Well, the basics are pretty easy. You'll probably want Stamina and a travel power. Your entire primary except Black Hole is good. Petrifying Gaze is skippable too, but nice to stack with Tesla Cage.
From Electric Blast, the snipe, the nuke, and Voltaic Sentinel are all skippable based on your preferences. VS does nice damage for its casting time and such, but a lot of people find re-casting it over and over annoying. Short Circuit can be frankenslotted to do well at both end drain and damage.
As for a concrete build, is there anything in particular you're looking for? SOs, frankenslotting, decent IOs, 5 billion inf build?
Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.
Quote:
They then complain that Elec does low damage. VS is essentially your third single target attack so I'd try and work it in if at all possible.
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Originally Posted by Kelenar
VS does nice damage for its casting time and such, but a lot of people find re-casting it over and over annoying.
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This example build has pretty much all the useful powers taken from dark/elec/elec. Tesla cage isn't a bad power, but in a contest between tesla cage and shocking bolt, shocking bolt is more useful for this combo because it's on the same recharge as petrifying gaze.
Electric mastery is a perfect complement for electric blast because it has an extra single target attack in it (electric fence) and an easy method of bouncing back from thunderous blast (power sink). Unless you have another ancillary in mind for concept or coolness reasons, definitely go with electric.
If you're looking for power pools, leadership is good on defenders. Your survivability should be pretty good, so fighting and definitely medicine shouldn't be necessary. If you want more power pools than the ones in this build, then you can potentially cut the holds from the build. If you really want to dip into the power pools, the combo of aim+thunderous blast+power sink could be dropped to get a lot of extra power picks.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 48 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Electrical Blast
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Ancillary Pool: Electricity Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Charged Bolts -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Lightning Bolt -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Tar Patch -- Empty(A)
Level 6: Darkest Night -- Empty(A)
Level 8: Ball Lightning -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Howling Twilight -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Short Circuit -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Shadow Fall -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Fearsome Stare -- Empty(A)
Level 18: Hover -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Fly -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Stamina -- Empty(A)
Level 28: Petrifying Gaze -- Empty(A)
Level 30: Aim -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Dark Servant -- Empty(A)
Level 35: Voltaic Sentinel -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Thunderous Blast -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Electric Fence -- Empty(A)
Level 44: Charged Armor -- Empty(A)
Level 47: Power Sink -- Empty(A)
Level 49: Shocking Bolt -- Empty(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 4: Ninja Run
It's pretty easy to avoid idiot choices on Dark/Elec. Dark Miasma is packed full of must-have, game-changing powers.
Twilight Grasp and Darkest Night will turn AVs into kittens. Tar Patch will make every fight faster and easier. Shadow Fall is stealth on steroids. Howling Twilight is an autohit minion stun plus nasty recharge debuff. Fearsome Stare is frickin' Fearsome Stare. Dark Servant is a targetable pet so will take hits for you.
That leaves Black Hole, which almost all players skip, and you should, too, unless you really like phase shifting. Taking Phase Shift from Concealment pool will let you go after phased enemies if you don't want to wait for them to unphase. That also leaves Petrifying Gaze, which almost all players skip, and you should, too, unless you really like hold stacking with Tesla Cage and can't be bothered to use Tesla Cage twice.
On the Elec side, there are some powers which are stronger, some are weaker, but all are damage, thus there are no truly bad choices. Skip Zapp if you don't want a sniper attack. Skip Thunderous Blast if you don't want a nuke. I wouldn't skip anything else in the set without a good reason.
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Overall, as a dark miasmist, you should be more concerned with getting practice than with getting a perfect build. Picking a good anchor, setting up a fast clickbind for Tar Patch, aiming Fearsome Stare's cone to get the whole spawn... player skills like those are worth more than any IO or set bonus.
I've played an Elec/Dark corruptor and it's BORING. Dark is fine but Electric just feels like it's missing something. I wouldn't say it's the third single target attack. I'd say it's how Short Circuit is next to useless. It doesn't do near enough damage and endurance sapping is only good if your 100% dedicated to it.
If your going for a thematic approach then it doesn't matter.
If your going for a more optimal approach then go for Ice Blast. Tar Patch and Ice Storm make a deadly combo.
Whining about everything since 2006.
Ammo switching for Dual Pistols was my idea:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=135484
Thanks for the build suggestions. Defenders are incredible with their help. What slotting would you recommend aside from purples? Since this is my first defender I want to use IOs naturally but until I totally fall in love with the character I don't want to invest everything I have in this one- yet. The comments here seem to support dark as my primary but there is a mix of opinions on my secondary choice. Would another secondary better compliment dark?
