Hehe...you're planning on taking Frozen Aura...how quaint.
Really, it needs all 6-slots to be even mildly effective. Even then, Ice Patch and Icicles are both going to cancel it out. I'd suggest taking that one on test before taking it on live.
Also, I firmly recommend 3-slotting health for any Ice tanker, as it can benefit a defensive set greatly.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
actually I disagree a little about the frozen aura thing depending on how you use it.
Point 1: Icicles is NOT an always-on power. Yes, it's highly useful but it's very very situational. You don't use icicles and FA at the same time.
Point 2: frozen aura WILL save your bacon when fighting certain mob types that are absolutely Brutal against defense-based tankers... Devouring earth are highly resistant to ice patch's knockdown and can tear through ice armor like it's make of tissue paper, but surprisingly enough they don't seem to be particularly resistant to sleeps, and CE won't wake them up. The same seems to hold true with the rogue Vanguards and Ruularu and many other mob types. as well that seem to easily pierce icey armor
So basically that makes FA a situational tool, but the situations where you are going to need it, unless you are amazingly versatile at never chosing missions with mobs that debuff def, use guns, swords, or self-buff accuracy, are very, very common. It takes situational awareness and a very non-passive tanking style, but it's a tool that can make some missions that are gawdawful rough for an icetanker merely moderately challenging.
Point 3: you take hits. No matter what you do, you still have a base 5% chance of getting whacked by something. FA gives you the one thing that Ice tanks value above everything else....Time.
Frozen armor gives you time. Chilling embrace gives you more time. and Frozan Aura gives you the time you may need to recharge your endurance absorption, or your aid self, or your hoarfrost... slowing enemies down is at least 60% of any ice tanker's build philosophy.
And please don't assume I haven't played with it. Frostweaver has been actively tanking since I2 (yes, she was an ice when Ice wasn't cool, and very successful at it) so I definitely know the synergies involved and have played with them extensively. and I have frozen aura and use it frequently (heck, back in i6 it was the only real protection I had when soloing orange herds)
Point 4: It is a soloing tool. Unless you are on teamspeak with your entire team and can yell louder than everyone else, it's a true waste to use it unless you hop to a group of mobs you aren't fighting, frozen aura them, and then hop back into your herd. Doable, I have done it lots when some stupid blaster manages to fireball the wrong crowd, but it's a VERY hard tactic to perfect, and it's even harder to know when to use it.
I still think that for a Tier 9 power it should have some lingering effect when it wears off, though, say a -speed or -rech for a while or even a -def? (they glitter and are easy to see?)
The most important point though is that frozen aura can very easily stack or be made perma with a few sleep durations and recharge enhancers. it provides an amazing crowd-control tool if you know how to use it, including that statesman-despised 'fighting statues' situation. Frozen melee is, for the most part, a single-target set, and if you are fighting tough enemies, frozen aura can play to it's strengths and keep almost everything perma-locked.
(Not to mention some of the 6-slot IO sets for sleeps have totally rock set bonuses that most tanker sets don't get! (can we say Lethargic repose or call of the sandman?)
So, this isn't going to be a typical guide. Some of the best guides I have seen have talked about the progression you'll make as you advance in level. What choices are you faced with, why should you hold off on a power? So that's the approach I'm trying to make here.
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Powers
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I'm not going to list out all the numbers for powers. I honestly think you should get that from a Hero Planner tool. There's value in being able to see the numbers as they are affected by the choices you make. Plus, the other guides in this section do a good job of listing them out.
However, a blurb on each is probably appropriate:
Ice Armor: Primarily a defense-based powerset (as opposed to damage reduction), but there is some damage reduction involved. The set uses some powers which have slow-, and damage debuff-effects to lower the damage you take.
Frozen Armor - raises your defense against Smashing/Lethal, protects against Cold (and Fire to a lesser degree)
Hoarfrost - a self heal, and your only protection for Toxic
Chilling Embrace - An aura which slows enemies in range as well as debuffing their damage.
