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Combo of AC, defenses, tricks, and healing, which are the 3-4 most survivable melee strikers? Which classes can get in there and mix it up and survive?
#1 by a mile is the blackgaurd, huge ability to stack temps, plate from the get-go defender HP 19+ con surges and a natural +1 to all NADs
the other mentionables are artful dodger rogue, slayer, iron soul monk and barbarian, you have to spec for them to be as survivable but they can do it well. 
I'd rate Avenger over AD Rogue. Like the Barbarian, it has Defender level HP and can be built to exceed normal Defender defenses. Unlike the Barbarian, building the Avenger for high defense is fairly intuitive. Avenger has access to some solid survival utilities and can access temp HP through the Religion skill power Deliverance of Faith.
Vampires are highly survivable as well--but as this is basically the only thing they're good at (by CharOp standards), I don't recommend using one. t~ 
Blackguard > Slayer > specific Warlock builds that manage perma-invisibility > specific Rogue builds that manage perma-stealth.
The Vampire is an honourable mention as it's probably the most survivable class in the game, but does ghastly damage. 
Artful Dodger Rogues?!?! Really? I personally consider Brutal Scoundrels to be the most survivable if Riposte Strike is used frequently because it provides a huge incentive for the enemy not to attack you. Enemies that do attack you go down twice as fast, and killing stuff quickly is a great way to prevent incoming damage.
Artful Dodgers can skirt around OAs, but I'm not seeing how they can reliable avoid standard action attacks.
To narrow it down a bit, how about between the strikers in PHB, PHB2, and PHB3, so:
Ranger Rogue Avenger Barbarian Sorceror Monk Warlock 
Sorc has NO right being on this list. XD It's a great damage output, but low defenses in everything but Will (the least attacked defense) it is the archetypal "Glass Cannon"
In terms of mixing it up, its always going to heavily depend on on support. Barbarians can go for HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS with a good leader, but on their own they can be pretty meaty meat shields. I had an big encounter where I killed one thing, and spent the encounter soaking up fire from most everything in the room. Back when Hide Armor prof was still a decent choice Barbs could get SOLID AC with a hefty temp AC boost while still supporting what should be for them their 2ndary stat. It left them a little weak in Reflex and will still (what with having your eggs in one NAT basket of Fort) but you normally had time to deal with that. These days they are still tough, and hopefully the Heros of the Fey Wild will FINALLY bring them some new options (it's only been 2 years Wizards, if you'd stop Mearls from essentially pleasuring himself with the martial class we might actually have some more effective classes. @_@ FIVE DIFFERENT BOOKS for Martial stuff... I know 2 of them were essentials... barbarians have had all of 2 to draw from from their book pool and you errata'd 2 of the things that made barbarians REALLY tough and left us with a poor Paragon selection.)
*is still really saddened by the Hide Armor debeef.*
Hybrid monk/cleric.
Battle cleric's lore lets you wear scale armour and have a +2 shield bonus on top of that. You gain an additional +2 to AC by wielding a parrying dagger (the defenive property provides and untyped bonus) with the rhythem blade enchantment (which let you increase your shield bonus by 1). Once you reach paragorn, you increase your AC even further by going warpriest (level 11 feature is +1 AC, and its level 11 powers contains an Effect: You and and all bloodied allies can spend a surge) and choosing armour special isation scale and I believe there were some monk AC-boosting feats that might be of interest. Being half-cleric, you can take a number of encounter utility powers which let you spend a surge as a minor, meaning that you can take as much, if not more, damge than most defenders. If you have wisdom as a secondary ability, you get can a level 3 cleric encounter attack power which has Effect: You or an ally can spend a healing surge. (And no, you don't need to hit with this one.) There are even more of these powers up at level 13. Naturally though, you'll never have the surges of a defender. But wait! You also have access to surgeless healing utility powers, which will serve just as well. Also, being half-monk you can use monk mobility powers to get out of trouble as well. Really, the only drawback to this class is that it really isn't the strongest in the single-target striker department. But in terms of survivability, it rocks! 
