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Highly informative and useful. Great work! I'd definitely like to see this stickied.|
Originally Posted by Heraclea
Level 10-15: Positron
Best choices: Fiery Aura, Dark Armor Fire comes into its own in the Positron Task Force. It relies on its self heal, which recharges fast. Everything that Fiery Aura has that directly helps keep your character alive is available by level 12. One difficult mob group faced on the Positron TF is Vahzilok. Each application of Healing Flames gives you a minute of 20% base toxic resistance. Since its base recharge is 40 seconds, and successive applications stack, you can get up to 60% toxic resistance for some time. This helps with the dangerous vomit attacks. Set your self heal to cycle while facing Vahzilok. Dark Armor fares well versus the other difficult mobs on the task force, the Circle of Thorns ghosts. Their negative energy resistance excels here. Both these armors have a weakness against knockback, and Ruin Mages can be a pain unless you are specifically defended against knockback by set IOs, bonuses, or team buffs. |
My one suggestion:
Electric as at least a Maybe for Positron. I've run through it a couple of times with an Elec/ who had a lvl 20 build specifically for running Posi and Synapse. He did pretty decent. CoT and Vahz do get difficult, but it wasn't usually overwhelming. But that could have been the team build that helped. Just my opinion and only take it as that.
[edit] Electric for Lady Grey, too. I hardly have any problems with Rikti when on an Elec.
@Rylas
Kill 'em all. Let XP sort 'em out.
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Yes --- all of the resistance based sets seem to be superior to the defense based sets at Citadel and below levels. Electric would rise to the top on that ground alone, and there are also a lot of clockwork there, although they seem to be the least difficult of the three enemies. |
Originally Posted by Rylas
Electric as at least a Maybe for Positron. I've run through it a couple of times with an Elec/ who had a lvl 20 build specifically for running Posi and Synapse. He did pretty decent. CoT and Vahz do get difficult, but it wasn't usually overwhelming. But that could have been the team build that helped. Just my opinion and only take it as that.
[edit] Electric for Lady Grey, too. I hardly have any problems with Rikti when on an Elec. |
Mine isn't there yet --- so how does Electric fare versus the elite bosses on the Four Horseman mission in Lady Grey?
<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison
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I haven't taken my Elec/Stone tank through LG. He's also IO'd out. Which probably makes a difference at this point. My pre-20 build is only slotted for end recov and frankenslot levels of enhancement, which does little for survival. The pre-20 is also 6 slotted on everything.|
Originally Posted by Heraclea
Yes --- all of the resistance based sets seem to be superior to the defense based sets at Citadel and below levels. Electric would rise to the top on that ground alone, and there are also a lot of clockwork there, although they seem to be the least difficult of the three enemies.
Mine isn't there yet --- so how does Electric fare versus the elite bosses on the Four Horseman mission in Lady Grey? |
If you don't mind IO builds being used for reference, I'd gladly attempt the LG with him. The -res of the Horsemen could be difficult. I hadn't thought about them.
@Rylas
Kill 'em all. Let XP sort 'em out.
I find that one of the early game strengths of Fire is that its stun protection is in its first power. While it may not really apply to the early tf's so much, it does make early sewer runs with lost/vahz a lot easier.
I wish Inv got more love, but I can understand your reasons for that. Still, it should at least get a mention in the primarily s/l (Council, Freaks, etc.) tf's since a decently built inv tank can pretty much laugh off that damage.
They ALL float down here. When you're down here with us, you'll float too!
@Starflier
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I'd welcome anyone providing the perspectives I don't yet have |
Originally Posted by Rylas
If you don't mind IO builds being used for reference, I'd gladly attempt the LG with him.
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The Famine attacks are ranged/energy if I remember correctly, so an IO build focused on smashing/lethal/melee first may not make a huge difference, although a softcapped build to energy or ranged would.
<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison
Heraclea, have you taken into consideration the new examplar rules, where you get to keep powers slightly above your exemplared level? I can think of a few cases where a power slightly over the max level of the TF might come in handy, if you're not doing the TF right at the exact max level.
