Really, really want to bring up Nimble again:
Weaponmaster background. Level 11 character. Put puts into melee defense AT EVERY LEVEL.
Result? 90 melee defense; character can wade into battle with the toughest orcs, put up Riposte, and just not give a damn. The only thing that bothers the guy is archers.
This guy I have is basically the best tank on my team, and he’s wearing very light armor – so light, in fact, that I felt taking “Battle Forged” would be a waste.
In the following screenshot, you’ll notice that his melee defense is EVEN HIGHER thanks to having Dodge and being Confident, both of which he starts the battle with thanks to perks. This gives him an effective 128 melee defense.
![](http://i.imgur.com/Q7o2aDn.png)
Nimble belongs on Tier 2. It’s good for niche builds with the Weapon Master, Adventurous Noble and Sellsword.