Ice/Ice Tanks can be plenty survivable. They definitely were pre-IOs, and can be made even better with them. Will it take some money or time? Yes, but it shouldn't be too bad.
The main things you'll want to do is try to get to the Defense soft-cap either before accounting for Energy Absorption, or with only one enemy in range of EA. To do this, you'll need your base armors, weave, combat jumping or something like it, and a few set bonuses.
Ice Armor's basic armors give you 17% Def to S/L/E/NE, which are the ones that you want anyways. With Weave's 5% on top of that, you're at 22%, and slotting for the ED cap will give you about 34.32% Defense with just those three powers running. Add on Combat Jumping's 2.5% Defense, and you're less than 10% away from the soft cap against those damage types. That should be easy to pick up with some set bonuses. And if you've got the cash, buying a Steadfast Protection +3% Def IO will put you at 39.82% Defense with minimal IO slotting.
Since you're got Weave in this build, you'll also have Tough, which will give you about 23.4% Resistance to S/L which isn't great, but can definitely help. Combined with all of your other survival tools, it's just another layer of protection.
You combine all of this with Hoarfrost, Chilling Embrace, and if you really need it, Hibernate, and you'll be a very survivable Tanker with great aggro control. Like you said, you won't have great damage, but you'll do fine. Ice Melee's greatest strengths are control and the fact that cold damage isn't resisted by many enemies.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
Yay! awesome! I really like her so far! I have all the powers you mentioned thus far except combat jumping, but was thinking of getting it anyways to make sure i'm in the middle of groups for ice patch. I also need to get hoarfrost too. I'm lvl 30 now. should i respec it to get hoarfrost or is that cool to just get later on.
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Wow. How have you been surviving without Hoarfrost up until now? I usually suggest taking that at level 2.
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Originally Posted by Muse to my Ears
Yay! awesome! I really like her so far! I have all the powers you mentioned thus far except combat jumping, but was thinking of getting it anyways to make sure i'm in the middle of groups for ice patch. I also need to get hoarfrost too. I'm lvl 30 now. should i respec it to get hoarfrost or is that cool to just get later on.
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Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
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I just asked myself that very question. Sure some factions are easy enough but some really test ya. I guess it's doable just not recommendable.
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Originally Posted by Aett_Thorn
Wow. How have you been surviving without Hoarfrost up until now? I usually suggest taking that at level 2.
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He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
I have only face planted about twice with her without it. I just got her to lvl 32 today and died once again, but we were fighting plus 4s with a single corr and all melee...so that's to be expected I guess. I haven't had the need for it, bu twas gonna shoot to have max hp for max hp recovery after reading a few guides. With a power that only comes up every 6 min when you are going through 1-30 I didn't find it to be that necessary at all. I definitely want the power, but didn't realize it for being a vital piece. I figured it would be later as I was planning on doing a respec (after I read up on the build) whenever I reached 38 to make sure I have everything I need.
Of course at least one of my builds is going to have X3 ice, but y'all have any suggestions for patrons or epics that y'all have found more useful?
As we all love our yummy tankers in the many forms they come in, I couldn't seem to get over the feeling to make my ice/ice tank awesome. I have many tanks builds under my belt and have used both ices on different characters. Shield/ice and ice/kin tanks. Both fun and very different play styles but it has left me with this feeling to make a true sign of a tank. Ice/ice. We can not be duplicated by scrappers or brutes. We are a proud race...but a dying one. I got her to lvl 30 so far and am loving it. Now this is crunch time. I have altinitous so i was wondering if ice/ice is something that can become pretty survivable. I do okay now at 30 but still need to pop an inspiration here and there to keep up. I know i personally have had great exp but have dropped like a fly as fast as a hummingbird when i have. I'm not good with "ultimate" slotting but if i can get her to 50 (and all that jazz ) can i make her pretty decent? And if so...is it expensive? I know damage isnt gonna be great just want her survivable. I personally lovethis build for all the control. Between the slows, holds, ice patch, and -damage i feel like a lasting defender