Help me plot out a Fire Tanker that won't die...ever
If you're emphasizing survivability, I'd recommend Touch of Fear as soon as it's available. It's perma out of the box; two applications will fear a boss, but it also carries a 10.5% to-hit debuff, which is what I'd recommend enhancing.
Burn would be good for those "Aaah! Get it off me!" moments, and if you wanted to pick up immobilize protection earlier, Combat Jumping is another option.
Hope this helps.
general rule of thumb. Fire Aura has Rise of the Pheonix for a reason. It needs it. No matter what you do, even soft-capping your fire tank, you will eventually go splat.
Taunt and the Earth Epic. To tank the untankable for teams that are unthinkable in some peoples eyes. Anything is possible with them.
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.
Quote:
1) Invincible Reichsman|
Originally Posted by New Dawn
Anything is possible with them.
|
2) Hamidon
:P
Quote:
Reichsman will be doable with 7 others but not Hamidon. I didn't mean to be so loose on anything XD.
|
Originally Posted by Sarrate
1) Invincible Reichsman
2) Hamidon :P |
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.
It does seem odd to play this particular rule on a character who has an in-set rez. For thematic reasons, I would suggest letting characters with a primary/secondary rez continue if the rez is used within a certain number of seconds of "dying". (I would also tend towards a similar rule for defender/controller rezzes: it's allowed if it hits within a certain time after the death. If your rez or the defender's isn't back up yet - well, too bad.)
Personally I just love the Rise Of The Phoenix animation and it seems a shame to play a Fire Tanker who can never use it. 
Okay, Sailboat, for Survivability, you're correct in thinking that you need to get your core defenses in place ASAP. One of those key powers is Consume. With Consume and some EndRed in your attacks, you won't need Stamina as much, as soon. This is also true of Healing Flames.
Here is how I've built my own Fire/Dark:
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.621
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Balrog Kitten: Level 48 Magic Tanker
Primary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Secondary Power Set: Dark Melee
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leadership
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Shield -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Shadow Punch -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Smite -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Shadow Maul -- Empty(A)
Level 6: Healing Flames -- Empty(A)
Level 8: Consume -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Plasma Shield -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Siphon Life -- Empty(A)
Level 18: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Stamina -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Blazing Aura -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Assault -- Empty(A)
Level 28: Soul Drain -- Empty(A)
Level 30: Burn -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Touch of Fear -- Empty(A)
Level 35: Dark Consumption -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Midnight Grasp -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Tactics -- Empty(A)
Level 44: Fiery Embrace -- Empty(A)
Level 47: Temperature Protection -- Empty(A)
Level 49: Rise of the Phoenix -- Empty(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 0: Ninja Run
Code:
Granted, he is Not intended for Iron-man play, so you'll want to adjust the mid-level and late-level power picks to suit. However, those first 12 levels are critical to your future survival.| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;923;465;930;HEX;| |78DA9DD1DD6A13411806E0094D5CD76CDCA64B8C692D9542A1A5B0F4D09F0351D34| |2B18120C123358CE9982E0DB36176057BE605F4167A21E2893FAD7A452A5ABBBEDF| |972F45EA994BF665E7D97776864CE7753B50EACD3D550A1E8E7496F57BDAEE1B57E| |9E86132A83DD023970E6F3E4AF2DC584F29D59ABCEEB7CD4B6333136F25C61DF4EF| |BF72BA296F3A66644CDCD66E7FF258DFB67BC6199BC7D387A09BA6A378C7E871628| |793C156925B9365E1F4CDAE71D95E329EE3710F9F19A72ED77992DA68739C0CE24D| |6BDCF0A0DFD1598EF5AF63636BB83FF888126E55E0874B7D23517FCB775F2A9012C| |B0FC88CC80CCB474845A4C2720CF1785EA13C966BF8377CE9F82C27185665F52A4B| |139D9A746A2C3FD1094542964BE8D465569DC583442211CB654843A4C1F21EDF69C| |A779A2C73E8B4445A2CA7E82CC89E17583E4316A5B3C8F20BB224B2C4F21BB22CB3| |9659CE202BD2596189B0D6AAC82ACB1774D645D6593E4162D973CCF215B2219D0D9| |61BE58BA7B3F38F74CB17CF6BAD7C7ECA853FCB4D3529FFD7F536982EE93FBE82EC| |5174299E503CA57846F19C4253BCA0185014EFCE6787B7685FB729EE50DCA568607| |FEA909A5E1551A508286A145729428A598A88629EE288A2F803DC7426B4| |-------------------------------------------------------------------|
Be Well!
