Tank

The Tank or Defensive role is one of the four roles available in DC Universe Online.

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Overview

The Tank or Defensive role is one of the four roles available in DC Universe Online.
This role generally focuses on keeping the group safe by attracting opponents, taking damage in place of other group members and providing control immunity to the group.
Tank armor tends to have high Health and Dominance as well as high Defense or Toughness.
The symbol that represents a tank is a Shield.

TankIconFull-size image | SourceDC Universe Online Wiki contributors; game artwork belongs to its respective owners.

Role

In order to acquire the Tank Role, you must select Atomic, Earth, Fire, Ice or Rage as your power set. Once you reach level 10, you will automatically acquire the Tank Role. In the Tank role you will have increased defensive abilities.

Mail Messages

Upon reaching level 10, players receive a message from Oracle or Calculator, accessible from any mail terminal.
Heroes:
Villains:

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Oracle · Calculator · mail terminal

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Mail Messages

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Defender's Loop of Steel

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Mail Messages
From: Oracle
" Ready to move mountains? You can in your new Tank Role! It boosts your defense and reduces your damage output. Check out the descriptions in the the Traits tab of your Communicator for more on role Bonuses. Plus, if the action gets too heated, you can always switch roles out of combat by using the up button (T on the keyboard)."
Attachment: Defender's Loop of Steel

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Mail Messages

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Defender's Loop of Steel

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Mail Messages
From: Calculator
"' "
Attachment: Defender's Loop of Steel

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Health

Health measures the ability to withstand knockout.
While out of combat, you regenerate a percentage of your max Health every second.

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Defense

Defense reduces damage from non-player enemies.

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Dominance

Dominance is combined with Restoration to determine the potency of healing and shield abilities.
At high levels, Dominance must be higher than enemy Willpower for crowd control effects to be effective.
The recommended Dominance for an Alert, Raid or Operation is needed to affect opponents in that content when using power based control effects.
Healing = Base Healing Multiplier * (30% Restoration + 25% Dominance)
Shield = Base Shield Multiplier * (112.5% Restoration + 150% Dominance)

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Alert · Raid · Operation

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Restoration

Restoration is combined with Dominance to determine the potency of healing and shield abilities.
Healing = Base Healing Multiplier * (30% Restoration + 25% Dominance)
Shield = Base Shield Multiplier * (112.5% Restoration + 150% Dominance)

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Power

Power is required to use abilities in your Loadout and is drained as they are performed.
You passively regenerate a percentage of your max Power every second
Power regeneration is increased out of combat.

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Taunts

Any active power cast by a Tank will Taunt opponents in a defined area.
Some powers Taunt in an area around the caster while other powers Taunt in an area around a target.
Most active powers can Taunt up to 8 opponents within the effect area.
Each Tank power set has a single target Taunt that will override a normal Tank Taunt.
A Taunt will raise the Tank to the top of an opponent's Threat table for twelve seconds and can not be normally overwritten. Taunts can not be renewed until ten seconds after the initial Taunt.
Active Iconic and Movement tree powers taunt opponents just as power tree powers.
Note that Boss level opponents have scripted attacks that target an opponent based on certain criteria during which any Taunt will be temporarily ineffective until the scripted attack is completed.

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Single Target Taunts

A single target taunt can be useful to split a boss from a group of opponents when running two Tanks.

Single Target Taunts

Group Breakouts

Each Tank power set has a Group Breakout power that provides Control Effect Immunity to all group members.

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Control Effect Immunity

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Group Breakouts

Positioning Powers

Positioning or Pulling powers are useful to drag opponents toward the tank.
All positioning powers require a Dominance check to pull an opponent.

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Dominance

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Positioning Powers

Damage Prevention

Self Heals

Usable While Controlled

Atomic Tanking

See Also: List of Atomic Powers
Atomic Tanks gain a Defense bonus and may rotate Atomic Combos to provide Self Heals and activate a Quark-Gluon Aura.
In Tank role, Defense is increased by 90% while not blocking.
Powers that add Nuclear Pressure stacks have Atomic Combos that grant Molecular Charges. 3 Nuclear Pressure stacks and 6 Molecular Charges activates or refreshes a Quark-Gluon Aura which provides Damage Absorption, Self Heals and Group Control Immunity.

