Defense stance > Offense @ lv70?

[cawalton]

<p>I used the Offense stance buff for my entire 70 levels, but as I look at it now, the 30% Quick Shot proc of 350 damage doesn't look so hot but the Defense and Parry of +40-50 are starting to look great now while the penalty to slash/pierce/range of -21 doesnt sound so severe, especially with the EoF AA to reduce it.</p><p> The reason I'm asking about effectiveness at lv70 is on my server Blackburrow, the master level of the spell is rare and is expensive when it does show, so its not something to just play with on a lark.  Anyone REALLY like the Defense stance at lv 70?  I mostly solo and my gear is all vender stuff but I want to start working on 3^^^ greens and maybe try a few at the blue level so I'm curious if I should try to make a switch.  Thanks all</p>

[Anxi]

<p>Personally, I would use defense stance when you need it but stay in offense as much as you can. The extra damage adds up. For soloing you can always start in Offensive and then switch to defensive when you have to melee.</p><p>I do like our defense stance when I end up tanking. My guild is a bit light on fighters so I tend to tank the KoS/EoF instances for guildies fairly often and going from offense to defense stance is quite noticeable.</p>

[Sham07]

Get your offensive stance. Even when soloing its all about fast and heavy dps and if u know ur ranger ur hardly ever getting into melee range of the mob. The only situations where i use defensive (got it enhanced as well) is when i fight encounters of multiple mobs where u cant avoid beeing hit, and even then i try to stay in offensive as long as possible. Get raincaller and some stun proc gear. Use ur snares/roots/stuns wisely to keep the mobs away from you and stay offensive for high dps. If u check ur parses afterwards ull see that quick shot DOES add a good part to your damage.

[LoreLady]

If your soloing - your best throwing on offensive to start and unload a volly of arrows and then once thats done, throw on your defensive.. And just fyi.. Our offensive stance is our single most dps ability - its not to be underestimated.

[Kala Asuras]

I would suggest offensive stance for sure.  I see more like a 30% chance at 600 damage instead of 350 and don't forget about the 42 +ranged you are getting from the M1 offensive stance.  Even with the penalties from the defensive stance gone from AAs in a world where ranged auto attack is such a huge part of our damage getting that +ranged up will make a ton of difference.

[leafnin]

As was said Offensive to start then Defensive ..that's if you have the room.  There are times I just stay in DEF the whole fight.  That's a rare situation though.  Also Master 1 Offensive stance is easily over 500 damage in group for me.  I got lucky and picked it up for 20 plat haven't regretted it for a moment.

[dubbs]

Offensive stance master 1 has been on Blackburrow server for a while too, stop being a tightwad and buy it.

[Prandtl]

I paid 42p for mine *wince*  Am still paying back friends for the plat, but it was worth every copper

[cawalton]

I've had the Offense buff master for all my levels, including the last upgrade at lv59 when I was lv59.  My question was prompted because I'v never bothered to get more than the Ad 1 for the Defense buff, but on Blackburrow the Master 1 for the last upgrade, lv60, is listed at 48pp with the broker fee, no direct purchase available.  All the other posts I saw on the search function mostly talked about lower levels, nothing about where we finally end up with the stances.  It doesn't seem like people are too likely to go Defense stance too often, like I said, I never did but just wondered if I was missing out on anything worthwhile.

[TaleraRis]

Can't speak for 70, but as a 65 and a soloer my whole career in no better than mastercrafted, I say they're both of equal importance since the avoidance changes. Prior to them, I saw no significant benefit to having defensive up and just left offensive up even when the mob came near. Now, I open with offensive but if the mob manages to get into range for attacking, I get defensive up immediately. I get torn apart if the mob reaches me with my offensive still up. It doesn't happen often since I've gotten Rain Caller and use the Manacles of the Dark Sky, so things stay away, but I have noticed I can survive heroics a bit better now with defensive up than I could before. And solo mobs die at my feet.

[TerriBlades]

<cite>Prandtl wrote:</cite><blockquote>I paid 42p for mine *wince*  Am still paying back friends for the plat, but it was worth every copper</blockquote>I think you got off easy at 42p. Course maybe Im just bitter about how much I paid for mine. <img src="/smilies/1cfd6e2a9a2c0cf8e74b49b35e2e46c7.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Giland]

I am pretty much in MC too, and solo most of the time. I spend all my soloing time in defensive. I only switch to offensive when grouped. If I pulls some agro, I will even switch back and stay in defensive until I feel the tank is able to hold agro again. My avoidance goes up by quite a bit while in offensive. I can solo green heroics pretty easily, haven't tried any blues, so can't comment there.

[USAFJeeper]

<p>Rangers get a defensive stance?</p><p><img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[TemerNeziel]

<p>Wow, so I got off easy with 15p then <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Must've been a brand new player selling to for that price.</p><p>Anyway, on topic: I must say  I almost never use the defensive stance now. Even when soloing PP I hardly touch it (perhaps only against the beetles when the swarm me a bit too much). It's nice to have the improved advoidance sometimes but DPS is king for us, and in my opinion the faster it dies, the better <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>