For instance, on Sister Psyche, against the slightly end draining Freakshow, Ice Armor can be okay, but if you're exemped from anything higher than level 26, you've got Energy Absorption, which can both help your Defense and your Endurance.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
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I had generally assumed that each task force would be led by someone higher than the maximum exemplar level for each, which puts the powers five levels above the maximum stated level within reach, if you have them. I also assumed that the tanker in question was above those levels and had the powers taken at those levels available.
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Originally Posted by Aett_Thorn
Heraclea, have you taken into consideration the new examplar rules, where you get to keep powers slightly above your exemplared level? I can think of a few cases where a power slightly over the max level of the TF might come in handy, if you're not doing the TF right at the exact max level.
For instance, on Sister Psyche, against the slightly end draining Freakshow, Ice Armor can be okay, but if you're exemped from anything higher than level 26, you've got Energy Absorption, which can both help your Defense and your Endurance. |
<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison
There's a slightly obscure point here that I don't see mentioned, but it makes a big difference on a few tasks. A few bosses have massive end drain and recovery debuffs, which can detoggle and kill tanks - notably Famine in the LGTF, and Recluse in the STF. Dark Armor's Murky Cloud and Stone Armor's Rooted confer an 86.5% resistance to end drain and recovery debuffs, which make them much stronger against these attacks. Electric Armor has a 103.8% resistance to end drain and recovery debuff in Static Shield, and another 69.2% resistance to end drain in Grounded, which makes it completely immune to end drain and recovery debuffs. It's generally a minor consideration, but I've heard of Stone tankers in Granite being twoshotted by Recluse because they didn't have Rooted up, and tanks without these drain protections must be more careful during these encounters.
@SPTrashcan
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Why MA ratings should be changed from stars to "like" or "dislike"
A better algorithm for ordering MA arcs
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I did mention that Electric had an advantage in Lady Grey, for exactly this reason. |
Originally Posted by SpittingTrashcan
Electric Armor has a 103.8% resistance to end drain and recovery debuff in Static Shield, and another 69.2% resistance to end drain in Grounded, which makes it completely immune to end drain and recovery debuffs. It's generally a minor consideration, but I've heard of Stone tankers in Granite being twoshotted by Recluse because they didn't have Rooted up, and tanks without these drain protections must be more careful during these encounters.
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I haven't heard anyone say that they preferred to take an Electric tanker as the main tank on a Statesman for that reason, though. The -end and -recovery power of Recluse is a ranged attack; my understanding is that the best way to avoid it is to charge straight to Recluse in melee and lead with Taunt. There generally isn't much point in doing anything other than taunting Recluse until the towers are down, and his 30% to hit bonus is going to require both team buffs and inspirations to outlast.
<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison
Very well written draft here Hera; one thing that occurs to me is how completely IO bonuses can change the playing field here.
Posi probably doesn't matter since you'll probably be exemp'd below any of your set bonuses so we're looking at base level performance. My only tanking experience here is with Invuln & Stone primaries and of the two Invuln certainly has the upper hand. I agree with your logic on the sets of choice here though... resist tankers have a big advantage.
No argument at all about Synapse either, the vast majority of the damage you'll take here is energy which puts Electric as the front runner.
Psyche is a cakewalk with Invuln and a bit of a challenge with Stone but in general Freaks are easy for most anyone.
By the time you're dealing with the 30+ TF's you may well start having significant IO bonuses which could skew the results considerably. For example, my Invuln soft caps at level 35 by design so his performance in Manti is much higher than a base Invuln. For dealing with Katie though if I can't get a Stone tank I'd just as soon have a team of 'trollers instead to keep the spawns in place... those end drains are absolutely brutal.
On the STF I'd agree with your choices with one caveat... Invuln at base level without IO bonuses will struggle here, particularly against Aeon and the tower buffed LR while Stone will have no difficulty even with SO enhancements barring sheer bad luck with LR. On the other hand we tried it a couple of weeks ago with a Shield tanker and he was fine until the tower phase... OwtS and purple candy handled the Red tower fine but LR got pissed off once we started on the Blue and two shotted the tanker... three times in a row through 75% defense. An outlier of course, but it was frustrating.
