Suggestions regarding AA's?

[Qaeadyen]

Hey everyone. I have a 54 bruiser alt that I am taking out of retirement and need some advice regarding AA's. I will mainly be using this toon for soloing and group play. When soloing I would like to be able to handle farming some named for loot. When grouping, I would like to be an asset as both a tank and dps. I know many people don't think that bruisers can handle tanking in general but I seem to have no real problem doing it unless I have some AoE classes in group with me ( IE: warlocks, conjys, and such).  I'd like to hear any recommendations for both the KoS and EoF AA lines. Thanks in advance for your advice.

[Antas22]

Attention. It is my new must-have line for Bruisers. Forget STR, forget INT, Attention is where it's at for group play. Shiftyness and Control hate will basically mean when DPSing, you can completely unload on a mob without ever getting agro for more than a second. I routinely out DPS Swashbucklers and Summoners lately, because they have to hold back where I can just keep pounding away. For tanking, the faster recast on taunts is excellent, and Control Hate is like having a mini-rescue on a 45 second timer. Since I started using attention line, I went from waiting around for hours before being picked up as an afterthought for a group, to now getting unsolicited invites from those I've grouped with recently as soon as I log in. Yea, it's that good. After that, STR 4/4/8, Int 4/4/8/8/2....Until you get into 60s, when high quality Legendary weapons will out-do fists (forget that 55+ DR to out do 4/4/8 stuff, that's at level 70), then go INT and WIS, the added AoE will further help both your DPS and your agro control.

[Bobbette]

Antas@Oasis wrote: <blockquote>Attention. It is my new must-have line for Bruisers. Forget STR, forget INT, Attention is where it's at for group play. Shiftyness and Control hate will basically mean when DPSing, you can completely unload on a mob without ever getting agro for more than a second. I routinely out DPS Swashbucklers and Summoners lately, because they have to hold back where I can just keep pounding away. For tanking, the faster recast on taunts is excellent, and Control Hate is like having a mini-rescue on a 45 second timer. Since I started using attention line, I went from waiting around for hours before being picked up as an afterthought for a group, to now getting unsolicited invites from those I've grouped with recently as soon as I log in. Yea, it's that good. After that, STR 4/4/8, Int 4/4/8/8/2....Until you get into 60s, when high quality Legendary weapons will out-do fists (forget that 55+ DR to out do 4/4/8 stuff, that's at level 70), then go INT and WIS, the added AoE will further help both your DPS and your agro control. </blockquote> Antas, how have you distributed your points in the attention line?  I'm curious what people are taking ... I've been looking to change my spec since GU37 but just haven't gotten down to business on it.

[tt66]

Oaklin@Antonia Bayle wrote: <blockquote>Hey everyone. I have a 54 bruiser alt that I am taking out of retirement and need some advice regarding AA's. I will mainly be using this toon for soloing and group play. When soloing I would like to be able to handle farming some named for loot. When grouping, I would like to be an asset as both a tank and dps. I know many people don't think that bruisers can handle tanking in general but I seem to have no real problem doing it unless I have some AoE classes in group with me ( IE: warlocks, conjys, and such).  I'd like to hear any recommendations for both the KoS and EoF AA lines. Thanks in advance for your advice.</blockquote>When you see people complaining about Bruisers unable to handle tanking duties, they're talking about within Epic Raids, not your standard heroic groups. So don't worry about it. Assuming you're going barehanded (which you should be at lvl 54), you want to be aiming for at least 4/4/8 STR 4/4/8/6/2 INT in the KOS lines. For EOF, well it's a hot-button topic for me at the moment. But I truly believe there is only one decent EOF AA setup : 5 pts in self heal 21 pts in attention (5 grp taunt, 4 feigndeath, 5 shifty, 6 rescue, control hate). 24 pts in knockouts (5 stomp, 5 steel fist, 5 uppercut, 1 mez, 5 kidney punch, 2 KO Combo, drag) All of other "tanking" AAs and the entire intercede line are either terrible, or require so many terrible pre-reqs that they are not worth getting. We don't need a single-target taunt buff (especially not with the new control hate AA). And I'd rather max out the other damage AAs than KO combo, purely because of cooldowns. I guess there is an argument for maxing KO Combo and going 4/5 in stomp/steelfist/uppercut if you're a PVPer . (edits for clarity)