Useful Atomic Powers

Neutrino Blast provides temporary Control Effect Immunity to teammates.
Atomic Reorganization and Atom Splitter are positioning abilities.
Density is a Shield that absorbs damage.
Proton Remedy and Neutrino Blast are Self Heals.
Neutrino Blast and Proton Remedy can be used to activate or refresh a Quark-Gluon Aura after 1 Nuclear Pressure stack and 2 Molecular Charges.
Atom Splitter, Beta Surge, Neutron Bomb, Nuclear Burst and Thermochemical Explosion and their Atomic Combos provide Nuclear Pressure stacks and Molecular Charges which can activate or refresh a Quark-Gluon Aura.
Energize is a Supercharge that Self Heals and activates a Quark-Gluon Aura.
Mass Density is a Supercharge that Shields and detaunts allies.
Particle Beam is a single target taunt that will override other Tank taunts.

Earth Tanking

See Also: List of Earth Powers
Earth Tanks gain a Defense bonus and may Transfer damage to a Pet or further increase Defense with Aftershocks.
In Tank role, Defense increases equal to 65% of Dominance while not blocking.
Aftershocks from Jackhammer or Upheaval activate Stone Skin which increases Defense by 55% while not blocking.
A portion of incoming damage will transfer automatically to a summoned Brick Golem.

Useful Earth Powers

Soothing Sands provides temporary Control Effect Immunity to teammates.
Summon Brick Golem transfers some incoming Damage to the summoned Golem.
Gemstone Shield prevents a percentage incoming damage based on the number of Aftershocks.
Jackhammer and Upheaval Aftershocks activate Stone Skin which increases Defense by 55% while not blocking.
Brick Golem will Taunt opponents if the health of the caster falls below 40%.
Fortify Golem shields and provides power to an active Golem.
Totem heals any nearby Golem by a small amount and knocks down nearby enemies.
Earthen Grip is useful as a long range pull.
Epicenter pulls up to 8 nearby enemies toward the caster.
Pebble Blast is a single target taunt that will override other Tank taunts.

Fire Tanking

See Also: List of Fire Powers
Fire Tanks gain Health and Healing bonuses and may use multiple Self Heals to restore Health.
In Tank role, Health increases by 50% and incoming Healing increases by 50% while not blocking.
Fire Soul grants +30% Defense while not blocking and increases up to +50% as Burning enemies are directly damaged.
Fire has several Self Heals including Absorb Heat, Backdraft, Burning Determination, Burnout, Stoke Flames, Eternal Flame and Reignition.

Useful Fire Powers

Burnout and Eternal Flame provide temporary Control Effect Immunity to teammates.
Absorb Heat, Backdraft, Burning Determination, Burnout, and Stoke Flames are Self Heals.
Immolation is a Shield that absorbs damage.
Backdraft pulls up to 8 nearby enemies toward the caster.
Engulf is useful as a long range pull.
Reignition and Eternal Flame are Supercharge Self Heals.
Fireball is a single target taunt that will override other Tank taunts.

**Ice**Full-size image | SourceDC Universe Online Wiki contributors; game artwork belongs to its respective owners.

Ice Tanking

See Also: List of Ice Powers
Ice Tanks gain Defense bonuses and may use multiple shields to prevent damage.
In Tank role, Defense increases by +65% while not blocking.
Using a Shield activates Ice Armor which increases Defense increases by +35%
Ice Shields include Reflection, Winter Ward, Shatter Restraints and Hibernation.

Useful Ice Powers

Reflection, Shatter Restraints and Winter Ward are Shields that activate Ice Armor.
Shatter Restraints provides temporary Control Effect Immunity to teammates.
Inescapable Storm is a ranged pull that may affect up to 8 enemies.
Resonating Gale pulls up to 8 nearby enemies toward the caster.
Ice Elemental is a Supercharge that increases Defense.
Frost Snipe is a single target taunt that will override other Tank taunts.

Rage Tanking

See Also: List of Rage Powers
Rage Tanks gain Health and Defense and may temporarily defer damage.
In Tank role, Defense increases by +50% and Health increases by +20% while not blocking. Scar Tissue grants Health as the Combo Meter increases up to a maximum of 100% of Dominance.
Severe Punishment activate a Enrage that defers damage into a Rage Crash.
Several Rage powers have mechanics that reduce or ignore the delayed Rage Crash damage.
Some Rage powers heal based on outgoing damage.