Fireheart
Quote:
Every man dies. Not every man truly lives.
|
Originally Posted by je_saist
No matter what you do, even soft-capping your fire tank, you will eventually go splat.
|
If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
----------------------------------------------------------
The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog
Quote:
Bollocks to that. I won't say I have never died with my Fire/Fire, but it is quite rare (and usually when I go over my head solo... which takes some doing). Same thing for any tank build, though. And really... Fire/Dark will be more survivable than Fire/Fire: two heals would just be... nice. Hmmmm, maybe I should try that. |
Originally Posted by je_saist
general rule of thumb. Fire Aura has Rise of the Pheonix for a reason. It needs it. No matter what you do, even soft-capping your fire tank, you will eventually go splat.
|
If you want a tough fire tank, Sailboat, getting more resistance from Tough, a form of defense (either positional or to Smash/Lethal), +HP, and +recharge are all your friends. You'll be able to take more punishment, dodge more punishment, and heal from it sooner.
Feel free to check out the guide in my sig too, Sailboat... it'll have a lot of good info for you on tanking, but also Fiery Aura. You should be able to go for something similar to my main tanking build for Grey Pilgrim, which has all of what I described in my previous paragraph. Tanked with that build in pretty much everything in game, and can adapt to just about any situation since it has defense and resists to all (made sure to add in Psy defense and resists, as well as Melee/AOE/Ranged).
I'll see if I can make a build later, kind of interested in a Fire/Dark Tanker now. Almost makes me want to reroll my DP/WP Scrapper, too.
Guide: Tanking, Wall of Fire Style (Updated for I19!), and the Four Rules of Tanking
Story Arc: Belated Justice, #88003
Synopsis: Explore the fine line between justice and vengeance as you help a hero of Talos Island bring his friend's murderer to justice.
Grey Pilgrim: Fire/Fire Tanker (50), Victory
Quote:
That's quite sig worthy.|
Originally Posted by Sailboat
Every man dies. Not every man truly lives.
|
Deep for sure.
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.
Quote:
Thanks, but can't take credit; it's from Braveheart.|
Originally Posted by New Dawn
That's quite sig worthy.
Deep for sure. |
Thanks for the builds and suggestions, everybody.
Fireheart, I'm curious -- why is Consume such a critical skill for survival? It seems like it's not up often enough that it couldn't be replaced by careful inspiration management.
If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
----------------------------------------------------------
The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog
Quote:
I can only speak from my own experience and it's not like I've done a ton of research on the matter - other than leveling up a half-dozen Fire Tankers, of whom one is 23 and two are 30. However, my SS/Fire Brute is my one L50 Villain.|
Originally Posted by Sailboat
Fireheart, I'm curious -- why is Consume such a critical skill for survival? It seems like it's not up often enough that it couldn't be replaced by careful inspiration management.
|
Still, here is how my experience goes...
You're fighting a bunch of enemy and, since you're the Tanker, you're in the middle of the spawn, or you've got them bunched up in a nice pile, and you're giving them all the benefit of a beat-down. Unfortunately, since you're a Young Tanker, you really aren't all that bulletproof yet and you don't have Stamina or SOs, so out of the corner of your eye, you're watching your Green Bar melt away, which wouldn't be so bad, if your Blue Bar wasn't melting Faster! And, for some reason you don't have an Empathy Defender in your back pocket...
So, your Blue Bar has passed the final third, on the way to de-toggle hell and your Green Bar is down to half... But that's okay, because you are a Fire Tanker! And, better still, you've still got 3-4 live enemies within 20 feet (!!!) who have been laughing their butts off, because they think you're a gonner and they'll get to watch you face-plant.
So you hit Healing Flames > Consume! Sa-whishawhisha! > Fooosh! Then throw your head back and laugh like Superman, because your Green Bar is full and so is your Blue Bar, and every enemy (that you hit) within 20 feet (!!!!!!) has contributed to your resurgent strength. And they're all going {O.O} and OMG! and 'We are sooo Doomed!' as you turn and tear into them some more.
