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My Heavy Weapons/Darkness Tank

keikomystkeikomyst Posts: 626 Arc User
edited May 2014 in Builds and Roles
Here's a build I've been using and tinkering around with since even before On Alert! This tank hits hard with geared-in crits (and maybe a sprinkling of Dex too) with Challenging Strikes and Crippling Challenge. Cleave spamming, Eruption when possible, using Conviction to top off health... it's a little more active than your average boring Devour Essence Tank.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Heavy Weapons + Darkness

Archetype: Freeform

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

Talents:
Level 1: The Savage
Level 6: Healthy Mind
Level 9: Physical Conditioning
Level 12: Body and Mind
Level 15: Quick Recovery
Level 18: Relentless
Level 21: Negotiator

Powers:
Level 1: Bludgeon
Level 1: Cleave (Rank 2, Rank 3, Challenging Strikes)
Level 6: Defiance (Rank 2)
Level 8: Eruption (Rank 2, Crippling Challenge)
Level 11: Void Shift (Emerging Nightmares, Nailed to the Ground)
Level 14: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 17: Form of the Tempest
Level 20: Annihilate (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Ebon Rift (Vengeful Shadows)
Level 26: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Resurgent Reiki)
Level 29: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)
Level 32: Masterful Dodge
Level 35: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 38: Ebon Ruin (Rank 2, Rank 3)

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Acrobatics (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Teleportation

Specializations:
Constitution: Unyielding (2/2)
Constitution: Tough (3/3)
Constitution: Resilient (2/2)
Constitution: Adrenaline Rush (2/2)
Constitution: Armored (1/2)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Elusive (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Brawler: The Glory of Battle (3/3)
Brawler: No Escape (1/3)
Brawler: Penetrating Strikes (2/2)
Brawler: Ruthless (2/2)
Brawler: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
Mastery: Constitution Mastery (1/1)


Why Form of the Tempest? Why not Enrage?
Using knocks to stack a form sucks. Besides, the base 25% chance to proc Enrage with Cleave is too low for my tastes. Even without SS Dex, Form of the Tempest is still great, and with 112 extra dex along with a lowly R4 crit gem, I still have a great critical chance on par with a pre-On Alert SS Dex user.

Why have Annihilate if you're not using Enrage?
Annihilate is the coolest Heavy Weapons move. It just looks and sounds awesome. It's wonderful for finishing off Dockside Dustup Nemesis Smashes!

Why Ebon Rift?
Because Ebon Rift is awesome and hits really hard with Vengeful Shadows. It's also great to dive into crowds with.

Why Ebon Ruin? IS THIS A PVP BUILD?!
No! Ebon Ruin is a handy tool that can be used for pulling bosses (ESPECIALLY in Recruiting Drive), debuffing enemy healing (New Shadows gang, Ao'Qephoth) and in case you get into any duels. Besides... do you see Ascension or Force Cascade in this build?

Why Ego Surge?
Nimble Mind, with my Con, doubles my crit chance. Handy for hitting like a truck to grab aggro back from an overzealous DPSer.

BCR + RR? Even on this build?
The answer's simple: Dodge/avoid gear and Masterful Dodge if things get shaky.
Post edited by keikomyst on

Comments

  • xiquatlexiquatle Posts: 3 Arc User
    edited December 2012
    I saw your build I like that you do not follow the crowd. I am a devoted tank players with the ongoing goal of creating the best DPS/tank and I don't PvP often.