Dwarven cleric/ranger is my current top pick for melee striker. BCL + Scale + defensive off-hand (gauntlet axe ftw) is crazy good AC, and Str+Wis means Reflex is the lowest defense, which in reality isn't very far behind the others. Between cleric healing word/utilities and minor action second wind, you don't need to slow down the dps much, and the ranger off-action attacks (love those immediate interupts), and now you have a very durable striker (with decent off-leader capabilities).
ShakaUVM's sorcerer|barbarian - community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758... has an AC of 71 all day long.
Conlocks can be surprisingly durable. Conlocks that get perma-stealth are just silly.
Ye-olde infernal hexhammer gets a steady supply of temps, has more surges than any use for, a fair number of HP just from being Con-primary, and access to a number of temp-hp granting powers. You've also got tools to crank away at your armor class and other defenses.
Cheesy and gimmicky, but I love this build. Not my idea by a long shot - but I took the base build for my Avenger, and adapted it. Never have used it in a campaign (the look DMs get on their face!), but I've played it at the table in "one offs" with my son and his friends at home. It rocks, 'nuff said.
 Of course, you can change some powers and maybe some equipment, but I wouldn't go too far astray. This guy just gets stronger and stronger the more you knock him down to bloodied, 0 hp, or below. Any one who stands next to him will be punished *hard*, without the Avenger even hitting him. Swap out your lev29 power for Temple of Resolution and keep your Oath target there for even more dmg mahem. = = = = = = Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder = = = = = = Venn D. Etta, level 30 Revenant, Avenger, Horizon Walker, Raven Consort Build: Pursuing Avenger Avenger's Censure Option: Censure Of Pursuit Versatile Expertise Option: Versatile Expertise (Axe) Versatile Expertise Option: Versatile Expertise (Holy Symbol) Outlaw level 5 Feature Option: Forest Choose your Race in Life: Shadar-Kai Auspicious Birth (Auspicious Birth Benefit) Theme: Outlaw FINAL ABILITY SCORES STR 12, CON 17, DEX 24, INT 12, WIS 26, CHA 10 STARTING ABILITY SCORES STR 10, CON 11, DEX 14, INT 10, WIS 18, CHA 8 AC: 45 Fort: 39 Ref: 43 Will: 47 HP: 217 Surges: 10 Surge Value 62 TRAINED SKILLS Acrobatics +27, Athletics +21, Perception +28, Religion +21, Stealth +27 UNTRAINED SKILLS Arcana +22, Bluff +15, Diplomacy +15, Dungeoneering +23, Endurance +20, Heal + 23, History +16, Insight +23, Intimidate +25, Nature +23, Streetwise +17, Thievery +22 POWERS Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack Outlaw Attack: Surprise Attack Revenent Utility: Dark Reaping Avenger Feature: Abjure Undead Avenger Feature: Divine Guidance Avenger Feature: Oath of Enmity Hunter's Quarry Power: Hunter's Quarry Avenger Attack 1: Overwhelming Strike Avenger Attack 1: Radiant Vengeance Avenger Utility 2: Resonant Escape Religion Utility 6: Deliverance Of Faith Horizon Walker Attack 11: Worldly Strike Horizon Walker Utility 12: Fey Strider Avenger Attack 15: Aspect Of Fury Avenger Attack 15: Inescapable Justice Avenger Utility 16: Refire The Forge Avenger Attack 17: Vengefuly Parry Avenger Attack 17: Lethal Intercession Horizon Walker Attack 20: Elemental Chaos Smite Avenger Utility 22: Indomitable Resolve Avenger Attack 23: Sacred Arena Raven Consort Utility 26: Vitality Eternal Avenger Attack 27: Inevitable Endurance Avenger Attack 29: Merciless Nemesis FEATS Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Execution Axe) Level 2: Weapon Focus (Axe) Level 4: Versatile Expertise Level 6: Unarmored Agility Level 8: Melee Training (Wisdom) Level 10: Warrior Of The Wild Level 11: Painful Oath Level 12: Improved Defenses Level 14: Fierce Vitality Level 16:Stormhawk's Vengeance Level 18: Restless Dead Level 20: Reserve Maneuver Level 22: Halo Of Warding Level 24: Slashing Storm Level 26: Superior Initiative Level 28: Superior Will Level 30: Ghostly Vitality ITEMS Adventurer's Kit Potion Of Healing (Heroic tier) Ring of Circling Fangs (paragon tier) x 1 Belt of Sonnlinor Righteousness (epic tier) x1 iron Armbands of Power (epic tier) x1 Bloodthread Mindpatterned Armor +6 x1 Strikebacks (heroic tier) x1 Life Charm +6 x1 Boots of Teleportation (epic tier) x1 Siberys Shard Of Radiance (epic tier) Shadow Band (epic tier) x1 Crown Jewel of Chessenta Symbol of Scorned Fate +6 x1 Rending Execution Axe +6 x1 Iron of Spite (epic tier) x1 Resurgence Tatto (epic tier) x1 = = = = = = End = = = = = = 
