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Guardian Fighter starting Epic Dungeons, Looks of Questions.
illithidbix
Member Posts: 9 Arc User
[Tried posting last night, apparently it doesn't like the British Pound sign... also looks like I can't edit a misspelt title, oh well.)
So I hit 60 a little while ago, but now my friends have finally got to 60 and we've got a full team for Epic Dungeons. Done everything pre-Epic but only given Mad Dragon Epic a go in a pug and it went well until the last boss.
Now I've got a lot of questions and ideas here, so apologies for the length. Hopefully it'll be a useful resource for more than just me.
Gear and Enchants
I'm in cheap purples (including 4 part Indomitable set), they're far from optimal but never had more than 150K AD and not hugely interested in spending lots of money on the game at the moment, so if I haven't got some good stuff, it's because I can't currently afford it.
Also actually putting on some of the gear I get from dungeons sounds strange and exciting.
Race: Midget
Str: 19, Con: 26, Dex: 17, Int: 12, Wis: 10, Cha:12
29,804 Hit Points 36 Armour Class
Power 2,490
Defence 3,971
Critical Strike 0
Recovery 0
Armour Penetration 0
Regeneration 0
Health Steal 150 (approx 2%)
Deflection 2,691
Movement 378
Link: http://gateway.playneverwinter.com/#char(Anna Shineriver@illithidbix)/charactersheet
Enchantments: Currently got:
4 Offensive slots: Power
3 defensive slots: Deflection
3 Utility: Movement
[Armour and Weapon enchantment: None yet. Will I can afford a f'ing coalescent ward.]
Companion: Stone or Cat when I can afford it, using cleric or Dancing Blade atm.
With the current Protector talents and bonfire buff I'm rocking:
Hitpoints: 33.4K [Including Toughness]
Damage reduction: Approx 48% [Includes AC 36 from Shield Defence, I've read Armor Specialization kicks in after this]
Deflection chance: Approx 30% [Includes Midget bonus and Plate Agility]
Since I've well over the 2500 defence softcap, I presume defence is now worth less than the other defensive stats so:
Question 1: Which defensive stat should I be stacking? Deflection or Regen or...?
I tried focusing on life steal, and got 7%-8% but found it contributed very little so got some power/deflection/defence jewellery and enchants instead.
I've seen suggestions (e.g dkcandy's excellent thread) we should be stacking Regen', but my experience on the way up was it was far too wussy- Is it work stacking? Does there need to be a minimum amount for it to be worthwhile?
Question 2: Power or Armour Pen' or Recovery
Currently haven't bothered stacking armour pen., the armour I've got has none so I'm nowhere near the 24% cap, but is it actually just better than power?
I assumed recovery doesn't compete with either power or armour pen, am I wrong?
FEATS AND PARAGON
Currently Spec'ed Protector and then 10 points into Tactician to get Fight on and Daunting Challenge.
It's worked fine so far,
...BUT as Venore's guide suggests Protector and turtle style just doesn't work in the later Epic dungeons.
So... if I'm shelling out for a respec.
Quesion 3: Is Protector just worthless?
Question 4: Is Tactician as viable as Conqueror?
Here are a few specs I'm considering:
Tactician/Protector Spec focused on Pin and Trample.
http://nwcalc.com/gf?b=p32:4v8i4:b8jg,13ixb00:60000:6uu00:buz01&h=0
Conqueror/Protector Build:
http://nwcalc.com/gf?b=p32:4v8i4:b8jg,13ixb00:6uz51:6uu00:60000&h=0
Conqueror/Tactician Pin & Trample Build
http://nwcalc.com/gf?b=p32:4v8i4:b8jg,13ixb00:6uz51:60000:6uu00&h=0
(This kinda stops me using Enhanced Mark if as I'm focused on both Combat Superiority and Trample the Fallen class abilities so whilst it might do alot of damage I'm a bit worried about threat.)
Conqueror/Tactician Fight on & Daunting challenge Build
http://nwcalc.com/gf?b=p32:4v8i4:5m9s,13ixb00:6uz51:60000:b5000&h=0
Question: 5: Should I side spec into protector for Plate Agility and Shield Defence?
Question 6: If I spec into Tactician do I go for Fight on and Daunting challenge or Crushing Pin and Battle Trample?
Question 7: Assuming a pro CW, is it worth specing into Battle Trample?
Question 8: Do I have enough control powers to make Crushing Pin worth taking?
I have a suspicion Battle Trample is worth taking but Crushing Pin may not be, as I have Frontline Surge almost permanently on my bars, and sometimes Terrifying Impact, but nothing else I can see that will trigger it beyond when I put bull's charge on my bars to punt adds off cliff.
Heroic tier feats:
There is an issue of Distracting Shield vs Powerful Attack vs Ubiquitous Shield
Question 9: Is it worth replacing distracting shield with Ubiquitous Shield?
