TanksFollow

I would say Guardians as far as agression. As a paladin I am constantly losing agression, especially to scout classes and monkish types (grr I almost hate to group with bruisers/brawlers they pull it so much). That doesn't mean they are always the best tank though. Paladins can offer abit of backup heals, I don't know how many times I have saved myself or other group members with a ward here, lay of hands there, group heal here and there etc etc. Shadowknights can offer proably the best DPS as any tank, although it still is nothing compared to a pure dps class.

In terms of who can hold agro the best, Guardians have 5 or 6 different taunts. However we have the lowest DPS of any tank.

So really agro is a joint responsibility for any group.

Any tank can be a good tank if the others in their group adjust their play styles to suit.

Speaking as a healer, tanks who want to fixate on their DPS when they're grouping get their group killed.

DPS all you want when you're soloing but when you're in a group your number one priority is holding onto hate. The DPS classes in the group are there for damage and no tank can ever hope to compete with them.

Pretty much stating the obvious, not directed at any of the posters here. There are people out there who I've grouped with who don't understand their role.

For a game that has so many variables that can affect a character's effectiveness, there seems to be a lot of people who speak in absolutes.

I have tailored my Paladin to output the most damage possible since the day I created her. I did this blatantly in defiance of the expectaction that tanks not only should not, but could not deal any decent amount of damage and that their lives were relegated to standing there and absorbing blows.

I learned early on that shields are fairly useless, with exception. Even using the Shiny Brass Shield, a Legendary shield with a very high shield rating of over 600 (highest in the game is in the 900s, that I have seen), I see a notable, significant decrease in effectiveness, even if I use a use a 2 handed weapon much lower in level than my character is.

This was tested repeatedly with 2 different Furies and another Paladin from my guild. Using the shield and a Legendary 1 handed weapon, and attempting to kill tough, named encounters. With the shield, party members would run out of power before the encounter was defeated, and then I would die (the rest fleeing). Using a 2 handed weapon, even one that is far lower in levels (Paladin is 47, using level 33 Gorehand Blade of Butchery, for example) were able to defeat the encounters, not simply by a margin, but with much greater ease and power to spare.

This has been tested throughout the levels. I have duoed Epic x2 encounters with a same or lower level Fury, from Captain Graek in my early 20s and Briganna Gailspear, named Orcs in Zek as well as Named Heroics. Always, it was accomplished using a 2 handed sword and when I tried doing it with a shield, we failed. We ran out of power and died.

My latest significant conquest, was duoing Zygoth the Watcher in the Obelisk of Lost Souls at level 44 with a level 33 Fury. That is not a typo, my guildmate was 11 levels below me. Had I switched to a shield, we would have been dead.

With a 2 handed weapon, and Master 1 Offensive Stance, among other buffs, I was regularly dealing over 200 damage per auto attack swing ( every 2 seconds), and another 200-400 damage with spells and combat arts, not to mention the periodic Heroic Opportunity. Additionally, I have so many procs from equipment and buffs (Paladins have 2 proc buff spell lines) that another 100-400 damage was being dealt every 10 seconds, give or take.

I can't outdeal the damage of well played Mage or Scout, but I have out damaged a poorly played, poorly upgraded, and poorly equipped Scout, quite frequently throughout my "career."

In a full group, against a very tough named encounter, I "may" switch to my shield for the additional 15-17%(?) avoidance it gives me, but usually I don't. Furthermore, my damage output is high enough that I can normally hold aggro in a group fight, with only throwing in the periodic taunt that closes a Heroic Opportunity.

I have had quite a few people from the Freeport and Qeynos side, comment on the way I play my tank... and how effective it is. I'm not saying this is the only way to play a tank, far from it, my response was fueled by the comments of those who, at least in implication, suggest that there IS only one way to play a tank. I am also not sure this play style would work with other tank classes, especially Guardians, since I have not played them and their spell lines are different. However, I submit that this is a style that has worked for me, the best, while playing a Paladin.

Xczaria, 47 Paladin
(originally of Neriak) Kithicor
Company of Free Qeynosians

Edited, Sat Feb 18 00:03:45 2006 by Kallirye

to Kallirye:

Most assuredly, there are many ways to skin this particular cat!

In fact, I also prefer duos and trios to full groups since it allows for far more "freedom of expression" than the traditional group roles "required" in full group situations. Game-life would be pretty boring if all my warden or fury ever got to do was heal!

That said, I see that most of your examples deal with situations involving a duo consisting of you and a healer. In these cases, you would have to be responsible for DPS since your group dynamic doesn't include a character dedicated to that job.

I would venture to say that in these examples the fury was also responsible for a significent portion of the DPS and did not just stand there spamming heals, (as a healer in a full group is usually "expected" to do).

At any rate, I believe Lydiaele's comment and, (I know), my response were regarding a full or near full group and not a "rebel alliance" like a duo or trio, where anything goes.

I have no doubt that in a full group, you don't go roaring into the fray with guns blazing, but instead carry out your "intended role" for the good of the group.

I also agree with you about shields and rarely use one with either my warden or my fury, preferring a 2 handed weapon for each of them. (Maybe that makes me a "rebel" too!)

to KuraiDeuce:

What makes you think I'm a dark lord of the Sith? Crikey! I play wood elves and half elves... that oughta count for something!

Does 5 am count about the same as 8am?


OBD dont half elves start as neutral, being able to go to either city, but then again it doesnt matter since the dark side likes to corrupt those from the light.

Phewey! Dak and I are the only true Rebels here!

Rebels of the Sacred Heart all the way!