Ice.
Ice, but I wouldn't be too fond of the Ice Melee set.
I'd actually go Ice/Dark Melee if I was going to make a Tanker. You'd be basically unkillable.
Stone/ has better suvivability, at the cost of poor damage, poor mobility, poor agro managment, and poor everything pre 32.
/Stone is high damage but high end cost.
/ice is lower damage with decient control.
I agree with Carni, Ice/Dark is a better option.
I really should do something about this signature.
I have no idea why so many tankers are worried about damage output in teaming situations. All you need is make sure is you have accuracy and recharge to generate threat.
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I have no idea why so many tankers are worried about damage output in teaming situations. All you need is make sure is you have accuracy and recharge to generate threat.
[/ QUOTE ]
Assuming you'll always have a team of course. Ice Melee just seems a bit dull to me. Few exciting powers there. Dark Melee has got lots of tricks with it (and the Siphon power recently got buffed).
I am not fond of my Stone tank at all. Of my 5 level 50 tanks my Granite is by far my least favourite. Tremendous survivability, but it basically reduces you to a near stationary rock doing everything in super-slow motion.
By comparison I love my ice tank. None better at holding the aggro, mobile, versatile, and excellent mitigation with chilling embrace. I can see why some would find ice melee very bland but must admit I really enjoyed it. Again, some excellent damage mitigation in there. As Carn says, Dark Melee would also be a very strong secondardy for an ice tank. Also don't discard fire for a good, strong, agressive AoE tank.
[ QUOTE ]
I have no idea why so many tankers are worried about damage output in teaming situations. All you need is make sure is you have accuracy and recharge to generate threat.
[/ QUOTE ]
Must admit that damage is the last thing on my mind when I am making a tank.
The damage is nice to have for those situations where:
1) You can't get a team and have to solo;
2) All your team mates are low damage.
I really should do something about this signature.
Ice.......... it wouldn't matter which other primary you put up there as an option I'd say Ice.
I dont find my secondary gets much use in teams, Ice Melee gives more control technically, but Fault in Stone melee is all you need for mitigation
"Well, they found my diary today.
They were appropriately appalled
at the discovery of the eight victims
They're now putting it all together.
Women wrapped in silk
with one leg missing
Eight legs, one body, silk,
spider, brilliant!"
I was lucky to buy LotG's at the time they were cheap, thus able to counter the whole -recharge penalty of granite. My solo style is the 2 def armors and rooted, making solo quite easy too (along with nice SS secondairy) and with the recharge bonus having quite alot at perma (EE, hasten, Rage, etc). I will never trade my granite for any other tank set.
But since you prefer a 2side set, i would pick ice/ice. Ice got quite alot extra damage now due the freezing footstomp does damage now also, it has great added survivability due 2x hold power (secondairy and epic), got a OMG PANIC button and OOOHH [censored] button, along with a nice overal set on the primairy. My personal dislike, the looks and sounds.
50)Sinergy X/(50)Mika.
(50)MaceX/(50)Encore
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Cheers for all the response, Ice sounds like it'll be more up my street...Granite always looks cool, but honestly don't think I could live with the lack of pace.
Are there any powers that could/should be avoided within the Ice primary?
Permafrost gets the most skip able award, possible followed by Icicles but I have yet to "need" Hibernate.
Around the "right" players ie "team players" Ice is a wise choice as it is "off the bat" fun. You could be moving like a lvl50 in a Frostfire mish at level 6.
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
I've got an Ice/EM if I could change it for for another alt I'd go Ice/Fire.
With EA Ice thrives in a large group and /Fire has good AoE damage.
Ice/Fire would both solo and team well.
L50s: Tanks: Cryofission - Ice/EM - Dr Celsius - Fire/Ice - Saint George - SD/SS | Controllers: Psichosis - Ill/Kin - Major Chaos - Ill/Stm | Scrappers - Neutron Crusader - DM/SR
Currently Levelling: Angelic Blade - BS/WP Scrapper | Seeds of Destruction - Plant/Kin Controller
Ice/Fire is a quick aoe monster.
Combustion & FSC when complemented by icicles & Chilling Embrace(proc perhaps?) means that you can hold both aggro & kill large spawns.
Energy Absorption refilling your blue bar is just beautiful, making you rush to the next spawn to use it & carry on killing.
For single target damage, it can be a little lack luster until Incinerate & Greater Fire Sword, but Vet powers can help there.
All in all i found Ice/Fire a very fun ride to 50. But credit for choosing the combo must go to Spad(our side) for making me want to play ice/fire & Aett Thorn(US side) for the way he described the varied subtleties of ice tanking.
blab ended 
Cryo
@Cryoburn
Cryoburn Ice/Fire Tank
Sunless Avenger DM/SD Scrapper
Aett Thorn was the one who was "you don't need taunt to tank" which is right but without it, without certain team make ups, vs certain enemies, and more often at times vs higher lvl AVs you could get ya tank spanked. I dare say he may of thought he knew more than he did. When I think Castle said something like "Taunt adds flexibility". For someone who can't tell people ways to play to get by some of the challenges in the game there couldn't of been a better thing to say. Having said that though most all powers add flexibility.
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
For a long time, Tankers have been the only AT that i've never really been able to get to grips with...so once again, i'm going to give them another crack and see what sticks.
I've narrowed it down to either Stone or Ice primaries, as i've had the other sets on either a scrapper or brute and kinda want to play something new, but no real experience at these two sets.
What i'm kind of asking is, which of these powersets would be better/easier to get the hang of and introduce me to a world of tanking? Will be a PvE only build, SOs to start with possible frankenslotting at the late 30s...no expensive builds or sets.
I know what the secondaries are like, but plan to go with the primary counterpart (Stone/Stone or Ice/Ice).
Any advice is welcomed.