Useful Rage Powers

Ire provides temporary Control Effect Immunity to teammates.
Without Mercy, Ragebringer and Eviscerating Chain are positioning abilities.
Redirected Rage is a Shield that absorbs damage.
Redirected Rage, Severe Punishment, Remorseless Recovery and Vindictive activate Fervor which increases Defense by 50% while not blocking.
Severe Punishment activates Enrage that heals and defers damage into a Rage Crash.; Bloodlust, Galling Eruption, Lacerate, Remorseless Recovery & Violence reduce the damage from a Rage Crash by 50%.; Dreadful Blast, Eviscerating Chain, Outrage, Plasma Retch & Revenge can be used to ignore damage from a Rage Crash.; Vindictive is a supercharge that Self Heals and provides immunity to Rage Crash.
Rage Blast is a single target taunt that will override other Tank taunts.
Without Mercy, Rage Blast, Ragebringer, Remorseless Recovery, and Channel Hate provide a Self Heal based on the damage dealt.

Movement Skills

Movement Innate Skills
Passive Movement Skills are important to Tanks as they provide additional Resistance to Control Effects and restore Power after a Breakout.
Movement Active Skills
Active Movement Skills will Taunt and activate Tank role bonuses just as super powers found in the main trees. Skill Points are used to purchase Movement Skills allowing additional Tank loadout options.

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Movement Skills · Resistance to Control Effects · restore Power

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Movement Skills

Active Iconic Powers

Iconic Powers will taunt and activate Tank role bonuses just as super powers found in the main trees.
Hard Light Shield: Damage Prevention Shield; Self Heals if using the Regenerative Shielding Hands Equipment Mod
Amazonium Deflection: Damage Prevention Shield
Mesmerizing Lasso: Ranged single target Pull that will override other Tank taunts.

Weapon Styles

Weapon combos can be used as Crowd Control mechanisms as some Knockdown, Stun, Juggle or Push opponents. Weapon Interrupt and Block Break combos should be used to counter opponents granting you temporary immunity.

Equipment Mods

Placing Equipment Mods in slots can boost stats and improve performance.
Color Mods should match a socket color to gain bonus affinity stats.
Tactical Mods require Lair System access.

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Equipment Mods · Tactical Mods · Lair System

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Equipment Mods

General Strategy

It is the job of a tank to reduce the overall damage a group takes. A Tank should disable and taunt enemies whenever possible with area effect powers that knockdown, juggle or stun. Pulling enemies and gathering them in one large group will make this easier. Powerful attacks should be dodged by moving out of range or breaking line of sight.
Blocking is extremely effective if done right. It will reduce incoming damage by 75%, interrupt most weapon combos by stunning the attacker and provide protection against most crowd control effects. A Tank should always block if overwhelmed, if the healer can't keep up with the damage or if a big attack is coming and can not be dodged. However, blocking too long may strain power generation and cause enemies to bypass the Tank as active powers are necessary to taunt opponents.

Gallery

**Ice Tank**Full-size image | SourceDC Universe Online Wiki contributors; game artwork belongs to its respective owners.

**Earth Tank**Full-size image | SourceDC Universe Online Wiki contributors; game artwork belongs to its respective owners.

**Fire Tank**Full-size image | SourceDC Universe Online Wiki contributors; game artwork belongs to its respective owners.

**Rage Tank**Full-size image | SourceDC Universe Online Wiki contributors; game artwork belongs to its respective owners.