<edit>
Oh, Invuln and Stone can both solo tank the tower buffed LR with a little preparation... on CMA I carry 6 big oranges, 10 medium/large purples and 4 large greens. Pop a couple of oranges, one or two purples and then grab LR and pull him to a corner. If he gets lucky Dull Pain. If he gets lucky again pop a green. Keep oranges active until the Red tower goes down and purples until the Blue dies. No fuss or need for assistance freeing the team for dealing with the towers.
</edit>
All in all good work, I'd just suggest some mention of the enormous difference IO sets can make. And, of course, I'd rather have a really good tank player on a weak set than an idiot playing a granite.
COH has just been murdered by NCSoft. http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes
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I did mention that I'm assuming that the Invuln tanker has slotted so as to be close to soft cap for the STF, and added a link to your guide. While early set bonuses help --- I now have a fire tanker who has 30% defense on top of her resistance at level 30 --- I'm not sure that they're strictly necessary for an Invuln to tank Manticore, although they will obviously help. Many players don't think about sets until 50.
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Originally Posted by Call Me Awesome
All in all good work, I'd just suggest some mention of the enormous difference IO sets can make. And, of course, I'd rather have a really good tank player on a weak set than an idiot playing a granite.
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<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison
Just a thought, but for all the low level TFs if you're exemping down on a large team, a fully slotted dwarf form PB will out tank almost any real tank. How many real tanks are at 85% resists on sister psyche for example.
I have a frankenslotted and well proc'd out forms only PB that excels at this.
It's true. This game is NOT rocket surgery. - BillZBubba
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To some extent you're correct, but a slotted out Dwarf only reaches a bit above 58% resistance without outside assistance. Still that's tougher than most tankers in Posi levels, even allowing for enhancements being degraded by exemping that far.|
Originally Posted by Minotaur
Just a thought, but for all the low level TFs if you're exemping down on a large team, a fully slotted dwarf form PB will out tank almost any real tank. How many real tanks are at 85% resists on sister psyche for example.
I have a frankenslotted and well proc'd out forms only PB that excels at this. |
Now a PB teamed with several Blasters will cap out due to Cosmic Balance and a WS will with a group of Scrappers or Defenders.
COH has just been murdered by NCSoft. http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes
I don't intend any disrespect or offense, but I honestly hope this guide doesn't become a staple of the playerbase. It's very cool and scientific to write a guide for players who have multiple tanks and aren't sure which one to bring to specific task forces, and that's clearly your intention here. But what wouldn't be cool is if the playerbase, in its infinite lack of wisdom, decided to cleave to the precepts in this guide so unquetioningly that we began to see things like "Posi TF lf tank, Dark or Fire tank only plz" in the same way that we already see "STF lf Stone tank."
I mean, from my perspective, I only have two tanks: Invuln and Shield; each of them has successfully tanked practically every TF and trial, and I'd hate to see players told that "Invuln can't tank Positron" or some similar nonsense. With some sets, a player may need to use inspirations situationally to perform well, but that certainly doesn't mean that they can't perform well. While I see that your guide isn't meant to say, "Invuln can't tank Positron" or anything like that, be assured that a lot of inexperienced or undiscriminating players will read it that way.
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My invuln. |
Originally Posted by Minotaur
Just a thought, but for all the low level TFs if you're exemping down on a large team, a fully slotted dwarf form PB will out tank almost any real tank. How many real tanks are at 85% resists on sister psyche for example.
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He was built for toughness right from the start so he took the Fighting pool before the Fitness pool. He didn't get Stamina until around level 30.
Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
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I suppose this is one of the benefits of playing mostly not on the top 2 population servers. We don't have that luxury, and routinely run any content without any specific character type. On the other hand, I doubt I'll ever see the day when teams start demanding that the tankers that join them be Dark or Fire, even if they're good for some content.
