I have a SD'SS tanker I absolutely love. True your AOE attacks (Shield Charge and Foot Stomp) don't come available until later on but properly slotted your other attacks do a lot of damage and carry you through until then. I am LAZY (LOL) so I always take fly as my travel power and add Air Superiority to the mix. Along with Haymaker and Knockout Blow that gives me 3 attacks that knock an enemy on it's butt before I ever get near Foot Stomp or Shield Charge. I slot all three of those for damage, accuracy and recharge so I head in and take on the BOSS or EB and can usually keep them on their back until they are more than half dead before they even get a chance to fire off many attacks of their own.
I have really only tried a Fire tank once and while you do get Combustion at level 4 from what I have read they nerfed FIRE Melee a long time ago and it really is no where near as good as it once was.. not to say it's bad just not GOD MODE like in the old days. Basically that's the only early AOE attack you get with since Fire Sword Circle doesn't arrive until level 28. One low level AOE attack really isn't that big a deal overall so I'd personally still go with SS.
As for Axe and Mace .. I really can't say I have never tried either but maybe some others can give you more advice on them. Seems like you are leaning toward Fire or SS anyway and while it's just my opinion I'd go with Super Strength. Good luck with whatever you decide and good hunting! :-D
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I have an SD/SS that's been my favourite Tanker, perhaps favourite character, since I started her. SD starts off with reasonable survivability (understanding that HP and Res trump Def in the early game, but that Def can trump both in the late game, it's important to order your slots and enhancements to reflect this) and eventually makes up for the weakest spot that Tankers has: damage. Rage, Shield Charge, and Footstomp together are enough to wipe out pretty much all white minions and most yellow minions, as well as making a nasty dent in anything else, it is probably the best late game mob buster amongst Tankers.|
Originally Posted by Jharber
I am finally going to make a shield tanker and I am trying to decide between super strength, fire, axe, and mace I am looking for the most damage and the best and/or great AoE. I know fire has a great early AoE and of course SS has FS at 38. I know Axe and Mace have a few AoE as well, but the damage is Lethal for Axe correct and Smashing for Mace? How do all these compare damage/Aoe wise?
I was thinking Axe initially, but then I thought about Lethal damage and how it seems everything is resistant to it and how it might really lower my damage when I get higher. I am now leaning toward SS, but of course waiting until 38 for FS and technically 39-40 to make FS good will be torture lol. I get basically instant glory with fire with the very early AoE, but the lack of any secondary (Knockdown) might greatly hurt my survivability in the end. Any advice is always welcome. TYVM! |
With SD for Tankers, it's very easy and relatively affordable to hit soft-cap, which turns SD from merely solid to an absolute juggernaut, which can still fall back on a decent T9 for times when defence gets debuffed by a large amount.
Lastly, the alternate animations for SS are pretty sweet: KO Blow's two arm swing actually ends up being a massive Shield Bash(!), Hurl becomes one-handed, and Footstomp becomes ground pound (while ducking behind shield).
I haven't played much with either Axe or WM with Shield, but honestly, the alt animations for SS with Shield sold me alone.
While I know SD/SS is one of the FotM builds, I would really recommend you go axe.
SS gets its one and only aoe way too late. Building in the recharge to close the gap means you likely get three recurring end crashes (rage, hasten, owts).
Fire has probably the best aoe dmg, but has no mitigation to shore up a deffense based primary while you level.
Axe has tons of high dmg attacks both aoe and st. It also has the added charm of adding a lot of mitigation via juggling to help you survive as you level.
For my money lethal resists are a little overblown. Every dmg type has problems with something.
....a few more details are covered in the guide in my sig. I won't repost another mosnter wall o' text in your thread. 
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My Shield/Mace Tanker is only level 26 but he is by far the most damaging Tanker I've built so far. War Mace has some nice cones and AoEs, has nice secondaries such as knock up, knock down and stun and the set 'feels' really powerful.
