I didn't see this covered but do you have your 2.0? What's your spam key look like? Are you using things like terror to proc your aa for a free rune? Using your latest for power spell for added ac? If you're tanking you should be spamming thwart on cooldown, spear when up, taps for health and terror. Always be casting. Hdex for heroic stat for an sk.
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Question - How to make your tank not suck?
- Thread starter cintile
- Start date
That is a good direction with what you have to choose from. You're still lacking the heals though. While leveling a new SK (like how I chose that for your tank) Throw a shaman in the mix. Level him/her along side your new tank. Hell, add a few more FTP accounts and you have a full crew. I really think your tank will suprise you if you take the plunge and purchase the CWTN plugin. There's a good KA ini for your bard that I have used on 5 bards and have no complaints.
Is the CWTN really that useful in the newb levels? Like before level 85? I was really trying to avoid having 4 characters, but yall have me considering starting a new tank, with a shaman box. Just hate to spend all that time starting from level 0. I suppose I could have my two mains grinding AA while i work on newbs.
SIDE QUESTION. Why doesn't anyone ever recommend the Warrior class?
My SK does have the 1.5, I'll have to look at my spam key, but i did have that set up based on other suggestions and post throughout the forums.
Get your 2.0 asap, post your spam key when you can.
I know the spam key includes the spear, epic, a disc (forgeting name) and the snowbound chest click.
Without a doubt the plugins are worth it at any level in my opinion. As for the WAR, i can't personally speak about them as I don't have one.
Spam key should have thwart, spear, terror, taps and your instant melee strike( forget the name) and bite, that's pretty much it.
Your not on live anymore? Whats your group look like?
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I highly recommend a warrior. But warrior REALLY requires gear to be effective. Once geared and AA'ed its not going to have any amazing burns. But it will put out steady reasonable DPS while taking single or multiple mobs. etc. But warrior is not a solo class they need healing so that means a shaman or a cleric (realistically). In most folks opinion its a lot more work to keep a warrior at a good place compared to a SK/Pal where spells can hide gear or aa weaknesses.
Gnome-eater
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Gotta get your 2.0? Do you use mantles and carapices? It's not all just "faceroll", especially when leveling up and not really maxed out for your content. That and load 4+ lifetaps..and chain them. The SK cwnt class plugin does a good job. You might also want to get a real healer..mercs suck. A cleric and sk...can take a lot. A shaman is usually good to go too.
SKs are probably the best group content tank in EQ. This isn't a class short-coming.. you are missing something.
Gnome-eater
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their ae agro is pretty sad by comparison to an sk though...
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Nah. People make too much use of precision taunt skills and not enough of the ae agros a warrior does have. Expanse line hurricanes ramp ae taunt and wade into battle all provide significant ae agro and in the case of the expanse line one that is virtually unlimited if you are the one getting healed. They dont have the 4 ish SK spells...
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True.
110-115 really to your 120 armor and AA is a tough spot for a tank. Any tank. Your best bet is to do group progressions or if you are like me and just grind the old fashion way you have to pray on weaker mobs until you get 115 and can get your Velium Endowed armor and hunt in EW for good XP from there it's an easier push to 120. It helps if you are on FV you can just buy the armor.
As for making a Pally a good tank, a Pally is a great tank if you prefer defense over offense and like having the extra rezzer. With a Necro in the group and a Shaman I always have 3 rezzers I've come out of some pretty obvious wipes and pulls that were full on Louis Roberts. But getting from 110 to 120 can be a pain. I use the plugins on all toons especially tanks. I swear by them.
Would you do the 121 BST + 108 Pally add a healer or my other option is the 112 SK + 116 Bard?
I'm am on FV. Where would you grind 110-115?
as for the warrior vs knight debate in the end it comes down to what you plan on doing. i main a warrior cause our crew raids and a knight just cant take a beating from bosses in NoS/LS like a well geared warrior. if your just playing the group game then a knight is fine. as for boss mobs imo why bring a knife to a gunfight ... warrior all the way
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I use warrior, and have since House of Thule...but mainly because i have a dual-wield theme going on. Frankly, I prefer them to the knights even in the group game. Knights have a lot of HP bouncing around, warriors mitigate that far better so there are fewer clutch moments. However, no matter what tank you choose, those clutch moments disappear as you gear/AA up, even if you are 2 hand tanking the harder named. Warrior can do the dual-wield thing though instead of using a shield for those moments, and still be putting out hefty damage when grouped with a beast and a bard. I only just started using the class plugins this past 2-3 months and I will say I like them because they take away the need to learn classes I don't really want to get in depth on. For me, I want to know how to play 2-3 classes expertly, and the rest are there just to support those classes when I'm playing them. Those plugins let you do exactly that. They don't quite do the warrior defensive rotation quite as effectively as I was using modbot ini's, but it is close enough that I don't care. They DO use the offensive abilities of the class better however, so my net DPS has increased while maintaining nearly the same staying power.
