I had been planning to make a completely sword-oriented character, but after reading a few threads (particularly http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/13132 and http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/12793 ) I have reconsidered, and plan to go for a slightly more balanced (though still melee-oriented) build.
To that end, I would like opinions on this potential final setup:
Primary Weapon: Divine Avenger (high melee damage in two types)
Secondary Weapon: Callahan (for kiting and piercing-weak mobs)
Helmet: Justifier Hat, Nameless Hat, or Vog Cub Cap.
Body Armor: Justifier Jacket, Nameless Poncho, or Vog Cub Coat.
Shield: Not sure. Volcanic Plate? Aegis? Ironmight? Swiftstrike? Dragonscale? Grey Owlite?
The plan with the armor is to get one piece Vog Cub, and one gunnery piece -- I'm not sure which of the two would be better to use, and suspect it may depend on the defense type(s) of the shield I get.
vog cub is pretty great, can't go wrong with it one way or another.
You may want to consider Armor of the Fallen. with vog armor and nameless hat, you'll have element damage covered and a medium boost to both guns and swords. with armor of the fallen, you'll cover shadow damage, and have the same boost. of course you'll do less damage to fiends, but with callahan's boosted speed you should be able to knock them down fairly well. depending on the stratum you visit, you can swap out the sets to compensate while still getting the same benefits.