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Originally Posted by Chaos_String
I mean, from my perspective, I only have two tanks: Invuln and Shield; each of them has successfully tanked practically every TF and trial, and I'd hate to see players told that "Invuln can't tank Positron" or some similar nonsense.
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<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison
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And he's at 85% to the energy damage too ? and the fire from the council ... The PB is to all but psi|
Originally Posted by Ironblade
My invuln.
He was built for toughness right from the start so he took the Fighting pool before the Fitness pool. He didn't get Stamina until around level 30. |
And to CmA
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To some extent you're correct, but a slotted out Dwarf only reaches a bit above 58% resistance without outside assistance. Still that's tougher than most tankers in Posi levels, even allowing for enhancements being degraded by exemping that far. Now a PB teamed with several Blasters will cap out due to Cosmic Balance and a WS will with a group of Scrappers or Defenders. |
It's true. This game is NOT rocket surgery. - BillZBubba
Thanks to all who helped me with suggestions to this draft! It's now live on the Guides section.
<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison
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True, a PB/WS does get a sizeable bonus depending on team composition; if you're on Posi with a pair of controllers though you won't see much improvement.|
Originally Posted by Minotaur
And he's at 85% to the energy damage too ? and the fire from the council ... The PB is to all but psi
And to CmA Quote:
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But your point is well taken, you're likely to have at least one or two of your "team bonus" AT's on most teams. Several of my SG mates tend to play controllers primarily which skews my experiences a bit.
COH has just been murdered by NCSoft. http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes
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I think that, because one person thinks this might happen and can come to expect this, that; at the top of the guide it could be emphasized to people that this possible outcome is not the intent. I am guessing that one plays all their tanks through TFs in order to gain merits. In order to not see it get both repetitive and labourous where molehills can turn into mountains; one likes to take their personal choice of best tool in for the job. I think in many cases what's best can differ for the people in team, because of the team make up.|
Originally Posted by Chaos_String
I don't intend any disrespect or offense, but I honestly hope this guide doesn't become a staple of the playerbase. It's very cool and scientific to write a guide for players who have multiple tanks and aren't sure which one to bring to specific task forces, and that's clearly your intention here. But what wouldn't be cool is if the playerbase, in its infinite lack of wisdom, decided to cleave to the precepts in this guide so unquetioningly that we began to see things like "Posi TF lf tank, Dark or Fire tank only plz" in the same way that we already see "STF lf Stone tank."
I mean, from my perspective, I only have two tanks: Invuln and Shield; each of them has successfully tanked practically every TF and trial, and I'd hate to see players told that "Invuln can't tank Positron" or some similar nonsense. With some sets, a player may need to use inspirations situationally to perform well, but that certainly doesn't mean that they can't perform well. While I see that your guide isn't meant to say, "Invuln can't tank Positron" or anything like that, be assured that a lot of inexperienced or undiscriminating players will read it that way. |
Might also be more accurate to exchange the word should for could and the word will for can in some places.
On average Kheldians ain't out tanking no one. Tanking isn't more about resistance. Why they're mentioned in a tanky thread I don't know.
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
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The version posted to the Guides section has this second paragraph:|
Originally Posted by New Dawn
I think that, because one person thinks this might happen and can come to expect this, that; at the top of the guide it could be emphasized to people that this possible outcome is not the intent. I am guessing that one plays all their tanks through TFs in order to gain merits. In order to not see it get both repetitive and labourous where molehills can turn into mountains; one likes to take their personal choice of best tool in for the job.
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| Note at the outset that any tanker can tank any game content, and the task force you need or want to run, or the one you just enjoy running, is the one you should play. Rather, this guide is intended for players who have multiple tankers to choose from, like I do. Some tankers will have an easier time with some content than others will. The purpose of this guide is to enable the tanker fan who has several available tankers to select the one that will perform best on the task force. |
<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison
Nice guide. I find myself agreeing with a lot of it.
