Might of the Tanker: Thumbs down

If you may or may not have heard, AT-specific IO sets are on the way and were seen at SDCC.

This is the one seen for Tankers.


Based on the info at hand, I give the set a big thumbs down.

The presumed stats and set bonuses are good, perhaps not the 5th and 6th bonuses; small Resistance buffs don't really have a good opportunity to stack with other such bonuses and aren't usually sought out, but the other AT specific sets have similar bonuses.

What I take issue with is the set's proc.

A chance for + Res isn't something I would seek out or want in such a set.

-My high end Tankers don't need such a proc, they survive just fine thanks.

-I expect these IO sets to appeal more to high end builds than your average guy who doesn't really IO out his characters, based on the fact you'll probably have to drop points on them in the store, something most will save for only their main/important characters.

-Of all the sets and procs seen, Tankers are the ONLY one that doesn't get one that improves their damage/offense. This includes other 'non-damage dealing' role ATs like Controllers and ATs like Dominators who's attack power set is their secondary, just like Tankers. Why didn't they give Controllers and Doms a Hold proc? Why are Tankers singled out in such a way? Under the new role definitions, Brutes are grouped as "tanks", yet they get an IO that enhances Fury instead of one that buffs their Defense or causes a -ToHit on enemies.

I don't think this was fair to Tankers and I am very disappointed in Might of the Tanker because of it.

What would I like to see instead of the +Res proc?
Something that would similarly improve Tanker offense the way the procs do for the other ATs' sets I've seen.

-A decent chance for a modest Resistance debuff to enemies, maybe.
-A proc that causes subsequent attacks to do mini-Criticals for a period of time.
-A proc that causes damage against the Tanker to be reflected back against the enemy for a short time when it goes off.
-A proc that Level Shifts the Tanker up shortly (doubtful it'd ever happen ).


I have no doubt others will disagree with my feelings on this proc and the set, but I wanted to express them and make them known to the devs in a constructive manner in the hopes something could be done.



.

I agree. The blaster one galls me in the same way. First, they are freely giving away the Fire secondary effect even more now (as if Reactive wasn't enough, how about some more energy or toxic or something). Second, why even more damage for a blaster? Why not a high chance proc to heal self or give a good regen boost?

At the least they should be consistent. If they are using these to pile on the strengths of the ATs then that is what they all should do. Controllers should get more control (Psi damage, why? It makes no sense for any of my controllers, why still more Psi?). Dominators are tough to figure, since they have a dual primary, I think it makes more sense for them to get more damage, since they already get more control through domination.

That said, personally I will be glad to have a +res proc on every tanker I play (although it may take me awhile to actually be able to get those procs). I am not very interested in the others I have seen so far. Once again we seem to be getting into just adding more and more damage to everything. I thought Interface would be a big step up from that, but then they made Reactive SO much damage, few want to take any of the other choices.

Is there a location to see all of these?

I don't have a problem with any of those.

I agree with you, nothing to get excited about. I thought it might be interesting to have a taunt proc that bypasses the aggro cap. Like the judgement powers but without damage.

Besides that, possibly a chance to return some end, or a damage proc would be nice.

Not very exciting. Anyone know the full details of the Chance of +Res?

Had there been something that effected the aggro cap or other Tank mechanic I might have been interested. Most of this I already have in my "Not very IO'd" build.

Yeah, can't say I'm too thrilled about that. The set bonuses are very "meh," and +Res won't do too much for Defense-based sets.

I find it strange that the brute version gets a decent amount of S/L defense in its set bonuses while the tanker version does not. Makes it more difficult to fit in current tanker builds.

I think a Tanker can be split into two categories.

Combat Tankers: Tankers that focus on fighting and defeating enemies while enjoying massive resistances. Like heavy duty scrappers.

and

Tanking Tankers: Tankers that pretty much follow their name sake, and focus on rounding enemies and distracting them etc.

Some builds can fill both sub-categories, others only fit in one. From what I can see, if you are building a Tanker for combat chiefly then might of the tanker is going to be ok for that given the bonuses. But IMO once you got the 4th bonus you got all the ones worth having, 5 and 6 don't seem worth it.

I doubt I'll use this set on any of my current tankers, because most of those bonuses aren't going to really help me.

Compared to the bonuses seen from other AT IOs, I'd say they could use a little boost.

Seriously, Brute's Fury 3 slotted mitigates more S/L than the Tanker 6 slotted bonus (2.5% Def to 2.21% Res). They need to double the resist numbers AT LEAST.

That said, I'll find a way to 4-slot this on a few of my tanks, I'm sure.

Whether the proc is worth using depends on how heavy duty the +Res bonus is, I suppose, and whether it stacks with itself. If it gives like 10 or 15% Res(All), stacks with itself, and lasts long enough and procs often enough to reliably keep 2-3 applications of it up with constant attacking, it would be pretty neat. Kinda like Parry from the Broadsword set, but with Resistance instead of Defense.

If it's 5% or less and doesn't stack with itself, then it would not be worth slotting, even if these were given away for free.

I think the bonuses for the tanker set should be closer to the purple sets but the last 2 bonuses should be more for the tanks:


(2) Improves the Damage of all your powers by 4%.
(3) Increases maximum Health by 3%.
(4) Improves the Recharge of all your powers by 10%
(5) Increase defense to all by 4%
(6) Increase resistance to all by 4%

If they are gonna be super rare and only one set per AT then make the bonuses well worth it.

Not especially impressive, but I'd be willing to 5-slot it (minus the proc) in an attack for the goodies it does offer. Psi protection being hard to come by outside of certain powersets and all.

This of course depends on how many PPs it would cost to buy 5/6.

All the resistance-based sets are lookin' HARD at this one.

+2.21 smash/lethal? That's gonna soft-cap a lot of electrics, and goes a looong way on darks and fires as well.

Remember:

Going from 88 percent resistance to 90 percent resistance decreases your damage taken vs that damage type by a whopping 20 percent!

Even if the proc is terrible, this is a MUST HAVE on a large number of tanker builds.

crap, crap, crap, must farm moar alignment merits, moar empyreans, moar influence, must get ready for awesome goodies arriving soon.....