Wet Ice - Your Mez protection
Permafrost - Damage resistance against Cold (and Fire to a lesser degree)
Icicles- An aura which damages enemies in range
Glacial Armor - raises your defense against Energy and Negative Energy (and increases perception)
Energy Absorption - sucks End out of nearby enemies
Hibernate - Encase yourself in a block of ice while you regenerate Health and End
Ice Melee: Other sets have higher damaging attacks, but IM works in a lot of slow-effects as well as some hold and knockback effects.
Frozen Fists - Brawl Index 2.3, Rchg 3
Ice Sword - BI 3.6, Rchg 6
Frost - Cone attack, BI 4.7, Rchg 11
Taunt - Standard Tanker Taunt
Build-up - Increases dmg by 80% and acc by 20% for 10 seconds
Ice Patch - Creates a patch of ice about which causes foes to slip and fall repeatedly
Freezing Touch - Encases a single target in a block of ice
Greater Ice Sword - The big attack of the set; BI 5.5, Rchg 10
Frozen Aura: Puts all enemies around you to sleep
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The early levels - L1-L6
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The interesting thing about the early game is that enhancements don't make a heck of a lot of a difference. So you're 'main' attacks aren't that much more powerful than Brawl....or your "temp" attack power. Right off the bat, you've got a three-power attack chain. Stick with that for a while.
Focus yourself on your defensive powerset. Hoarfrost is a great power which you'll want to pick up, but you may be able to wait on it for a few levels if you want to pick up Ice Sword or Frost to increase your attack chain.
(Although I personally found Icicles a better AoE power than Frost, since trying to line up the cone against foes who are trying to surround you was a pain)
For enhancement slots, remember that your choices don't matter *too* much right now, but you'll eventually want to have 3-4 slots in Frozen Armor, (preferably by level 12). Dropping the 3 defensive buffs in FA right away will mean you won't have to think about it later, but they only increase your defense by 1% each.
A wise veteran player once told me: Never buy a Training Enhancement. Use what you find, and sell the rest. They really don't affect the game that much, and by they time you hit lvl 12, you'll be able to slot a few more DOs with the money you've saved.
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Preparing for greatness - L7-L14
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So if you already haven't, you'll probably start noticing your endurance bottoming out a lot. Some people look at their toggles to solve the problem...and since Icicles is an End hog, you shouldn't ignore them. But you should really start adding Endurance Redux enhancements to the mix. You won't need them forever...once you get Stamina, you can start replacing them with damage.
As far as powers go, you can skip Permafrost for now (some say forever, but that's an ongoing debate for many). You'll want to take either Air Superiority and Fly, or Combat Jumping and Super Jump. I originally took Super Jump, because the added protection of Combat Jumping makes more of a difference at the lower levels, but used the I7 free respec to swap at about level 16 or so. (I also swapped Frost for Icicles)
Wet Ice? This is a power you want to have before tackling CoT bosses, since tanks getting mezzed is just sad. And you'll never need to add more Enhancements to it. 1 End Redux is fine.
That leaves one power. Take your first power in the Fitness pool. Otherwise you'll be putting either Glacial Armor or Stamina off, and you'll want both.
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Preparing for Stamina - L15-L21
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Ok, I recognize that not everyone buys Stamina. I myself may drop it about level 30 (I consistently run with an Empath Defender and a /Kinetics Controller). But Ice Tankers have a lot of toggles...and if they drop, you typically go from Arctic Hero to Baby Harp Seal. Once I picked up Stamina...my End problems went away, and I started inflicting a lot more damage.
Your Enhancement slots at this point should fill out your defense. If you don't have 3 Defensive Buffs in Frozen Armor and Glacial Armor, get on that. Hoarfrost should have at least 2 recharges (and maybe a heal or two) in it....you'll eventually want 3 and 3 here. Everything else can go towards your attacks, but I recommend 2 Acc and 1 End Redux before you start adding damage. At least for now. Once you get Stamina (preferably 3-slotted), you can swap out End Redux for Damages.
Don't bother slotting your travel power or your first two Fitness powers. You'll get more bang for your buck putting those slots on other powers.
