You are the beetle KING! You spawn beetles, beetles do damage and you tank the damage.

Tier 1:

Extended Spikes: I used to take this exclusively, but with the Bug buff, not any more. Only useful if they have many fast or long range assassins.

Persistant Carapace: Useless. Really. 90% of the time its gone before the duration expires and if not, you only used it to spawn a beetle, so the duration is not needed.

Assault Scarab: Take this if you have a dedicated healer and another warrior in your team. The extra damage may sound low, but even without this the beetles do a surprising amount of damage.

Regeneration Master: This starts off slow but ramps up quite nicely later on, and can keep you alive longer in the crucial team fights. When roaming, try take the globe from the wizard in each lane you travel past. On Blackhearts Bay, take as many camps as you can from level 7 onwards to get the stacks up as high as possible.

Tier 2:

Underking: Do you feel like you will be going balls to the wall? Will you need to get in and out a little bit faster and further? Then take this. But you shouldn't be needing that if your team is behind you.

Superiority: Useless. Your beetles tank the damage from Mercenaries as well as lane creep.

Locust Needles: Not worth it, the beetles spawning are much better for lane pushing, team fights and pretty much everything else.

Legion of beetles: Good for pushing lanes. Good for that little extra damage in team fights. Good for capturing mercenaries. What is it not good for? Nothing. Its amazing.

Tier 3:

Shed Exoskeleton: Great for that little bit extra escape. Take this or Urtricating Spines if you are running a double support composition.

Urtricating Spines: See above.

Bed of Barbs: CAN help secure some kills if placed correctly, does not often come into play though. Use at own risk.

Leeching Scarabs: By this point you are spawning plenty of beetles. The healing gives GREAT sustain (more than you would think) in team fights, in solo fights and definitely in mercenary camps. From here on you should be helping everyone with camps whenever possible, even soloing them if not much else is happening.

Mercenary Lord: Really up to you, if you don't need the sustain then its great for pushing lanes, but the sustain helps you get the camps in the first place, as well as keep you useful in team fights.

Tier 4:

Locust Swarm: Great sustain. Especially when fighting in a mercenary camp or in lane, as there is more to give you heals.

Web Blast: Situaltional and team dependant, can shut down channeled spells such as Lili's Jug of 1000 Cups or Valla's Strafe, but you lose out on MOST of your sustain. Consult team before picking so that they know how to handle it.

Tier 5:

Burning Rage: Extra damage EVERYWHERE! Useful indeed.

Chitinous Plating: If you feel like you are dying too much, take this as it can save you. Otherwise there are better choices.

Symbiotic Armour: Not worth it, they die too easily to area of effect spells for this to be worth while. It needs you to babysit your beetles at all times. Only useful for full lane push build to keep them alive longer under turret fire. By this time you should know if pushing lanes all day is a god idea or not.

Spell Shield: Only if your opponents are running a spell casting composition. Otherwise useless. IT DOES REDUCE BLOOD FOR BLOOD DAMAGE

Tier 6:

Epicentre: I have been taking this a lot lately. The extra damage and wider stun area is amazing for initiating team fights, gives you an immediate upper hand.

Beetle, Juiced: Only for full lane push build as it is useless in team fights.

Imposing presence: If they are escaping, why not just burrow charge to stun them? OK, if you feel that is not enough, take this. But it is worse than the other options here.

Blood for Blood: Great choice. Deals damage. Heals. Slows the opponent. Great for escapes or securing kills.

Tier 7:

Hive Master: Used to be a no brainer when you take Locust Swarm, but is not as good as Hardened Shield at keeping you alive. If you REALLY want the extra damage, go ahead.

Ctyptweave: Not worth it ever, it takes you out of the action for those 4 seconds as well so you lose your 1 man extra advantage.

Hardened Shield: AMAZING! You can take SO much more damage with this. With Locust swarm up and beetles healing you up, chances are you will heal faster than they can damage you.

Rewind: Meh, its OK I guess. great for full lane push build as you get double the beetles! Also, a second escape is cool too.

I have topped the damage charts using the tank assassin build in games with Jaina and Valla. Not important, but worth noting just how much damage the beetles do.

Let me know what you think and if it works out for you. Also, if you have any suggestions let me know, I am far from perfect, so if you have any improvements, sound off below!