The Tankbarian

**Pandjed** · 02-05-2022, 05:30 PM

You ever wanted to play a tank, but hate seeing people running the same builds, and thought: "Hey, why not run something that's not supposed to be a tank, but make it a tank anyway?" If not, then you may be sane, but who am I to judge?

This tank has been proven surprisingly well, after the leveling up process. Of course, leveling it up was the worst, but that's just part of the course. But what is the reward?
It tanks endgame raids with little support, as it's still good enough in healing itself, and with some Greenbelt resistance gear (I change the belt for it), the tankbarian is comfortable with raids up to hard and harder with some healing support.
Does it do reaper well? Tanked in r8 and even r10 (though there with some trouble, being a first lifer and all ^^'), as long as someone is doing a heal. Surprisingly, the tankbarian have many answers for reaper. Uncanny Dodge for the Doom reapers (plus Nightrevels Hat when you're facing multiple), the healing amp makes it easy to be kept alive by your allies, and there are enough HP and PRR/MRR to survive long enough to even get the heal. It's also funny to stay in vengeance cycles and lose around 2k HP just to show off. :P

Two major things: Spell Resistance is very weird in this game, especially in the lategame, where few players even have enough to even matter. The tankbarian does matter, as spell resistance works on things like formorian curses (except raid boss), charisma damage in legendary LoB, among other things.
The other is the Barbarian Damage Reduction and how it non-linearily effects your tankiness. For those without a math degree, here is the formular in excel (or similar programs) for the full 14% you get:

[Effective PRR] = -(100*((100/(100+PRR)*0,86)-1))/(100/(100+PRR)*0,86)

If we take the 362 PRR the builder is giving me, it increases to an effective PRR of ~437. The Barbarian DR becomes more valuable the higher the PRR already is, as it's a multiplicatory effect.

Let's look at the build for a second.

Here is the basic idea, though the numbers don't all match, but I'm too lazy to figure out why exactly (not all fillis I have used on builder, but still some numbers are lower).

Code:

Character name: Tankbarian
Classes: 20 Barbarian, 10 Epic, 2 Legendary
Race: Dragonborn· · · · · ·Alignment: Neutral

· · ·Start Tome Final · · ·Incorp:· · ·0% · · ·Displacement:· ·25%
Str:· · 16· · 5 · ·46 · · ·HP:· · · ·4999 · · ·AC:· ·152
Dex:· · ·6· · 0 · ·10 · · ·PRR: · · · 362
Con:· · 18· · 6 · ·87 · · ·MRR: · · · 142 · · ·+Healing Amp:· ·318
Int:· · ·8· · 5 · ·28 · · ·Dodge: · ·4/4· · · -Healing Amp: · ·88
Wis:· · ·8· · 5 · ·14 · · ·Fort:· · ·228% · · ·Repair Amp:· · · 88
Cha:· · 18· · 6 · ·37 · · ·SR:· · · · 122 · · ·BAB: · · · · · · 25
DR: 10% · 4%
Immunities: Magic Missiles, Blindness, Death Effects, Most forms of Knockdown, Freedom of Movement, Death Effects

Class and Feat Selection
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Level Class · · · · · ·Feats
1 · · Barbarian(1)· · ·Standard: Heavy Armor Proficiency
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Dragonborn Racial: Draconic Ancestry: Red
2 · · Barbarian(2)· · ·
3 · · Barbarian(3)· · ·Standard: Tower Shield Proficiency
4 · · Barbarian(4)· · ·Constitution: +1 Level up
5 · · Barbarian(5)· · ·
6 · · Barbarian(6)· · ·Standard: Shield Mastery
7 · · Barbarian(7)· · ·
8 · · Barbarian(8)· · ·Constitution: +1 Level up
9 · · Barbarian(9)· · ·Standard: Improved Shield Mastery
10· · Barbarian(10) · ·
11· · Barbarian(11) · ·
12· · Barbarian(12) · ·Standard: Improved Shield Bash
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Constitution: +1 Level up
13· · Barbarian(13) · ·
14· · Barbarian(14) · ·
15· · Barbarian(15) · ·Standard: Greater Shield Mastery
16· · Barbarian(16) · ·Constitution: +1 Level up
17· · Barbarian(17) · ·
18· · Barbarian(18) · ·Standard: Shield Deflection
19· · Barbarian(19) · ·
20· · Barbarian(20) · ·Constitution: +1 Level up
21· · Epic(1) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Barbarian Damage Reduction
22· · Epic(2) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Perfect Shield Mastery
23· · Epic(3) · · · · ·
24· · Epic(4) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Bulwark of Defense
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Constitution: +1 Level up
25· · Epic(5) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Elusive Target
26· · Epic(6) · · · · ·
27· · Epic(7) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Damage Reduction
28· · Epic(8) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Fount of Life
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Constitution: +1 Level up
29· · Epic(9) · · · · ·
30· · Epic(10)· · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Fortitude
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Legendary: Scion of the Plane of Earth
31· · Legendary(1)· · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Guardian Angel
32· · Legendary(2)· · ·Constitution: +1 Level up

