Lightning Tank

prestochango

Trying to peace together a tough lightning tank. Would someone mind taking a peek at this and give some hints? I would prefer prefer a in your face style as opposed to ranged.



http://aesica.net/co/herocreator.htm?v=20&n=Lightning Tank&d=13480oMQUbaP000000100012031800I5009C001A05K5031F059L0800000000000000000000000200000000

prestochango

Lightning Tank - Freeform

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

Talents
Level 1: The Cybernetic Warrior (Con: 10, End: 10, Int: 10, Rec: 8)
Level 6: Healthy Mind (Con: 5, Int: 5)
Level 9: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)
Level 12: Investigator (Int: 5, End: 5)
Level 15: Covert Ops Training (Str: 3, Dex: 3, Con: 3, Int: 3)
Level 18: Amazing Stamina (Rec: 5, End: 5)
Level 21: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Electric Bolt
Level 1: Lightning Arc (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Ionic Reverberation
Level 8: Defiance
Level 11: Concentration
Level 14: Thunderstrike (Rank 2, Ionic Compression)
Level 17: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Lightning Storm (Rank 2, Stolen Thunder)
Level 23: Energy Wave (Reverse Polarity)
Level 26:
Level 29:
Level 32:
Level 35:
Level 38:
Adv. Points: 18/36

Travel Powers
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations

flowcyto

You've got a decent start, imo. Filling it out more:

Lightning Tank - Freeform

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

Talents
Level 1: The Cybernetic Warrior (Con: 10, End: 10, Int: 10, Rec: 8)
Level 6: Healthy Mind (Con: 5, Int: 5)
Level 9: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)
Level 12: Investigator (Int: 5, End: 5)
Level 15: Covert Ops Training (Str: 3, Dex: 3, Con: 3, Int: 3)
Level 18: Amazing Stamina (Rec: 5, End: 5)
Level 21: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Electric Bolt
Level 1: Lightning Arc (Rank 2, Rank 3, Challenge!)
Level 6: Ionic Reverberation
Level 8: Defiance
Level 11: Concentration
Level 14: Thunderstrike (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 17: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Lightning Storm (Rank 2, Stolen Thunder, Challenge!)
Level 23: Energy Wave (Reverse Polarity, Recharge, Challenge!)
Level 26: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 29: Antagonize (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Masterful Dodge
Level 35: Circle of Primal Dominion (Rank 2)
Level 38:
Adv. Points: 31/36

Travel Powers
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations
Constitution: Unyielding (1/2)
Constitution: Fuel My Fire (3/3)
Constitution: Resilient (2/2)
Constitution: Adrenaline Rush (2/2)
Constitution: Armored (2/2)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
Guardian: Find the Mark (2/3)
Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (3/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (2/3)
Mastery: Constitution Mastery (1/1)

Last power can be w/e. Gear for lotsa Con and some Int.

prestochango

Thanks Flow, nice to know I was on the right track.

pantagruel01

The biggest problem with a lightning tank is that lightning arc is a kind of cruddy tanking power in current content, because its damage is tail weighted, and if you're having to block constantly it winds up doing low damage and thus generating low threat. I'm not aware of a good solution to that problem, though.

flowcyto

If ur having issues w/ having to interrupt LArc's back-ended maintain often, then maybe you could center ur build around LStorm spam? Would take more energy, but perhaps that could be worked around (if ur blocking often then you'll get energy that way as is).

jaazaniah1

Being a ranged tank in high end content seems to be problematic in general?

pantagruel01

jaazaniah1 said:

Being a ranged tank in high end content seems to be problematic in general?

That's a fair statement. The big problem is that many bosses will chase you about, and the fight gets really annoying for everyone else if the boss keeps moving. Some bosses (notably, Qwyjibo) also have annoying attacks they only use if you get too far away.

jaazaniah1

I wonder if Kaiserin has any plans to make range tanks more useful against cosmics and so on? It'd be nice to have a ranged toggle form based on knocks.

pantagruel01 said:

jaazaniah1 said:

Being a ranged tank in high end content seems to be problematic in general?

