Suggestions for a TF Tank?

I haven't taken a Tank above lv20 at this point but interested now in building one to help my SG during higher level Strike Forces. After looking at the forums, I am considering an Invuln/Ice, but wanted to get some more insight before heading to the character creator.
Thanks in advance.

The only tank that has held my interest enough to not get deleted is my WP/Axe tank. I absolutely love willpower because of the layered mitigation. It gives good defense, resistance, and regen. At lvl 50, there isn't much that I have found that can kill me.

When making his build, my goal was to softcap all typed defense (except psionic), 600% or better regen with one enemy in range, and 70% or better S/L resistance. With my alpha slotted with tier 3 cardiac (for the extra resistance), I was able to achieve all three. For kicks, I like to aggro about 10 GMs on monster island in PI and just stand there while my health never drops below 80%.

The only downside to willpower is the weak taunt aura, but as long as you are actively bashing things in the face with your axe, they stay pretty well taunted.

Whatever you like the look of, really. Any tanker decently built will be able to tank all of the TFs and SFs in the game. Depending on circumstances you may need inspirations or support for some fights (like tower buffed Recluse) but those are exceptions.

If its to be a main SF/TF character, I'd say given any Tanker will work, go with whatever you want. There are a few caveats for the different Tanker primaries*, but nothing major.

*Fire is squishier than the others but has good damage, Stone is slow, WP has a bad taunt aura.

If you're going to take to tanking, I recommend reading through my new tanking guide.

As far as powerset selection, any powerset combination can perform well enough to tank for a team. I prefer Dark Armor to anything else, but I'm not about to argue that the other sets aren't adequate. Pick based on your style and concept. The rest will work itself out.

Hey man, good to see you're still around. My main toon is a fire/SS tank. Pretty much any tank can be built to be godlike, even fire. It's just easier on other sets. Inv is a great choice overall. I'm not sure about /ice. You will probably find the ST damage lacking. With tanks, if you want the maximum effectiveness, you probably want to stick to the 2 best sets, /SS or /fire.

While any set can perform well enough, sets with high resistance to smashing, lethal, and energy damage will be the easiest to stay alive with because those are the most common damage types at 50 and on TFs/SFs. Invulnerability can cap smashing and lethal resistance, but the energy resistance is about the same as a defense-based tanker. Willpower heals itself so fast through high regeneration that it makes up for imperfect resistances. Stone Armor can easily cap all defenses and resistances except psionic, but pays for its advantage with damage, recharge, movement penalties, and a psionic vulnerability. Electric Armor can cap energy resistance easily and cap S/L resistance with a bit of effort or the right build choices. It lacks defense, but that can be added through pool powers, set bonuses, and team buffs. Lastly, defense debuff resistance can help a lot, but mostly on ITF. Of the sets I mentioned, Invulnerability and Stone Armor are the only ones with enough DDR to matter.

Remember that any powerset can get the job done. Your build, your team's composition, and your strategy and skill matter just as much as your powerset choice.

Invul with a melee set that gives even more mitigation and has credible AoE gets my approval. I also like letting people play what they want to anyway, so if Invul/ice sounds good, go for it.

Thanks all, I really appreciate the input. The comments here are basically what I've found in the forums while searching, but wanted to make sure before starting a new toon (running out of slots again lol).

Good to see you also Super, wasn't sure if you were still playing or not. I've been on Virtue doing up the PvE scene, giving Freedom & PvP a break.
PS - have a Brute using /SS and a scrapper using Fire/ so was looking at a different secondary

Thanks again all

Full stone is the best! It is the best above level 32 because of the granite armor! Below level 32, invul/stone melee(have "control" too strongh! knockdown, disorient) is better!

I have a inv/ice tank on Virtue, that is fun to play. Very sturdy, and very easy to cap your positional damages. I've also found it lacking in terms of ST damage, but pretty good with AoE. It also lends itself some more survivability with Ice Patch, herd them all together, drop the patch and they're essentially controlled. You can essentially pull over the aggro cap by doing this, since they can't get back up. With this tank, you'll be concentrating on killing the lt's and bosses, while the minions just die at your feet with the AoE.

but with that said, Any tank will really do fine. They just all play differently, so it all depends on how you want to play your tank. Good luck!

It has been said before on this thread, me personally it depends on your play style really. I have seen many of different tanks on many different TFs and each player brings there unique play style to them. If you have ever been to any TT you can see that as well. We have done all the higher up TFs with nothing but tanks so it all depends on how u want to play your tank.

Im with the other person.. any tank can work great.. its all in how its played

Stone/DM, you'll never be killed!

