Don't expect to be able to tank much better than any other AT until you get SOs. Pre-GDN, it was possible to be up and running as a tanker by the time you hit Lv10 (At least with some primaries), but now the DEF/RES values are low enough that until you're fully slotted with SOs, your defences are almost negligible and your only real advantage is your extra HP.
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yeah, i spent a good year trying to find a tank i liked... in the end i respec'd my ice/fire (who had struggled up to lvl 17 with an AoE build) to basically be a scrapper, with single target attacks, no taunt and end redux's all over the place.
i eventually managed to solo that up to 22.. the sacred level when you have stamina and SOs.. and respec'd back in the proper build, which is now amazing fun to play.
so, basically, after a year of giving up on tanks at lvl 18, i realised that you need stamina and SOs before they become fun.... don't get me wrong, they can be fun at low level too.. but they struggle to really be 'tankers' until lvl 22.
my next toon is now going to be another tank, and i know now to just persevere with it a bit longer then i used to.
Thanks folks, and Mr Motivator, you may have actually hit the nail right on the head with regard to my "problem" with Tankers.
No matter how I try to play them they only ever feel like slow and lumbering Scrappers. Perhaps I need to be a bit more patient and stick with it up to level 20 before really making my mind up.
Would you folks suggest I stick with the INV/AXE or go with the new Fire/Energy Melee concept? Any advantages or disadvantages between those sets if I am struggling with the AT?
Inv will be less squishy (against S/L anyways), and axe will get more damaging faster. So I'd go with that.
I've found at low levels the most important power defensively for slotting is your hitpoint boost. So if by level 12 you get Hoarfrost, Dull Pain or Earth's Embrace 6 slotted with recharge DOs, you get a 40% damage mitigation that is up 2/3rd of the time. When you get to SOs you then change to 3 recharge and 3 heal slotting.
For Fire tanks ( who don't get a hitpoint boost ) you want to 6 slot your heal, probably with even heals and recharges.
Another useful thing is to 3 slot Health. Yes Health, the one you get before stamina. I did this on my Ice Tank and it really made a large difference between level 17 and level 19. I'm not sure this is worthwhile for Fire tanks ( with their decent self heal and no hitpoint boost ) or Stone tanks ( with their Rooted regen ).
Edit: If you are going to stay Inv, the 4 most important pre 20 powers from your primary should be Temp Inv, Dull Pain, Unyielding and Invincibility. Get each of them ASAP. Slot Invincibility with your 2 slots at level 19. You want 3 or 4 slots in temp inv, depending if you want an End red ( I'd say yes to 4 ). Dull Pain should be 6 slotted early too. Slots in Unyielding can wait, it really makes very little difference ( with DOs you gain 1% resistance to all per slot, whoopi-do! ), slots in Health are a much better investment defensively ( your level 17 slots if you can spare them ).
@Unthing ... Mostly on Union.
Having both (inv/axe 31, fire/nrg 38), i can only say, pick the one you like more as looks. At the end they come down pretty much the same, although fire need a bit more extra's to become a more tough tanker.(leaping pool, fighting pool) and inv lesser on elemental resist and no dmg aura.
Little overview:
Fire
- self heal, SO slotted 15sec recharge, 50% heal
- very strong fiery aura, but bitty end-heavy, has tohit
- consume, end drain each mob in range, great to get end, not as perma or replaceable by stamina.
- burn with imm/hold is still high damage
- rez power, extra BU power (fiery embrace)
- no HP increase power, lowest of all tankers
- no 'omg' power, unlike unstoppable, hybernate etc
- no base knockback/imm resist, unless leaping or burn
- need alot powers, little choice overal
- nrg is low at start, you will be stuck with 2 attack powers for very very long.
- Energy transfer/total focus are insane high damage
- has high stun-rate
- ET has -10%, can be dangerous
Inv
- high base s/l resist
- 3 auto-powers, though low, they give nice resist
- no damage taunt aura, but gives def/tohit
- awsome unstoppable, insane resist
- dull pain, great to get more hp
- no heal, though aid self is seen in these builds
- axe, nice starting damage, bitty high on end
- 2 later powers are very strong, looks cool
- many attack do knockdown/up, helps survivablility
- redraw, kinda annoying, but works with taunt
- s/l damage, highly resisted among several mobs
both perform quite good in PvP, fire due selfres but has imm/knockback issues, inv due unstoppable but lack elemental resist outside that.
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Some of you may well be aware that of all the Hero ATs I have never quite gotten to grips with the Tanker.
I have an INV/AXE tanker at level 11 where he has been stuck for many weeks despite this being the furthest I have ever taken a Tanker character before! Not one to admit defeat easily, I have a concept in mind for a Fire/Energy Mellee Tanker.
What I am after is any thoughts or comments from experienced folks as to whether this would be a good or bad combo given the fact that I have always struggled with the AT in general. Also any tips, Do's/Dont's etc would be a great help.
All comments gratefully received.