Help with Spines/Dark for Defense

I've been playing with Mids quite a bit in hopes of dusting off my old Spines/Dark. I'm looking for a final build to shoot for, so money is not an issue and I have the patience for PvP IOs as well.

Where I keep having trouble is finding a nice balace between defense and recovery/end drain and recharge. I've been using WP quite a bit and it is hard to train yourself to not slot for HP and regen so any help from the experts would be great.

The only attacks that are must have are Spine Burst, Quills, Death Shroud and Throw Spines. This will mainly be used for farming so OG is not an option.

I keep ending up with around 15-17 defense (after the multi billion +3%def IO) but would like to be able to push that number a bit higher.

Play around with this as a base, you might come up with something you like.



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Here is my current build for my spines/dark build, has around 30% defense to melee while having a somewhat manageable endurance drain. I have to work on that I find myself using CP a lot during longer fights.

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

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Murcielago: Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Spines
Secondary Power Set: Dark Armor
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Body Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Lunge -- Hectmb-Dmg(A), Hectmb-Dmg/Rchg(3), Hectmb-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), Hectmb-Acc/Rchg(5), Hectmb-Dmg/EndRdx(5)
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(7), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(7), ImpArm-ResDam(9), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(9), S'fstPrt-ResKB(33)
Level 2: Death Shroud -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(11), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(11), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(13), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(13), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15)
Level 4: Spine Burst -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(15), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(17), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(17), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Oblit-%Dam(19)
Level 6: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 8: Impale -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(21), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(21), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(23), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 10: Obsidian Shield -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(25), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(27), ImpArm-ResDam(27)
Level 12: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(29)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(37), Zephyr-ResKB(37)
Level 16: Murky Cloud -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(33), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(33), ImpArm-ResDam(34)
Level 18: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(34), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(34), P'Shift-End%(36)
Level 22: Dark Regeneration -- M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(25), Numna-EndRdx/Rchg(36), Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(36), Theft-+End%(37), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 24: Build Up -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(31), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(31), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(48), AdjTgt-Rchg(50)
Level 26: Ripper -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(40), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(40), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Oblit-%Dam(42)
Level 28: Quills -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(42), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(43), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(43), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43)
Level 30: Cloak of Darkness -- HO:Enzym(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(31), LkGmblr-Rchg+(48)
Level 32: Throw Spines -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(45), Posi-Dmg/Rng(46), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46)
Level 35: Oppressive Gloom -- Amaze-Stun/Rchg(A), Amaze-Acc/Rchg(39)
Level 38: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 41: Tough -- HO:Ribo(A), HO:Ribo(45), HO:Ribo(50), GA-3defTpProc(50)
Level 44: Weave -- HO:Enzym(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(46), LkGmblr-Rchg+(48)
Level 47: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 49: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit

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If by 'multi billion 3% defense io' you mean steadfast protection - that can be had at a merit vendor for only 125 merits ... just slide the slider to the appropriate level (it's range is 10-30 iirc) and it's under resistance.

125 merits isn't cheap, but as far as specific ios for merits, that is pretty cheap - and you can choose whatever level you want, and it's a sweet deal cheaper than spending millions on a recipe+salvage.

With the winter event going on, you can get 125 merits in 2-3 hours of very casual/relaxed/social play w/ WL hunting.

No they're referring to Gladiator's Armor: Teleportation Resistance/+ Defense.

Thanks for the reply. That gives me something to work with. And yes I was talking about the PvP IO for defense in addition to the steadfast.

It is my experience that a lot of people will keep attacking the Lord of Winter even if you've told everyone at the start "Guardian makes him invulnerable" and told people when it comes up, "Everyone attack the Guardian!"

I've been doing this on characters with either Sonic blasts, Sonic shields, or Rad, so there's been a decent damage multiplier going and/or good -Regen. I think that's the key, because you have to be able to take down a giant monster in about 3 minutes to do the Lord of Winter. Two teams should work, IF they've got good "AV killer" characters. I wish there was something I could say other than bring rad, dark, sonic or six extra characters...