So I'm gonna make a tank

mrmakeithappen · March 2017

I'm not gonna ask what's the best tank in neverwinter cuz I'm sure I'll get a 100 different opinions. Instead I'll put the play style I'm going for & then maybe I can get the helpful advice to play as GF or OP. What I want to do with my tank is take a beating, shrug it off, and debuff the enemy to lower their defense and damage. I'm not concerned with dps at all for my tank. Until I'm like 3.8k & things are over capped then I'll tweak some stuff to do more damage but that's not my priority at all. Nothing against dps tanks. I've seen a GF do 50 mill in CN with no wipes & be done in 15 mins all while tanking. Whenever I've run with a dps tank though with my GWF it's never ended well & I usually wind up highly annoyed cuz the tank don't tank. Not lookin forward to my dailies but with the loadouts coming I'll be able to switch up the dps tank build & my dungeon tank build. With that said I'm not sure to go GF or OP. I know nothing about either class so hoping ppl can point me in the right direction. Don't think it matters much but I'm a ps4 player

Cheers & Thanks

rjc9000 · March 2017

Both OP and GF work as tanks and people are always looking for their meatshields.

Each has their little nuances which might affect your choice of tank.

The OP is much easier to manage than the GF. The OP doesn't require as much attention in timing, as the OP's main buffs are passive, save for Bane, which has a long duration anyways. In addition, the OP doesn't need to time their attacks as much, since the OP's primary damage mitigation source (Templar's Wrath/Temporary HP) is very easy to refresh.

The OP has the benefit of having some of the best team protection tools in the game, with little risk to them. The only class which can match the OP in protecting the team is the DC, but that forces the DC to give up their powerful offensive buffs.

The GF requires more attention from the player and team's part. The GF's shield can't be held forever (which means you need to be careful with your biggest damage mitigation source), KV (the GF's best protection tool) has a risk to it (meaning you and your team can't just go on autopilot when KV is up), and the GF needs to constantly be aware of the situation (you need to constantly be marking targets, checking aggro, minding where you're facing, applying ITF, etc).

In exchange, the GF gets the stronger buffs: ITF, Marking (free Combat Advantage + debuff), and Commander's Strike all are great bonuses which work well regardless of your composition (Aura Gifts gives less of a DPS boost as your team has more Power, Aura of Courage' damage boost can vary wildly, whereas ITF is a nice stable 30% damage bonus, and Bane can be rendered negligble if your team is good about stacking debuffs).

GF generally has the faster solo times. Conqueror has a bunch of tools which allow it to DPS decently well so you can get through your dailies. The OP doesn't quite have that luxury unless you overgear the content anyways.

Due to loadouts, the OP will have the ability to also play a very easy and very effective healer at the push of a button. This affords you a bit of versatility if your guild is lacking in both tanks and healers.

mrmakeithappen · March 2017

Thanks for the breakdown. Much appreciated

armadeonx · March 2017

In terms of play style an OP tanks by fighting & relying on temporary health generation whereas a GF relies on their shield for defence. As such, team based tanking on an OP is more aggressive whereas the GF is more tactical (incorporating the timing aspects mentioned by rjc).

ravenskya · March 2017

I have a GF tank and she's a lot of fun - the other day I made an OP tank but I haven't gotten him leveled yet. JT has one of each though his OP is also still lower level. The first tank in our guild was an OP and he was pretty good considering we were still stumbling through figuring the game out at that point.

My understanding is that the GF holds threat better, requires better timing and does more damage. The OP still has a few threat generators that don't work right (though they are now better than before) it has a little more leeway on play style since they actually take a beating but have the HP to do it, and do little damage.

Once you get it to 70, you have to tank for us!

mebengalsfan · March 2017

mrmakeithappen#7220 said:
I'm not gonna ask what's the best tank in neverwinter cuz I'm sure I'll get a 100 different opinions. Instead I'll put the play style I'm going for & then maybe I can get the helpful advice to play as GF or OP. What I want to do with my tank is take a beating, shrug it off, and debuff the enemy to lower their defense and damage. I'm not concerned with dps at all for my tank. Until I'm like 3.8k & things are over capped then I'll tweak some stuff to do more damage but that's not my priority at all. Nothing against dps tanks. I've seen a GF do 50 mill in CN with no wipes & be done in 15 mins all while tanking. Whenever I've run with a dps tank though with my GWF it's never ended well & I usually wind up highly annoyed cuz the tank don't tank. Not lookin forward to my dailies but with the loadouts coming I'll be able to switch up the dps tank build & my dungeon tank build. With that said I'm not sure to go GF or OP. I know nothing about either class so hoping ppl can point me in the right direction. Don't think it matters much but I'm a ps4 player

Cheers & Thanks

OP vs GF...

