My attempt at a dodge tank

rb74

After getting in a good place with a celestial radiant healer from my previous thread, I now want to try a role I have mostly been ignoring so far, the tank role. Specifically, I want to try a dodge tank. As usual, I've gone into the PTS and tested inside the Battle Station. As far as dodge tanks go, I don't think there is really much choice outside of the Martial Arts and Unarmed trees. I wouldn't be that surprised if a good build like this is already lying around and I just didn't see it yet (I saw a couple for single blade). I would like to go with duel blades, but those powers don't appear to give dodge buffs. The PowerHouse builder doesn't seem to be the most up to date. The blank power slot is the Steadfast energy unlock that triggers on each dodge. The last adv point is Strong Arm for Shuriken Throw.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Dexterity (Primary)
Level 10: Constitution (Secondary)
Level 15: Strength (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: One of Mind and Body
Level 6: Martial Focus
Level 9: Physical Conditioning
Level 12: Acrobat
Level 15: Bodybuilder
Level 18: Accurate
Level 21: Boundless Reserves

Powers:
Level 1: Righteous Fists
Level 1: Thundering Kicks (Floating Lotus Blossom, Crippling Challenge)
Level 6: Lightning Reflexes (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Form of the Master (Storm's Eye Prana)
Level 11:
Level 14: One Hundred Hands (Rank 2, Rank 3, Challenging Strikes)
Level 17: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Resurgent Reiki)
Level 20: Masterful Dodge (Unfettered Strikes)
Level 23: Burning Chi Fist (Rank 2)
Level 26: Thunderbolt Lunge (Nailed to the Ground)
Level 29: Fluidity
Level 32: Shuriken Throw (Chained Kunai)
Level 35: Dragon Kick (Lashing Dragon Tail)
Level 38: Dragon Uppercut (Rank 2)

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Hyper Ball (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Energy Swinging (Flippin')

Specializations:
Dexterity: Gear Utilization (3/3)
Dexterity: Brush It Off (2/2)
Dexterity: Evasion (2/2)
Dexterity: Quick Reflexes (3/3)
Protector: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Protector: Bulwark (2/2)
Protector: Defensive Expertise (3/3)
Protector: Resolute (2/3)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Elusive (2/2)
Warden: Reactive Strikes (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Mastery: Protector Mastery (1/1)

I might not need all these attacks to buff dodge and avoidance. Burning Chi Fist and Dragon Uppercut are more damage dealers that probably spread me too thin and probably could be replaced with something else. I don't have an active offense unless I go with Ego Surge. Maybe there's Protection Field if it doesn't scale off the non-existence PRE of this build, although I don't remember offhand. Healers might supply me with that. Fluidity block probably isn't very useful by itself, but the high dodge chance should make the small buffs even better. However, I don't think the numbers as seen in the status screen is always so accurate.​​

flowcyto

Its possible to use other powersets for a dodge build. TKicks and Evasive Moves (latter better for ranged tanks) give dodge buffs that last a short while- refresh them and ya can use w/e else ya want in between.

Ex. of a DB + dodge build:

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Constitution (Primary)
Level 10: Dexterity (Secondary)
Level 15: Intelligence (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: The Glacier
Level 6: Covert Ops Training
Level 9: Acrobat
Level 12: Healthy Mind
Level 15: Coordinated
Level 18: Quick Recovery
Level 21: Impresario

Powers:
Level 1: Rain of Steel
Level 1: Blade Tempest (Rank 2, Rank 3, Challenging Strikes)
Level 6: Lightning Reflexes (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Form of the Tempest
Level 11: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Rank 2, Resurgent Reiki)
Level 14:
Level 17: Eye of the Storm (Rank 2, Blade Beyond the Veil)
Level 20: Thundering Kicks (Rank 2, Crippling Challenge)
Level 23: Thunderbolt Lunge
Level 26: Resurgence
Level 29: Dragon's Wrath (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Masterful Dodge
Level 35: Energy Shield (Rank 2, Laser Knight)
Level 38: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)

Travel Powers:
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations:
Constitution: Unyielding (1/2)
Constitution: Fuel My Fire (2/3)
Constitution: Resilient (2/2)
Constitution: Deflection (3/3)
Constitution: Adrenaline Rush (2/2)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Upper Hand (2/3)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (2/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Constitution Mastery (1/1)

TKicks for the dodge buff and to put up CripC. Blade Tempest for decent filler dps/threat and to put up Shredded. DW if ya wanna use a higher single-target dps filler. EotS if ya wanna turtle up in AoE. Gears mostly for Dex and Con.

A decent, higher dps/threat alternative to this could be STR/Dex/Con w/ Juggernaut and Brutality- you'll have slightly less maxHP, lower healing from crits, and lower dodge, but have quite more Defense, offense, and crit severity. Still focuses gearing on Dex and Con.

morigosa

The important thing to decide is: are you going for a tank that has some dodge, or are you going for a 100% dodge chance tank? I would generally recommend the former option; it's a lot less finicky to play, and has much lower gearing requirements. In which case, yes, you should take Flowcyto's alternate suggestion and go for Str/Con/Dex as your superstats.

If you really want to go the latter route, my build for Magpie might be a decent thing to reference... but I don't advise leveling like that. Do something else - regen maybe - and respec at 40 when you have the gear to make it work.

flowcyto

Yea 100% dodge builds are crazy good for survival, but also have quite high gear reqs generally, and/or tons of busy-work. Def wouldn't recommend them for new players, but ya can still get a decently high-dodge tank just using R3, gearing for dodge rating, and keeping up either TKicks or EM's buff. Still won't be near 100% dodge, but ya can always cover bad RNG gaps w/ heals, blocking, and ADs.