I do disagree on Willpower (w/ Tough/Weave and IOs). After IOing out my own WP/ tanker (I really should remake a WP tanker, as I stole her IOs after the EM suckage), I found you can make a WP/ who can easily take the alpha, and is still the only tank I've seen handle Towered up LR, on it's own.
Mind you I don't run STF as much as ITF, so I'm not saying others havent done it, just that I myself, haven't seen it done.
With IOs, I just find Willpower overcomes so much, and has very few weaknesses.
BrandX Future Staff Fighter
The BrandX Collection
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The same could be said of any number of sets with IOs. It's hard to say generally what level of IOs people generally are going to have, though. The only place for which I really assumed an IO build was in talking about the Statesman TF.
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Originally Posted by BrandX
With IOs, I just find Willpower overcomes so much, and has very few weaknesses.
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<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison
I am a bit surprised that Shield did not rate better. Why was this?
This contains a lot of personal editorializing. It's a proposed guide: which tanker should I take to the task force, for people like me who have more than one. I figure this might step on some toes, so feedback containing differences of opinion is especially sought.
The Right Tool for the Job
- the tanker participating in the task force is not running it to level, but can use the powers up to five levels above the stated maximum combat level of the task force, as allowed by the exemplaring rules; and
- that the task force leader is also high enough that it is being run at the maximum combat level.
Being, a guide to matching the correct defensive set with the hero side task forces
I play many tankers, and have a level 50 tanker of every primary except Electric and run many task forces. This guide attempts to match defensive sets with the team required task forces, and suggest which kind of tanker you should bring to each.
Note at the outset that any tanker can tank any game content, and the task force you need or want to run, or the one you just enjoy running, is the one you should play. Rather, this guide is intended for players who have multiple tankers to choose from, like I do. Some tankers will have an easier time with some content than others will.
I find that generally speaking, resistance sets fare best in the lower level capped content, while defensive sets come into their own in the later game. I have also assumed that
Stone Armor is the outlier, the tanker set that preserves i5 levels of defense and resistance at a substantial damage and recharge penalty. It tends to excel at everything once it gets to Granite, but is rather reliant on specific buffs to avoid its penalties.
Level 10-15: Positron
Best choices: Fiery Aura, Dark Armor, Electric Armor
Fire comes into its own in the Positron Task Force. It relies on its self heal, which recharges fast. Everything that Fiery Aura has that directly helps keep your character alive is available by level 12.
One difficult mob group faced on the Positron TF is Vahzilok. Each application of Healing Flames gives you a minute of 20% base toxic resistance. Since its base recharge is 40 seconds, and successive applications stack, you can get up to 60% toxic resistance for some time. This helps with the dangerous vomit attacks. Set your self heal to cycle while facing Vahzilok.
Dark Armor fares well versus the other difficult mobs on the task force, the Circle of Thorns ghosts. Their negative energy resistance excels here.
Both these armors have a weakness against knockback, and Ruin Mages can be a pain unless you are specifically defended against knockback by set IOs, bonuses, or team buffs. Since Acrobatics is a top tier power in the Jumping pool, only available at level 20, and you probably took that other top tier power from the Fitness pool at 20 instead, it's probably not going to be there to help you if your build relies on it for knockback protection.
Electric Armor is the best to take against the Clockwork, although they really come into their own in the next task force, Synapse. They also get knockback protection in Grounded.
Level 15-20: Synapse
Best choice: Electric Armor
All Clockwork, all the time. Electric Armor naturally goes to the top of the class in its resistance to the electrical attacks of the Clockwork, and Grounded provides protection against endurance drain as well. This is the clear winner here; all others are a second choice.
Level 20-25: Sister Psyche
Best choices: Invulnerability or Fiery Armor may be best, but all should be able to handle this.
Freakshow, with a side of Council. Any tanker that has difficulty with this is a poorly built tanker. The ability to bounce back from a difficult alpha with multiple bosses is the main consideration here. Fire excels at that. And Invulnerability is the premier smashing and lethal resistance set, with a self heal in case of surprise.
