What type of Global Defense should I work into my PB
Definitely Smashing/Lethal. It's the most common damage type in the game. Even attacks that seem like they wouldn't usually have a Smashing/Lethal component.
On Recharge: You can manage both. You won't be able to softcap but having perma Light Form will increase your survivability exponentially. That combined with about 30% Smashing/Lethal Defense will make you nigh unkillabe provided significant debuffs aren't involved.
Wanna play a Peacebringer? Don't believe the hype. Check out my guide and get the real truth:
PEACEBRINGERS SUCK!!! (Now fully up to date for i21+
)
Yeah, S/L Defense is the way to go. You have tons of Mule Powers for Kinetic Combats (mine uses Brawl, Boxing, Kick, and the Two White Dwarf ST Attacks), and with Combat Jump, Weave, Maneuvers, a Steadfast Protection +3 Def you'll have serious S/L Defense (throw in a Gladiators +3 Def if you can afford it). Also, since Solar Flare can be done in the Air now, I have Combat Flight on while Fighting for even more Defense.
So, my PB has around 41% S/L Defense and Perma Lightform - nigh Unkillable indeed 
S/L defense is the way to go. Like everyone above me said, it's the most common damage combo in the game.
Try to boost it as high as you can without loosing Perma-LF. If you (can) reach around 32.5% defense, a single purple will make you damn near unstoppable.
Some tricks I use (without purples involved):
- Kinetic combats in Dwarf strike, dwarf smite, brawl, and boxing or kick, if you took them. (+3.75% s/l defense)
- Steadfast protection unique +3% defense into your first auto-resist power, spring for the PvP +3% defense as well if you feel like splurging
- 6 slot oblitration, you get 5% recharge along with melee and S/L defense.
- In your ranged ST attacks, Decimation works wonders for recharge
- make use of 5 slotting the ATO set. It can give pretty decent recharge, and if you boost it with catalysts, its even more awesome.
- take "1 slot wonders" in the power pools that give defense, slot them with 1 LoTG: + recharge and call it a day. 5 of those alone can give you 37.5% global recharge.
If you do use purples:
- Apocalypse set in nova blast instead of decimation
- Ragnarock in Nova scatter instead of Positron's Blast
- ATO purple set into nova detonation instead of Positron's blast
Hello all,
I've been leveling up a peacebringer and am currently in my high 30s. I'd like to start working on collecting IOs for her now. At 50, I'd like to softcap either S/L defense or ranged defense - even at the cost of recharge. I don't think I need much of the latter to get by.
I'm not sure which would be easier or even feasible. Any opinions out there?
I'd post a Mid's build, but my builds so far are messed up beyond anything I feel would be representative of what I'd like to accomplish. So I don't think I'd need a build from anyone out there yet, but some opinions on what one might prefer and how to get there would be useful.
Malakim
-Playing since COH beta and still love the game!