An adaptive would be useful, the Antagonist, Neogenator or the Evolution could be nice choices. Unless you spec 5/5 into StV (where the extra health and damage resistance from the RR helps to handle the self-hits).
On my build I don’t use an elemental relic, I use a stockpile one. A blood that maxes SMG or shotgun would be cool. Remember that when you full spec into Mania, you get RtB when you have under 33% of health.
(why 33? xD)
Low level Fabled Tortoise. Nuff said.
I didn’t use either neo/evo without the blood of the ancients because the 0.2 damage reduction from the rough rider gives you more survivability than the extra health unless shields are up, wich I considered down for the most part due to self-ignition but it could be a different story with the blood of the ancients.
About having over 3 million health, I don’t think you should worry too much while elemental empathy is doing it’s work.
It’s 1/3 
That’s the point where your health bar starts flashing. It seems a logical point to put a trigger for a skill.
I won’t use StV as I plan to play Hellborn. I have not figured out yet if I’m going down Bloodlust to get bloodsplosion or Mania to get Salt the wounds…
I’m not convinced the 20% damage reduction from the RR is that good: with 5/5 NNerves I’ll already have 50%, which translates to about 33% actually damage mitigation. The extra from RR would bring it to about 41%… 8% more … 
Having a shield when you get a second wind seems more interesting.
Consider that the RR can boost the firerate when 5/5 Embrace the Pain, 10/5 with Legendary Torch.
I remember that Dank made a full Bloodlust/Hellborn K, if you focus on a full-gun build. I run Mania/Hellborn because I like bash and smash, and having RtB as a panic button in case of a meat emergency.
Before I started using the RR on Krieg I favored the Antagonist for general use and either a spike shield (for critter/melee types) or an absorb shield (since I like Butchers on Krieg, ammo was a concern). Speaking of ammo, I used either a stockpile relic, Deputy’s or Sheriff’s Badge, or a relic that increased max health and my favorite ammo type…
an adaptive would be your best choice if you are avoiding the other two, but a low level fabled tortoise does sound interesting…
i run blood on my krieg. ammo is nice and max health is even nicer. i find having a high max health is really good regardless of play style. just throw a point into thrill of the kill. alternately, an allegiance relic might be nice, depending on gear.
I don’t get the Low level Fabled Tortoise… Does Krieg have a -shield COM that i’m not aware of ?
strip shield, run fast. minimal max health decrease. easy to strip with one enemy bullet.
No, but if it’s low level, there will be close to none health penalty. Also small capacity means it gets depleted quicker so you can fly around straight away.
Wow, I literally put that that as you did at the same time
krieg players think alike.
I see, not too bad.
But I think I’d rather have extra health
I also thought of the impaler. It’s a bit of a stretch but corrosive DoT is pretty long and it could help keep me burning…
not a bad idea.
Surely, the Love Thumper should get a bit of a shout here?
Or did I miss an exclusion to that?
No, but I guess you missed the “Hellborn no melee” part
OOPS. Yes, I did.
Read it on my phone then responded on PC. That is a formula for disaster.
A lot of the good stuff has been covered.
You can use the Big Boom Blaster so some effect.
If you use Hellborn, every tick of flames may cause the shield to drop a booster. Meaning that when behind cover, you can literally peak out. Pop em a few times, and go back in to your shell. You can even use it to Replenish grenade Ammo/Rocket Ammo.
… I really should make a build out of this…
Shouldn’t I?
Yeah, you should.
I am doing something of the sort and the BBB is a GREAT idea
Topneaa spamming is cool on Sal, I see no reason it wouldn’t be on Krieg too 
I’m gonna go kill Pete a few times.
For the Rough Rider vs Neogenator vs Evolution I found an old script I had for max health and shield calculation that I used a while ago at the old forums, these are the numbers I’ve got from a lvl72 Psycho with 5/5 in Feed the Meat, +62% health relic, no BAR and only 5/5 in Numbed Nerves for damage reduction (outside of Rough Rider’s mod).
ps.: Don’t remember if I actually tested these values so uhh, yeah…
No shield
max health: 1124796.0401
health + shield: 1124796.0401
maximum hitpoints: 1687194.0601
depleted shield: 1687194.0601
Rough Rider
max health: 3191028.6001
health + shield: 3191028.6001
maximum hitpoints: 5424748.6201
depleted shield: 5424748.6201
Evolution
max health: 3334558.9601
health + shield: 4129192.9601
maximum hitpoints: 6193789.4401
depleted shield: 5001838.4401
Neogenator
max health: 3334558.9601
health + shield: 3854549.9601
maximum hitpoints: 5781824.9401
depleted shield: 5001838.4401
-?
max health = (base_hp + shield_hp) * (1 + bonuses_hp), where bonuses_hp is the sum of the health relic’s mod, Feed the Meat and BAR (wich was zero for this)
health + shield = max health + shield capacity
maximum hitpoints = (health + shield) * (1 + total damage resistance), as in, the necessary ammount of damage needed to bring both health and shield down to zero taking into account damage resistance
depleted shields = (max health) * (1 + total damage resistance), same as above except for zero shield capacity
tl;dr: Depending on how often your shields are up an Evolution or Neogenator gives more survivability than a Rough Rider, with shields down however Rough Rider still seems better.