Now, the Problem comes when, a little while later, you're in the same sort of situation, but Consume hasn't recharged, yet... That's when it helps to have 3-4 blue pez in your Inspiration bar, just to tide you over until the next time Consume can turn you from panting loser to invigorated winner in 3 seconds.
FYI, I ran the first few missions in Montague's Midnighter arc last night, solo, set on +1x2, with the now L14 Fire/Dark Tanker from the build above, and I did not die even once.
**Granted, I had one small advantage - being Magic Origin, I had everything 2-slotted with Owl Talismans, from Yin's Market, so I have better than +60% Accuracy. I highly recommend it!
Be Well!
Fireheart
Yeah, end recovery powers are great... I do wish Consume recharged faster than it did, but it's nice not to be dependent on having a blue inspiration to pop (and Consume can fill up your entire blue bar, which not many inspirations can do). That's nice for any fast moving team (or solo), but if you run into end drainers, it's great. Especially nice if you're fighting Carnies.
Guide: Tanking, Wall of Fire Style (Updated for I19!), and the Four Rules of Tanking
Story Arc: Belated Justice, #88003
Synopsis: Explore the fine line between justice and vengeance as you help a hero of Talos Island bring his friend's murderer to justice.
Grey Pilgrim: Fire/Fire Tanker (50), Victory
Quote:
They drain you, so you drain them Right Back! |
Originally Posted by Grey Pilgrim
Especially nice if you're fighting Carnies.
|
Plus, Plasma Shield resists Energy damage.
Be Well!
Fireheart
Quote:
I also recommend using low-level IOs. A level 17 triple gives roughly the same bonuses as an even level SO and you can slot it at level 14. Level 20 duals give 32% instead of 33.3% and you can slot those as early as level 17.|
Originally Posted by Fireheart
FYI, I ran the first few missions in Montague's Midnighter arc last night, solo, set on +1x2, with the now L14 Fire/Dark Tanker from the build above, and I did not die even once.
**Granted, I had one small advantage - being Magic Origin, I had everything 2-slotted with Owl Talismans, from Yin's Market, so I have better than +60% Accuracy. I highly recommend it! |
Take a simple three-slot example: Acc, Dam, Endmod all SOs for 33.3%/33.3%/33.3%
Or:
Level 17 Acc/Dam/End/Recharge Pulverizing Fisticuffs
Level 17 Acc/Dam/Recharge Pulverizing Fisticuffs
Level 20 Dam/End Bonesnap
Gives: 20.4%Acc/36.0%Dam/25.5%End/20.4%Rchg
Only one of them is at all expensive (the quad). If you do the Bonesnap at level 17 you are equal but not better to the SOs and you can slot it at the same level 14. However, any origin can benefit this way.
If you wait until you are level 22 you could do a lot better with level 25 versions of the Smashing Haymaker Dam/End/Recharge and both Focused Smite triples
Or just go with
Bonesnap Acc/Dam Level 17
Pounding Slugfest Acc/Dam Level 17
Pounding Slugfest Dam/End Level 17
Gives you
27.2%Acc/40.8%Dam/12.6%End bonus. And 8% regen, which is something worth considering on an iron-man character. Or go with three Acc/Dam IOs for 40.8% Acc/40.8% Dam. with no regen bonus. I dunno, I think I like 40%/40% more than just 60% accuracy. Especially since it will still be 40%/40% when I'm level 50 and the Yin O's will be 0/0 before level 22.
That probably could be bought with the inf you get off of your large Insps from the tutorial. I regularly get 350k+ for mine but I'm patient. If you just list them for 5inf each and pray, you might get as low as 20k.
I find that about 25-30% accuracy against +0 con enemies is quite enough. If you run against +2s, then the higher accuracy from either triple Acc/Dam's or Fireheart's Yin O recommendation might be worth it.
Stacking the Res/Endurance IOs from Impervium Armor, Reactive Armor, and Impervious Skin is also very cheap and can net you a very noticeable advantage early on. Again, if we pretend all level 17 IOs and three slots, that's 24.6% Res/40.8% End available to you as early as level 14, you should be able to buy each of the recipes for 50k, and the crafting costs will be 18k each, ingredients should be free if you're careful to save the right ones. Only expensive ingredients are the Page from the Malleus Mundi for Impervium Armor and the Ancient Artifact for Reactive Armor. Those can each go for over 20k.