Enhancements: 80 APs, Racial 1, Universal 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dragonborn - Points spent: 8
Core1 Hardy I
Tier1 Brutality: Brute Fighting - 3 Ranks
Tier1 Resilience I
Tier2 Resilience II
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Occult Slayer - Points spent: 42
Core1 Weapon Bond
Tier1 Extend Rage - 2 Ranks
Tier1 Parrying Bond - 3 Ranks
Tier2 Guarding Bond - 3 Ranks
Tier2 Lessons of Travel - 3 Ranks
Core2 Resistance
Tier2 Willpower Rage - 3 Ranks
Tier3 Kinetic Bond - 3 Ranks
Tier3 Ability I: +1 Constitution
Core3 Elemental Defense
Tier3 Arcane Encumbrance - 3 Ranks
Tier3 Bond of Retribution
Core4 Blank Thoughts
Tier4 Ability II: +1 Constitution
Tier5 Bond of Destruction
Core5 Force Ward
Tier5 Vampiric Bond - 3 Ranks
Tier5 Occult Metalline
Tier5 One Spirit - 3 Ranks
Core6 Mind Over Magic
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ravager - Points spent: 31
Core1 Furious Rage
Tier1 Do You Like Pain? - 3 Ranks
Tier1 Ritual Scarring - 3 Ranks
Tier1 Hate - 2 Ranks
Tier1 Hardy Rage - 3 Ranks
Tier2 Fear me!
Core2 Pain Touch I
Tier2 I Like Pain - 3 Ranks
Core3 Demoralizing Success
Tier3 Ability I: +1 Constitution
Tier3 Aura of Fear - 3 Ranks
Tier4 I Hit Back! - 3 Ranks
Tier4 Ability II: +1 Constitution
Core4 Pain Touch II
Core5 Subsiding Fury
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inquisitive - Points spent: 1
Core1 Inquisitive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Epic Destinies: 40 APs + 14 permanent Destiny Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unyielding Sentinel - Points spent: 40
Core1 Unyielding
Tier1 Epic Strike: Guard Up
Tier1 Ever Watchful - 3 Ranks
Tier2 Knight's Challenge
Tier2 Renewal
Tier2 Mantle of the Sentinel
Tier2 Commanding Presence - 3 Ranks
Core2 Ward Against Darkness
Tier3 Spark of Life
Tier3 Legendary Shield Mastery - 3 Ranks
Tier3 Hands of the Sentinel
Core3 Stand Against the Tide
Tier4 Hardened Purpose - 3 Ranks
Tier4 Endless Vigil - 3 Ranks
Tier4 Throw the Boom
Tier4 Divine Bulwark
Core4 Last Hope
Tier5 Strength of Vitality - 3 Ranks
Tier5 Undying Vanguard
Tier5 Deific Resilience
Tier5 Light the Dark
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Draconic Incarnation - Points spent: 7
Core1 Draconic Bloodline: Draconic Bloodline: Red
Tier1 Dragon Scales - 3 Ranks
Tier1 Dragonhide - 1 Ranks
Tier2 Draconic Rage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fury of the Wild - Points spent: 15
Core1 Die Hard
Tier1 Epic Strike: Quick Cutter - 1 Ranks
Tier1 Enduring - 3 Ranks
Tier2 I'm Always Angry - 3 Ranks
Core2 Die Harder
Tier2 Primal Scream
Core3 Die Hardest
Tier3 Embrace the Pain - 3 Ranks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spell Power · · · · · · ·Base · ·Critical Chance· · Critical Multiplier.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acid· · · · · · · · · · · 159 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 25
Light/Alignment · · · · · 149 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Cold· · · · · · · · · · · 149 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Electric· · · · · · · · · 149 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Evil· · · · · · · · · · · 134 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Fire· · · · · · · · · · · 154 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Force/Untyped · · · · · · 134 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Negative· · · · · · · · · 142 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Physical· · · · · · · · · 134 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Poison· · · · · · · · · · 159 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 25
Positive· · · · · · · · · 162 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Repair· · · · · · · · · · 134 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Rust· · · · · · · · · · · 134 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
Sonic · · · · · · · · · · 173 · · · 0%· · · · · · · · 10
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Equipped Gear Set: Arti Revised
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Armor · · · · Legendary Watch Captain's Platemail · Drops in: Quest: The Same Old Song
· · · · · · · +15 Enhancement Bonus
· · · · · · · Fortification +142%
· · · · · · · Physical Sheltering +33
· · · · · · · Healing Amplification +53
· · · · · · · False Life +50
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Legendary Guardian of the Gates
Belt· · · · · Belt of Braided Beards· ·Drops in: Raid: Defiler of the Just
· · · · · · · Intelligence +13
· · · · · · · Spell Resistance(35)
· · · · · · · Lesser Displacement
· · · · · · · Superior Acid Resistance
· · · · · · · Superior Cold Resistance
· · · · · · · Teleport
· · · · · · · Blue: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
Boots · · · · Legendary Deepsnow Boots· ·Drops in: U48 Quest: A Frosty Reception
· · · · · · · Insightful Constitution +6
· · · · · · · Quality Constitution +3
· · · · · · · Freedom of Movement
· · · · · · · Fortitude Save +10
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Eminence of Winter
