Coming back to the game, looking for Inv/EM build help

Hey all,

So, after an extended absence from CoH, I resubscribed, and just hit level 32 with my main (I'm an alt-aholic, so, yeah, even though I started way back in Issue 1, VolksMech's my highest-level character). Thing is...I've no clue what power to take for a power at this level.

Far more often than not, I solo with VolksMech, so I'm not sure Unstoppable, with its downtime, would be a big help: I can already solo groups of reds, and even, in some cases, purple bosses +4 levels. Acrobatics seems like an option, but I'm worried about adding to my End drain. And, with the attacks I already have (supplemented by the Nemesis Staff and Ghost Slaying Axe), do I really need Energy Punch?

So, any advice on where I should go from here? Thanks in advance.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

VolksMech: Level 31 Technology Tanker
Primary Power Set: Invulnerability
Secondary Power Set: Energy Melee
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Temp Invulnerability -- ResDam(A), ResDam(3), ResDam(5), EndRdx(7)
Level 1: Barrage -- Acc-I(A), Dmg(3), Dmg(5), Dmg(7), RechRdx-I(15), EndRdx-I(31)
Level 2: Dull Pain -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx-I(9), RechRdx-I(13)
Level 4: Resist Physical Damage -- ResDam(A), ResDam(13)
Level 6: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff-I(A)
Level 8: Unyielding -- ResDam(A), ResDam(9), ResDam(11), EndRdx-I(11)
Level 10: Bone Smasher -- Acc-I(A), Dmg(17), Dmg(17), Dmg(21), RechRdx-I(27), EndRdx-I(27)
Level 12: Swift -- Run(A)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A), Jump-I(15)
Level 16: Health -- Heal(A)
Level 18: Invincibility -- DefBuff(A), DefBuff(19), EndRdx-I(19), Krma-Def/Rchg(21)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod(A), EndMod(23), EndMod(23)
Level 22: Whirling Hands -- Acc(A), Dmg(25), Dmg(25), Dmg(29)
Level 24: Resist Energies -- ResDam(A)
Level 26: Tough Hide -- DefBuff-I(A), DefBuff-I(29)
Level 28: Build Up -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx-I(31)
Level 30: Resist Elements -- ResDam-I(A), ResDam-I(31)
Level 32: [Empty]
Level 35: [Empty]
Level 38: [Empty]
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
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Level 1: Brawl -- Acc(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 6: Ninja Run

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I would personally change a few things but your build isn't bad... I would have pushed RPD to sometime in the 20's and skipped Resist Elements.

Super Jump really is fine with the default slot unless you're using it for a set IO mule, and Dull Pain really deserves 3 more slots. I personally am a big proponent of Taunt for any tanker intending to manage aggro for a team... it can be done without, but there's too many situations where it comes in handy to have an autohit ranged AOE attention getter.

If you want to increase your durability the best way is by building defense... for that the Fighting pool for Boxing/Tough/Weave is a good choice. I'd push Resist Energies back into the 40's and get Boxing in it's place, drop Build Up (which I tend to regard as a superfluous power in a tanker... there's always something that will help you more) for Tough and slot Weave in at 32. I found that once I reached the defense soft cap with CMA that I no longer had any use for Unstoppable... but it was occasionally useful in my pre-soft capped days prior to issue 13.

One minor change I'd recommend is to swap Swift for Hurdle... Hurdle stacks for a very noticeable increase in jump speed and distance. Not so much jump height, but markedly more speed & distance.

If you decide to start working toward the soft cap you may want to look at my guide... prices have gone up since I wrote it but you ought to be able to get most of it done for around 50-75 million. I know that sounds like a lot, but you'd be surprised at just how easy it is to make money by selling your drops at Wentworths. My last character had over 200 million by level 35 from just routine playing and selling the drops I received.

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COH has just been murdered by NCSoft. http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes

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This my current Inv/EM build by way of example. It is soft capped for S/L and has decent defense in several categories. I personally believe in Build Up on Tanks as I find it very useful the times that I solo or if a group I'm tanking for is not optimized for damage dealing. It helps against bosses as well. I was able to fit it in and take Box/Tough/Weave. The only powers I did not take from my Primary was Unstoppable which I find really not worth it once your soft capped and Stun and Energy Punch from my Secondary.

So I would say no you really don't need Energy Punch and you really don't need Acrobatics. At level 32 I would say you could take Taunt and at 35 Energy Transfer which is your best single target attack. Slot Taunt with at least 4 for a Mocking Beratement set if not a full 6 for the Perfect Zinger Set and Energy Transfer should have a full 6 slots. Add slots to Dull Pain asap as well and slot for recharge and heal.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Scion: Level 50 Natural Tanker
Primary Power Set: Invulnerability
Secondary Power Set: Energy Melee
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Resist Physical Damage -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(3), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(3), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(5)
Level 1: Barrage -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(5), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7)
Level 2: Temp Invulnerability -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(9), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(9), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(11)
Level 4: Bone Smasher -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(11), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(13), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(15), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(15)
Level 6: Dull Pain -- Numna-Heal(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg(17), Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(17), Dct'dW-Rchg(19), Dct'dW-Heal(19), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(21)
Level 8: Unyielding -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(21), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(23), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(23)
Level 10: Air Superiority -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(25), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(25), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27)
Level 12: Fly -- Flight-I(A)
Level 14: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 16: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(27), Numna-Heal(29)
Level 18: Invincibility -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(29), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(31), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(31), HO:Cyto(31)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(33), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(33), EndMod-I(33)
Level 22: Whirling Hands -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(34), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(34), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(34), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), Sciroc-Dam%(36)
Level 24: Resist Energies -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(36), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(37), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(37)
Level 26: Tough Hide -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(37)
Level 28: Build Up -- AdjTgt-Rchg(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(39), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 30: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 32: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(39), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(39), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 35: Energy Transfer -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(40), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(40), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 38: Total Focus -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(43), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(43), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45)
Level 41: Weave -- GftotA-Def(A), GftotA-Def/EndRdx(45), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(50), GftotA-Def/Rchg(50)
Level 44: Resist Elements -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), Aegis-ResDam(46), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(46), Aegis-Psi/Status(46)
Level 47: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(48), Mocking-Taunt/Rng(48), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(48)
Level 49: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 0: Ninja Run

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