However, as to how that will play out at higher levels as Smashing gets resisted more and more, I cannot comment. But if it's fun your looking for and you enjoy watching your foes fall around you as you whack them with a giant stone war hammer, I can recommend it. 
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I've got a L50 SD/SS that I absolutely love; great survivablity and very good damage.
In regards to which secondary to choose there isn't really a bad choice and there isn't a combo that amazingly stands out, they all have their pros and cons. My advice is to go on concept and just have fun, whatever you choose it won't be gimped in any way.
From a damage perspective I've not had any issues taking mobs down on /SS which is mailny smashing damage.
If I was to make another Shield tanker I'd probably go with Electric Melee for the Shield Charge, Lightning Rod combo.
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
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Then go SS. Nothing can compare with a SD/SS as a scranker. AAO + double-stacked Rage + SC + FS = win. And PP to take care of your endurance.
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Originally Posted by Jharber
I am looking for the most damage and the best and/or great AoE
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Quote:
Wrong.|
Originally Posted by Exxar
Then go SS. Nothing can compare with a SD/SS as a scranker. AAO + double-stacked Rage + SC + FS = win. And PP to take care of your endurance.
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Shield/fire. Fire's extra aoes and DoT outweigh the perma rage on foot stomp and its smashing only damage. (build up is always up for shield charge so no argument there)
Add fireball and its closer, but the shield/fire will still win out. Not to mention get aoes MUCH sooner than the shield/ss will, much more fun for the teaming ride up there.
Shield/SS: 1.95 + 65% + 80%
Foot Stomp: 214.88
Fireball: 172.38
Total: 387.26
Shield/fire: 1.95 + 65%
FSC: 216.32
Combustion: 150.28
Fireball: 131.82
Total: 498.42
This is the shield/fire without using build up, versus the shield/ss WITH perma rage.
Add in build up, and the fact that I didn't even include breath of fire, the shield/ss is SO puny in comparison.
FSC and foot stomp are on the same recharge, so if you're figuring attack chains stop right there, the shield/fire already has attack-wise the same as the shield/fire Granted FSC is like .57s longer, its too small to factor in when you look at having combustion added and the fact that its mostly fire damage versus foot stomps all smashing.
Shield/elec is great for aoe too, obviously more than shield/ss, but less single target.
Shield/mace and shield/axe are also great builds though. I love the whole "cop" theme with shield/mace with the riot shield and billy club.
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I went with SD/Axe, and I...AM...A....GOD!
Mace is a excellent choice for SD/ on a Tanker as well.A SD/SS Build cant compair with the raw damage and fury this Tanker build can dish out.The same would be said for a SD/Mace build as well.
I agree that SD/FM does really hefty damage, however theres a slight issue with the build.It does only damage, no real midigation past SC.
Im 3/4 away from getting my Epic Pool for level 41.This Tanker does things that make most other Tankers and many Scrappers Blush.
Jumping in triggering BU and doing over 300 damage to 5 targets with Pendulum, hitting 2-4 targets for almost 400 damage using Cleave, then knocking down everything around you and dishing out 160 damage in a Whirling Axe AoE, and then KA-BOOM!450+ Damage with a submerged Shield Charge hits the entire mob.Thats commonly my Opener for a Mob, which commonly wipes 1/2 to 3/4 of the mob alone.
Caint Wait till I get Fireball.
I am finally going to make a shield tanker and I am trying to decide between super strength, fire, axe, and mace I am looking for the most damage and the best and/or great AoE. I know fire has a great early AoE and of course SS has FS at 38. I know Axe and Mace have a few AoE as well, but the damage is Lethal for Axe correct and Smashing for Mace? How do all these compare damage/Aoe wise?
I was thinking Axe initially, but then I thought about Lethal damage and how it seems everything is resistant to it and how it might really lower my damage when I get higher. I am now leaning toward SS, but of course waiting until 38 for FS and technically 39-40 to make FS good will be torture lol. I get basically instant glory with fire with the very early AoE, but the lack of any secondary (Knockdown) might greatly hurt my survivability in the end. Any advice is always welcome. TYVM!
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