That's a fair statement. The big problem is that many bosses will chase you about, and the fight gets really annoying for everyone else if the boss keeps moving. Some bosses (notably, Qwyjibo) also have annoying attacks they only use if you get too far away.

roughbearmattach

I like the lightning block with my lightning tank--gives more lightning effects (for theme), and does damage while blocking.

Antagonize is generally better, but in solo content, generally any block is fine, and in team content, you got a healer.

flowcyto

I think its useful to parse out the difference between 'tanking w/ ranged attacks' and 'ranged tanking' here. Can't really expect to do the latter w/ bosses that insist on you being in their face.

The only annoyance I have w/ Elec Shield is the 200% baseline dmgRes to Physical. Still not really sure why its not the normal 250%.

pantagruel01

flowcyto said:

I think its useful to parse out the difference between 'tanking w/ ranged attacks' and 'ranged tanking' here. Can't really expect to do the latter w/ bosses that insist on you being in their face.

Main issues with tanking with ranged attacks at close range is that range attacks do lower damage, and maintaining your stacks is a pain unless you're using Aspect of the Infernal.

flowcyto

True. I suppose one could take the hit to optimal ranged dmg and take FotT instead and aim for high cit%- if you can't even get 4 ticks or half charges off regularly. But in that situation, melee are still having to block often too. Its just not a good scenario for threat in general- I imagine Challenge is doing much of the heavy lifting then.

pantagruel01

flowcyto said:

Its just not a good scenario for threat in general- I imagine Challenge is doing much of the heavy lifting then.

Probably under half for the dino, though not necessarily a lot under. Using both types of challenge on a typical tank build is something like 1400 threat per second, and your typical threat multiplier for damage is 2.2-3 depending on how much Confront you're mixing in, and dps for a main tank is likely in the 500-1,000 range depending on how aggressive you are (a Primus Spark Shield is nice and fits an electric theme), though I've seen 2k when tanking Kiga.

flowcyto

pantagruel01 said:

flowcyto said:

Its just not a good scenario for threat in general- I imagine Challenge is doing much of the heavy lifting then.

Probably under half for the dino, though not necessarily a lot under. Using both types of challenge on a typical tank build is something like 1400 threat per second, and your typical threat multiplier for damage is 2.2-3 depending on how much Confront you're mixing in, and dps for a main tank is likely in the 500-1,000 range depending on how aggressive you are (a Primus Spark Shield is nice and fits an electric theme), though I've seen 2k when tanking Kiga.

Well, those approximations seem pretty fair, so I'll defer to your experience here. I suppose one other way to work around this (that's also thematic) is Sparkstorm's toggle, which iirc can still be used w/ block (though using the block too quickly can cancel it- I recall the timing being finicky on that).

roughbearmattach

As someone with a good, but not totally optimized main tank, I would like to offer some additional comments about having "enough" threat.

In a Cosmic fight, being in tank role, doing reasonable damage (haymaker taps) with Defender gloves, and no Confront mods, I can maintain aggro against all but the absolute highest DPS. This assumes some DPS isn't using Gloves of the Defender--in that case, I will lose aggro. I also cannot generally keep or take aggro and stay as main tank when someone else has a tank that is built similar to mine AND uses Confront mods/does higher damage. In that case, being a soak tank is good enough.

In smaller teams, like fighting a miniboss OM in the QWZ, or doing TA, I have no problems keeping aggro.


What I am saying, in a very long-winded way, is that it is easy to get to "enough" threat. If you are interested in being main tank when multiple tanks show up for a fight, that is when threat counting really comes into play.

prestochango

Follow up question, what numbers should I be looking for in regards to defense?

roughbearmattach

I like my tanks to have enough Defense to have at least +100% resistance, usually through Str primary/Con secondary and Juggernaut spec. There are other ways to achieve that much defense, too.

Still, there are builds that use much less base defense, particularly for players that are better than me at carefully timed blocking.