Resistance is more about power picks than slotting, so you can have both.
Mains (Freedom) @Auroxis
Auroxis - Emp/Rad/Power Defender Pylon Video Soloing an AV
Pelvic Thunder - SS/Elec/Mu Brute
Sorajin - Elec/Nin Stalker
Neuropain - Sonic/Mental/Elec Blaster
I'm sorry to say but;
Building a IO setup for resistance is a complete waste of time and effort.
There aren't enough, nor LARGE enough, resistance set bonuses, to make a whit of difference in your survivability. even with sonic dispersion, tough, and the APP shield at most you can build decent resist to smashing/lethal and MAYBE one or two other types depending on which APP you take.
You'll NEVER get the same survivability a defense focused build can achieve.
Never.
@Oathbound & @Oathbound Too
I would concur. I would slot for defense and +recharge because I am sick and like liquefy and nuke that much. LotG +7.5 enhancements also have a nice defense boost to the power slotted in. Take powers for resistance if you like but slot for defense bonuses.
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.
A Sonic Resonance defender can easily achieve 75% (which is the cap) resistance on smashing and lethal. Along with softcapped ranged defence too.
IMO, a build that has both defence AND resistance is the best. A pure defence based build is pretty sturdy, but after personal experience I can vouch that dropping some defence and picking up some resist to have layering defence will increase your survivability by a ton.
@Sparky Jenkins || Freedom Server | Union Server
Main Hero: Inferno Sparky - Fire/Fire Blaster
Main Villain: Kerry Astrid - Fire/Cold Corruptor
My Sonic Def has soft-capped ranged def. Sonic definitely allows you to have the best of both worlds (high def, high resists) with the bonus of status protection.
So the 1-word answer for the OP: both.
Global = Hedgefund (or some derivation thereof)
Another vote for both. Go for ranged def + S/L resist caps, you'll end up decent numbers across the board and the only things you really fear are non-positional psi damage & sleeps.
An Offensive Guide to Ice Melee
If you have a sonic primary do you generally slot for resistance at level 50 since you have the head start with Sonic Dispersion or do you go for ranged defense?