Question 10: Is Powerful Attack as mandatory as I think it is?
Could I just drop both Distracting Shield and Ubiquitous Shield?
Powers
So I currently use:
At Will:
Threatening Rush (Extra mobility and marks targets)
Cleave OR Tide of Iron
Despite the improvement I understand Crushing Surge is still rubbish.
Encounter:
Enforced Threat (Almost mandatory for AoE Tanking)
Frontline Surge (Fantastic for add control)
Into the Fray
(Sometimes Bulls Charge for punting adds or Iron Warrior.)
Is Knight's Valor worth using instead for taking party damage?
Daily:
Fighter's Recovery and Terrifying Impact or Villain's Menace
(Rarely using Supremacy of Steal or Indomitable Strength instead)
Class Abilities:
Currently mostly use:
Enhanced Mark (100% extra threat, using Threatening Rush and Enforced Threat to apply marks)
Shield Talent (Boosted by the shield master feat but recently read this might not work properly)
Considering replacing shield talent with:
Combat Superiority (for a Conqueror with Tactical Superiority build)
OR Trample the Fallen (With tactician or a conqueror/tactician crushing pin & battle trample build)
Question 11: Is it worth replacing Enhanced Mark with Combat Superiority AND Trample the Fallen?
Currently I think Enhanced Mark is doing a lot of work towards generating adequate threat.
What do I actually do?
Currently I mostly run around like a headless chicken with Threatening rush, marking as much as I can, hit Enforced threat to marks as much as possible, hit Frontline Surge to generate threat and keep adds from hitting me (As the old proverb states: the best defence is your enemy sprawled *** over HAMSTER on the floor.)
I currently guard a lot, but I understand this will start evaporating more in Epics.
Now I sometimes, but rarely concentrate on tanking the boss, mostly focusing on add hovering. Is this approach likely to be as valid in Epics? Or will I be expected to sit on the boss more?
Am I expected to aggressively DerPS with cleavespam rather than turtle behind guard?
Thanks in advance for any useful replies.
So I hit 60 a little while ago, but now my friends have finally got to 60 and we've got a full team for Epic Dungeons. Done everything pre-Epic but only given Mad Dragon Epic a go in a pug and it went well until the last boss.
Now I've got a lot of questions and ideas here, so apologies for the length. Hopefully it'll be a useful resource for more than just me.
Gear and Enchants
I'm in cheap purples (including 4 part Indomitable set), they're far from optimal but never had more than 150K AD and not hugely interested in spending lots of money on the game at the moment, so if I haven't got some good stuff, it's because I can't currently afford it.
Also actually putting on some of the gear I get from dungeons sounds strange and exciting.
Race: Midget
Str: 19, Con: 26, Dex: 17, Int: 12, Wis: 10, Cha:12
29,804 Hit Points 36 Armour Class
Power 2,490
Defence 3,971
Critical Strike 0
Recovery 0
Armour Penetration 0
Regeneration 0
Health Steal 150 (approx 2%)
Deflection 2,691
Movement 378
Link: http://gateway.playneverwinter.com/#char(Anna Shineriver@illithidbix)/charactersheet
Enchantments: Currently got:
4 Offensive slots: Power
3 defensive slots: Deflection
3 Utility: Movement
[Armour and Weapon enchantment: None yet. Will I can afford a f'ing coalescent ward.]
Companion: Stone or Cat when I can afford it, using cleric or Dancing Blade atm.
With the current Protector talents and bonfire buff I'm rocking:
Hitpoints: 33.4K [Including Toughness]
Damage reduction: Approx 48% [Includes AC 36 from Shield Defence, I've read Armor Specialization kicks in after this]
Deflection chance: Approx 30% [Includes Midget bonus and Plate Agility]
Since I've well over the 2500 defence softcap, I presume defence is now worth less than the other defensive stats so:
Question 1: Which defensive stat should I be stacking? Deflection or Regen or...?
I tried focusing on life steal, and got 7%-8% but found it contributed very little so got some power/deflection/defence jewellery and enchants instead.
I've seen suggestions (e.g dkcandy's excellent thread) we should be stacking Regen', but my experience on the way up was it was far too wussy- Is it work stacking? Does there need to be a minimum amount for it to be worthwhile?
Question 2: Power or Armour Pen' or Recovery
Currently haven't bothered stacking armour pen., the armour I've got has none so I'm nowhere near the 24% cap, but is it actually just better than power?
I assumed recovery doesn't compete with either power or armour pen, am I wrong?
FEATS AND PARAGON
Currently Spec'ed Protector and then 10 points into Tactician to get Fight on and Daunting Challenge.
It's worked fine so far,
...BUT as Venore's guide suggests Protector and turtle style just doesn't work in the later Epic dungeons.
So... if I'm shelling out for a respec.
