So whats left to do with Defensive sets?

I can think of 3 sets that are not well represented:

Elastic/Absorption would be a defensive set that absorbs the energy of an attack by storing it metabolically. In basic state is would be good Resistance to smashing, lethal, cold, heat, and energy, and toxic. Thermosetting (or vulcanizing) would add Defense. This set could contain a self-buff for Running and Jumping, and possibly a range buff to all Melee attacks. By that I don’t mean giving a 10’ melee range a 500% buff to reach out 60’, just an unenhanceable +50%. This set should be powerful against Knock(any), Stun, Immobilize, and Hold, and presumable even Cage; since you either absorb it or are so flexible you can escape. But this should be due to a greater that 100% Resistance factor, not through Protection. As I see it, there would be three main toggle powers that provide the bulk of resistances and each buffs one of the following: regeneration, recover, and recharge. These simulate the effects of internalizing the absorbed energies during a fight to augment yourself. Since there is no mechanism to buff ‘per hit’, handle it the way Super Reflexes does. As overall health goes down (which tends to indicate you are in battle and therefore absorbing energy) these recovery rates increase. Finally, there could even be a PBAoE recover or recharge debuff emanating from you that also provides a Taunt effect. This set is probably best for Brutes and Scrappers.

Adaptation is the ability to adapt to any circumstance/environment. The top power, which could be called Transmorph, should be similar to Hibernate in that it makes you Untouchable for a decent period (but does not necessarily heal you). This set’s core ability would be the number 5 or 6 power, which enables 8 inherent resistance toggles:
Resist Smashing (toggle, yellow glow) +30 Defense and +50 Resistance to Smashing damage and Protection Mag: 12 to Repel, Cage; untoggles Resist Toxic when in use.
Resist Lethal (toggle, dark glow) +30 Defense and +50 Resistance to Lethal damage and Protection Mag: 12 to Stun, untoggles Resist Psychic when in use.
Resist Heat (toggle, orange glow) +30 Defense and +50 Resistance to Heat damage and Protection Mag: 12 to Hold, untoggles Resist Cold when in use.
Resist Cold (toggle, blue glow) +30 Defense and +50 Resistance to Cold damage and Protection Mag: 12 to Immobilize and Teleport, untoggles Resist Heat when in use.
Resist Energy (toggle, bright glow) +30 Defense and +50 Resistance to Energy damage and Protection Mag: 12 to Sleep, untoggles Resist Negative when in use.
Resist Negative (toggle, purple glow) +30 Defense and +50 Resistance to Negative damage and Protection Mag: 12 to Fear, untoggles Resist Energy when in use.
Resist Toxic (toggle, green glow) +75 Resistance to Toxic damage and +100% to Slow(any), untoggles Resist Smashing when in use.
Resist Psychic (toggle, red glow) +30 Defense and +50 Resistance to Psychic damage and Protection Mag: 12 to Confuse, Taunt, Placate and +75% resistance to Perception Debuff; untoggles Resist Lethal when in use.
As you can see, up to 4 of these could be active at one time (along with the parent power) which should be extremely draining to endurance. Much like a Nova or Dwarf power, the parent power is where Enhancements come from, in the form of additional Defense, Resistance, endurance Modification, or in Recharge – meaning how rapidly you can switch from one to the opposite and back. This would be an advanced power set, as it requires a bit of skill to identify and balance which to use at any given moment.
You might take it further so that only 1 or possibly 2 can be active at a time and crank the Defense and Resistance way over the soft caps so that no amount of hit buff of defense/resistance debuff by your foe stands much chance of hurting you. For you damage type is like a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors; except you get to tell your opponent he cannot pick ‘Rock’. A high damage or hyper accurate one-trick pony has little hope of defeating you. A well rounded foe with a back-up plan (or partner) is far more dangerous. And yes you can keep switching types to use the Protection value like a ‘breakie’, though this may leave you wide open to attacks until you can switch back.
The remaining powers of the set provide decent additional Defense and Resistance that do overlap. No special bonuses to movement powers, no buffs, no heal/recover/recharge powers. Debuff resistance is not a characteristic of this set whereas piling on protection is. The weakest link in the set is Lethal damage, with Toxic a modest second. Why? I (for one) am tired of Smashing and Lethal defenses always being joined at the hip, and I (for two) feel that the hardest type of damage to adapt to would be getting punctured, perforated, dismembered, and/or disemboweled. Likewise, while disease and poison might not be a danger to an adaptor; acids and other actively caustic or corrosive agents probably are. This set is probably best for Tankers and Stalkers.

Simulacrum means that you only look human, but you truly are not. You could be a robot lacking in emotions, feelings, and sensitivity; an alien or being from another dimension with a morality and perspective different from our own; or a being made of another substance entirely with organs and senses unknown to humanity. You have excellent Psychic, Toxic, Lethal, and Negative protection, and decent capability against the elements and Energy. You are nearly immune to Fear, Confusion, Taunt, and Placate. You do not Sleep, eat, breathe, or age (at least in the human sense). You have extraordinary senses and stability so you cannot be Held, Blinded, Stunned, or Knocked(down). The defenses you have are extremely resistant to debuffing. You have back-up systems, reserve power, and even the ability to self-repair (including self-rez). You might have built in wheels or range finders or blinding strobe lights that allow you to improve your movement rates, your hit chances, and/or Blind your targets.
Yet you have only modest protection from simple Smashing damage, Repel, Cage, Immobilization, Knock(back/up), or Slow(Move) attacks. This set probably works equally well for any of the Melee types.

How about Forcefields Armour, which would be a defence-based set built around the Defender Forcefields bubbles? I've always wanted to see that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcanaville Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.

Temporal Armor!

A perfect blend of Defense/SelfHeals/Regen! Most of the work is done using Temporal Manipulation!

That said, a Force Field Defensive Set would be good, but I'd like to see them buff it for those who already have it first.

I'd like to see it become a Buff/Offensive Set for Trollers/Defs/Corrs (who don't have it yet, but I'm sure they will one day)/MMs, make it so those blasts are OMG YES TAKE IT FOR THE DAMAGE!

Doesn't need -Regen, or other such goodies. Give Force Bolt the Assassin Strike treatment. 15second Recharge, 14.35 End Per Use, INSANE DAMAGE!

Instead of giving an offensive push for the set in terms of -Regen or -Resist, have the FF get added DPS!

Repulsion Bomb looks to already be as good as most other Targetted AOEs in the Blast Sets, but lowering it's Recharge and basically put it on the same ENDUSE/RCH scale as blasts would help with it.

Don't know what to do with Repulsion Field, but I always felt it just wasn't worth using once you got Force Bubble.

Maybe turn it into an anti KB toggle? Lower the ENDUSE to .26/END a second, and it grants Knockback/Repel Protection to all within a 9ft - 25ft radius (9ft is current radius of the toggle, 25ft would match it up with Dispersion Bubble).

That may go against the cottage rule however. But I think most would like that change.

I think these changes would turn FF around and have people seriously considering it.

Pain armor, a set that boosts you for taking damage.