/Elec doesn't offer much synergy with Dark/, really, apart from stacking Tesla Cage with Petrifying Gaze. Not bad, but not amazing, either.
Dark/Dark is a popular combination, but if anything feels less underwhelming on damage to me than /Elec, it's /Dark. With the debuffs from both, though, you're getting near tank levels of survivability against most targets. As much survivability as your primary packs, you can go with damn near any secondary and have few worries about anything but damage output.
On slotting, a lot of Dark's powers handle a few things at once, so you are often better off frankenslotting than just plunking down a whole set. Consider Fearsome Stare:
Fearsome Stare
- (A) Glimpse of the Abyss - Accuracy/Fear/Recharge
- (13) Nightmare - Accuracy/Fear/Recharge
- (13) Nightmare - Fear/Range
- (15) Siphon Insight - Accuracy/ToHit Debuff
- (15) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge
- (17) Dampened Spirits - To Hit Debuff/Recharge
With this slotting, using what should be relatively cheap level 35 IOs, the power has:
59.64% Accuracy
13.57% Range
80.25% Recharge
40.51% ToHit Debuff
59.64% Fear Duration
which is something like 7.5 SOs worth of enhancement, and has most things buffed up to good levels.
Not to mention...
Darkest Night
- (A) Dampened Spirits - To Hit Debuff/Endurance
- (7) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Endurance
- (7) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance
- (9) Dampened Spirits - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance
81.25% EndRedux
48.55% ToHit Debuff
36.7% Recharge
Again, level 35s. You get ToHit Debuffs and EndRedux both almost as high as they'll go, get some small global HP and damage buffs, and do it all with only four slots.
Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.
There's a great deal of enthusiasm about Dark, which now has me excited, but apparently a lot of reservation about /elec. Would /ice be a better secondary? I'd be very interested in seeing a build with this now, if someone wouldn't mind sharing a build with a new defender. I was hesitant originally to test the waters but with the encouragement and enthusiasm I'm seeing here I'm excited about the possibility.
This is my Dark/Ice sitting at level 45 currently as is. I am not done tricking out her build. 
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.703
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Lidstrom's Fury: Level 50 Natural Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Ice Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness
Ancillary Pool: Electricity Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(3), Heal-I(11), Heal-I(31), Heal-I(34)
Level 1: Ice Bolt -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(3), Dmg-I(19)
Level 2: Ice Blast -- Entrpc-Dmg/Rchg(A), Ruin-Acc/Dmg(5), T'pst-Acc/Dmg(11)
Level 4: Tar Patch -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(5), RechRdx-I(15)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(7), RechRdx-I(7)
Level 8: Howling Twilight -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(9), RechRdx-I(9), Dsrnt-I(46)
Level 10: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 12: Fearsome Stare -- Acc-I(A), Abys-Acc/Rchg(13), Abys-EndRdx/Fear(13), Abys-Acc/EndRdx(15), Abys-Fear/Rng(19), Abys-Acc/Fear/Rchg(37)
Level 14: Super Speed -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 16: Freeze Ray -- NrncSD-Acc/Rchg(A), NrncSD-EndRdx/Hold(17), NrncSD-Acc/EndRdx(17), NrncSD-Acc/Hold/Rchg(46)
Level 18: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Ice Storm -- Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(A), AirB'st-Dmg/Rchg(23), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(23), Dmg-I(43)
Level 24: Darkest Night -- DampS-ToHitDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(A), DampS-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(25), DampS-ToHitDeb(25), DarkWD-ToHitDeb(42)
Level 26: Shadow Fall -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg(27), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(27), TtmC'tng-ResDam(42), S'fstPrt-ResKB(43)
Level 28: Bitter Ice Blast -- Ruin-Acc/Dmg(A), Ruin-Dmg/Rchg(29), Ruin-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(29), Ruin-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(40)
Level 30: Petrifying Gaze -- NrncSD-Acc/Rchg(A), NrncSD-EndRdx/Hold(31), NrncSD-Acc/EndRdx(31), NrncSD-Hold/Rng(37), NrncSD-Acc/Hold/Rchg(43)
Level 32: Dark Servant -- DampS-ToHitDeb(A), DampS-ToHitDeb/Rchg(33), DampS-ToHitDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(33), DampS-Rchg/EndRdx(33), DampS-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(34), DampS-Rchg(34)
Level 35: Aim -- AdjTgt-ToHit(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(36), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(36), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(36), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(37)
Level 38: Blizzard -- Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(A), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(39), Det'tn-Dmg/Rng(39), AirB'st-Dmg/Rchg(39), RechRdx-I(40)
Level 41: Electric Fence -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(42), Immob-I(46)
Level 44: Charged Armor -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg(45), TtmC'tng-ResDam(45), ResDam-I(45)
Level 47: Power Sink -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48), EndMod-I(48), EndMod-I(48)
Level 49: Frost Breath -- Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(A), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(50), Det'tn-Dmg/Rng(50), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 0: Ninja Run
The miracle +recovery proc was a lucky drop rather early in her career.