[Raidi Sovin'faile]

If you use Knockout Combination whenever you can, it will be worth more than having points in Steel Fist (the knockdown with low damage). Since these are all % of damage, the only one that benefits the least from these AA's is that one. If you are going down attentions line anyways, you could probably bypass that AA completely, and instead get Haymaker from the FD (i think, right?). As for the Attentions line, have you found much use out of increasing the positions on Rescue? That's a lot of AA for a long reuse, highly situational ability that already gives a 3 position increase. I'm just wondering if putting points into the Single Target taunt for when you NEED to be in Defensive or being Stunned and getting your Taunts in as much as possible will help more than your DPS abilities. With those combined, I'd look at Attention: 5 Group Taunt, 3 Single, 5 FD, 5 Shiftiness, 2 Rescue, Evade (21 points), and Knockouts: 5 Callous Stomp, 1 Mez, 5 Kidney Punch, 5 Haymaker (off FD) and 5 Knockout Combo, Drag (22 points). 5 Self Heal of course. That still leaves us with 2 points.. I guess you could in fact put a couple in Steel Fist, or add 2 seconds onto Mez.. or buff up our Single Target taunt or add another position in Rescue. I guess this is what they meant by "choices"? Lol!

[Bobbette]

Why doesn't anyone put points into increasing the length of our mitigation buff.  Before GU37, I couldn't see much reason to get 21 points into the attention line, so I put 5 points into the Vigorous Spirit buff so it stayed up for 3m50s.  I figured if it was going to be down for 3m, I might as well get as long as possible with it up. I'm leaning the way everyone else is now, with going for Control Hate at the bottom (tho I haven't made the switch yet).  I only ask because those few leftover points could be put in Vigorous Spirit to lengthen that.  Heh, I'm sure someone is going to reply and poke holes in my suggestion.  But I do think it's at least marginally helpful to lengthen Vigorous Spirit, especially while solo'ing and group tanking.  The rest of the conditioning line is <i>meh </i>tho, I agree.

[Cornbread Muffin]

The mit buff is a net loss of HP unless the mob is doing something ridiculous like 2k+ dps, at which point you're going to be dead anyway so the extra mit doesn't matter.

[Raidi Sovin'faile]

Yeah... if there's one set of abilities I wouldn't mind seeing a total revamp for, it's our temporary Mitigaiton buffs. I seriously cannot remember the last time I used these in any serious manner, other than clicking them and telling my brother to inspect me so he could freak out on how much mitigation I had. Simple concept: Don't give tanking benefits that come part and parcel with tanking debuffs. They simply won't ever be used. Give me mitigation. Don't stun me or take my health to do it. Lower the amount if necessary. Lower the duration if necessary. But don't make me a crappy tank to give me a tanking benefit. <img src="/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[tt66]

Kaisoku : Well steel fist gives about a 150 damage bonus. KO Combo is more 90 per hit? I figure it works out about the same in terms of raw damage, but I never have to worry about having CAs on cool down when it comes to steel fist. It's more even DPS. Plus, it means I don't have to pick up the single taunt AA <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Because I really don't find Enhance : Pressure useful. If nothing else, picking up Control Hate is going to mean that single target aggro just won't be an issue. Sure, Pressure can be used when stunned/stifled, but so can Close Mind and Tenacious Will <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  Besides even with 5/5 points, the only hate you'd be causing would be 1500/5seconds. And 300dps is nothing. As far as rescue goes, I have to admit that I very rarely find myself in positions where being able to grab 6 hate positions is required. But it would mean that even if you had been killed and dropped to the bottom of the aggro list, you could still guarantee leapfrogging to the top with a single button. It's a powerful ability. Plus, I rather like having such an overpowered taunt. Being able to insult someone more vilely than any other class rather appeals to my inner football hooligan. And since I'd like Control : Hate but have dismissed enhance : pressure, there aren't any other better options!