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Power Set	Powers
Atomic	Atomic Reorganization, Atom Splitter
Earth	Earthen Grip, Epicenter
Fire	Backdraft, Engulf
Ice	Inescapable Storm, Resonating Gale
Rage	Eviscerating Chain, Ragebringer, Without Mercy
Acrobatics	Grapple Line Attack
Flight, Skimming	Low Pressure
Iconic	Mesmerizing Lasso
Super Speed	Tornado Pull

Power Set	Powers
Atomic	Density, Mass Density
Earth	Gemstone Shield, Envelop
Fire	Immolation
Ice	Hibernation, Reflection, Shatter Restraints, Winter Ward
Rage	Redirected Rage
Iconic	Amazonium Deflection, Clown Box, Hard Light Shield
Acrobatics	Perfect Poise
Flight, Skimming	Dustoff
Super Speed	Dash Attack, Phase Dodge

Power Set	Powers
Atomic	Energize, Proton Remedy, Neutrino Blast
Atomic; Requires Molecular Charges	Atom Splitter, Beta Surge, Neutron Bomb, Nuclear Burst, Thermochemical Explosion
Earth	Envelop, Soothing Sands
Fire	Absorb Heat, Backdraft, Burning Determination, Burnout, Eternal Flame, Reignition, Stoke Flames
Fire; Requires Burning	Wildfire
Ice	Hibernation
Rage	Ire, Severe Punishment, Vindictive
Rage; Requires Damage Out	Channel Hate, Infuriate, Rage Blast, Ragebringer, Remorseless Recovery, Without Mercy
Iconic	Pheromone Bloom, Word of Power
Super Speed	Metabolic Boost

Skill	Movement Trees
Breakout Mastery	Acrobatics, Flight, Skimming, Super Speed
Knockback Resistant	Acrobatics, Super Speed
Restraint Resistant	Flight, Skimming, Super Speed
Stun Resistant	Acrobatics, Flight, Skimming
Knockback Recovery	Acrobatics, Super Speed
Restraint Recovery	Flight, Skimming, Super Speed
Stun Recovery	Acrobatics, Flight, Skimming

Function	Powers
Targeted Pull	Acrobatics : Grapple Line Attack; Flight, Skimming : Low Pressure; Super Speed : Tornado Pull
Control Breakout	Acrobatics : Launching Roll; Flight : Air Burst; Skimming : Typhoon Flip; Super Speed : Whirling Dervish
Control Breakout Supercharge	Acrobatics : Perfect Poise; Flight, Skimming : Dustoff; Super Speed : Metabolic Boost
Crowd Control	Acrobatics : Forward Flip Attack, Throwing Knives; Flight : Downdraft Attack, High Pressure; Skimming: Cyclonic Burst, Spin Draft; Super Speed : Cyclone Push

Power Set	Powers
Atomic	Particle Beam
Earth	Pebble Blast
Fire	Fireball
Ice	Frost Snipe
Rage	Rage Blast
Iconic	Mesmerizing Lasso

Power Set	Power
Atomic	Neutrino Blast
Earth	Soothing Sands
Fire	Burnout, Eternal Flame
Ice	Shatter Restraints
Rage	Ire

Power Set	Powers
Atomic	Density, Energize, Mass Density, Neutrino Blast, Proton Remedy
Earth	Envelop, Gemstone Shield, Soothing Sands
Fire	Backdraft, Burning Determination, Burnout, Immolation, Reignition, Stoke Flames
Ice	Hibernation, Ice Elemental, Reflection, Shatter Restraints, Winter Ward
Rage	Berserk, Infuriate, Ire, Redirected Rage, Severe Punishment, Vindictive

Slot	Mod
Blue Slots	Dominance & Health or Health
Yellow Slots	Restoration & Health or Health & Power
Red Slots	Precision & Health or Might & Health
Weapon Slot	Absorption Adapter
Neck Slot	Fortified Blocking
Back White Slot	Breakout Protection or Breakout Regeneration
Feet White Slot	Deadly Block
Chest White Slot	Core Strength or Reserve Tank
Hands White Slot	Regenerative Shielding

Tank

Overview

Role

Mail Messages

Mail Messages

Mail Messages

Health

Defense

Dominance

Restoration

Power

Taunts

Single Target Taunts

Single Target Taunts

Group Breakouts

Group Breakouts

Positioning Powers

Positioning Powers

Damage Prevention

Self Heals

Usable While Controlled

Atomic Tanking

Useful Atomic Powers

Earth Tanking

Useful Earth Powers

Fire Tanking

Useful Fire Powers

Ice Tanking

Useful Ice Powers

Rage Tanking

Useful Rage Powers

Movement Skills

Movement Skills

Movement Skills

Active Iconic Powers

Weapon Styles

Equipment Mods

Equipment Mods

General Strategy

Gallery

See also