It's a shame resistance doesn't have any cheap set with bonuses like Serendipity. Picking up health, regen and accuracy before level 15 would be very nice.
"Hmm, I guess I'm not as omniscient as I thought" -Gavin Runeblade.
I can be found, outside of paragon city here.
Thank you everyone at Paragon and on Virtue. When the lights go out in November, you'll find me on Razor Bunny.
All of that may be so, Gavin, but I think you're missing the Point. My point is that, with 2x Yin's Talismans, I have +60-75& Accuracy from Level 10 up. That means that Consume doesn't miss. Your attacks don't miss. Your Dark Melee Debuffs don't miss. Your Gauntlet Taunt doesn't miss.
At L14 you can replace them with new Yin's Talismans, or hold on to L15 and combine the 13s you got at level 10 with a set of 17s. And you can do it again at level 18/19. And unless you Frankenslot across 4-5 slots, you're just not going to beat or even match that value.
And why do I consider Accuracy so important? Because, unless you hit the enemy, Everything Else is meaningless. It doesn't matter how Endurance efficient your attacks are, nor how quickly they Recharge, and how much Damage you do is especially irrelevant, if you Don't Hit The Target!
Sure, this level of enhancement is vastly overkill against even-level minions. When was the last time you Enjoyed fighting even-level Minions? And those guys aren't alone! There's going to be Lieutenants and Bosses in that mission... Maybe even an EB, or AV! Better hope you brought a bucketful of Insight inspirations!
Or, learn to love the Accuracy. That's what I did!
Be Well!
Fireheart
Quote:
Actually that's a good question, what level of enhancement do you need to hit 90% chance to hit against +2s? If I'm not mistaken I *think* your 60% gives a 90% chance to hit +2s? Barring any teammate buffs and enemy defenses.|
Originally Posted by Fireheart
Sure, this level of enhancement is vastly overkill against even-level minions. When was the last time you Enjoyed fighting even-level Minions? And those guys aren't alone! There's going to be Lieutenants and Bosses in that mission... Maybe even an EB, or AV! Better hope you brought a bucketful of Insight inspirations!
|
I actually prefer fighting +0 or +1s. I generally don't like +2 through +4 because it is the exact same activity just for smaller numbers on them and bigger numbers on me. I play for the stories, and for the teammates. Not many do, especially people who've been around a while longer than me, y'all have gotten bored with the stories and find most of the play too easy. So, that's why I did add:
Quote:
| I find that about 25-30% accuracy against +0 con enemies is quite enough. If you run against +2s, then the higher accuracy from either triple Acc/Dam's or Fireheart's Yin O recommendation might be worth it. |
Quote:
| Or, learn to love the Accuracy. That's what I did! |
The key issue, as you said, is you need three slots per SO using triples. It's doable, but not always worth it. If you want more than just accuracy, in my experience it's been worth it.
Especially worth getting the early help slotting the armors.
"Hmm, I guess I'm not as omniscient as I thought" -Gavin Runeblade.
I can be found, outside of paragon city here.
Thank you everyone at Paragon and on Virtue. When the lights go out in November, you'll find me on Razor Bunny.
If you want an unkillable tank you need to go with Shield or Stone.
Isn't Shield weaker than Inv and Willpower? :P
I went Stone before and died at 13. Stone isn't "unkillable" until 33.
If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
----------------------------------------------------------
The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog
Shield, like other Defense sets, takes longer to mature into a fully 'difficult to kill' Tanker.
Besides, you didn't chose Shield, or Stone, but Fire. As has been mentioned by others, all of Fire's core defenses are available by level 12.
Sailboat, if it's not too much work, you might try building a Non-Hardcore Fire/Dark Tanker and 'pushing' him, to see just how much you can get away with, and to develop your playstyle, so that your Hardcore toon survives better.
Be Well!
