Create Distance or Crowd Pleaser?

[Adoede]

Anybody have experience with these two skills and can tell me which is better for defense?

Create Distance seems good, but it only triggers once every other round...and it only stops 1-2 attacks (not much use vs. a speed build throwing 8-10 attacks in a round). At least the defensive bonus for Crowd Pleaser is constantly on for every attack. Anyone know how best to set up strategy to take advantage of it? I'm experimenting with hybrid War builds.

Also, anyone know if there is a big difference between the 157 armor rating of top-shelf medium armor vs. 196 armor rating of top-shelf heavy armor? That doesn't seem like much of a difference. Is there also a class bonus for heavy armor for more blocks and deflections and such or something? If not, I might just take the medium armor and put the skill points elsewhere instead of in LAAF.