[Agaxiq]

I'm WIS/INT now, down the whole way each tree. In the bruiser build, I'm 5 Self-Heal 5 Taunt 5 Group Taunt 5 FD 1 Shiftiness 2(4) Rescue (2 points for one skillup) 1 Control Hate 5 Callous 5 Steel Fist 3 Scared Still 5 Uppercut 3 Kidney Punch 3 Knockout Combination I dont raid, and simply dont need drag for anything that I do.  I think this is a pretty balanced build. agressiv

[tt66]

Agaxax@Unrest wrote: <blockquote>I dont raid, and simply dont need drag for anything that I do.  I think this is a pretty balanced build. </blockquote>Wow, really? Admittedly it's not that great for soloing (except when you need to stop skeletons from standing on shinies in unrest..), but there is so much you can do with it in a group. It's guaranteed to grab aggro if you're tanking.. and to let you drop it to the proper tank 4 seconds later if you're just there to add dps. I hear it's good in group pvp as well, although that's not really my thing. Seems a shame to be passing it up in favor of a single extra second on your mez. <img src="/smilies/136dd33cba83140c7ce38db096d05aed.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Bobbette]

I was thinking the same thing tt66.  I use drag more when grouping than I do when raiding actually.  It's a guaranteed 4s rescue that comes up every 1m30s (I think that's the right number).  Usually the mob is dead by the time that 4s is up, or I've gotten enough taunts back on it to keep the aggro.  Or like tt66 said, it's dropped back to the MT if I'm OT'ing. I <3 my Drag.

[Agaxiq]

<cite>tt66 wrote:</cite><blockquote>Agaxax@Unrest wrote: <blockquote>I dont raid, and simply dont need drag for anything that I do.  I think this is a pretty balanced build. </blockquote>Seems a shame to be passing it up in favor of a single extra second on your mez. <img src="/smilies/136dd33cba83140c7ce38db096d05aed.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></blockquote> Guess I never really thought of the forced targetting thing, and always thought it as something to pull Tarinax with.  Wouldn't be able to give up the mez though since I need 3 to get to kidney punch.  I guess I could bring one of the other knockouts down to 4 though. agressiv

[tt66]

Agaxax@Unrest wrote: <blockquote><cite>tt66 wrote:</cite><blockquote>Agaxax@Unrest wrote: <blockquote>I dont raid, and simply dont need drag for anything that I do.  I think this is a pretty balanced build. </blockquote>Seems a shame to be passing it up in favor of a single extra second on your mez. <img src="/smilies/136dd33cba83140c7ce38db096d05aed.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></blockquote> Guess I never really thought of the forced targetting thing, and always thought it as something to pull Tarinax with.  Wouldn't be able to give up the mez though since I need 3 to get to kidney punch.  I guess I could bring one of the other knockouts down to 4 though. agressiv </blockquote>Ah, ok. I see the issue : You only need 1 point on mez to get down to Kidney Punch <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Agaxiq]

<cite>tt66 wrote:</cite><blockquote>Ah, ok. I see the issue : You only need 1 point on mez to get down to Kidney Punch <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </blockquote> No sh*t?  Man, I have a lot of issues.  Thanks for the insight guys. agressiv

[Qaeadyen]

<p>Thank all of you so much for helping me with suggestions regarding AA. I've learned alot from what you all posted and it's really improving my overall build for my bruiser. I have to say this is such a fun class if played right and my recent groups are amazed at my ability to both tank with mass pulls and also play a great dps role in groups. Thanks so much for all the help!</p><p> P.S. I didn't realize drag acted as a rescue for 4 s. thats a pretty neat trick to use in group. I'll definitely be using it!</p>