Looking for a leveling build please

This is my first jump into the SoAs and I just made 24 last night. I've looked around the forums and most builds are for characters that are already lvl 50. I built both a crab and a bane last night and I not sure what I did wrong but my basic soldier build feels superior. I don't have a clear preference which type of SoA I want to play, both seem fun. I just need a character that doesn't feel so under powered.

Thanks in advance.

The reason most builds are 50 is that they are a goal to build into. IOs are prohibitively expensive at lower levels and will inevitably be replaced.

It's also better to make a level 50 build that you plan on building into as you level.
Take one of those builds you think you will really like and pick your powers and slot allocation as you go to end up with the same build.

After all, respeccing makes you choose everything in a similar manner to leveling up with the same limitations.

I suspect T_Immortalus did not understand what you mean by a leveling vs a lv 50 build.

Level 50 respec builds most often take powers available in the first 14 levels such as travel powers and minor pool powers such as recall friend last. Simply because it does not matter anymore when you take them, especially if they only require one or two slots. This works great if you are already 50.

A leveling build takes powers as soon as the important ones are available, so you can use them as you level!

I myself would love to see more non IO leveling builds on the forums...

I just posted a Huntsman build, based on the recommendations of the original Huntsman Guide thread, which is specifically designed for 1-50 leveling as well as being exceedingly Exemplar/Malefactor friendly. It's entirely possible that this may suit your needs ... if you're willing to be a gun-toting bad[CENSORED] Soldier of Arachnos. Stay either Hero or Villain after reaching 20, keep doing Tips and Morality Missions daily and within about a couple months of play you should be able to afford all of the "expensive" Set IOs that the build calls for by using Hero/Villain Merits to acquire whatever your budget can't afford on the open market.

It's the end. But the moment has been prepared for ...

If the build you're interested in has strange power/level selections (like *ugh* Tactical Training: Maneuvers taken at level 49), simply change the levels at which you pick them (i.e. pick up Tactical Training: Maneuvers as soon as it's available!). It will basically involve you using Mids to recreate the build visually, but you pick the powers for when you want to take them as you level. :3 Substitute the IO sets with SOs or IOs as you prefer when actually playing, remembering that they probably won't be permanent (unless you start early IO sets at around level 33 onwards, depending on which sets, such as say, Positron's Blast).

The real (and major) difference between levelling builds and respec builds (actually, they're probably better known as "Post-respec builds", but eh) isn't in power choices, but at what levels you picked the powers.