Tank Building Guidelines

[vorshlumpf]

Is there a guide somewhere on the forum or wiki that goes over the basics for building a sturdy uni-tank? I've looked, but haven't had much luck (though there is information spread around in random discussions). In the absence of such a guide, I'd be willing to compile the advice/input of others into one (either here or on the wiki - the latter if there are two many spoilers).

Essentially, what I'm looking for is a list of checks that tanks will have to make and the point in their careers those checks will be necessary. For instance, the disarm checks vs the Immortal. STR, CON, DEX, concentration, discipline... all of these. The goal being a sturdy tank that can stay standing and effective at all times if at all possible.

Please feel free to simply point me to pertinent discussions or even what specific things to search for.

Thanks.

- Niilo

[Torin]

STR is 40+ depending on your armor (Pit Fiend)
DEX is 40+ depending on your armor (Malebranche)
Concentration 20-30 points
Discipline maxed, you must hit 127 (engine maximum). That is base points (63 best) + 50 (buff) + X (STR modifier, buffed) + Y (from SF, ESF Discipline)

[greven]

It depends on where you want to go and what gear you have. For Abos you need some concentration off gear with only 20-30 base points. In Abyss, it's almost impossible to be fully uni on most classes, although your best bet for a just barely not uni would be going mid 60s dex and mid 40s str; you will still fail a certain 60+ str check on occasion with that.

I highly recommend doing both Abyss and Abos (all parts) at some point.

[buddhamind]

What Torin said. That is the base for a Uni build: 40 str, 40 dex, max discipline, and some concentration.

Of course there are other things to think about-- I'll try to list a few. These numbers are for hells, abyss, Ely, etc.

Defensive:

• AC, conceal, and soak - Try to hit >130 AC. This is not hard if you have Uni dex stats and cover all the sources of AC with decent gear. This number can be offset somewhat if you get exceptionally high conceal (e.g. staffmasters) or soak (e.g. COT). Get the full 12 points of tumble AC.
  
• Saves - Aim for 60 for all three saves. Rumor is that the new paragon areas will have even higher checks, so you might want to aim for 65 or higher if you will want to play there.
  
• Crit immunity and Parry - If you plan to be a front-line tank, get some crit immunity. Some classes get it for free (or with a stat requirement like 40 base strength), others will want to use the Belt of Eternal Preservation (BEP) or the lowbie ring. If you have the points, max parry is nice to have especially if you are planning to rely on BEP or the lowbie ring.
  

Offensive:

• Listen - End game monsters have high conceal, listen reduces that conceal and is better than Blind Fight if you can max it. Higher AB does not offset low listen. Try to max this.
  
• AB - Generally, 95 is low, ~100 is OK, 110 is good. Most Uni builds trade some AB for the ability to make checks. How low you can comfortably go depends on your class and build-- the AB progression is different if you are a Monk, using dual weapons, double weapons, extra attacks, etc. It also depends on whether you are playing in Abyss or not, where monster AC is higher, and how much DPS you want to see. The above numbers are just general ideas.
  
• Weapon Choice - There are too many variables to give specifics here. It depends on your toon size, weapon proficiencies, class, etc. Weapons on HG are largely balanced by category, so there is little difference between, for example, a dire mace and a two-bladed sword. Some monsters take bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing better but I think most people prefer bludgeoning. Availability is another major concern that is often overlooked, in my opinion.
  

[bazukar]

We had a discussion about this here