OP class provides more flexibility in how you play it than a GF and the reason is if you don't like tanking you can go healer. With a GF your options are Defensive Tanking, Group Buffing Tanking and DPS style tanking. See how OP has a bit more flexibility in how you build your character.

As for taking a beating and surviving...I give the slight edge to OP tanks. The distribution of ability points into con has two benefits for OP vs the one benefit that GF get. For OP you get DR increase and HP increase. For GF you get only HP increase. If you start off with 20 Con at character creation with an OP and put all your puts into Con and get the con belt you end up with 35 con I believe and that is a very nice bonus to HP and DR along with boons, etc...The other thing that OP has is temp HP, which is great for taking additional beating. The circle further improves OP.

GF are best at tanking enemies face to face when the shield is up due to the 80% reduction in damage it provides; however to get the 25% DR that OP can get from just Con you have to get from gear, enchantments, etc.... I find that OP tanking is a bit easier than GF. IMO, GF require a bit more skill and timing vs. an OP.

If you are new to tanking and want an easier time with it I say go OP if you are up to a challenge and want a class that requires a bit more skill and timing go GF. Both can do what you want but I think OP has an easier time with it than a GF.

mrmakeithappen · April 2017

Thanks everyone for the info. I'm gonna roll with a GF for the challenge to better myself as a gamer & it sounds like grown man tanking lol.

wizardlvl80 · April 2017

@mebengalsfan#9264

Con gives also Action Points growth for GF so it's actually a really big stat for this class.

khangaax · April 2017

Hi. I would recommend you a protector tank. With a lesser negation armor enchantment, valhalla set even without upgrade, earthen weapon sets and feats like that one that you creates more stamina if your allies are at 20' from you, you won't have stamina issues specially if you use shield talent. Also weapons can unlock abilities that consumes less stamina. You will find companions that restore stamina if it's your worry but I would use companions that debuff damage like: rust monster, elemental air cultist and frozen galeb dhur (this one will give you 5% damage resistance depending on damage taking and upgrade level) and also other companions like threat generation like dread warrior (but I don't like become enraged, you stop guarding and that could mean death in bosses like orcus), blacksmith to raise your damage, owlbear cub to raise your damage and finally I'm using as summoned a stalwart lion, I think is great for tank because it will hit radiant damage, combined with a holy avenger weapon enchantment and knigth's valor and enforced threat and probably lunging strike, enemies won't touch party members and if you play with high item level characters you can forget about threat generation and go straigth to buff with command striker and into the fray but buff it's more a cleric task and you will never empower the same than a dc or 2 dc. Your mission as a tank is protect and create threat. Protector is the best path, I would probably respect to conqueror in a future when I'll have valhalla set upgraded, perfect negation...it doesn't matter you get more than 80% damage resistance because of cap, enemies have armor penetration, the important is that you reach that cap after the armor penetration of the enemies has applied to you, so if you have a damage resistance of 100 and your enemies have a armor penetration that allow them have a resistance ignored of 20% you are in the right damage resistance because 100-20= 80% dr that is the cap for pve, if you add high life steal and regeneration I would say you even won't need a cleric, you can use enchantments like lifedrinker to recover that 20% of damage points loose. I don't like tanks with barkshields. You need don't get hurt to allow barkshields get charges so if you are going to create threat barkshield probably won't get many charges as other classes. As stats go for strength and constitution, constitution mainly for life points and damage resistance (I think) ad strength for stamina and hit hard bosses combined with owlbear cub you will keep the threat. If you want other armor enchantments, frostburn if it works it should be great because slows your enemies, maybe soulforged but using lathander set combined with phoera, angel of protection and mystic phoera, or maybe elven battle to get more stamina. Control resistance is important only in pvp or in some specific areas or bosses like beholder in castle never, so you can upgrade 2 or 3 artifacts with control resistance for that situations. Aoe resistance same, you can save some artifacts in your holding bags for situations where it requires, most times you will need stamina and damage resistance.

That's my tanks point of view. Actually I can tank without any issues 2 scorpions in elol and I have seen many tanks not able to do it and I died with my dps often for that. Orcus is a different thing, you will have to use steel defense and cast dailies often until you get high damage resistance and debuffing companions but in any case I have seen orcus hitting 1 million of damage points...

Regards

PS: I forgot, chicken is another excellent companion to debuff enemies hits. It's a pitty game "only" allows 5 active companions

PS2: I forgot also greenscale bowman for stamina regeneration, as also pseudodragon.

ravenskya · April 2017

@mrmakeithappen#7220 Did you make your tank already? I know that there are a bunch of us planning on doing massive leveling of alts over the double xp weekend if you want in. I wasn't sure if you were buying a 70 or leveling one up.

I think there are some people starting in the level 40 range, and others in the brand shiny new range, there are also a few planning on just making the dash from 60-70.

So I'm gonna make a tank

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