Submitted for your approval (or, you know, to laugh at)

Okay, I finally got Vista to acknowledge that yes, I should be able to run Mids (don't ask), and I was tinkering around with one possible build... It's almost certainly not the best, but I'd appreciate some input.

I know I have some ordinary IOs in here (especially in my early Shield Defense powers), but it's really a first run for me at creating a level 50 build.

Anyway, thoughts?

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Midnight Shield: Level 50 Natural Tanker
Primary Power Set: Shield Defense
Secondary Power Set: Super Strength
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Flight
Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Deflection

• (A) Defense Buff IO
• (3) Defense Buff IO
• (3) Defense Buff IO
• (7) Resist Damage IO
• (11) Resist Damage IO
• (17) Resist Damage IO

• (A) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage
• (13) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance
• (25) Touch of Death - Damage/Recharge
• (37) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance

• (A) Defense Buff IO
• (5) Defense Buff IO
• (9) Defense Buff IO
• (19) Endurance Reduction IO

• (A) Resist Damage IO
• (5) Resist Damage IO
• (7) Resist Damage IO
• (9) Healing IO
• (11) Healing IO
• (17) Healing IO

• (A) Hecatomb - Damage
• (13) Hecatomb - Damage/Recharge
• (25) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (50) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Recharge
• (50) Hecatomb - Damage/Endurance
• (50) Hecatomb - Chance of Damage(Negative)

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO
• (21) Taunt Duration IO

• (A) Run Speed IO

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
• (46) Recharge Reduction IO

• (A) Healing IO
• (15) Healing IO
• (15) Healing IO

• (A) Mocking Beratement - Taunt
• (42) Mocking Beratement - Taunt/Recharge
• (42) Mocking Beratement - Taunt/Recharge/Range
• (42) Mocking Beratement - Accuracy/Recharge
• (43) Mocking Beratement - Taunt/Range
• (43) Mocking Beratement - Recharge

• (A) Gift of the Ancients - Run Speed +7.5%
• (19) Gift of the Ancients - Defense

• (A) Smashing Haymaker - Accuracy/Damage
• (21) Smashing Haymaker - Damage/Endurance
• (37) Smashing Haymaker - Damage/Recharge
• (37) Smashing Haymaker - Damage/Endurance/Recharge

• (A) Endurance Modification IO
• (23) Endurance Modification IO
• (23) Endurance Modification IO
• (29) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End

• (A) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance
• (34) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage
• (34) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge
• (34) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
• (40) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge

• (A) Obliteration - Damage
• (27) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge
• (27) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge
• (33) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (33) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (33) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage

• (A) Resist Damage IO
• (29) Resist Damage IO
• (31) Resist Damage IO

• (A) Defense Buff IO
• (31) Defense Buff IO
• (31) Defense Buff IO

• (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff
• (43) Adjusted Targeting - Recharge
• (48) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
• (36) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge
• (36) Luck of the Gambler - Endurance/Recharge
• (36) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
• (48) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
• (48) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

• (A) Armageddon - Damage
• (39) Armageddon - Damage/Recharge
• (39) Armageddon - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (39) Armageddon - Accuracy/Recharge
• (40) Armageddon - Damage/Endurance
• (40) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage

• (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%

• (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff
• (45) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge
• (45) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance
• (45) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance
• (46) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance
• (46) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up

• (A) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage

• (A) Flight Speed IO

• (A) Empty

• (A) Run Speed IO

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO

You have the basics down. When I work with Mids I usually leave Advanced total open. It shows me how changes affect things.

Typical rule of thumb for end use/end rec is end recovery should be at least 2 points higher than end usage. Right now you're at 1.24 end use with only 2.76 end recovery.

Here are things that stick out like a slightly sore thumb:

- No need to 3 slot health with generic Health IOs, you can use the slots elsewhere.
- You're slotting Armageddons and Hecatombs, I guess money ain't an issue. Not required on a tanker but if you got 'em, use 'em. If you don't have 'em then purples are super expensive and not required for an SS/SD build
- If you 6 slot Makos and 6 slot TOD you'll get some good defense numbers. This may allow some flexibility in moving some other stuff around
- End recovery / end usage is horrible here. You *need* end redux in Tough, Weave, any toggle. 4 slot tough and weave. If you don't want to use LOTG or Titanium coating you can still go with generic IOs but you *need* an end redux in there
- Why focussed accuracy when you have rage?
- 6 slotting grant cover is over the top. It's an auto and costs no end. It's typically good for one LOTG 7.5. The power itself doesn't do anything for you other than give you some additional defense debuff.

That's my initial response to the build. Not a bad first shot and good job on reaching softcapped defenses.

Your defense #'s do not match mine in my Mids'. Most likely because you have Phalanx unmodified in your version to show the defense as if you have 1 teammate standing next to you.

OK looking at your build: Yes, having sets in those defense and resist powers will be very beneficial. I see a few things to think about. You have Boxing slotted better than KO Blow. Kinetic Combat is the better set for a positional defense set. The Steadfast will serve you better for both exemplaring and leveling if its in True Grit. Having both Focused Acc & Rage is over the top IMO. If you ever run FA, your end bar will go away fast.

In all honesty, the Hecatomb and Armageddon sets are more wishful thinking than anything else... it's probably going to be a 6-slot Mako's Bite and a 6-slot Obliteration instead of those... which will actually increase my Melee and Ranged Defenses by a decent chunk.

