Swash vs other Scouts

[boylocke]

<div></div>Hi all!  I'm gonna start a swashbuckler, I think.  Was hoping someone could give me a little bit of a run down on how swashbucklers and brigands differ, what makes them unique and whether or not one is weak in an area while the other is not and vice versa.  I also have a troub and an assassin.  I imagine it's easy to say it's a completely different experience between a troub and a swash, but how does a swash and an assassin differ?  I just don't want to feel like I am playing the exact same characters when I end up having 3 scouts.One more little thing I should mention is that I don't care about solo'ing at all.  I am completely group oriented.<div></div><p>Message Edited by xyagentguy on <span class=date_text>06-11-2006</span> <span class=time_text>03:42 PM</span>

[Snarks]

Swashbuckler Vs. Brigand- After level 52, swashbuckler DPS tends to focus on more multiple-mob encounters, and brigand DPS starts to shine on single target. Brigands get more short-term stuns and defensive debuffs than a swashbuckler. A swashbuckler gets more offensive-debuffs (lower mob dps). Generally speaking, at the moment brigand are more important to have at a raid than a swashbuckler. For soloing, however, both are very good. Swashbuckler also get a single target mez, and brigands do not (however the recast on the mez is longer than the duration so it cannot be permanent). Swashbuckler has hate transfer and brigand does not. In tier 6  brigands get an avoid AOE spell which is very useful on raids / hard heroics that aoe. If you want to tank, swashbucklers are more fit to do so. Rogues in general get more diverse AA paths than other scout classes. Rogues(swash/brigand) get group invis. Swashbuckler Vs. Assassin- Assassin have far less utility than swashbuckler. Assassins do more single target DPS. Assassins do more burst damage. Assassin dps is a lot more positional, with most attacks being rear-only. This probably makes it difficult to solo, but I do not know. Assassins also have a hate transfer. Swashbuckler Vs. Ranger- Rangers are much harder to solo with than rogues. Rangers do more burst damage. Rangers also have less utility. Swashbuckler Vs. Troubador- Troubadors are for group buffing mages. They add damage to mage abilities and reduce aggro. They get a permanent mez and a charm. They do a lot less DPS than a swashbuckler. Troubadors get an ability that prevents spells from landing. Swashbuckler Vs. Dirge- Dirges increase hate and are ideal for tanks. They get abilities to prevent melee attacks from landing. They increase DPS and increase hate. They are more suited to buffing tanks and melee. Dirges do far less dps than swashbuckler. <div></div>

[kyth]

    Sorry but i would argue that brigands are more fit to tank.  Higher mitigation (our self buff gives us more mit) and we get a 2nd "taunt" being the ruse line.  Also we have a incercept that not only takes the dmg but also works like a deagro on the person.  Other then that everthing in brigand vs swash seems about right.<div></div>

[Masu]

<DIV>Swashies also get a self haste proc.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Carna]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> kythik wrote:<BR>   Sorry but i would argue that brigands are more fit to tank.  Higher mitigation (our self buff gives us more mit) and we get a 2nd "taunt" being the ruse line.  Also we have a incercept that not only takes the dmg but also works like a deagro on the person.  Other then that everthing in brigand vs swash seems about right.<BR> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>It's a fair comment you make but I'm not sure I agree.</P> <P>Is the Ruse line fixed? Because the taunt on it was broken for the longest part, basically having no taunt component.</P> <P>The intercept and higher mitigation are an advantage but I think are counterbalnced by the fact the Swashbuckler is able to deliver far more of their attacks (including debuffs) from a tanking position without the group hvaing to experience the tank go through acrobatics. The Swashbuckler is also better able to hold agro on a group of mobs.</P> <P>I think the mitigation and intercept have a strong counter-balance.</P>

[kyth]

<div></div>    the +2 threat postion works perfect when tanking.  it is not enough when not tanking in group and using it.  Put in stuns and what not i think brigands are a better tank for groups.  Add in the Sta aa's and we are too good for tanking imo.  Dont forget that brigands have our own agro mod also <3 AR 10% at m1.    On a side note i have tanked a few epics mobs and never had an issue with agro.  Grouping i have never had an issue with losing agro either.  I have never had the sta line of aa's.<div></div><p>Message Edited by kythik on <span class=date_text>06-12-2006</span> <span class=time_text>12:55 AM</span>

[Snarks]

those are all really good points i really didnt consider, though to be honest i never really thing about brigand vs. swash tank because its a pretty silly argument in the end. I think with hurricane swash have the potential to hold better aoe aggro, but if you are trying to mez stuff I guess GG. <div></div>

[Wildfury77]

Brigand vs swashie tank.....neither are ideal. But....<b><i><font color="#ff0000">Holding agro - the swashie wins hands down</font></i></b>, <font color="#6633ff"><b><u>AoE attacks and hurricane</u></b></font>......So for an xp group that wants consistent agro holding i would go for a swashie tank over a brigand. Thats even taking into account a brigands higher mitigation - as a 4/5/4/8/8 stamina line swashie i'm not biased at all.......hehe<div></div>

[kyth]

    How's this in single or multi mob encounters in group i never ever have an issue with holding agro.  So if you say swash is better, then i will just have to say brigand is better.  In any group either can tank just fine.  Shoot a raid rogue vs a non raid plate tank, the raiding full fable rogue will have better mit and avoidance.  Like i said earlier, tanking some epics just fine and any group instance or what not with out any problems.<div></div>

[SageGaspar]

I'd honestly have to say situationally on tanking, based on if there's a well-equipped mage spamming AEs in the group or not. Also I think a brig would probably have a lot of trouble holding AE aggro against a full-tilt swash, not that I've actually seen anything like that play out.I'd agree though, when comparing brig or swash tanking ability would probably be the last thing on my list, perhaps even totally off my list, unless you're specifically gearing them up to do something unique and try them out as an MT... which honestly I think might be interesting. But I don't have the patience or willingness to get my swash geared for Serious Tanking against Uber Nameds hehe, and they both do the job perfectly fine in groups.<div></div>