    That being said I can tell you this. The secret is not critical hits and DEX. In fact I can match the DPS of a DEX build while having a crit chance of less than 1%.
    I don't share my builds often but the secret is not DEX it is offense.
    Lets say you min/max to get a 40% crit and 70% severity. How would that compare to someone who has a permanent +40% every to every attack before I add bonuses from stats?
    I am a ranged tank so no devour essence. Instead I depend on challenge and strikes to pull aggro from players or mobs. I can put a 37% damage debuff on people from range which has made more than a few people call me a cheater, when PvP still existed, when people wondered why their 5000 damage attacks did 3000 and of that 1500 gets through.
    All the while I am hitting them for 1000 a second with maintain attacks and healing myself at the same time.
    In alerts I can solo tank some of the legendary bosses. If you are still playing we should meet ingame sometime.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]:cool: You lose!
  • helbjornhelbjorn Posts: 678 Arc User
    edited December 2012
    xiquatle wrote: »
    The secret is not critical hits and DEX. In fact I can match the DPS of a DEX build while having a crit chance of less than 1%.
    I don't share my builds often but the secret is not DEX it is offense.
    Lets say you min/max to get a 40% crit and 70% severity. How would that compare to someone who has a permanent +40% every to every attack before I add bonuses from stats?

    I don't believe this is correct. IIRC, the damage bonus from Offense is subject to additive DR when combined with the buffs from superstats, role, Forms/Enrage buffs, etc. Whereas Crit damage is not. In other words, your +40% buff from Offense is nowhere near an actual 40% buff, whereas the crit bonus in the example you gave is an actual 28% overall increase in damage.
  • holloweaverholloweaver Posts: 582 Arc User
    edited December 2012
    With CON and Darkness, you should really give a look at this combo chain : Void Shift->Shadow Bolt-> Spirit Reverberation.
    It works fine with me, giving me 49 energy from Spirit Reverberation.

    Hum... what's your block?
  • keikomystkeikomyst Posts: 626 Arc User
    edited December 2012
    Don't need one, but if you really wanted one you could take the Darkness block.

    Also, I've tried that combo before, but it doesn't win out against the multiple short cooldowns constantly providing energy via MSA.
  • holloweaverholloweaver Posts: 582 Arc User
    edited December 2012
    You had energy issues? Weird I never had energy issues with Spirit Reverb+Defiance+FotT .. oh I've a dragon attack with Rush too.
  • keikomystkeikomyst Posts: 626 Arc User
    edited December 2012
    Not really energy issues, I would say, but more like ... MSA is just plain easier to get going, via Lunge, Eruption, Conviction and BCR + RR. So long as I'm fighting I basically have perma-MSA constantly feeding me energy.
  • knghthawkknghthawk Posts: 5 Arc User
    edited August 2013
    Was looking into retconning an old toon of mine into this build...question though - What can I swap out for BRiMSTONE?... I really like that attack power and it fits my old toon thematically. :biggrin:
  • holloweaverholloweaver Posts: 582 Arc User
    edited August 2013
    My suggestion would be to switch Ebon Rift for your Brimstone.
  • knghthawkknghthawk Posts: 5 Arc User
    edited August 2013
    My suggestion would be to switch Ebon Rift for your Brimstone.


    Thanks for the suggestion holloweaver! This build looks like it'll be quite fun to play. I'm off to scorch villains with thine Brimstone! :biggrin: :cool:
  • tditstdits Posts: 666 Arc User
    edited August 2013
    Forget you. Knocks rock. :tongue:

    But in all seriousness, nice build. Dex based Heavy Weapons toons are fun. Not that you actually need Dex to get awesome crit, especially with Cleave, but still.

    Ebon Ruin is a nice touch, Trauma takes care of Ao'Qephoth quite handily, but I have to question your choice of Brawler over Vindicator. While the Glory of Battle (and Locus) are both very fun to stack up, it doesn't give you very much since you already have DEX as a superstat and... wait. You don't have Dex as a superstat, that's going to make FotT suck. Are you sure this is the finished build?

    Anyway, Vindicator will give you more offense, turn some of that offense into defense (which gives you more offense, which etc.), and it'll give you 5% more severity and access to a flat 6% crit chance (which is not effected by DR, it's 6% on top of the rest of your crit chance) for whichever attack you want it on or another heal if you'd rather. All Brawler gets you is a bit more offense and some crit rating which you're certainly hitting DR on anyway.

