If you have leveled several tanks and scrappers you probably already have a good feel for the damage difference between the two ATs.
Regarding survivability there are a number of ways to approach the set.
Personally I think electric armor is plenty sturdy, even with SO slotting and the possible addition of the fighting pool.
If you are willing/able to dip into IOs there are a number of options for adding still more survivability.
1.Your heal carries a hefty chunk of +regen, with the addition of health, +regen, and +hp either from sets or accolades you can push the regen level quite high. Doubly attractive since your primary mitigation is +resist which is the flipside of the regen equation.
2.Slot for recharge. You have a very good heal the faster it comes back the better.
This has long been a prefered approach for fire armor which is kind of electric slightly squishier cousin.
3.Slot for s/l or melee defense. Even if you don't push it as far as softcap it will make a large difference. I would recommend aiming for somewhere around 30%
4.Slot for +resist. On my elec tank I was able to cap to energy, s/l, and psi dmg withvery good neg numbers. fire/cold was decent though I havn't bought the purples to finish boosting that stat as yet.
I'm fairly certain you will be happier with a tank if survivability is a concern of yours. Either way enjoy the new alt!
Taking It On the Chin I-16 Tanker Guide
Repeat Offenders
So I've been looking at some new builds to try out (although I will probably wait until Going Rogue comes out just to see the lower levels of that first hand) and I keep coming back to this. I have wanted to make an Elec/Elec Melee-type character since they added them for Brutes. I hate the lack of punch sound on the Brute attacks, so I am going to try this again Hero side. I am torn between a Tanker and a Scrapper however.
I will probably post something similar on the Scrapper boards at some point but I was curious what people think of them. I've heard mixed things about Electric Armor (most seem to agree that Elec Melee is good for both). I'm wondering how much survivability will be an issue. I'm also curious how much the damage difference will be noticeable. I've played several Scrappers and Tankers to 50 now and am slightly leaning towards Tanker for this one too but would like some input from the Tanker community on the pros and cons of Elec/Elec Tankers versus Scrappers.