aware of the other thread, and thought I21 bugs was appropriate, since ATIO's were released under this issue.
Now, if we can get a time table for a fix ;-)

looking at your build, it seems a bit all over the place.

Decent power consideration, and you have an empty slot.

First, I'm surprised you have health/physical perfection slotted for +recovery.

I've NEVER needed it with EA. I do have stamina slotted well, only for lowbie exempt, running TF or equivalent (anything below lvl 26).

5 slotting reactives is a bit of a waste. You really dont need the endurance reduction, nor the .63% fire/ice defense value (melee/range/aoe doesnt help you, except for psi).

Sadly, you dont like recharge. My ice/em took recharge, for 2 reasons:
1. Hoarfrost is perma (100% recharge debuff resistance), which puts me at 3417 HP(!)
2. whirling hands sucks as an aoe attack. Many, many times, it was easier to arrest the baddies one at a time using my single target attacks (plus, stun tends to make them wander away). EM is a very hard single hitter.
3. (didnt I say 2 reasons?) There really isnt anything to help us. You hit the softcap easily, crushing impact is a GREAT set (esp acc/dam/end/rech values compared to mako/touch of death), is cheaper to buy and craft, etc.


I saw some KC in your build, and they do help on STF (when LR is udner his +30% to hit buff) or incarnate trials (59% softcap, mostly smashing/energy damage), which is great (I do that, because I maxed out the 5% recharge between doc wounds and crushing impact), but not necessary.

I've yet to see any IO's give any decent resistant bonus.
You are better off with tough, plus, if you want incarnate softcap, throw in a 3% def/res IO, add weave (you already have tough).
Just using lvl 50 def IO's (via mids), that puts you at 52% melee/aoe, and 47% range.
3 slot combat jumping and you are at 56%/51%

I like kinetic melee (-dam debuff), to make up for your lack of resistance (what I'm currently playing, lvl 30). put 6 slot guassian in power siphon. 58%/54%.

resistance wise, the ONLY IO I see worth anythign is scirroco, 3 set gives 3.13% dark (only) resistance ... (ignoring the pvp 3% res io)

I'd go incarnate softcap, throw in aid self (cause nothing will hit you, or rarely), because, just a few 3 slotted power choices (and 1 full guassian set), you will be so close. stock up on oranges/greens instead of purples (never need them).

I tested this on several characters, using the regular proc and superior proc.

Most of these results are using the superior.
On my ice/em tank, I put the proc in Total Focus (base recharge: 20seconds). Superior proc should go off every 6/minute (e.g. guaranteed once every 10 seconds). Even the regular version is 5/minute (every 12 seconds).

Simply put, it does not go off every successful hit. Easily to reproduce (I believe its a bug with the aoe of taunt effect per tanker attack). In fact, I tend to see the proc fire off on different streaks, with 1 application most typical, 2 applications uncommon, followed by no applications (stacked), and only saw 3 applications twice my entire time.
I even hit 4 times in a row, and saw a single application take effect.

In addition, there is some strange streakbreaker type code. During some streaks, I tend to have 60-70% of the hits (should a hit be required? I know I can use it successfully in burn, even with no foes around me), but then I'll hit a streak of no applications, typically 4-6 hits in duration, dropping my average down to 40-50%.

At least single target melee tanker attacks seem bug. I dont know why we have aoe code for the tanker atio proc (according to arbiter hawk), since I've never seen more than 1 application take affect even in aoe's (tested on footstomp. Even with 10 foes in range, at best, 1 application per stomp).

I agree. It saved my ss/dark brute.

My fear aura prevented fury from building properly, but kept me alive (and kept them in range, as opposed to oppressive gloom).

Add in this proc, and im 90+ on my fury bar, and WOW! New love for my brute!

Adding to my testing, putting the proc in burn (which is a pet ...), I discovered it procs every single time burn is activated. Even with NO foes in range!

I assume that was the pet fix, treat it like a click, always apply. Sadly, my burn tanker is huge on recharge, so I did get the expected 1-2 applications constantly. It was also nice, I can 2x burn, up my resistance, then charge in.

I like the ideas.
My favorites are:

For all tanks:
1) Make Tankers able to resist “unresistable” damage gimmicks. <=== FAVORITE
----I HATE that unresistable gimmick. Making tanks an exception makes them unique especially on TF's with these.
2) Reexamine Tanker status protection. With the addition of more and more mobs that can cause status effects like confuse and fear, Armor sets have not been reexamined to handle them.
----Wont this mean all other armor sets (scrappers/brutes) get teh same extra protection too?
3) Boost the range and area of Taunt, aggro auras, and gauntlet.
---also, increase the aoe effect of taunt the power. 5 is too small. The problem with this game, sometimes, the FX flood my screen and I cant see or target properly. Having tools to compensate for the pretty lights helps.
4) Allow the Bruising effect to stack from multiple Tankers.
----Usually, more than 1 tanker doesnt add to a team. This will allow extra tankers to benefit a team. I've been on all control STF's, Id LOVE to be on an all tank TF (without requiring multiple pets or nukes)
5) Increase the Tanker AT Threat modifier to 5, increasing their ability to hold aggro by 20%.
6) Standardize the aggro auras on Tankers. WP and SR have significantly reduced aggro abilities.