Triumphant Defenders Forever
Psylenz FF/Psi, ArticQuark Storm/Rad, Symon BarSisyphus Bots/psn, Max VanSydow Thugs/Dk, Cyclone Symon Bots/stm, Blue Loki Ice/Cd, Widow 46526
HelinCarnate:OMG it is so terrible. I have the option to take 3 more powers but no additional slots. Boo F'ing hoo.
Fantastic! I have got to make me one now. Thank you all so much!!!
I can attest that a dark/ice defender is something that can really make a team roll. My toon is only sitting at 35 and every team I got on was amazed at how much the pace picked up. All of them were sad to see me go when it was time to log. Even heard a few say "we cant do it without him!"
Good combo. I'm considering going with dark app for soul drain awesomeness. 
I like my Dark/Elec Defender; however, I just have a couple others I like a whole lot more than him. Of my 12 50s, he's probably my 3-5th favorite. That being said, I've made a mids build that I really like for him, I've just not sat down and made it quite yet.
Notes on the build:
-41.7% Smash/Lethal/Neg/Energy, 37% Ranged, 34.2% Melee, and 31.4% AoE defenses
-62% Smash/Lethal, 54.8% Neg, 34.3% Psionic, 31.3% Energy, 23.5% Toxic, and 1.6% Fire/Cold resists
-275% Regen, 186% Recovery (~3.48 end/sec with accolades), 2.04 end/sec upkeep with darkest night and every other toggle on, 43.8% Recharge
-Lowest accuracy is 128.4% and the straight up damage is respectable, but the build isn't designed for damage (specifically, but it's not slotted just for to-hit debuff and endurance drain)
-I call this my "Tankfendtrollmind" build
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Eldritch Green v2: Level 50 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Electrical Blast
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Dark Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- Nictus-Heal/HP/Regen/Rchg(A), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(3), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(5)
Level 1: Charged Bolts -- Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 2: Tar Patch -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(3)
Level 4: Lightning Bolt -- Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 6: Ball Lightning -- Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(7), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(7), Posi-Dmg/Rng(40), Posi-Dam%(43)
Level 8: Shadow Fall -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(9), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(9), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(11), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(11), RctvArm-ResDam(13)
Level 10: Short Circuit -- Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(33), Efficacy-EndMod(46), Erad-%Dam(46), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 12: Fearsome Stare -- SipInsght-ToHitDeb(A), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(13), SipInsght-Acc/Rchg(15), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SipInsght-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(17), DefEgo-RecDeb%(34)
Level 14: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 16: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Numna-Heal(17), Mrcl-Rcvry+(19), Mrcl-Heal(19), RgnTis-Regen+(31)
Level 18: Boxing -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(31), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(33), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), S'fstPrt-ResKB(23), Aegis-Psi/Status(23), ImpSkn-Status(27), S'fstPrt-ResDam/EndRdx(27)
Level 24: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(25), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(25)
Level 26: Howling Twilight -- TmpRdns-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(A), P'ngTtl-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(29)
Level 28: Darkest Night -- DisWord-ToHitDeb(A), DisWord-ToHitDeb/Rchg(29), DisWord-ToHitDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(31)
Level 30: Tesla Cage -- BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(A), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(45), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(50), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(50)
Level 32: Dark Servant -- SipInsght-ToHitDeb(A), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(34), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SipInsght-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(36), SipInsght-Acc/Rchg(36), DefEgo-RecDeb%(36)
Level 35: Voltaic Sentinel -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx(37), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx(37), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), BldM'dt-Acc(39), BldM'dt-Dmg(40)
Level 38: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(39), Zephyr-ResKB(39)
Level 41: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(43), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(45)
Level 44: Oppressive Gloom -- Rope-Acc/Stun/Rchg(A), Rope-Acc/Stun(45)
Level 47: Dark Embrace -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(48), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(48), RctvArm-ResDam(48)
Level 49: Soul Transfer -- RechRdx-I(A)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 6: Ninja Run
50s: Bla- Arch/Mental Cont- Mind/FF, Earth/Cold, Ill/Therm, Earth/Rad Dominator- Plant/Psi, Elec/Earth Corr- Fire/Storm, Arch/Sonic, Rad/Kin, Beam/Sonic, Psi/Time Stalker- Elec/SR Def- Storm/Dark, Emp/Psi, Dark/Elec, FF/Arch, TA/Ice, TA/Elec, Kin/AR, Cold/DP, Traps/Psi Scrap- Fire/Shield Tanker- Dark/Mace, Ice/Kin Brute- Claws/WP, SS/Energy, BS/Elec
As far as frankenslotting Fearsome Stare: I'd tweak that for more -ToHit and less Fear, myself. Replace the Nightmare - Fear/Range with another To Hit Debuff/Rech and you should be golden.
