Guys,

What chars/stats/equipment make the best tanks in the game....
I've always used a Barbarian in the past but I'm trying to use a kensai & I need a tank to take the hits.

The Mighty Minsc is always the man....but I'm interested to find out what everyone thinks makes up a good tank...

There are a couple of hard nuts out there. You can't go far wrong with Minsc but I personally think there is a lot of mileage in Mazzy. Lots of armour and a high Dex mean she actually gets stuck in with very little trouble. Also 5 proficiency points in short sword weilding the Sword of Backstabbing is quite fun. But then Keldorn is always another option. If he uses his own special sword then the more damage he takes the more he metes out, which is always good for a laugh. I also think that Cernd in Greater Wearwolf shape is a good one. His armour class may not be brilliant but he regenerates and his saving throws are all extremely low. I took out the whole of the Mind Flayer dungeon with Cernd as none of their attacks seemed to work on him.

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Life is like a piece of cheese. Mice only enjoy it in cartoons and it is better with toast

Sorry - just realised I missed the point of your post there. Here is what I think is valuable to a good tank:

1. High Constitution, you want hit points in abundance.
2. High Dex, you want a low armour class.
3. Fighters!!! Fighters first have the ability to wear whatever the hell they like in terms of armour but they also have a lot more HPs at high levels.
4. Lots of Plate mail armour, this is why Valygar is ok in a fight but probably not a tank as such.

These are pretty much in order as far as I am concerned but I am sure the order will be contentious. There are obvious exceptions to the above i.e. Minsc and Keldorn are pretty good tanks but are not fighters. But that is what I would class as ideal. You see - this is why Mazzy is good, she fits all of them quite well. But if any of the Elminsters and Green Dragons out there diegn to argue with me this could get quite interesting.

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Life is like a piece of cheese. Mice only enjoy it in cartoons and it is better with toast

NO KIDDING, CERND IS RESISTANT TO MINDFLAYERS IN WEREWOLF MODE?! COOL

I like Valygar dual-wielding Celestial Fury + Corthala blade - Besides maximum STR/CON/DEX possible, I suppose tanks should simply be able to kill quickly, and be armored heavily enough to resist damage. Obviously it's good to give the tank Boots of Speed when possible.
Valygar also has sick backstab ability w/Fury... Korgan is also very strong. BUT Minsc & Keldorn seem to fit the PART of 'tank' best, though - they're big and able to wear metal.

Cernd is not entirely resistant it is just his saving throws are so low the Psionic Blast thing rarely gets him. You still have to move him in and out of rooms if he gets intelligence drained too badly. Anomen also kicks some serious evil doer butt now I come to think of it.

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Life is like a piece of cheese. Mice only enjoy it in cartoons and it is better with toast

I disagree with everyone else. I have played the game several times and without a doubt Korgan is the best tank. He rarely dies and can wield the best weapon in the game (Crom Feyer). Load him up with the best armour, axes etc. and he can't be stopped. Plus, his beserker rage makes him immune to imprison, charm, etc.

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"Cry Havok, and let loose the dogs of war!"
Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare

I agree totally with starloc - Korgan is by far the best tank in the game.
start him off with a good axe (Frostreaver is available very early) and a shield, then get him the Bracers of Dexterity and replace the shield with another good axe (later on replaced with Crom Faeyr) and the damage he dishes out is simply amazing. plus he's got plenty of HP and very good saving throws.
currently I'm running a four person party (sorceress, Korgan, Anomen and Imoen) and Korgan gets between 50 and 80% of all kills, depanding on chapter! and he never once died.