Bracers · · · Legendary Greensteel Bracers· ·Drops in: Crafted from Legendary Shroud ingredients
· · · · · · · Equipment Tier 1: +128 Unconsciousness Range, 16 healing every 10 seconds (Enhancement) 
· · · · · · · Equipment Tier 2: +64 Unconsciousness Range (Insightful), 16 healing every 10 seconds (Insightful)
· · · · · · · Equipment Tier 3: +32 Unconsciousness Range (Quality), 4 healing every 10 seconds (Quality)
Cloak · · · · Legendary Cloak of Winter · Drops in: U48 Quest: Comabtting Corruption
· · · · · · · Cold Absorption +34%
· · · · · · · False Life +50
· · · · · · · Legendary Ice Barrier
· · · · · · · Lifesealed 34%
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Eminence of Winter
Gloves· · · · The Prince's Gauntlet · Drops in: U48 Any Feywild Quest
· · · · · · · Lifeblood of the Undead Prince
· · · · · · · Constitution +14
· · · · · · · Quality Resistance +2
· · · · · · · Quality Sheltering +9
· · · · · · · Blue: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Yellow: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Eminence of Summer
· · · · · · · Eminence of Winter
· · · · · · · Filigree 3: Unbreakable: PRR(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 4: Unbreakable: MRR(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 5: Unbreakable: Healing Amplification(Rare Version)
Goggles · · · Legendary Lenses of the Orator· ·Drops in: Quest: Black and Blue
· · · · · · · Linguistics 10%
· · · · · · · Quality Diplomacy +5
· · · · · · · Quality Intimidate +5
· · · · · · · Insightful Charisma +6
· · · · · · · Green: +12 Diamond of Insightful Charisma
Helmet· · · · Citadel's Gaze· ·Drops in: Raid: Too Hot to Handle
· · · · · · · Incite +126%
· · · · · · · Intimidate +20
· · · · · · · Command +7
· · · · · · · Healers Bounty
· · · · · · · Blue: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Legendary Guardian of the Gates
Necklace· · · Legendary Standard Issue Sigil· ·Drops in: Quest: No Refunds
· · · · · · · Magical Sheltering +33
· · · · · · · Protection +10
· · · · · · · Spell Saves +10
· · · · · · · Parrying +6
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Legendary Guardian of the Gates
Ring1 · · · · Legendary Ring of Baphomet· ·Drops in: Quest: Chains of Flame, Base Item plus crafting in the 12
· · · · · · · Bestow Curse
· · · · · · · Strength +13
· · · · · · · Physical Sheltering +34
· · · · · · · Alignment Absorption +22%
· · · · · · · Improved Demonic Shield
· · · · · · · Curse of Foolishness
· · · · · · · Curse of Repulsiveness
· · · · · · · Blue: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · The Legendary Desert's Starless Nights
Ring2 · · · · Legendary Nocturne Ring · Drops in: U48 Quest: A Frosty Reception
· · · · · · · Command +7
· · · · · · · True Seeing
· · · · · · · Insightful Incite +52%
· · · · · · · Insightful Fortification +71%
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Eminence of Winter
Trinket · · · Icon of the Bitterwind· ·Drops in: U48 Raid: The Dryad and the Demigod
· · · · · · · Superior Heroism
· · · · · · · Intimidate +20
· · · · · · · Exceptional Alluring Skills +10
· · · · · · · Incite +126%
· · · · · · · Yellow: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Eminence of Winter
Weapon1 · · · Attuned Bone Longsword· ·Drops in: ??
· · · · · · · Damage and Type 5[1d8+3] + 15 Slash, Magic
· · · · · · · Critical Threat Range 19-20 x2
· · · · · · · +15 Enhancement Bonus
· · · · · · · IoD: Weapon: Scale Slot: MeltScale
· · · · · · · IoD: Weapon: Fang Slot: Icefang
· · · · · · · IoD: Weapon: Claw Slot: Meltclaw: Constitution
· · · · · · · IoD: Weapon: Horn Slot: Brighthorn
· · · · · · · Orange: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Purple: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Filigree 1: The Blood Feast/Frozen Wanderer: +6 PRR(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 2: The Blood Feast: PRR(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 3: The Blood Feast: MRR(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 4: The Blood Feast: Healing Amplification(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 5: The Blood Feast: Constitution(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 6: Bravery Throughout/Shattered Device: +6 PRR(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 7: Snake Bite/Grandfather's Shield: +2 Constitution(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 8: Bravery Throughout: PRR(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 9: Bravery Throughout: Extra Rage(Rare Version)
· · · · · · · Filigree 10: Grandfather's Shield: PRR(Rare Version)
Weapon2 · · · Legendary Bulwark of Snow · Drops in: U48 Quest: Quid Pro Quo
· · · · · · · Damage and Type 5[1d12+8] + 15 Bludgeon, Cold Iron, Magic
· · · · · · · Critical Threat Range 19-20 x3
· · · · · · · +15 Enhancement Bonus
· · · · · · · Force Absorption +16%
· · · · · · · Legendary Avalanche
· · · · · · · Shield of Snow
· · · · · · · Cold Resistance
· · · · · · · Mithral
· · · · · · · Purple: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Eminence of Winter
Trinket2· · · Restricted by another item in this gear set
Trinket3· · · Restricted by another item in this gear set

