Shield/Dark Melee Tank

I recently created a Shield/Dark Melee Tank, primarily because Shields offers a boost to Dark Melee's damage, which is already well-nigh unresisted by most enemies within the game.

As most of the long-time players of tanks know, Dark Melee's attacks are sort of meh in damage numbers. However, while largely unresisted, Darke Melee's damage is also efficient when factoring in the amount of endurance the set's attacks use.

Anyway, I've reached level 12 with the build, and can detect some added benefit to damage even when surrounded by as few as three or four enemies. So far, then, it seems that the build is promising in that regard.

Anybody out there have any experience with this type of build, especially at levels 12-30? Would dipping into the leadership pool for Assault be worthwhile....or just a waste of endurance?

Thanks beforehand for any advice you can give me.

The combo is great. As mentioned before SD together with AAO works great, also, SD + SC is awesome. My tanker is just for regular TF'ing and I have a quite cheap build, for survivability. It has softcapped positionals and capped S/L resist with one with the shield running, got some extra recharge and regeneration in a cheap way. It can be done much better, but here it is, if it can help you. Great fun overall.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1,601
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Murky Guard: Level 50 Natural Tanker
Primary Power Set: Shield Defense
Secondary Power Set: Dark Melee
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting

Hero Profile:
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Level 1: Deflection S'dpty-Def/EndRdx:40(A), S'dpty-Def:40(3), S'fstPrt-ResDam/EndRdx:30(3), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(5), ResDam-I:50(5), DefBuff-I:50(7)
Level 1: Shadow Punch Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(A), Mako-Dam%:50(7), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:50(9), Mako-Dmg/Rchg:50(9), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx:50(11), Mako-Acc/Dmg:50(11)
Level 2: True Grit ResDam-I:50(A), ResDam-I:50(13), ResDam-I:50(13), Heal-I:50(15), Heal-I:50(50)
Level 4: Shadow Maul M'Strk-Acc/Dmg:50(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx:50(15), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg:50(17), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx:50(17), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(27), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(29)
Level 6: Active Defense RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(19), RechRdx-I:50(19)
Level 8: Hurdle Jump-I:50(A)
Level 10: Battle Agility RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:50(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:50(21), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:50(21), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(23), RedFtn-Def:50(23), RedFtn-EndRdx:50(25)
Level 12: Hasten RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(25), RechRdx-I:50(27)
Level 14: Super Speed Run-I:50(A)
Level 16: Against All Odds EndRdx-I:50(A), Taunt-I:50(48), Taunt-I:50(50)
Level 18: Health Heal-I:50(A)
Level 20: Stamina EndMod-I:50(A), EndMod-I:50(29), EndMod-I:50(31)
Level 22: Taunt Mocking-Taunt:50(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg:50(31), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng:50(31), Mocking-Acc/Rchg:50(33), Mocking-Taunt/Rng:50(39), Mocking-Rchg:50(39)
Level 24: Boxing Acc-I:50(A)
Level 26: Shield Charge Oblit-Dmg:50(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg:50(33), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg:50(33), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(34), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(34), Oblit-%Dam:50(34)
Level 28: Soul Drain Sciroc-Acc/Rchg:50(A), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(36), RechRdx-I:50(36), RechRdx-I:50(36), RechRdx-I:50(48)
Level 30: Tough Aegis-ResDam:50(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:50(37), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:50(37), Aegis-Psi/Status:50(37)
Level 32: Weave S'dpty-Def/EndRdx:40(A), S'dpty-Def:40(39), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:50(40), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(40)
Level 35: Dark Consumption Efficacy-EndMod:50(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg:50(40), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg:50(42), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg:50(42), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc:50(42), Efficacy-EndMod/EndRdx:50(43)
Level 38: Midnight Grasp C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(43), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(43), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(45), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:30(45), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:30(45)
Level 41: Siphon Life Theft-Acc/Heal:30(A), Theft-Acc/EndRdx/Heal:30(46), RgnTis-Heal/Rchg:30(46), Dmg-I:50(46), Dmg-I:50(48)
Level 44: Phalanx Fighting DefBuff-I:50(A)
Level 47: Grant Cover EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 49: One with the Shield ResDam-I:50(A), ResDam-I:50(50)
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Level 1: Brawl Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest Empty(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet
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Set Bonus Totals:
10,5% DamageBuff(Smashing)
10,5% DamageBuff(Lethal)
10,5% DamageBuff(Fire)
10,5% DamageBuff(Cold)
10,5% DamageBuff(Energy)
10,5% DamageBuff(Negative)
10,5% DamageBuff(Toxic)
10,5% DamageBuff(Psionic)
8,31% Defense(Smashing)
8,31% Defense(Lethal)
10,2% Defense(Fire)
10,2% Defense(Cold)
6,13% Defense(Energy)
6,13% Defense(Negative)
3% Defense(Psionic)
9,88% Defense(Melee)
9,25% Defense(Ranged)
8% Defense(AoE)
1,8% Max End
16% Enhancement(Accuracy)
27,5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
70,3 HP (3,75%) HitPoints
MezResist(Held) 6,05%
MezResist(Immobilize) 7,7%
MezResist(Sleep) 1,65%
MezResist(Stun) 3,85%
3% (0,05 End/sec) Recovery
48% (3,76 HP/sec) Regeneration
2,21% Resistance(Fire)
2,21% Resistance(Cold)
5,5% Resistance(Psionic)
5% RunSpeed
2,5% XPDebtProtection






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Thanks for the help guys. I really like this combo, and may end up Frankenslotting some of the powers. I intend to pick up combat jumping, Phalanx Fighting by level 16 (I intend the build for team play) Tough and Weave. A lot of toggles, but I'll only run all of them if the situation demands it. The only real challenge, since I will have so many toggles, is getting some IO sets to help with endurance use and recharge.

Thanks again, Shuckins

You might want to try something I did on my Jab (Super Strength) tanker with your Shadow Punch(Dark Melee). That is a power you have to get and I hate being forced into a power because its my first option of my secondary, so I slotted the hell out of it. Well I slotted Jab with 4 Mako's (including the proc), Perfect Zinger Proc and Touch of Death Proc. That power is so fast to recharge and in PvP the base damage an average of 77 and when it all Procs it does 77 + 71 + 71 + 104 = 323. I would assume it would do something simular in PvE with shadow punch. The damage would be less in PvE; however the attack is so fast its damn near a DoT....lol