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Filling out your Hero - L22-L25
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Level 22 and 24 are points in any toon's build where you can go back and pick up things you had to skip. Two powers which you should seriously consider are Taunt and Ice Patch. Yes, I know, you're still using the same attack chain you've been using since level 8 (or maybe even since level 1!), but your strength is in keeping the attacks off your fragile little buddies...who have the devastating attacks.
Ice patch is great because it stops enemies from attacking at all. It's a bit smaller than the ones Controllers and Blasters get...I was so disappointed until I had 3 purple Archons flopping around me. The trick with this power is that Knockback attacks move them off your disc. However, with some creative tactics, you can easily work this into the plan (if you herd...leave the ice patch at the corner you plan on rounding, and tell your blasters to wait until they have most of the mob flopping about before laying waste.
Use your enhancement slots to fill out your self-heal and your attacks. 2 Acc/3 Dmg is generally accepted as a good mix for PvE situations. Icicles runs well with 2 Acc/2 End/2 Dmg (some guides recommend Taunt instead of Dmg, but that's up to you).
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The "Big" Powers - L26+
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Most of your power choices here will be whatever power you just unlocked, although there's debate on Frozen Aura, since it is counteracted by many of your own powers. Level 30 is a free choice, where you can go back and pick up something you missed.
Your Enhancement slots will, no doubt, focus on getting those powers 6-slotted as soon as possible. These are the recommendations I've found for slotting those powers.
Energy Absorption: 3 Rechg, 3 End Mod or 3 Rechg, 2 End Mod, 1 End Redux
FrezTouch: 2 Acc, 2 Hold, 2 Dmg
Hibernate: 3 Rechg, 1 End Redux, 2 EndMod or 3 Rechg, 1 End Redux, 2 Heal
Greater Ice Sword: 2 Acc, 2 Dmg, 1 Rechg
Frozen Aura: 2 Acc, 2 Sleep, 2 Rchg
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My Build
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I'm only about halfway through this build, so it's likely one of the Ice-gurus will say, "Ah, but Doc...you should do XXX". But he's solid. I run him with a group which is all squishies, and I can keep them all alive...including the Empath who keeps jumping out saying "Look at me! I bow and arrow and NO defensive powers!".
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Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
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Name: December Blue
Level: 28
Archetype: Tanker
Primary: Ice Armor
Secondary: Ice Melee
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01) --> Frozen Armor==> EndRdx(1)DefBuf(5)DefBuf(5)DefBuf(7)
01) --> Frozen Fists==> Acc(1)Acc(3)Dmg(3)Dmg(11)
02) --> Chilling Embrace==> EndRdx(2)Slow(11)
04) --> Hoarfrost==> Rechg(4)Rechg(7)Heal(9)Heal(9)Heal(23)
06) --> Wet Ice==> EndRdx(6)
08) --> Swift==> Run(8)
10) --> Air Superiority==> Acc(10)Acc(15)Dmg(17)Dmg(17)
12) --> Icicles==> EndRdx(12)EndRdx(13)Acc(13)Acc(15)
14) --> Fly==> Fly(14)
16) --> Health==> Heal(16)
18) --> Glacial Armor==> EndRdx(18)DefBuf(19)DefBuf(19)DefBuf(23)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20)EndMod(21)EndMod(21)
22) --> Taunt==> Rechg(22)
24) --> Ice Patch==> Rechg(24)
26) --> Energy Absorbtion==> Rechg(26)Rechg(27)EndMod(27)
28) --> Freezing Touch==> Acc(28)Acc(29)Hold(29)
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01) --> Sprint==> Empty(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Gauntlet==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Empty(2)
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EDIT: Based on AettThorn's feedback, I've removed the powers I haven't tested personally yet.
My plan is to pick up Permafrost at lvl 30 since flamethrowers are really crampin my style.
Hibernate at 32, and Greater Ice Sword at 35.
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50s: Doc Sharpe (C:I/K), Malan Bloyth (S:BS/Sh), December Blue (T:I/I), Michael X (Mm:R/T), Ultraboy (C:R/K), Zzyxx (Night Widow), plus 4 retired/rerolled
[b]Heard on Teamspeak:[/b]
"First of all, take off your mother's fishnets"
"Zzzzz."