Here some questions answered:

No Past Lives? Exactly.

Why DB fire heritage? Play whatever race hits your fancy, I just like dragonborns and it's for one of the raids in the guild I'll end up running the most with it, FotP. With a fire resistance LGS belt, the flames are laughable even on r1.

What are swap items? I swap the belt for specific raids with the LGS belts for resistance, and the cloak for any other feywild cloak for the absorption. For reapers, you may also swap the bracers for Cold Iron ones, as the self-heal becomes rather low at some point, but I farmed them several times for several characters and decided to not do it again! ._.
Soulrazor is a good weapon if you help people farming, as vampirism and occasional insta deaths make it a bit quicker.

Why the Guardian of the Gates set? After testing and consulting with other tanks, it's just the best main-set for the sole reason of having the elemental absorb in addition to other stuff. Winter makes a nice secondary set though, even if it's doubling down.

I only habve 28 points, what to do? Drop Charisma to 16, problem solved.

Wouldn't a fighter multiclass make more sense? Yes, you may save some feats, but it's not like you automatically becomes great in offense (unless you're a dwarf with enough RPL to get to swing an axe or hammer with con, though calling it "great" is a stretch). Also, there are many bonuses aside the capstone as 20th level barbarian, like +1% DR, Mighty Rage, and such.