Just my long-winded way of saying, pick the tank that suits your taste/style. In the end, you will catch up with gear/aa and then the alts will likely start showing up
OH, and my warrior has 0 augs since CoV gear setup and is only about 7 slots in to t2 in current expansion. Mainly because my work travel went way up so I'm not around as much...but pairing a warrior with a cleric, not mercs, you can do a lot more with a lot less. I imagine a sham could easily do the same while pumping out quite a bit more DPS.
Just my long-winded way of saying, pick the tank that suits your taste/style. In the end, you will catch up with gear/aa and then the alts will likely start showing up
OH, and my warrior has 0 augs since CoV gear setup and is only about 7 slots in to t2 in current expansion. Mainly because my work travel went way up so I'm not around as much...but pairing a warrior with a cleric, not mercs, you can do a lot more with a lot less. I imagine a sham could easily do the same while pumping out quite a bit more DPS.
Thi might sound a bit rough, but...if you are a tank that is having trouble tanking level-appropriate mobs with a suitable support crew then:
As for #1 - Sucks doesn't mean you dont have current level armor equipped. It means you don't have everything - all of your augs, and all slots with BiS equipment. Can you be missing a couple of slots? Yes. But not that much. Make it a priority.
For #2 - You don't indicate what automation you are using on the SK, if any (or I missed it), but there is some indication that you may be running him yourself. In which case be aware that this is not something you can really do with alt-tabbing or anything other than 100% focus. And it requires that you know how to play the class, have keys set up, etc. This holds true whether you are playing yourself or using KA. KA requires you to know what you are doing, and setting up an INI for an SK is not a trivial thing.
In full disclosure - I don't really know how to play my SK. But I don't try. I use CWTN and it turns me into a force of nature. My contribution is to ensure that every slot is filled with the best gear I can achieve. CWTN takes it from there.
Oh, and having CC in your team can make a real difference.
1 - Your gear sucks, or
2 - Your skills suck.
As for #1 - Sucks doesn't mean you dont have current level armor equipped. It means you don't have everything - all of your augs, and all slots with BiS equipment. Can you be missing a couple of slots? Yes. But not that much. Make it a priority.
For #2 - You don't indicate what automation you are using on the SK, if any (or I missed it), but there is some indication that you may be running him yourself. In which case be aware that this is not something you can really do with alt-tabbing or anything other than 100% focus. And it requires that you know how to play the class, have keys set up, etc. This holds true whether you are playing yourself or using KA. KA requires you to know what you are doing, and setting up an INI for an SK is not a trivial thing.
In full disclosure - I don't really know how to play my SK. But I don't try. I use CWTN and it turns me into a force of nature. My contribution is to ensure that every slot is filled with the best gear I can achieve. CWTN takes it from there.
Oh, and having CC in your team can make a real difference.
Lol. Please do, I'm curious to find this out myself
I've strongly considered starting fresh on Michief
if my SK and Beastlord were on separate accounts, i wouldn't even be having a conversation about it. That's why there its an issue and so hard for me to decide. BST and SK are on same account.
Moral to the story here is to just start one of every class on a separate account so you never have to choose!
Moral to the story here is to just start one of every class on a separate account so you never have to choose!
Truth
Progression helps. Epic is a must have for SK. Tribute, trophies, camp fire,.. all help. Augs will come with progression. Some will be drops, others bought with currency, and keep the drops for the TS ones if you know a crafter.
Starting from scratch, PL, and tossing into modern content is going to leave you squishy. All of the little increases you get from progression adds up to a huge difference over time. Things like Janns Veil, mount buffs, all help. Death by a thousand cuts kind of thing. No 1 thing will change your life but you'll notice over time things just getting easier, and easier, and easier.
Starting from scratch, PL, and tossing into modern content is going to leave you squishy. All of the little increases you get from progression adds up to a huge difference over time. Things like Janns Veil, mount buffs, all help. Death by a thousand cuts kind of thing. No 1 thing will change your life but you'll notice over time things just getting easier, and easier, and easier.
easy answer.... do stuff.... COTF + progression for heroic aas, get type 5 augs, upgrade gear, learn your defensive abilities (nothing beats mashing buttons), get clickies, get a better healer (box cleric will keep you alive better than a shaman and mercs are just awful), build your group around the tank, etc. There's lots of options.
Do you have a burn key? If so, what do you have on that? I would love to see exactly what your spam key and your burn key looks like. I've been using CWTN on him a bit and watching what's being used, but I only want to use that when I need my attention else where. A majority of the time, I want to be doing the work. I'm getting better, but still need to be a bit more polished and streamlined in my rotation.
Sorry for the late reply, when I get home I'll post my keys
@cintile, hence advise we've shared in other threads...do not use alternate personas...do not make alts. Every char should be its own acct.
My advice: bite the bullet now and re-roll one of them before you continue to sink time/money...we've all had to learn this lesson...easier if you adjust early on