WillPower/Super Strength .....very easy starter sets.
Willpower and Invulnerability are both relatively simple, easy-to-use sets, good for a first time tanker. For a secondary, it really depends on personal preference, playstyle, etc.
I suggest you post in the Tanker forum for a more detailed answer--lots of accumulated tanker wisdom is available there!
My Characters
Knight Court--A CoH Story Complete 2/3/2012
Welcome!
I will mention that MOST tanker secondaries [where the attacks are] tend to be slow starters. As one example, Super Strength is an excellent set, eventually, but I think you have to be level 20 or 28 before your big hitters start showing up. At level 1-10 I think you're using attacks that feel like "Slap", "Annoy", and "Hassle".
Disclaimers: I'm kind of addicted to big orange numbers, and not much of a tank player. I looked it over once for my wife's classic Invuln/Super Strength flying tank.
Mini-guides: Force Field Defenders, Blasters, Market Self-Defense, Frankenslotting.
So you think you're a hero, huh.
@Boltcutter in game.
Thanks everyone for the advice! Ill probably roll something/SS for punching goodness 
Just a request... pick up Taunt the moment it becomes available. Us squishies will thank you.
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Just a request... pick up Taunt the moment it becomes available. Us squishies will thank you.
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Not to mention your girlfriend will thank you too!
Suggest that you get Taunt when it becomes available (level 16 thereabouts). That way you can protect your girlfriend (and vice-versa when all those nasties are hammering on you). 
-Johnny
Taunt is the level 10 power for all Tanker Primaries. It is not necessary for soloers, but if you are planning on teaming, especially duoing with someone, it is a very good idea to take it then. For beginners, I would recommend Willpower first, then Invulnerability, because there are a couple of tricks to Invulnerability that are not obvious until you learn more about the game. And the best way to find them out is to hit the Tanker Forum, there are all kinds of people that will fill your head with information and advice. Most of it is even pretty good.
Justice Blues, Tech/Tank, Inv/SS
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Fighting The Future Trilogy
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Invulnerability and Willpower are the strongest of the primaries (if you exclude Granite, which I usually do, cause it's irritating, and a noob magnet, and looks dumb, and cause I don't like it).
Anyhoo, going with Inv/ or WP/ will give you a very sturdy, all around tanker. You might not be king of the heap for damage, or cool mitigation powers, or wow factor, but at the end of the day you'll still be alive. And if you did your job right, so should your team.
Ice Melee is about the only underperforming secondary left, although that's speaking strictly to damage dealing. The set is good for AoE damage and excellent for mitigation.
If you and your gf plan to team exlusively in a duo, any tank will work for you. In a duo, the survivability that Inv/ Wp/ and Stone/ provide may not be needed, so feel free to explore the other primaries.
Pick what you want to play, learn how to play it through trial and error, and any combination will work for you.
Edit: Oh, and Taunt is a 'Secondary' power, and available at 'Level 10'. It simplifies tanking, has a variety of uses, a good range debuff, and best of all, costs no endurance. Pick it up at level 10, or pick it up in the early twenties when your defenses have matured a little and you can handle the extra attention.
They ALL float down here. When you're down here with us, you'll float too!
@Starflier
Yeah -- if you're exclusively duoing, you may find a Fire or Shield Tanker is plenty sturdy (since you'll be facing smaller groups) and does more damage.
And if your duo partner has buffs, you might be quite durable.
If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
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The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog
Taunt isn't necessary for everyone though, I think, depending on your powersets. My Ice Armor Tanker has one of the best taunt auras in the game, so I figured I could do without.
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Taunt isn't necessary for everyone though, I think, depending on your powersets. My Ice Armor Tanker has one of the best taunt auras in the game, so I figured I could do without.
[/ QUOTE ] It's true Taunt isn't for everybody, but I just have to point out:
If a foe is not within your aura, it doesn't matter how good your aura is... it isn't going to help. That's what the Ranged Taunt is for. It can become very useful when somebody else attacks or pulls something before the foe gets into your aura.. You can easily draw them to you (and away from your teammate) with Taunt.
Although it's not necessarily a "must have".. there are times having Taunt can be useful.
Plus, I slotted a damage proc in mine, so that makes it even more fun. haha
Heya peoples. So I just started playing this game with my girlfriend and I'm pretty sure I would like to play a tanker. I would appreciate advice on a type of tanker thats a good starter character. Thanks in advance.