Draconic disciple, why? Cast in rage, which helps with LN/LH raids greatly, as you then can use renewal in rage. It also gives magical training plus 50 SP, so that you have enough for a raid, in addition to some defensive buffs. You can also take the natural 1 fort save there, if you like, instead of 2 more MRR/PRR.

Any other tricks? Blood Feast filigrees let you spend a rage for 1000 temp HP, which is huge for taking on dooms or an army of critters. Have dismiss rage on a hot key though. Overall, you have several sources of temp HP, which acts as a neat little buffer. Other than that, look in disbelief whenever you realize that your SR saved you from a very annoying effect that's not even a spell.

Why these epic strikes? Guard up won due to easiness of quickly getting some temp HP while shield blocking. Celestial Mandate could be great, if its time frame weren't so tight, that stacking it becomes really difficult, though I'm thinking of taking it back, to make the hate-tanking easier. For that, I use Quick/Cutter to slowly build up stacks, sadly it doesn't trigger on secondary shield bash.

What is up with these tomes!? They're just what I found on raids with this character or daily rolls, except INT which I got by favor, as I finished that before using a heart after the ED revamp.

Have fun with this build, can answer more questions and the like.

EDIT: Post was edited because of new weapon and level 32 with Isle of Dread.

**Grunthorno** · 02-05-2022, 10:35 PM

Solid Build, glad its posted for low PL characters, but there's a few things...

You don't need tower shield proficiency, especially if you're using guard up instead of celestial mandate. All proficiency does is increase your to-hit (or remove the penalty), it does nothing for defenses.
The PRR from Scion of Earth is neat, but celestia still wins out overall for the 150 base HP (like 250+ after scaling).
Go into Draconic for your no fail fort saves and drop epic fortitude to grab bulwark of defense

I'd drop the AP in Dragonborn to grab deflect arrows from VKF.

In Unyielding, you'll want the fortification (even with armor/nocturne) as things have more fort bypass.
I didn't feel like Lay on hands was worth my time on a barb tank, considering it was 5? AP for like... 4-5 hands, but I have Aasimar hands (granted I'd probably do aasi and drop some ravager stuff for lower PL characters anyways), and Light the Dark is currently funky, it makes your hands require line of sight or it will consume a charge without doing the heal. If you keep hands, you can move the light the dark points over to fury to grab another 250 uncon range
Also grab the T4 "Divine Bulwark", it gives 5 PRR without the feat, 15 with the feat (Bulwark of Defense), and swap the feat in when grabbing no fail for saves from draconic.

I don't exactly like the gearing for a nonLGS setup.
What I run on my 2nd life tank (before I moved em to 5pc LGS):

Watch Captains Platemail / Standard Issue Faceplate / Standard Issue Sigil
Cold Iron Bracers / Deepsnow Boots / Nocturne Ring / Bulwark of Snow / Direbear Belt / Cloak of Winter (If you have Wild Fortitude augments, swap Cloak of Winter to Mysterious cloak)
Heart of Suulomades / Duskbone Ring / Collective Sight (CON/INS CHA) / Labrythine Edge / Gloryborne Gloves (Was on a pally, can wear triple uncon LGS gloves for barb)

Filigrees:
I prefer 5pc Blood Feast as a swap weapon
4pc Nystuls / 3pc grandfathers / 3pc technomage / 3pc bloodfeast works well if you don't have raid filigrees (slotting whatever raid filis you can from those sets naturally)
If you do have raid filigrees...
2x nystuls raid MRR
2x grandfathers raid con
2x blood feast raid prr
Nystuls CON / MRR
Grandfathers CON
Blood Feast CON
Purity/Touch of Grace raid HAMP
Soulweaver/Splendid raid CON
Shattered/Bravery raid PRR

As always, not a DPS threat tank cuz they don't work well enough for me to play em, I build to intim tank. Any questions/etc. feel free to DM me on Discord at Grun#3209 (I hate using the forums)

Overall a very solid build. Great to see more tank people posting around.

**Pandjed** · 02-06-2022, 03:40 AM

Hey, thanks for the insights. Here some explanations to some choices.