But if I slot a Resist set in True Grit, aren't I losing out on a couple hundred hit points? Or should I just assume that I'll make those up through Accolades and whatnot?

Likewise, if I slot a Resist set in Deflection, I lose out on a good chunk of Melee Defense, but if I slot a Defense slot in there, I lose a good chunk of Smashing/Lethal resistance. It seems to be a bit harder to make up the Resistance then the Defense....

I just skimmed your build, but if I can make a couple of suggestions:

• Try 4 slotting Gift of the Ancients in your defenses, it gives you a 2% recovery bonus and 1.8% additional endurance. My Shield Scrapper does this and while running 8 toggles is nearly as end efficient as a regen with quick recovery & stamina.
• For Deflection I tossed two generic resist IO's to finish out the slotting.
• Get the Steadfast Resist/3% defense unique... True Grit is a good place for it. Ah, I see it in OwtS... move it to True Grit.
• You're waiting a looooong time for a travel power; I still like to get that taken care of at 14. I slot 2 Blessing of the Zephyr for a 3.13% ranged defense bonus.
• I don't understand the attack slotting, why the Touch of Death if you're not going for the 6 slot melee defense bonus? Why the Mako's Bite if you're not 6 slotting for the ranged defense bonus?
• Hecatomb? Armageddon? Really? For less than the cost of a single one of those 12 IO's you could pay for an entire considerably more effective build. Just a FYI, I got a Hecatomb Dam/Recharge drop a couple of days ago and it sold for $200,000,000. Two Hundred Million for a single recipe. If you've that kind of inf to throw around cover the basics first; snagging the Miracle & Numina uniques will do you a lot more good for less than that same 200 million.
• Consider 3 slotting Active Defense for recharge to get some overlap; getting hit by a slow and having your mez protection suddenly no longer perma really bites. For optimal slotting put 3 Membrane Hami-O's in there to boost your debuff resistance.
• Remember that as a Shield tanker you're working for positional defenses, not typed. Therefore the Smashing Haymaker set isn't a good choice for you.

1. Full set of Mako's Bite - 3.75% ranged def for each set.
2. Set of 5 Scirocco's Dervish in AOE's - 3.13% AOE def for each set
3. Set of 2 Blessing of the Zephyr in Combat Jumping/Super Jump - 3.13% ranged def per set
4. Five sets of 4 Gift of the Ancients in the defenses for 2% recovery and 1.8% bonus endurance per set. That gave me a grand total of 111.3 points of total endurance (11.3 more than a "full bar") and an additional 10% recovery.
5. Steadfast 3% defense unique.

Here's my take at it. Still three slots left to use so put them where you want;

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1,401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 48 Magic Tanker
Primary Power Set: Shield Defense
Secondary Power Set: Super Strength
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Deflection -- GftotA-Run+(A), GftotA-Def(43), GftotA-Def/EndRdx(43), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(43), S'fstPrt-ResDam/EndRdx(45), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(46)
Level 1: Jab -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(17), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(17), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 2: True Grit -- Numna-Heal(A), Numna-Heal/EndRdx(3), Numna-EndRdx/Rchg(3), Numna-Heal/Rchg(13), Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(15), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(15)
Level 4: Haymaker -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(5), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(9), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(13)
Level 6: Battle Agility -- GftotA-Run+(A), GftotA-Def(7), GftotA-Def/EndRdx(7), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(9)
Level 8: Against All Odds -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 10: Active Defense -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- Jump-I(A)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A)
Level 16: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 18: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Heal(19), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx(19), Heal-I(37)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(21), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(21), P'Shift-End%(36)
Level 22: Knockout Blow -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(23), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(25), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
Level 24: Phalanx Fighting -- GftotA-Run+(A)
Level 26: Shield Charge -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(27), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(27), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Oblit-%Dam(36)
Level 28: Rage -- AdjTgt-ToHit(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(29), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(29), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(33), AdjTgt-Rchg(34)
Level 30: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(31), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(31), Mocking-Acc/Rchg(31), Mocking-Taunt/Rng(46), Mocking-Rchg(46)
Level 32: Grant Cover -- GftotA-Run+(A), GftotA-Def(33), GftotA-Def/EndRdx(33), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 35: Kick -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Foot Stomp -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(39), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(39), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), KinCrsh-Rechg/EndRdx(40)
Level 41: Tough -- ImpArm-ResDam(A), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(42), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(42), ImpArm-EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 44: Weave -- GftotA-Def(A), GftotA-Run+(45), GftotA-Def/EndRdx(45), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 47: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48)
Level 49: Swift -- Run-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet

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Good points and yeah I messed up, Grant cover is a toggle. And I forgot to change my Phalanx fighting value in my copy of mids for Tankers so it's adjusted now.

OP, I reworked this quickly. What's important is to keep your goals reasonable. Don't slot purples if you'll never be able to get them or afford them.

The only power change I made is I removed Focussed Accuracy and I put in Hasten. You'll get a lot more mileage out of Hasten than FA.

This isn't a final or uber build, but what's good about tanks is that their base numbers are pretty high. So you don't have to go expensive to get the softcapped defense numbers. You can slot much cheaper Multistrikes instead of obliterations as an example.

I changed the slotting around quite a bit so you get decent end recovery as well as some +rech and +acc.

The following may be a good base for you to go off of. From there take the other advice on more specific slotting for specific powers. But remmeber to keep the Advanced Totals open so you can see what kind of impact changes have.

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