During these levels, resistance + heal sets often perform better than defense builds. Defense builds do not fare well when the effectiveness of enhancements is proportionally reduced, set bonuses are exemped away, and key powers may have been postponed. Speaking generally, defense sets will have large holes until all the pieces of the puzzle are in place.
Dependence on tier 9 powers to take alpha strikes is another disadvantage; you will not have level 32 powers on this task force. This puts Stone Armor at a disadvantage, and Willpower builds may not have Tough and Weave at these levels, and need to rely on Strength of Will to survive tough alphas.
Level 23-28: Moonfire
Best choices: Dark, Ice, Electric; but any tanker can handle this
All Council, all the time. Plenty of those annoying Galaxy Mexican-wrestler mimes, as well as the usual Council nuisances of Marksmen.
Sets that resist immobilization and recharge slow will do well here. Ice, Electric, and Fire have some resistance to slows, but Fire's is in Temperature Protection, omitted by many builds and postponed in most. Invulnerability also gets some slow protection in Resist Energies, but that is skipped by many and postponed by most.
Ice and Stone have a minor disadvantage in one mission. Slow auras have a minimal effect on the War Wolves. Dark similarly has an advantage on the vampyre mission.
This is the first task force for which Granite is available. But the mobility penalties of Stone are especially annoying on Council catwalk maps.
Level 25-30: Citadel, Ernesto Hess
Best choices: Invulnerability, but any will do.
These two task forces are very similar in their requirements, featuring all Council, with energy wielding archvillains. Unlike Moonfire, the spawns are not reweighted to favor certain Council spawn types. By this point, if you've run all of the preceding task forces, even Fire and Dark Armor tankers are going to have adequate knockback protection. The robots will not faze you. Slow resistance is good here because of the annoying plinking Marksmen. But any tanker that struggles with these task forces probably needs a respec. Since almost all incoming damage is lethal or smashing, Invulnerability has some advantage. But like Sister Psyche, if you're having serious difficulty here something is wrong.
Granite is available on these, but the inability to jump is going to be seriously annoying on those Council maps.
Level 30-34: Katie Hannon
Best choice: Stone
Getting past the ten respawns of Mary Macomber is the only real issue here. If your server's tradition is like mine, she is fought at the same location each time. Stone's mobility penalty does not come into play here. Its exceptional resistance and defense,resistance to endurance drain, and practical immunity to knockback are all advantages on a task force that is rather unkind to melee sets generally. And of course Granite is available here.
This is the first task force that will give you access to the tier 9 power of your secondary.
Level 30-35: Manticore
Best choice: Ice, Dark, Electric, Fire (maybe)
There aren't really many tankers that make a big difference here. All tanker builds should be able to stand up to Hopkins fairly easily and tank the Creys. Control - and specifically the ability to prevent Paragon Protectors from using Moment of Glory or Elude - is what is going to make the run enjoyable rather than tedious, so having a secondary set that can shut that down is a larger concern here. Dark Melee, Ice, Super Strength, Mace, or Stone Melee work well. The fears of Dark Armor give that set an advantage. This is more likely going to be a teammate's responsibility, though, especially in a full team spawn featuring multiple Paragon Protector bosses.
The other concern is the slows from the various Crey cryo weapons. Sets with resistance to slows are valuable here, so Ice, Electric, and maybe Fire are also good to take.
Level 35-40: Numina
Best choices: Fire, Invulnerability, Dark, Electric
The Nemesis and Devouring Earth enemies you will be fighting here have abilities that can cut defense sets to ribbons. A Shield tanker, without a self-heal, can easily get in trouble here when the Quartz comes out. Ice fares slightly better because of the heal and Hibernate, but you still don't want to mostly sleep through the mission.
Vengeance and emanators create fewer problems for resist based sets. And Jurassik is just a matter of having the effective hit points.
