What's the tactical element of Guard/Block?

sshate · May 2013

I come from the background of Vindictus and Terra, and they both have excellent block mechanics that are skill-based with high skill cap. In those games, blocking mechanic emphasize on precise timing of the block and alternating between attack and defense. A bad tank need a lot of healing. A good tank need less healing. A pro tank needs no healing. There is super high skill cap there and learning how to block is very rewarding.

In this game, block seems to work more like a repository of temporary hitpoint. Instead of focusing on attack animations, I'm focusing on the meters like another HP bar, deciding which HP bar to lose health on.

There also isn't any tactical elements to juggle between offense and defense stance, since my at-will attack while blocking does more DPS than when I'm not blocking... So... even when I'm not threatened, I hold down block anyways. LOL

Also, the more damage I block, the more of the meter I lose. Instead of feeling good about blocking a lot of damage, I feel screwed that I block too much damage and can't block (or do max dps) anymore. So it doesn't matter how good I am at timing my block, gameplay revert back to the old face-tank + heal rotation... yawn?

What I actually find most efficient is actually to NOT block major attacks and AOE at all. I just WALK away. LOL. I conserve my shield meter so that I can use my better At-Will while not in danger. Then when boss is about to do some big damage, I just walk out of the circle.

Is that really how GF is supposed to work? I'm curious to know how the rest of the player base are playing the block mechanic.

supjeremiah · May 2013

Block attacks hit harder but they don't do more DPS.

imyo · May 2013

sshate wrote: »

I come from the background of Vindictus and Terra, and they both have excellent block mechanics that are skill-based with high skill cap. In those games, blocking mechanic emphasize on precise timing of the block and alternating between attack and defense. A bad tank need a lot of healing. A good tank need less healing. A pro tank needs no healing. There is super high skill cap there and learning how to block is very rewarding.

In this game, block seems to work more like a repository of temporary hitpoint. Instead of focusing on attack animations, I'm focusing on the meters like another HP bar, deciding which HP bar to lose health on.

There also isn't any tactical elements to juggle between offense and defense stance, since my at-will attack while blocking does more DPS than when I'm not blocking... So... even when I'm not threatened, I hold down block anyways. LOL

Also, the more damage I block, the more of the meter I lose. Instead of feeling good about blocking a lot of damage, I feel screwed that I block too much damage and can't block (or do max dps) anymore. So it doesn't matter how good I am at timing my block, gameplay revert back to the old face-tank + heal rotation... yawn?

What I actually find most efficient is actually to NOT block major attacks and AOE at all. I just WALK away. LOL. I conserve my shield meter so that I can use my better At-Will while not in danger. Then when boss is about to do some big damage, I just walk out of the circle.

Is that really how GF is supposed to work? I'm curious to know how the rest of the player base are playing the block mechanic.

Hi i ll try to answer you with my sad english, so be nice to it xD

1) shield meter isnt just a temporary hitpoint, just because the fact u can do some crazy stuff with it and your skills, not only u can raise it in the middle of the fight with powers, u can stop ccing too, and if u are trying to do some dps with your GF assuming u are on conqueror side of the tree, your shield ll be the reason your enemys cant cc u properly, and happens in pve and pvp, its about timing and studying your enemys cast animations.

2) your bloquing at will do a little bit more dmg, but not more dps, its slower and skills like "cleave" have bonus dmg on 3rd attacks.

3) Just nonsense xD, less guard meter when u get hit by higher amounts? like being God?, i think the guard meter is waaaaaaay underpowered for pve too, but just because they 1 hit u the shield bar, but maybe a buff for pve can solve that, and a few points in paragon trees can help that too, idk much about that cos im conqueror.

Not saying GF is balanced, i think its way beyond the other classes, insanely underpowered in pve and pvp, but the guard meter right now is just to block cc or maybe save your life like a panic button.

What's the tactical element of Guard/Block?

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