Need help raising my defenses on BS/Shield

I have a level 48 BS/Shield scrapper. I'm about to do a respec to add in Tough and Weave and fix a couple other things. I would like to improve my defense. I have heard people talk about softcapping defense on /Shield, but I can't find a thread detailing the process. I have only 35 million influence and I'm guessing that's not nearly enough to softcap with IO bonuses? How about getting to 33% defense so that I can softcap with a single Luck inspiration? I do have Parry.

I have lots of respecs available on this character. Can someone help me plan my build so that I can get higher defense now and plan ahead for when I hit 50 and have more influence to spend?

Thanks for any help!

You should download the latest version of Mids at http://www.cohplanner.com/. Mess around with that and you can come up with something near, if not 45%. If you have questions, PM me.

Here's how I'd do it, on the cheap side. Main sets that the build focuses on is Serendipities for defense and Multi-Strikes for PBAoE's, both sets are cheap and I think even use common salvage making them cheap to make. You'll have to pony up and get the Steadfast Unique, thats gonna cost you, you'd probably have better luck doing some AE missions for tickets and rolling bronze 10-14 bags untill you get one. The Gaussians set is kind of pricey these days as well. Shop smartly though, avoid "buy now" prices and you should be able to come in on a budget.

For power choices I respecced out of Parry, I didn't want it in my attack chain and I hit the softcap easily enough without it. I grabbed Manuevers and then went with the Body Mastery choices to help with endurance issues (since you won't be able to afford the recovery uniques).

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/

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Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Broad Sword
Secondary Power Set: Shield Defense
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Body Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Hack -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(43), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Mako-Dam%(45)
Level 1: Deflection -- S'dpty-Def/EndRdx(A), S'dpty-Def(40), S'dpty-Def/Rchg(40), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(43), RctvArm-ResDam(46), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(46)
Level 2: Slice -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(3), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(3), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(34), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 4: True Grit -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), Heal-I(5), Heal-I(5), Heal-I(31)
Level 6: Build Up -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(7), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(7), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(17), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(17), GSFC-Build%(19)
Level 8: Battle Agility -- S'dpty-Def/EndRdx(A), S'dpty-Def(9), S'dpty-Def/Rchg(9), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(11)
Level 10: Active Defense -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff-I(A), DefBuff-I(13), Zephyr-Travel(13), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(15)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(15)
Level 16: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 18: Health -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(19), Heal-I(46)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Whirling Sword -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(23), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(23), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(25), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(25), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 24: Against All Odds -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 26: Disembowel -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(27), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(29), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), FrcFbk-Rechg%(31)
Level 28: Phalanx Fighting -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A)
Level 30: Kick -- KBDist-I(A)
Level 32: Head Splitter -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(33), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(33), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(33), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34)
Level 35: Shield Charge -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(36), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(36), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(36), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37)
Level 38: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam(39), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(39), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 41: Weave -- S'dpty-Def/EndRdx(A), S'dpty-Def(42), S'dpty-Def/Rchg(42), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 44: Maneuvers -- S'dpty-Def/EndRdx(A), S'dpty-Def(48), S'dpty-Def/Rchg(48), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 47: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48)
Level 49: Physical Perfection -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(50), Heal-I(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit

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Good sets for softcapping on the cheap are Red Fortune (ranged), Serendipity (AoE), Thunderstrike (ranged) and Multistrikes (melee/AoE). Less-cheap but not-too-expensive options include the full Gaussian's set (ranged/melee/AoE), Mako's Bite (ranged), Smashing Haymakers (melee), Scirocco's Dervish (AoE) and Performance Shifter (AoE). There's also the Steadfast unique, which I wouldn't conside especially expensive (I bought one yesterday for 15m, take note - double EXP prices) although it's certainly at the high end of the budget range.

BS has an advantage since Parry grants melee defense and melee defense tends to be more expensive to get (both in terms of influence and slot expenditure) than AoE or ranged defense. If you already use Parry regularly, you can chose to neglect melee defense entirely and only softcap ranged and AoE defense.

Whiskey Jack, no One with the Shield?

Will I need Conserve Power and Physical Perfection to cover End costs?

BTW thanks a bunch for providing that build!

Thanks again, Jack and others!

Whiskey Jack I owe you another thanks for advising me to try for the Steadfast Protection 3% Defense Unique recipe using AE tickets. I got it after spending only a few hundred tickets! You saved me like 35 million influence!

Actually I couldn't afford even the cheap build you suggested, so I contented myself with 33.49% positional defense to all, which softcaps using a single Luck inspiration or is melee and lethal softcapped with Parry. Also I often run with another /Shield scrapper, so that helps. I also took One With The Shield, Parry and Recall Friend instead of Conserve Energy, Physical Perfection and Maneuvers. OWTS boosts Endurance Recovery while it's active. I need Recall Friend because my friend always gets lost.

I haven't finished buying new level 50 IOs, but I will do that tonight probably. IO sets seem really, really expensive. I may just use regular IOs and a few accuracy/damage ones. I think I may be permenantly priced out of the market for IO sets as I avoid farming, grinding or buying influence. I also have some alts so my time is divided between characters. I softcapped a claws/SR a while back, my first level 50. But I don't think IO set prices were as high back then and he only needed a few sets.

Thanks again for all your help! I'm really pleased with my character and the respec I just did.

Good to hear, glad your new build is working for you.

If I were you, I'd start looking for the Multi-Strikes for your PBAoE powers (that should be four sets). It was more than a month ago that I was working on IO'ing an alt and bought a couple sets of those. Put low bids on the recipes you need (X4) and then wait for them, it shouldn't take more than a few days. It felt like some of those where actually cheaper than the common IO's at the time (double Xp weekend might have flooded the market though). Each of those Multi-Strikes will raise your melee defense 1.88%, so four sets will get you closer to 40% defense, which should be very noticeable.

I'm not sure how attached you are to Recall Friend, but if you group any, Grant Cover is a great power and also gives you added +Def Debuff which can be critical in the late game for a shielder.

I'm getting Grant Cover at level 49, which is only five bars away. I had Grant Cover, but dropped it for this new build. I'm getting it back though, very soon. Recall Friend is very important. I'll have them both.

Last night I soloed two radio misisons in PI at +2 level/8 players. It takes a lot of inspirations to get through a mission on that difficulty, but my character did it! I fought off five purple death mages at one point. So yeah, I'm pleased. My character is awesome. He does have a slight endurance problem. I'll be looking into fixing that if I can.