Okay so I'm making a tank... her name is Waffles and I love her. However, I have NEVER played a tank in any type of game before EVER. I understand the basic concepts (keep threat, don't die, keep enemies from hitting DPS, but bad guy in best spot for DPSing) but I really don't know how to build a good one. I'm always a DPS or Healer.
Could someone please point me to a Mod 10 build for a tank primarily made for PVE dungeons (LoL, CN, Val etc) that can also actually do enough damage to do dread ring on her own without having to beg a DPS friend to come along for the ride? The key is that I need a build that comes with the key bit of info that most guides are missing - how to use the build. I've read through a lot of the threads on this forum but I don't know enough about tanking yet to be able to discern which one is the idiot's guide to tanking. So I'm asking you guys for help on the right place to look for a simple tanking mod 10 build and guide. Thank you all so much!
Founding Member of "Wrong Side of the Stronghold"
Ravenskya - TR / Krisha Chaos - OP / Waffles - GF / Dex Domitor - HR
Becky the trendy GWF - GWF / Too Toasty - SW / Falcor - DC / Morrigan - CW / Sir Didymus - OP
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Lathander Set is great I think, especially for new tanks, Recovery, Defense and AC, plus you won't need more than a lesser soulforge as even a lesser will give you back 60% of your hit points back or thereabouts.
I say Protector because it has Stamina feats which make boss fights much easier when you start off.
Ravenskya - TR / Krisha Chaos - OP / Waffles - GF / Dex Domitor - HR
Becky the trendy GWF - GWF / Too Toasty - SW / Falcor - DC / Morrigan - CW / Sir Didymus - OP
You could try running a Tactician with some Conq feats so your soloing isn't horrible. A build like that would, in my mind, look something like this:
https://nwcalc.com/index.html#/gf?b=1oa5:k6rwk5:8dep:5tb7d,1lix003:1pu5000:1000000:1zu5501&h=0&p=smr&o=0
For soloing going to want to run Crushing Surge/WMS, ITF/Enforced Threat/Anvil, Combat Superiority/Steel Grace, and Villain's Menace/Fighter's Recovery.
Nobody has quite made an Idiot's Guide to Tanking. I sort of cover it in my GF guide, but it's near the end of the guide.
For basic tanking, my typical powers are Tide of Iron/WMS, ITF/Enforced Threat/Knight's Valor/ Steel Defense/Guarded Assault with offhand bonus (used for spreading Crushing Pin), and Fighter's Recovery/Villain's Menace.
Here are a few things that might help when tanking as a GF.
Mark your targets
GF Tab (PC is Tab, not sure what it is on PS4) is such a useful debuff, in addition to aggro generator. Get used to using it ALOT.
Make sure the enemies are facing you.
If they're facing you, then keep them facing you. If not, use Enforced Threat and Aggravating Strike to gain the mob aggro.
Watch the boss.
I know you're worried about stamina and you want to spam ITF, but seriously, watch the boss. What is the boss doing? Are they preparing an attack? If so, block, and as soon as the attack lands, then you have time to use 1-2 powers, then retreat behind your shield.
Time your powers carefully.
Until you get to the point where your ITF is off cooldown 24/7, then you need to be patient and time your powers for maximum effectiveness. For ITF, just wait until your DC has put up Empowered Break the Spirit. Once it appears on your buff bar and you have an opportunity to press a power, press ITF, which signals to your team that they can bring the pain.
While advice and videos can help, the best way to learn to tank is to let experience be your teacher.
This.
Orcus is very predictable once you learn his pattern. Watch for the window of opportunity just after his "bash" main and offhand attacks (1-2 seconds). He does not Telegraph these hits, but they happen in a very set pattern. His "sweep" and "draw power from the Abyss" attacks are pretty obvious and each have a larger window.
Window priority is the same regardless of GF type:
1) Regain aggro if lost (EThreat, Tab, TRush)
2) ITF ( if off cooldown)
3) Regain HP and shield (if HP low Fighters Return, Iron Warrior or a potion, if stamina low Enforced Threat or Tide of Iron)
4) Buff Party Damage (Commander's Strike, stack Enforced Threat/TRush mark onto Tab Mark)
5) DPS powers. Last use of that window, only if none of the above apply.