From my experience- Avenger, Con Warlock, Monk, Barbarian if you pump THP. I say Avenger first cause its easy to isolate youself from enemies and punish the ones who try to attack you. 
Avengers are 1 on 1 strikers. They are survivable,but if you crowd then they're screwed as they lose their striker feature. I have killed a couple avengers that way.
Monks, of all kinds, can push defences through the roof. Monks are made to fight surrounded,so they are very different than other strikers. Iron soul get more surges, but they are the only monks with a bad NAD. Barbs with dex also can be very survivable. Halfling barb/fighters can get some sick ac. I have dropped a lot of con based barbarians. Blackgaurds using a shield also are highly survivable out of the box. They are paladin with more damage and no marks, and they play like that. Vampires also are very survivable, but they have poor damage past low heroic. Con based warlocks, especially infernal pact warlocks are also extremely durable. They may or may not have great defenses depending on the build, but the large thp amounts and the ability to go ranged makes them hard to kill regardless. 
Lord Duskblade's Trailblazer build is very survivable while still dishing out the damage.
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758... here's a link to the more detailed description: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758... If you wanted even more survivability, you could go for a strength/con version with craghammers and hammer rhythm. It would sacrifice some punch and defense, but the hp and surges would add up to some fairly impressive survivability.
A Rogue's hit points and healing surge count is too low to go on any "most survivable" list.
Ah, since the topic was about survivable strikers, I just assumed you were, sorry!
Not to derail this thread, but what level were those 2 Avengers? There are literally dozens of ways to avoid those results. I know my Avenger has always made anyone not his Oath target regret (hard!) coming after him (and at lev21 with Halo Of Warding, it really becomes dangerous for them!). I use a Knockback hammer with the Hammering Iron feat. Were those 2 players unfamiliar with the Avenger? That would explain a lot.Anyways, sorry about the misunderstanding. Cya. 
Battlerager Vigor Fighter
level 8 20 16 10 10 16 8- Chainmail Mordenkrad Throwing Hammers Crushing Surge Brash Strike Crushing Blow Insightful Strike Echoing Assault Villains Menace Comet Fall Charge Horned Helmet Avalanche Hammer Meliorating Armor Goblin Stompers Bracers of Mighty Striking Dwarven Weapon Training Devoted Challenge Weapon Focus Potent Challenge Student of Divine Runes It's just STUPID the damage this build can deal and with the ability to pop 2 surges as minor actions it make taking the charactor down REALLY hard. Plus he's using a FIGHTER MARK to deal even more damage when it's not his turn and this isn't some feather weight D10 + 7 or what most basic melee attacks dish out this is a SERIOUS beating. +2 for the Bracers + 8 from the feats +5 for strength +2 because the charactor is in chainmail and using a +1 magic hammer. That's 2D6 + 18 WITH A COMBAT CHALLENGE, 5D6 +12 on a charge with a basic melee, and Echoing Assault is no slouch either granting a FREE basic melee attack if the target of the attack is adacent to the charactor at the start of the turn. It's WIN WIN violate the mark POUND HIM don't and get two attacks next turn for a total of like 6D6 + 27 damage.
