I've tried to make a Templar tank with backup healing capability.
Character Level 46
Primary Weapon - Sword and Shield (level 50)
Secondary Weapon - Restoration Staff (level 20)
5 Heavy 2 Light - Armour 1269
Health 2092
Stamina 1435
Magicka 1212
I have one regen piece for each of the primary stats taking up my three jewellery slots. Everything else is split between Health and Stamina enchants. All three regens are at or near softcap.
Skill Bar setup - Solo (Primary)
1. Ransack
2. Honour The Dead
3. Degeneration
4. Silver Shards
5. Repentance
Skill Bar setup - Solo (Secondary)
1. Mutagen
2. Honour The Dead
3. Vampire's Bane
4. Silver Shards
5. Repentance
I've only just started fighting with this staff, and I have to say I'm stunned by how effective it is... despite my build being very sub-optimal for a caster and heavily geared towards slugging it out toe-to-toe.
The staff has higher dps, and lets me hit mobs from range. It allows me to use the Magicka efficient Mutagen HoT in addition to having Honour the Dead for Oh Crap! moments, and I can restore my power quite easily with heavy autoattacks.
The only thing I really gain going SnB is better block mitigiation, particularly vs ranged. But I simply avoid more damage by going ranged myself/kiting, and can outheal the damage.
Surely this is a balance problem , that a tank fights better as a second-rate mage?
It has often been mentioned that developers are worried about buffing us too much as we're the only class with skills that dps and heal, but my restoration staff setup could be reproduced on any other class quite effectively and combines dps with healing and power restore.
Without the staff , I am restricted to very power hungry heals like Honour the Dead with no way to restore my own power. I am concerned that my off-healing ability while tanking isn't enough to make up for the class's shortcomings as a pure tank, and our self healing isn't enough to make this sword and shield build effective solo.
Perhaps if honour the dead had smaller power rebate but didn't require you to morale surf quite so low to kick in, it would be more useful?
I also wonder about giving us a passive that lowers power cost of Restoring light skills if no Dawn's Wrath or Aedric spear abilities are slotted - this would give a boost to "Paladin" type tank/healers like myself.