Energy Melee is quite good and does excellent damage i'd recomend that.
The others I can't comment on, as i've never realy looked at them. I know he axe is very good but the mace doesin't do that much damage. Stone Melee is slow I belive too. But i'm not realy a expert on them. I've only played a energy melee tanker and that is excellent IMO.
fire/fire or fire/ice or fire/Ss for pve.
Energy melee is quite good for groups as it has a reasonable chance to disorient meaning that if you get lucky, you can taunt and disorient a mob while your team-mates pick them off.
That said, I've just started an Inv/SS Tanker and Super Strength is rather fun and feels very heroic.
Good luck. 
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is mace bad? it is definitly my fravourite and it fits my costume very nicely 
lol
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is mace bad? it is definitly my fravourite and it fits my costume very nicely lol
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It's not bad - it's just not as high damaging as the other sets (if you're concerned with doing damage). Plus it used to be tougher to play at low levels due to clobber being the third attack available but that's been addressed now with the move of Jawbreaker to the no. 3 spot. If you like it and it fits your concept then you should definitely go with it and not worry about how much damage you're doing compared to other tankers.
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... Because in terms of damage nothing can compare to /EM :P (although keep in mind it's a late bloomer)
Whatever suits you is the best choice.
If it lacks in damage, recharge or is high on end cost it may make up on either useful controls for survivability or advantage. i think they do balance out in different ways. I personally like controls.
/Energy has great single target damage where /fire has great aoe damage. /Axe is good aoe and is practically the same set as /mace but /mace has good secondary effects for survivability whereas /axe is more damaging. /Stone and /superstrength are similar except /stone is more high burst damage and long recharge in comparison to /superstrength which is more sustained damage but both have good control effects. /Ice is even more very much about control, it lacks in the most damage but can add the most survivability pve. /fire is the best mulitargetter and isnt bad on the single target either with no control effect cept fear and thats more lack of.
If ya was a "run in on single target in pvp looking to flatten them fast" type then pick energy. For less so that but with more useful pvp/pve tools go for stone.
Depending on what ya want to be like as a tank will determine what you choose but i cant say that there is a best set.
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If you're going for Fiery Armour, Fiery Melee is great for damage what with Fire Embrace and Build Up.
Just be sure to have controllers on your team. And also consider the Pyre Mastery.
I did mace the hard way as in pre Clobber /Jawbreaker swap, and it was hard work, Whirling mace helped but still slow going, it's highly resisted and 2 of your best damage powers do knockback which IMO Tankers should avoid. I wish they would have added a hurled mace power. Now that would have been cool!
Ravenhart Lev 50 Inv/WarMace
what would you say is the best 2nd choice for a tanker? i would of said either axe mace or stone because of the superior damage at the 3rd power, just wondering since i am gonna make a fire tanker and was wondering what would go with it
lol
cheers in advance