I am Took.
"Full plate and packing steel" in NW since 2013.
Starting up I use ITF and FR, then hide behind my shield and begin stabbing Orcus. His first hit is usually the worst one as there will be no stacks of negation yet. After that it gets easier. When my IL was lower I'd have Iron Warrior instead of Enforced Threat and open up with that to survive that initial hit. Iron Warrior is too slow to use between every hit though.
First off there are many ways to play a GF. You have buff tank, DPS tank and pure Tank. From there you can even modify how you play the tank such as AP, Healing or higher defense based on gear and enchantments.
My GF is unique created her to be a deflective, defensive, self healing, and DPS style tank.
First let's get right into the deflect side: Halfing race, companion active bonus, armor enchantment, and cruel enchantment give me a nice bonus to my deflective stat.
I'm defensive as well as I use 2K defensive mount when I tank, some feats invested into Protector, and cruel enchantments.
Self healing from the water weapon, seldarine set, active companion stats, and an artifact I use when I play tank.
DPS: Comes from Conquer line, mount bonus, and some of the normal heroic feats.
Prior to my short break I tanked all content but CN and most runs I had no healer. I went down on occasion but overall I would state that I did well without any healer.
The only issue I noticed is at times I run out of stamina and I maybe swapping one of my companions to help with that.
Tanks Setup
Mount Power: Indestructible - 2,000 Defense
At Wills: Tide of Iron & Crush Surge (self healing)
Encounters: Into the Frey, Bull Charge, & Enforced Threat
Personals: Shield Talent & Enhanced Mark
Dailies: Villain's Menace & Fighter Recovery
DPS Setup
Mount Power: Precision - 1,000 Critical Strike & 1,000 Armor Pen
At Wills: Crush Surge for single targets & Weapon's Master Strike
Encounters: Into the Frey, Bull Charge, & Enforced Threat
Personals: Combat Superiority & Steel Blitz
Dailies: Villain's Menace & Fighter Recovery
Heroic Feats:
Toughness x3, Strength x3, Armor Specialization x3, Shield Resurgence x1, Potent Challenge x3, Powerful Attack x2, Weapon Mastery x3, and Uniquitous Shield
Conqueror Paragon Feats: Improved Vigor x5, Wrathful Warrior x5, Jagged Blades x5, Crushing Shield x5, Tactical Superiority x5, Reckless Attackerx1
Protector Paragon Feats: Plate Agility & Shield Defense
Tactician Paragon Feats: Fight On
Artifacts: Sigil of Devoted, Emblem of Seldarine, Sigil of the Guardian, and Water of Elahzad
Gear: Dusk Ward Helm, Dusk Raid Breast Plate, Drowcraft Gaunlets, Dusk Ward Sabatons, Drowcraft Pants, Drow Craft Shirt, Greater Belt of Seldarine, Greater Cloak of Seldarine, Ring of Rising Deflect +4, & Ring of Sieging +4
Weapons: Drowned Set (for self healing)
Utility Enchantments: 3 Dark Rank 8, Less Dragon Hoard, & Fey Blessing Rank 8
Defensive Enchantments: 2 Cruel Rank, 2 Azure Rank 8,
Offensive Enchantments: 2 Silvery Rank 8, 2 Draconic Rank 8
Mount Insignia Bonuses: Wander's Fortune, Gladiator Guile, Artificer's Influence, Survivor's Gift, & Champion Struggle
The insignia's provide bonus to recovery, armor pen, deflection and defense. I did not select any other insignia as I wanted to focus on stats that would allow for quick use of encounter, more damage or better defensive stats.
This build I use has a very nice balance. It allows me to be a bit lazy at time and not really worry as much about blocking all attacks when I tank. It provides me enough DPS to run through solo content fairly quick without any issues and I have soloed a few bosses in dungeons due to pugging all content when I was playing this as my only game.
When I created this build I looked a variety of builds and took what I liked and dislike and created this build. I think it is a well balanced build for beginners who want to tank but also don't want to spend hours doing solo content.
I hope this helps you out Raven.