Level 35-50: Imperious
Best choice: Invulnerability, Willpower (with Tough and Weave)
Again with the defense debuffs. The two generalist sets are IMO the best things to bring here: some defense, resistance, and regeneration is they way to go here. Invulnerability probably gets a slight edge over Willpower when tanking Nictus Romulus is at issue; but Willpower probably fares better against the cyst defending Nictus and Requiem. Willpower will not be able to take some of the Roman alphas before Tough and Weave are in place, but by these levels you probably should have them both.
Level 40-50: Shadow Shard Task Forces (Dr. Quaterfield (40-44); Sara Moore (40-50), Justin Augustine, Faathim (44-50)
Best choices: Willpower, Stone, Dark
All of these have one thing in common: facing Rularuu. Other foes include Circle of Thorns, Nemesis, Rikti, and Malta. Travel powers are almost as important for these as primary sets. Flight or Teleport are necessities unless you want to wait for teammates to teleport you to mission doors.
The other consideration is psionic resistance or defense. Stone, Willpower, and Dark excel in this department by virtue of the fact of having any; most other sets have none. Having resistance and regeneration or self heals is also valuable given the amount of defense debuff you will face.
Level 45-50: Lady Grey
Best choices: Willpower, Electric
All Rikti. Two factors make Willpower the best choice here. The ability to tank the several archvillains is something that can be done by any of the well rounded sets that excel in the late game.
Willpower wins because of its psionic defense, helpful against Rikti bosses; and because of its recovery advantage. The Famine elite boss kills more tankers than the archvillains do in my experience, and having your blue bar full going in is going to help a whole lot.
Electric's strong resistance to endurance debuffs are also a strong point when facing the elite bosses in the Four Horsemen mission. Given the pacing of the mission, and the fact that your team is only facing elite bosses, Power Surge is unlikely to wear off at a critical moment.
Level 45-50: Dr. Kahn
Best choices: Shields; Ice
The Fifth Column are pretty much like the Council, and most tankers can handle most spawns.
The problem is Reichsman, and his Fist of Tyranny attack. If it hits you it will stun you. Being softcapped against smashing or AoE attacks is your best defense. Shields and Ice will get you there. And since he has more than ten times the hit points for a typical AV, having a damage buff doesn't hurt either. Defense based sets like Ice also come into their prime here.
More than any other Task Force, this one benefits from having two tankers. Dark Armor would be a good choice for an off tanker; the Dark Armor would be tougher than most against Schadenfreude, Countess Crey, and Vanessa DeVore.
Level 45-50: Statesman
Best choices: Invulnerability, Stone
This is probably rightly considered the most difficult task force to tank. So difficult, in fact, that any tanker primary can tank it: it's more of a test of team buffs, heals, inspirations, and build than it is of the relative value of tanker primaries. Ability to survive large alpha strikes may put Willpower, Dark, Electric, and Fire at a disadvantage, especially during the Dr. Aeon fight and Recluse's summoning phase. But the fully tower buffed Lord Recluse can kill any tanker including a Granite tanker.
Stone is considered by many to be the premier tanker for this task force. There is much to be said for this conventional wisdom. They have strong resistance, adequate defense, a self heal, and can resist Recluse's endurance drain and -recovery power as long as they have Rooted on. They start closer to where they need to get, need relatively fewer team buffs, and don't require heavy investment in set IOs to get there.
But, all things considered, I'd rather be Invulnerability, at least if the Invulnerability tanker is well equipped with defense bonus IO sets. This isn't the place for a full discussion on how to softcap an Invulnerability tanker, and merely being soft capped is not enough for Recluse in any case; but an Invulnerability tanker so equipped is close to Stone in survivability, and superior in aggro control. This is a matter of personal taste. The patrons and Recluse himself can get squirrelly sometimes. Ability to react may be important, and unlike Stone, Invulnerability has no disadvantages here. Ghost Widow is more a challenge of team buffers than of tanker primaries.
Invulnerability tankers will remember, but Stone tankers may need to be reminded: you do need to watch out for Regent Korol's psionic nuke, though. This kills Granite tankers easily. Do not neglect your other armors.
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