Quesion 3: Is Protector just worthless?
Question 4: Is Tactician as viable as Conqueror?
Here are a few specs I'm considering:
Tactician/Protector Spec focused on Pin and Trample.
http://nwcalc.com/gf?b=p32:4v8i4:b8jg,13ixb00:60000:6uu00:buz01&h=0
Conqueror/Protector Build:
http://nwcalc.com/gf?b=p32:4v8i4:b8jg,13ixb00:6uz51:6uu00:60000&h=0
Conqueror/Tactician Pin & Trample Build
http://nwcalc.com/gf?b=p32:4v8i4:b8jg,13ixb00:6uz51:60000:6uu00&h=0
(This kinda stops me using Enhanced Mark if as I'm focused on both Combat Superiority and Trample the Fallen class abilities so whilst it might do alot of damage I'm a bit worried about threat.)
Conqueror/Tactician Fight on & Daunting challenge Build
http://nwcalc.com/gf?b=p32:4v8i4:5m9s,13ixb00:6uz51:60000:b5000&h=0
Question: 5: Should I side spec into protector for Plate Agility and Shield Defence?
Question 6: If I spec into Tactician do I go for Fight on and Daunting challenge or Crushing Pin and Battle Trample?
Question 7: Assuming a pro CW, is it worth specing into Battle Trample?
Question 8: Do I have enough control powers to make Crushing Pin worth taking?
I have a suspicion Battle Trample is worth taking but Crushing Pin may not be, as I have Frontline Surge almost permanently on my bars, and sometimes Terrifying Impact, but nothing else I can see that will trigger it beyond when I put bull's charge on my bars to punt adds off cliff.
Heroic tier feats:
There is an issue of Distracting Shield vs Powerful Attack vs Ubiquitous Shield
Question 9: Is it worth replacing distracting shield with Ubiquitous Shield?
Question 10: Is Powerful Attack as mandatory as I think it is?
Could I just drop both Distracting Shield and Ubiquitous Shield?
Powers
So I currently use:
At Will:
Threatening Rush (Extra mobility and marks targets)
Cleave OR Tide of Iron
Despite the improvement I understand Crushing Surge is still rubbish.
Encounter:
Enforced Threat (Almost mandatory for AoE Tanking)
Frontline Surge (Fantastic for add control)
Into the Fray
(Sometimes Bulls Charge for punting adds or Iron Warrior.)
Is Knight's Valor worth using instead for taking party damage?
Daily:
Fighter's Recovery and Terrifying Impact or Villain's Menace
(Rarely using Supremacy of Steal or Indomitable Strength instead)
Class Abilities:
Currently mostly use:
Enhanced Mark (100% extra threat, using Threatening Rush and Enforced Threat to apply marks)
Shield Talent (Boosted by the shield master feat but recently read this might not work properly)
Considering replacing shield talent with:
Combat Superiority (for a Conqueror with Tactical Superiority build)
OR Trample the Fallen (With tactician or a conqueror/tactician crushing pin & battle trample build)
Question 11: Is it worth replacing Enhanced Mark with Combat Superiority AND Trample the Fallen?
Currently I think Enhanced Mark is doing a lot of work towards generating adequate threat.
What do I actually do?
Currently I mostly run around like a headless chicken with Threatening rush, marking as much as I can, hit Enforced threat to marks as much as possible, hit Frontline Surge to generate threat and keep adds from hitting me (As the old proverb states: the best defence is your enemy sprawled *** over HAMSTER on the floor.)
I currently guard a lot, but I understand this will start evaporating more in Epics.
Now I sometimes, but rarely concentrate on tanking the boss, mostly focusing on add hovering. Is this approach likely to be as valid in Epics? Or will I be expected to sit on the boss more?
Am I expected to aggressively DerPS with cleavespam rather than turtle behind guard?
Thanks in advance for any useful replies.
Post edited by illithidbix on
0
Comments
http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?437251-Guardian-Fighter-Scrotobagins-Regen-Tank-amp-DPS-Builds
I have several builds in the guide along with my current build I am using. Also if you want to go pure tank, burst canon or hybrid build depends on your team's progression.
If your CW is good at using Sing and bunching up the mobs while the GWF & GF (you) are able to burn down the trash. While your TR is stacking wicked on mobs so everyone's damage is increasing.... or if you are having to tank the mobs while your team slowly kills the mobs. All depends if you can go more DPS and less tank or if you need to go more tank and less DPS.
In my guide I cover PETs and how they should be your ArP & CRT stacks so you can get power on yourself using conqueror to double your power and increase your damage alot.
It's not rubbish. The improvement was great. But it's not worth a respec. Cleave is still pretty much the go to at will. Surge vs. Tide of Iron on single target is kind of a toss up with the improvement to surge. But again, not worth spending respec points. So keep on using what you've been using there.