I like these ideas, but I dont think tanks need them for normal SO play. Perhaps on incarnate trials, these would take effect?
7) Give Tankers the ability to exceed the current aggro cap, raising their cap to anywhere between 20 and 34. Maybe a scaling effect depending on team size or team health.
8) Increase the Gauntlet Aura effect so that Tankers can easily strip aggro from Scrappers and Brutes.

13) Give Tankers an inherent "Block" ability, that would allow a Tanker to get a temporary boost to DamRes and/or Defense at the expense of not being able to make attacks.

New ideas:
14) Temporary (or extended) try invulnerability if a tank dies, then rez's. Gives you time to armor up and use your many, many clicks and toggles. If its a tier 9 rez, greatly increase its invulnerability time.
------Personal peeve. Dying on an incarnate trial, trying to rez to help regain control and give other team members breathing room. Reality is, click rez, and before I can hit a breakfree/green/purple/blue/etc, I'm dead (again).
15) AOE nullification. Basically, if an enemy targets a tank (aggro control) with an aoe, the aoe ONLY affects the tank. Basically, teams will love tanks to keep those AOE's off of them, and multiple tanks are multiple targets for AOE's. Tank still takes normal damage.

summary:
To me, stacking bruising and/or AOE nullification will help for a team perspective (more than 1 tank is a waste ...).
I'm not big on damage increase, otherwise I'd roll the brute/scrapper, but immune to the unresistable bullocks ...
And for incarnate trials, a huge aggro number/area increase, and perhaps rez god power or non attacking defense increase.

Since you are SS, are you suffering rage crashes and the -20% def that follows (plus, near zero damage)? I dont know your map, but you mentioned crey (dont they use cold?). If they are stacking some -recharges on you, rage might not be perma, and you are hitting crashes. -20% defenese is significant.

A thought.

SLK has an important point. If you want an SO build, fine for now, but either take acrobatics (I dont see it listed) or find a KB protection IO (travel power, def, or resistance). Fire tank without KB protection is a ping pong ball ... Got caught between 2 groups of nemesis snipers and literally spent 3 minutes bouncing back and forth. My teammates were too amused to help (immediately). Didnt die, but the shame! the shame!

Plus, some IO's (like multistrikes) can be incredibly cheap. You dont need to get 50's in everything. a lvl 40 dam/acc, lvl 30 dam/rech, lvl 48 dam/end/rech ... Any IO lvl 25+ is better than an SO (if you triple the SO, e.g. lvl 53, its close to a lvl 40 IO).
I mention this, because bargain hunting for effective IO's will make a sturdier build you can start using now, instead of buying new SO's every 5 levels.

I have a ss/dark brute, and here is my take on it:
A. If you dont have slots, get oppressive gloom. 1-2 accuracies (or a cheap HO) and your good. They (foes) do wander off, which I hate and messes up footstomp. It is best if you have a primary with stuns (to stack on bosses.
B. If you have slots AND powers to spare, add in presense pool. I respec into it.
Slot heavily for acc/end red. Add in invoke panic, and I stop bosses in their tracks.
If you have dark melee, you can use that to stop bosses.

I've had my brute outsurvive my invul/ss tank in the RWZ missions (renegade vanguard). THe cascade failure of their swords killed my tank on a team of 8 (of course, I did my usual, run in to soak invincibility maneuver). My brute, no deaths. Run in, invoke panic, and footstomp to my hearts content. Best control.

Liked the effect so much, I made a dark/dark tank. On incarnate runs, I I can usually hold/fear around 2/3 of the mobs.

Just want to say, da/ice is a very strong tanktroller set. I will make one comment. I notice you going for SL defense (reactive) and positional (melee). Choose one or the other. I recommend melee/range/aoe. I fiddled with it some and got 47.5% aoe, and 43% range/melee.
freezing touch and electric fences are poorly slotted for your major attacks (freezing touch is your best dps), but ... those bonuses you selected are sooooo sweet, I couldnt figure out what else to put in there.

Dark regen, has NO accuracy. In an AV fight, if you miss ... lost endurance, no heal, you will die.

As a defensive team tank, the build looks pretty good (except dark regen, and you should concentrate on typed or positional defenses. reactive for position is only .63%. you'd get more slotting one side as aegis and a defense as red fortune).

I would consider dual build, one more solo friend with more damage sets.