Not the biggest damage dealing striker, but a monk can easily have the highest defenses. My monk, at 30th level, will have:
50 AC (Okay, that's including the new Elven Chain Shirt from Mordy, but still....) 45 FORT 51 REF 50 WILL (Alternately, AC could be 51 with a 49 Will, based on armor choice) This is pretty costly in terms of feats, but still, it's pretty darn high across the board. Can it be beaten... I am not sure? Maybe, but probably not across the board. Plus, as a bonus: amazing mobility. With equipment, he has Fly speed, Burrow Speed (one encoumnter per day), Swim Speed and Climb Speed. Also, Speed 10. Plus, as Grandmaster of Flowers, at 30th level: Your movement never provokes opportunity attacks, and when an effect allows you to shift, you can instead move your speed. You ignore difficult terrain. You can move across and end your movement on any vertical or liquid surface. Finally, whenever you walk, run, or charge, you can spend any or all of that movement flying. If you are still flying when you end this movement, you land safely in the nearest unoccupied space. 
I usually play a halfling thief optimized to take advantage of his racial second chance power. I have survived many battles as a ranged striker without taking a single hit, even when most others in the party were bloodied or unconscious. I believe a halfling thief can be quite survivable if second chance is optimized. Also, the thief has many escape-type powers such as "Slip Aside" and "Cunning Escape" which boost your defenses or allow you to take half damage from attacks against AC or Reflex.
Revenant Bleak Disciple Assassins are extremely durable (much more than barbarians), due to insubstantiality, THP generation, invisibility, ability to stay conscious at negative HP, high Con...
I have found them.community.wizards.com/billnewsome/go/cha...
I like artful dodger It's not for the opp. attacks it's for things like parry(enounter utility lv 5) and other tactics to keep your oppents off you like push/slide equal to your charisma mod.
And if you give it a light sheild they go insane I've had my halfline at over +60 all defenses it's something to spec., but once done correcty you can make a fun class. ( newest build multi-classed palidin for the mark and more dmg. though such mark) 
I think a half-orc arid berserker mc skald can be pretty survivable with high AC with unarmored agility ,skald healing, temp hp's from racial power and berserker vitality, a good stealth chack with no penalties, and can defend as well as dish out damage. Take utilities like tumble so you can avoid attacks, rages that grant temp hp or help regain hp's, and items to help your survivability and you're good to go.
Avenger isn't that hot. Good AC, decent NADs, but when you do hit them, they tend to go down quickly, and are very susceptible to being swarmed.
Blackguard and Slayer set the benchmarks here. A CON-primary Eldritch Striking Slayer is probably the silliest you can get, but loses his nova in exchange. 
A small Iron Soul Monk.
Halfling with +2 unarmored AC bonus feat and the lost in the crowds feat. More armor than all defenders and your resistances are great aswell. It makes you unhitable. Warning; this strategy makes your DM cry. 
I'm playing an avenger right now and for a long while I was the "tank" in our party and still was the best damage dealer as well. There is a real defender now (battlemind) but his defences are comparable to mine (only 1 or 2 higher for each one) and I can, and still do, off tank when he alone can't keep people off our sorceror and artificer. For a low level example at lvl 6 my character had 22 AC and 19 fort, 20 ref, and 20 will with 58 hp and 9 surges at a value of 14 each. Powers wise you can punish everyone around you with avenging echo, kick one guy away with Fury's advance or teleport yourself out with resonant escape (and I do use these for those thing) plus overwhelming strik can always help you get away too and you can use that as much as you want.
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