Do any BM tank?

galisaa

I've read a lot about 3str 2dec multi weapon and such but on the PWI class info it lists BM can be tanks. So can / do any BM tank? If the answer is no then I am going to try and make it happen and please help by giving the info requested. If yes then will someone please take the time to make a guide?


Other basic info request: Minimum str/def for all weapons?
Minimum str/def for heavy and light? (end game)
~Physical & ~Magic def from both heavy/light?

_Perses_ - Lost City

NEED FACEPALM EMOTE. PLEASE FRANKIE GIVE IT TO US!!!!!!



Ehm....*lets somebody else answers this* >_>

Sakubatou - Sanctuary

Since what decides a tank nowadays is more often who has the most damage, rather than who has the most hp, yes BMs tank. Sins tank bosses more than anyone, honestly, followed by BM's, followed by barbs. Fist Bm's are an excellent mix of high damage and high defenses.

All of these questions can be found in any of the guides. Here, mine even has an index:
http://pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=766822&highlight=pure+Blademaster
Post #2

Axes require 3 str and .5 dex per level. Fist require 1.5 str and 2 dex per level. All other weapons are some where in between. That's why the 3 str and 2 dex build is suggested.

HA requires 2.5 str per level. LA requires 1 str, 1 dex per level.

To calculate what your stat requirement will be take the times you leveled (current level minus your starting level of 1) and multiply it by the stat/level you need, then add the initial 5 stat points you started with. So level 100 axe str requirements would be

((100-1) x 3 str/level) +5 = 302 str. You can do this with axe, fist, HA, or LA requirements.

galisaa

That was quite informative. Should be sticky'd.

Can you elaborate more on who "more often then not" tanks and how well they do (survivalablity) compared to each other? Any pro/con of having one tank over the other (Assuming skiled player who can hold agro)?

MoonUsagi - Heavens Tear

You don't have to be skilled to hold agro this day. b:sweat
Just get awesome equipment, awesome genie, awesome charms, and 5 aps character. (prefer bm or sin)

Learn your skills a bit and watch instance run, voila.

galisaa

Waaaaahh? No skill needed? Such a game is... ;(

Sakubatou - Sanctuary

Mob/Boss aggression is based on two things: damage and skills that generate "hate". Barbs have multiple aggro skills, their best being Flesh Ream, but their aoe Roar, Devour, and Penetrate Armor also add smaller amounts of hate to help keep aggro. Barbs need these skills because their damage output is smaller compared to most players so they have skills that allow them to hold aggro in ways other than damage. This way they can focus on adding stat points to vitality and focus their gear on defense, rather than increasing their damage. I also believe character level (regardless of damage) and critical strikes factor in on aggro but can't find anything to verify and its minor anyways.

Everyone else uses damage to hold aggro. BMs have a skill "Stream Strike" that has weak aggroing abilities but it really adds such a pathetic amount of hate the channeling time is better used damage dealing. Same with the Seeker skill "Battousai".

Damage output in this game has gotten to the point that almost no matter what a barb does its hard to keep aggro with skills late game. It used to be expected for DDers to watch their own damage output and reduce it so the barb could keep aggro, but now people have good enough gear that they'd rather just tank it themselves than modify their damage output and get the cleric to heal them instead of the barb. Especially Sins who get healed by their damage output, so more damage = more bloodpaint heals for them.

So. Sins have the highest output but are very squishy. BM's have the second highest DD output (generally) but also have about the 3rd highest defense and marrows to help us tank. Barb have some of the lowest damage in the game but have aggro skills, and the highest defense and hp amounts. BMs are an excellent mix of DD and tankability (a well geared BM can keep aggro off a mediocre Sin and survive better than a mediocre Barb).

Barbs can typically hold aggro with skills into thier 80's before end game weapons and gear ruin that. 1-80 they're the best tanks but BMs can do their job. 80-100 BMs are the best tanks imo because sins are still too squishy to tank but BMs can pull aggro from a barb and hold it with damage from the rest of a squad. After 100 a Sin should have the gear to tank and they are the highest DDs in the game so nothing should be able to get aggro from them anyways so they'd get the cleric heals.