Well seriously, any tanker will do. BUT if you're into Pugging TFs like I am you may have some difficulty with being invited to an STF as main tank if you're Fire Armor, and even others, while Stoners get all the invites they want. Pugs do that because a Stoner is much more guaranteed to succeed with little work on SOs from someone they don't know. I kinda understand this mentality on STFs and Mo attempts - once I was at a STF with my kin, a bubbler, empaths, DPS guys and an Ice Tanker - all experienced people from the Repeat Offenders (I do not mean to say RO player are all l33t or anything, but since they are very dedicated to the game their 50s usually have high end IO builds and they know the game by the numbers). Well, since all we had was defense from the bubbler, Ice Tanker and empaths (Fortitude), buffed Recluse tore thru our purpled Ice Tanker numerous times, it was a chore to get the thing done. We all bought oranges in Ourobouros for the Tanker and then it was easy. Or maybe it was the empaths, both were coming from a long hiatus so they died when they theoretically shouldn't, my emp never died due to Recluse because she knows the distance to stay away. Anyhow, if the Tanker were a Stoner it would've been much easier, not that I share this mentality - I invite anyone even for a Mo attempt, if it doesn't work that's ok, it's a game, as long as it's fun.

That possibility of rejection is not an issue for me, in fact I just rolled a Fire/Fire Tanker because in this game no damage = no fun for me, but I know that I may get the Stalker treatment (which I'm so used to lol) in the high end TFs especially in Mo attempts.

i will respond to the ice tank comment above.. My only 50 tank is an ice/fire, so i really cant compare to any other thank. Outisde of a lvl 25 stone/mace and a pair of 12's, its nice, but i really dont see it tanking that much different in the grand schem of things. To me mobility is a huge part of tanking, that and ranged taunting. Its not so much as about every single bit of agro on you, But the agro thats hurting someone else. Lots of people can stand up for themselves and deal with their own agro, or trollers have it locked down. So really all you need to worry about is the couple stray guys, that are hitting a squishy, or that pesky boss.

In the case of the STF above.. Honestly that was just about being the completely wrong defenders for that team.. a bubbler and an empaths fort does zero for a ice tanker, (though as an ice/fire i really love the increased damage+acc Fort+BU+a red or 2+firesword circle=fun!), It might push them that last tiny bit to cap, but so would any single small purple insp (i think, doesnt def cap at like 45%? its been a while). An experianced ice tanker would of realized this and swapped insp set ups like you said.. Oranges, and perhaps a few bigger greens just incase that emp didnt have AP.. (something tons of emps like to skip, but to me at lvl 50 its the only heal worth a thing, its saved more bacon than i can count)

But what i find funny is you said something about a fire tank, they can be kinda squishy over all, but to me its more of the regen tank, and you gotta use moblity as an advantage. they can also cap lethal/smashing, and with a bubbler and fort, it would of turned into a monster on that team. Boy how fun would that of been with that group : )

there is nothing wrong with using insp to tank better, just like any other toon would to be more effective. Im also guessing that tank didnt have tough either, as im pretty sure recluse is all about leathal damage, Big guy with hooks right? I kinda forget its been a while. I do know i do chew a few oranges for tough AV's from time to time, Or use the taunt+block of imperivious ice for a bit, just break out before you loose agro, its also best to time for right before, or just after his power attack. Another thing with an ice tank, often you DP before the alpha instead of reacting, if you get to low just quick heal in your blow and bust out. a few secs when slotted is all it takes.

Anyways, a rad, sonic or TA, or even a stormer would of been better teamates for an ice tank and it wouldnt have been an issue. Also for ice tankers tough+weave really helps them out. And if you have to eat a couple oranges on occasion your as tough or tougher than any tank around and half the time your not even getting hit. If you do you have 2 great heals to deal with it.

Yeah SuperJe the Tank had Tough and a top end build. But we do TFs that way, 'bring whoever you want' and you're right, we came to the conclusion we needed oranges galore because we realized at Recluse we were all defense (except me, a fire/kin, and 2 blasters but ID didn't help much and I couldn't hit buffed Recluse with my heal).

That said it must've been the empaths, both had very long breaks and were dying at Recluse repeatedly, I kept all kinds of tankers alive with Recluse with a mind/emp (with AB and heal other, it can be cast sucessively on my troller due to having lotsa IOs and heal other having such a short recharge, never missed AP), my guess is that they didn't remember to keep the distance. We only realized about the lack of resistance because the TF went buttery smooth till Recluse, the 4avs went down easily even with double pulls.

So many armor sets have been buffed, it's kind of hard to pick out one that's obviously subpar. They're all relatively balanced now. For an unusual choice, consider Elec armor. With creative slotting and Cardiac alpha, it can actually cap resistance to S/L/E, will be immune to end drain, and comes with some tasty stuff like +Rech.