So just to follow up:
in my mind a "Tank" crab spec needs Provoke or it's not really a Tank. Hence Provoke in the build.
Aid Self is perhaps controversial but it seems to me that anyone tanking should have some sort of self heal better than just Serum/Dull Pain.
If you remove Aid Self or Provoke, you can stick in pets. And with pets you want hasten. And then you're back to just a strong crab tanky build that has (near) perma pets and melee dmg instead of some ranged attacks. Which isn't what I wanted in a Tank build -- i basically have that in my Huntsman/Crab hybrid build.
*shrug*
Also above where I said PBAOE I know that 3 of the 4 are targeted AOEs I just figured you use them around you in melee range (Frenzy is the PBAOE).
Hm, seems like a TON of Bane commentators but what about a tanky Crab??? Where's the love?
Hm, respec'd my 2nd build into this more or less last night and did swimmingly against +4/+8 council (but who doesn't).
Carnies on the other hand reamed me. They were getting like 80%+ chance to hit with a number of attacks (especially the DM's and Illusionists) that went right through my soft-cap positionals and hit like a truck.
Not really sure this build is worth it at all compared to my ranged Huntsman/Crab with perma pets. Shrug.
Here's a melee crab tank build I was messing around with as the 2nd build on my Huntsman/Crab hybrid.
Idea was to soft-cap w/o requiring +3% Glad Armor (though it would make things a lot easier and free up slots). Had to work in Aid Self for tanking purposes -- though this toon has Rebirth already. Also would use Cardiac in place of Musculature on the hybrid.
Logic was to taunt (Provoke) into melee range, then let loose with PBAOE goodness -- thus no real cones like Supression or Heavy Burst. PBAOE makes it easy to hit stuff w/o thinking when you're in the center of the scrum, and crab PBAOE have 10-target caps (I think): Venom (-RES), Elec Fences (dmg + -KB, immob), Frenzy, and Frag (KB voided by Elec Fences). Threw in Slice and Arm Lash for melee-range style. Same for Spring Attack -- yeh it's recharge blows, but it looks super cool to see a short armored crab pounce into a group
Thoughts?
MELEE CRAB BUILD