Author: bigspeer
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Fire Tanks top the list of Paragon’s Hot 100
Some refer to Fire Armor tanks as Heavy Scrappers because they don’t feel as durable as the other tanker primary sets, but don’t let that stop you from making one of your own and judging for yourself. This guide will provide you with enough information to make educated power selections and slotting techniques, although this guide will not get into Invention Origin (IO) enhancements for fire tanks. IOs and IO sets provide such a wide range of slotting and enhancement variance, a separate guide could be written for each power set and optimal IO enhancement.
The one negative about fiery aura is that it is a very tight build until you hit level 20. You want to fit in a travel power and the fitness pool as well as your standard set powers. Don’t worry too much about delaying a power selection. You’ll have time to pick them up later.
Because one of the first two power selections from fire aura set is a point-blank area of effect (PBAoE) aura, fire tanks tend to put out more damage than other tanks. This results in higher endurance consumption at lower levels and less attacks being needed as a young’ in.
When you first start your fire tank, you have two options available: fire shield and blazing aura. It matters not which one you choose first, because you should choose the other at level two.
 Blazing Aura: While active you are surrounded by flames that burn all foes that attempt to enter melee range. Power Effects: Damages all enemies in melee range (roughly 7’). Enhancements: End Redux, Reduce Rechg, Acc, Dmg, Taunt. I suggest giving this power six slots with the following enhancements: 2 end redux, 2 acc, 1 dmg, 1 taunt. This power eats endurance and two reducers are needed.
 Fire Shield: While this power is active, Fire Shield gives you good resistance to Lethal, Smashing and Fire damage. Fire Shield also provides minimal resistance to Cold damage as well as protection from Disorient effects. Power Effects: Self +Resistance(Fire, Lethal, Smash, Cold, Disorient). Enhancements: Dmg Res, End Redux, Reduce Rechg. I suggest one slot for end redux and three for damage resistance.
 Healing Flames: You can concentrate for a few moments to heal yourself. The power of the flames can also protect you from Toxic Damage for a while. Power Effects: Self Heal, +Resistance(Toxic). Enhancements: Heal, End Redux, Rechg Redux, Dmg Res. Six slot this baby ASAP with 3 rechg and 3 heals. It comes back at around a minute unenhanced and is the quickest recharging self heal in the game.
 Temperature Protection: Temperature Protection gives you strong resistance to Fire damage, and some resistance to Cold damage as well. This power is always on and costs no Endurance. Power Effects: Self +Resistance(Fire, Cold). Enhancements: Dmg Res. This is an auto power and never shuts off, which is normally a good thing. But since it only gives resistance to fire and cold, it is easily skippable. If you do take it, slot it with 3 dmg resistances.
 Consume: You can drain body heat from all nearby foes in order to replenish your own Endurance. The more foes affected, the more Endurance is gained. Foes suffer minimal Fire damage. Power Effects: Self +Endurance. Enhancements: End Redux, Rechg Redux, Dmg, Acc, End Mod, Taunt. This is your key endurance management power and helps a ton in prolonged fights. Although the recharge is very long, it makes up for it by needed fewer villains to replenish endurance. It also does slight fire damage. Six slot with 2 rechg, 2 end mods and two acc. You don’t want this power to miss. Ever.
 Plasma Shield: While this power is active, you are surrounded by pure plasma. The Plasma Shield gives you resistance to Energy, Negative Energy, and Fire damage. Plasma Shield also gives your protection from Sleep and Hold effects. Power Effects: Self +Resistance(Energy, Negative, Fire, Hold, Sleep). Enhancements: Dmg Res, End Redux, Rechg Redux. Plasma shield is a nifty toggle for fire tanks. It combines your energy shield with partial mezz shield so it’s a must. This should be slotted with 1 end redux and 3 dmg res.
 Burn: You can ignite the ground beneath you, freeing yourself from Immobilization effects. Foes that enter the flames you leave behind will take damage. You must be near the ground to activate this power. Power Effects: Self: Resistance(Immobilize). Enhancements: Reduce End, Reduce Rechg, Damage. This power isn’t too bad, yet not a lot of people take it. It frees you from immobs, but it also has a fear effect to make the herd around you scatter. Most people rely on combat jumping for the immob protection and skip this power completely. Slot with 3 rechg minimum.
 Fiery Embrace: Significantly boosts the damage of all your Fire attacks for quite a while. Also increases the damage of all your other non-fire based attacks for a short while. Power Effect: Self +Damage. Enhancements: Reduce End, Rechg Redux. Fiery Aura is the only tanker primary that has a build-up type power, so you could have two build-ups in your build if you’d like. Fiery embrace is nice because it boosts ALL damage for 10 seconds, but fire damage for an additional 10 seconds after that. This is a must if your secondary is fire. Slot with 3 rechg.
 Rise of the Phoenix: If you are defeated, you can rise from the ashes. The fiery resurrection blasts nearby foes with an explosion and knocks them down and Disorients them. You will revive with about half of your Hit Points and Endurance. Rise of the Phoenix will actually leave you invulnerable for a brief time, and protected from XP Debt for 20 seconds. Power Effect: Self Resurrection. Enhancements: Rechg Redux, End Mod, Damage, Heal, Disorient Duration. This could be one of the most debatable powers in all the tanker primary sets. It’s nice to have a self heal for those few moments you get overwhelmed, but then again, you’re a tanker so you shouldn’t get overwhelmed. Some take it, some don’t. I tried it then respec’ed out of it because I was not using it enough. Minimal slotting is 2 recharge redux.
Now it’s time to break out the BBQ set and broil up some bad guys!
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