Bear Tank

[GoldyGopher]

Not necessarily on a whim, but close to that, I decided I wanted to try to build a Dire Bear Tank. I have been slowly leveling up this character as I worked on a number of other TR projects, yeah 25 might be too many alts but what can I say.

Not to 20 yet, only 17, however my first attempt is a Dwarf, 14 Druid, 5 Fighter, and 1 Magic User. It was kind of fun to play but my Stats (AC/PRR/MRR) weren't where I thought they would be. My plan is to TR once I hit 20, in part because I have too many Epic TRs in process and because I think the build can be greatly improved. After staring at the DDO Character Planner for a couple of days I clearly don't have a clue.

Has anyone built anything like this that you would be willing to share you thoughts or build?

Thanks

[unbongwah]

With that level split, I presume you are using tier 5 Stalwart Defender. Does Block & Cut work in bear form?

[Pilgrim1]

T5 bear gives an extra 15% bonus to ac for 30%. For a tank thats really strong.

To me the advantage of bear over other tanks is the ac potential. 30% ac, but no CE and no Wiz is still 10% more then what the standard can get.

2 builds jump to mind to me, 13 druid bear/4fighter/3artificer.

And warforge 18 bear/2 monk to stack bear with earth stance (this is posibly the highest ac in the game with 165% ac).

In both cases you also get some self healing and buffing. There are a issues of course, rage makes displacement clickies and divine power clickies annoying.

I would love to see someone’s finished bear tank build. Thses are all theoretical builds to me.

[Ultinoob]

I don't get how you come up with 165% ac. Dire bear gives 15% and monk earth stance gives 20%. You can use Combat expertise with that and we hit 45% without filigrees. Note you cannot be in stances while raged so the last 15% from t5 NP cancels out the 30% you get from earth stance and CE. I tried a monk druid build from what i remember was a first lifer.

The thing is if you use CE your spell cooldown is time 6 which significantly deminishes your spell cast abilities.

With 6 monk you can get 25% incorporality from ninja spy and blur is not hard to get. Also 6 monk and staff build druid can give you that healing strike for 100 hp and 6 to dodge cap. My problem with this build was not the defense. If i remember correctly i was able to almost kill the two shades in an invitation to dinner in the start. No the problem was the dps which was not good.

Right now i am testing out a 5 monk 15 druid that uses wis to ac, damage and spell power. I am only level 7. The idea is to use salt ray to stun them. AP: NP 6, NW 16, Henshin 34, falconry 26. later on you can use earthquake. Your defense is definatley lowered but mobs should be a walk in the park with salt ray and 30% extra damage to helpless. You should get perfect pinacle and that barovian robe that gives 6 shield ac on level 10. Another version of this is 2 monk 18 druid which looses +1 threat range but frees 34 ap from henshin. Haven't really thought this through yet.

In a group the 6/14 monk/druid does well at keeping people alive. I tried on reaper 1.

Another build i have been thinking about is monk/druid/warlock for +8 con from dire bear and earth stance and with briliance from warlock. But i can't recall if there is enough ap.