    Oh, and Cleave has a 25%/25%/50% (doubled against a disoriented target) chance to get Enrage, so it's actually pretty easy to stack Enrage with it.
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  • ajanusajanus Posts: 501 Arc User
    edited August 2013
    PowerHouse (Link to this build)

    Name:

    Archetype: Freeform

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

    Talents:
    Level 1: Superhuman
    Level 6: Mighty
    Level 9: Brilliant
    Level 12: Enduring
    Level 15: Physical Conditioning
    Level 18: Healthy Mind
    Level 21: Body and Mind

    Powers:
    Level 1: Bludgeon (Until Morale Improves)
    Level 1: Cleave (Rank 2, Rank 3, Challenging Strikes)
    Level 6: Defiance
    Level 8: Enrage (Giant Growth)
    Level 11: Shadow Blast (Crippling Challenge)
    Level 14: Void Shift (Emerging Nightmares)
    Level 17: Molecular Self-Assembly
    Level 20: Miniaturization Drive (Reciprocating Gizmo)
    Level 23: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 26: Resurgence (Rank 2, Evanescent Emergence)
    Level 29: Ebon Ruin (Nyctophobia)
    Level 32: Aggressor (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 35: Vicious Descent (Rank 2, Relentless)
    Level 38: Ebon Void (Voracious Darkness)

    Travel Powers:
    Level 6: Athletics (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 35: Shadow Wings (Rank 2, Rank 3)

    Specializations:
    Strength: Swole (2/3)
    Strength: Physical Peak (3/3)
    Strength: Brutality (2/2)
    Strength: Juggernaut (3/3)
    Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
    Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
    Warden: Elusive (2/2)
    Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
    Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
    Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
    Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
    Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
    Mastery: Strength Mastery (1/1)


    Was messing around with the Powerhouse and came up with this, so thought I would share here.

    This build has Disorient and Fear to get you through the first few stacks of Defiance with ease, on top of Knock Down from Vicious Decent for a bit more mitigation.

    It packs a ton of Offense and Defense with Juggernaut from STR and the other 2 trees...I also added Mass Destruction for Cleave.

    100' Crippling Challenge with Shadow Blast, along with Challenging Strikes with Cleave.

    On top of all that you get to be BIG...really BIG :biggrin:


    Remember: Half the people you know are below average...

    Do not correct a fool, for he will hate you for it. Correct a wise man, for he will appreciate you for it.

    Don't be like the Qularr. They would not last one round in the Interstellar Galactic Arena...

    Handle @brayv
  • wrathsoul1wrathsoul1 Posts: 679 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    So, is this build still viable or I shouldn't bother?
  • selpheaselphea Posts: 1,229 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    wrathsoul1 wrote: »
    So, is this build still viable or I shouldn't bother?

    I wouldn't do the original build. It was made before the crit nerf and doesn't have SS Dex, so it pretty much relied on the higher crit chance from Crit Rating pre-nerf to proc Form of the Tempest.

    Ajanus' build looks pretty legit though, just don't expect amazing DPS - it's a tank after all!
  • ajanusajanus Posts: 501 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    wrathsoul1 wrote: »
    So, is this build still viable or I shouldn't bother?

    I think my posted build will still work.

    You really want Legions+ Primary Offense for the double offense slot, 2 Crit mods (Gambler's) and a Crit stat on your Secondary Offense for sure. This should still get you really close to 40% Crit Chance even after nerf.

    There are some personal picks in that build for me, so you can replace with whatever you like in those spots. Vicious Descent, Ebon Ruin, Aggressor, and Mini Drive can be re-personalized if there are certain powers you just can't live without.

    Summon Shadows, Shadow Shroud, Resurgence, even Brimstone could all go somewhere and stay within theme. I might find room to R2 Shadow Blast along with Crippling Challenge, but again, the rest will be up to your personal preferences.


    Remember: Half the people you know are below average...

    Do not correct a fool, for he will hate you for it. Correct a wise man, for he will appreciate you for it.

    Don't be like the Qularr. They would not last one round in the Interstellar Galactic Arena...

    Handle @brayv
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