Fireheart
Quote:
Interestingly enough, that is a William Wallace quote, but not THAT William Wallace. The one who wrote that was William Ross Wallace, the 19th Century American poet, not the Scottish hero. So the Braveheart writers can't take credit either.
|
Originally Posted by Sailboat
Thanks, but can't take credit; it's from Braveheart.
|
Kosmos
Global: @Calorie
MA Arcs in 4-star purgatory: Four in a Row (#2198) - Hostile Takeover (#69714) - Red Harvest (#268305)
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ben_Arizona
It does seem odd to play this particular rule on a character who has an in-set rez.
Personally I just love the Rise Of The Phoenix animation and it seems a shame to play a Fire Tanker who can never use it. |
qr
I disagree, personally I detest RotP, from day one it seemed like a path down expected defeat.
To OP's query, I'll post the f/a side of my burn tank, but if you were building precisely to survive Physical Perfection would replace Pyre Mastery.
With the added support of all the Accolades this build has solo tanked Recluse and held Hami aggro alone for a number of raids in the past with no deaths (w/ healer in tow of course).
Hope it helps.
Click this DataLink to open the build!
ACEMACE: Level 50 Science Tanker
Primary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Pyre Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Blazing Aura
- (A) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Endurance
- (3) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
- (3) Cleaving Blow - Accuracy/Recharge
- (5) Cleaving Blow - Accuracy/Damage
- (5) Cleaving Blow - Damage/Endurance
- (A) HamiO:Ribosome Exposure
- (7) HamiO:Ribosome Exposure
- (7) HamiO:Ribosome Exposure
- (9) Resist Damage IO
- (9) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection
- (A) Numina's Convalescence - Endurance/Recharge
- (11) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
- (11) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
- (13) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge
- (13) Recharge Reduction IO
- (15) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Jumping IO
- (A) Unbounded Leap - +Stealth
- (A) Jumping IO
- (A) HamiO:Ribosome Exposure
- (15) HamiO:Ribosome Exposure
- (17) HamiO:Ribosome Exposure
- (17) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
- (19) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection
- (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
- (19) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
- (21) Regenerative Tissue - +Regeneration
- (21) Miracle - Heal
- (23) Miracle - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
- (23) Miracle - +Recovery
- (A) Adjusted Targeting - Recharge
- (25) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge
- (25) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Recharge
- (33) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Recharge
- (A) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod
- (33) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Recharge
- (33) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge
- (34) Efficacy Adaptor - Accuracy/Recharge
- (34) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy
- (34) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Endurance
- (A) Accuracy
- (A) HamiO:Ribosome Exposure
- (37) HamiO:Ribosome Exposure
- (39) Aegis - Psionic/Status Resistance
- (39) Aegis - Resistance/Endurance
- (A) HamiO:Cytoskeleton Exposure
- (39) HamiO:Cytoskeleton Exposure
- (40) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
- (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
- (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge
- (42) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
- (A) HamiO:Endoplasm Exposure
- (A) Devastation - Damage/Recharge
- (46) Devastation - Damage/Endurance
- (46) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage
- (48) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) HamiO:Nucleolus Exposure
- (48) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
- (48) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
- (50) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
- (50) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
- (50) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
- (A) Perfect Zinger - Taunt/Range
.
Quote:
Of the sets at early levels, I would actually say Fiery Aura is one of the best. You get your resists relatively early by level 12 (and resists count for more there than the defense you can get in other sets), a heal, and an end recovery tool. Even after low levels, Fiery Aura can do well.|
Originally Posted by SilverBullet_NA
If you want an unkillable tank you need to go with Shield or Stone.
|
Plus, Sailboat is running a Fiery Aura tank. So you have to go with what he's planning. Heh.
Ace, Rise of the Phoenix is one of the reasons Fiery Aura is so dynamic and unstoppable. You can think it's down, but it has many ways of coming back... it's a fun concept. True, I don't like having to die to use my Tier 9, but there is something cool and thematic about it.
Guide: Tanking, Wall of Fire Style (Updated for I19!), and the Four Rules of Tanking
Story Arc: Belated Justice, #88003
Synopsis: Explore the fine line between justice and vengeance as you help a hero of Talos Island bring his friend's murderer to justice.
Grey Pilgrim: Fire/Fire Tanker (50), Victory
I personally love Rise of the Phoenix, though that's on a Scrapper. I can see why a Tanker wouldn't want it if s/he's playing lead tank. One point though. RotP is not about embracing defeat at all. Rather the opposite; it's about the fact that even if you go down you STILL haven't been defeated. You're only out of the race if they can take you down twice in a very short period.