That may well be personal taste, though. I'm not a huge Dark Miasmist.
Mini-guides: Force Field Defenders, Blasters, Market Self-Defense, Frankenslotting.
So you think you're a hero, huh.
@Boltcutter in game.
Really impressive numbers there. Thanks for sharing! Man, I may have to make TWO defenders now, lol.
Quote:
I'm glad I could help you not completely ditch your original concept.|
Originally Posted by Antarcticaa
Really impressive numbers there. Thanks for sharing! Man, I may have to make TWO defenders now, lol.
|
Most builds can be quite effective, it's just keeping in mind what you wanna do and build for that. I was going for a sapping tankfender (after I had the character already 50), so I created this build.
My first version of this, I was going for the same thing, but I was looking to add more recharge, so I ended up sacrificing 10% Smash/Lethal defense and 5% Neg/Energy defense for 10% Recharge. The difference between 31% Smash/Lethal and 41% should be dramatic once finished.
Elec Mastery could be replaced if you'd like more sappage. If you do this, I'd suggest Elec Fences 1 slotted with Acc or Acc/Dmg, maybe Acc/End Mod if you really wanted. Keep Charged Armor's slotting the same as Dark Embrace. Take Power Sink and go with End Mod/Rech and Acc/End Mod/Rech from Efficacy Adaptor. As a result, you energy resist will be higher, regen will be slightly lower (-6%) but you'll have more HP (11.4), and you'll have less neg and no toxic resist. Other than that, your defense numbers is the same and you'll have more sapping. You won't have Oppressive Gloom or a Rez for more hard control and a back up if you die, but if you really wanna sap, you can go that route.
50s: Bla- Arch/Mental Cont- Mind/FF, Earth/Cold, Ill/Therm, Earth/Rad Dominator- Plant/Psi, Elec/Earth Corr- Fire/Storm, Arch/Sonic, Rad/Kin, Beam/Sonic, Psi/Time Stalker- Elec/SR Def- Storm/Dark, Emp/Psi, Dark/Elec, FF/Arch, TA/Ice, TA/Elec, Kin/AR, Cold/DP, Traps/Psi Scrap- Fire/Shield Tanker- Dark/Mace, Ice/Kin Brute- Claws/WP, SS/Energy, BS/Elec
Quote:
The big thing to remember is that, as a Dark/, you also have Darkest Night and potentially Chill of the Night or Tenebrous Tentacles from Fluffy debuffing their ToHit... plus some minor defense from Shadow Fall. Assuming DN is slotted for full -ToHit, that's about -30% ToHit right there. Add unenhanced Fearsome Stare and you're at -49% already. If Fluffy's in the fray too, it becomes approximately -Crazy Delicious%. (Where Crazy Delicious is around 97% if Fluffy is slotted for full -ToHit. And that's if he doesn't use Darkest Night too...)|
Originally Posted by Fulmens
As far as frankenslotting Fearsome Stare: I'd tweak that for more -ToHit and less Fear, myself. Replace the Nightmare - Fear/Range with another To Hit Debuff/Rech and you should be golden.
That may well be personal taste, though. I'm not a huge Dark Miasmist. |
I like adding a bit more to FS to soften up the alpha from anything that gets hit but not feared (aka bosses and Nemesis) and higher-level enemies, but I always considered it a little wasteful to slot for past a certain point. You have ToHit debuffs coming out your ears.
But then, I also solo my Dark/ a lot, so the extra Fear duration is useful, since it takes forever and a half to drop the size of spawns she can tank solo. I've seen a good bit of debate about slotting Fearsome Stare for fear vs. -ToHit (as well as things like skipping DN and just using Fearsome Stare to take care of ToHit when soloing,) and ultimately, it comes down to individual preference. If you're primarily running on big teams, the default 20-something second duration is probably longer than you'll ever need.
Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.
I've finally, finally seen the light and realize the AT I should have been playing for the last six years should have been a defender. I'm intrigued by the thought of a dark/elec defender but I can't find a current build for one. I have a 50 fire/dark corr and a 50 elec/elec scrapper, both of whom I enjoy playing, so I thought the synergy of the defender might be good. I'm team oriented but I would like to solo on occasion and would prefer to have flight as my travel power. Defenders seem to be a helpful and friendly lot. Would someone share a successful build so I won't make some idiot choices on my first defender? Thanks!