Ive been having fun playing some hardcore characters recently -- characters who only have one chance in life; if defeated in battle, they are considered killed. So the object becomes, stay alive for as long as possible. We usually play on teams of characters using the same rule, and we try to keep each other alive, so its not a case of turtling up in personal Force Field and waiting while someone power-levels you.
But such a playstyle does favor defensive builds. It also puts an absolute premium on getting powers early -- Ill need all the help I can get as the enemies get hairier. As of this writing the highest Ive managed to get a hardcore character is 29, abusing the awesome power of Parry on a Broadsword Scrapper.
Ive made a new Tanker with an eye toward helping my vulnerable fellows survive, but on a whim, I made a Fire/Dark Melee Tanker. Am I crazy to try a Fire Tanker in Hardcore? :P Never played this combo together, but Ive heard the utility can be fun, and it should keep me on my toes. Ive played one Dark Melee Scrapper before, but not on a Tanker, and I didnt try out Touch of Fear then. I have somewhat more experience playing a Fire Tanker, although with different secondaries.
Ive got a little build going but I could use some advice on the best power choices for staying alive (and contributing). I definitely will be rocking the two self-heal powers, and I want to get Tough relatively early. That said, the character will largely be self-financed, and IO sets are a long-term project at the very best, so I can expect not to be slathered with set bonuses until the distant future -- so I am in doubt as to whether to bother with Weave at all.
Also, one of the joys of Fire/Dark is supposed to be the two end recovery powers, but I find it hard to choose them early, and I feel like I am wasting some potential by not taking them until late. So far I havent ditched Fitness/Stamina; these teams move pretty fast despite playing cautiously, and I have a hard time imagining abandoning Stamina.
Heres what I have so far:
+ Built with SuckerPunch's Online Planner v5.0
+ http://planner.cohtitan.com/planner
+----------------------------------------------------------------
Archetype: Tanker
Primary: Fiery Aura
Secondary: Dark Melee
+----------------------------------------------------------------
01: Shadow Punch
01: Fire Shield
02: Smite
04: Shadow Maul
06: Healing Flames
08: Fly
10: Blazing Aura
12: Plasma Shield
And a long-term projection:
14: Swift
16: Siphon Life
18: Health
20: Stamina
22: Boxing
24: Tough
26: Burn
28: Soul Drain
30: Touch of Fear
32: Fiery Embrace
35: Dark Consumption
38: Midnight Grasp
Issues:
How good is Touch of Fear for staying unharmed? Should I move it earlier, and at the expense of what? Soul Drain, and Tough on a Fire Tanker, seem too good to bump later; YMMV.
Burn gives me my immobilize resist and some protection (from the avoid mechanic) also, there tend to be a lot of controllers on the hardcore teams so far, so I might be able to leverage area immobilizes.
I am hoping to score a -knb IO before I go mad or die.
Obviously I will be skipping Rise of the Phoenix. :P
Heres a different take:
+----------------------------------------------------------------
+ Built with SuckerPunch's Online Planner v5.0
+ http://planner.cohtitan.com/planner
+----------------------------------------------------------------
Archetype: Tanker
Primary: Fiery Aura
Secondary: Dark Melee
+----------------------------------------------------------------
01: Shadow Punch
01: Fire Shield
02: Healing Flames
04: Shadow Maul
06: Fly
08: Consume ***
10: Blazing Aura
12: Plasma Shield
14: Swift
16: Siphon Life
18: Health
20: Stamina
22: Touch of Fear
24: Burn
26: Boxing
28: Soul Drain
30: Tough
32: Weave
35: Fiery Embrace
38: Midnight Grasp
***Possibly replace Consume with Smite?
Thinking in this version is, Dark Consumption is of limited value late; Consume might help before Stamina. But will I have enough attacks? And is Smite skippable? Its nice to be able to chain several Dark Melee attacks and stack the debuffs.
This version also takes Tough later -- too late? I do like that 70% Smashing/lethal resistance Tough brings me to. If I shift Burn back farther (to take Boxing at 24 and Tough at 26) , will I get immobilized a lot in my 20s?
Any thoughts or comments on this silly project are welcomed.
If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
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The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog