Whats your role in a raid?

[Payneal The Great]

I am thinking of leveling my bruiser but have some concerns. I am playing on a pvp server and love brawlers in pvp but im concerned about their use in a raid at top tiers. Brawlers are great for pvp, but not too sough after in groups. I dont have much trouble finding groups though because i can pvp good and group make-up isnt nearly as important as in raids. If i do go back to my bruiser and level him up, what will it be like at top tiers? What is it like for a brawler to get into a top raiding guild? What is my role in raids? Can i spec as a raider and still be good at pvp?

[Knomi]

<cite>Deadli@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>I am thinking of leveling my bruiser but have some concerns. I am playing on a pvp server and love brawlers in pvp but im concerned about their use in a raid at top tiers. Brawlers are great for pvp, but not too sough after in groups. I dont have much trouble finding groups though because i can pvp good and group make-up isnt nearly as important as in raids. If i do go back to my bruiser and level him up, what will it be like at top tiers? What is it like for a brawler to get into a top raiding guild? What is my role in raids? Can i spec as a raider and still be good at pvp?</blockquote><p>The only reason my PvE bruiser raids at all is that I am the leader of my guild.  I've attempted to join other raids and been turned down, at which point I generally load my wizard, and request a spot.  I promptly receive one.  Not sure if that is a measure of what it is like on a PvP server, so take it for what it is worth.  </p><p>That being said, I still love my bruiser.  I use him as an instance tank as well as in solo situations.  </p>

[littleman17]

<p>The Bruiser I know was the MA and emergancy tank of our old guild. He could also dps around about 1.5k-2k depending on if he had a dirge. He was also the king of FD pulls such as those needed in dt and hos to spawn certain named mobs.</p><p>So yeah, out of all the MA I have seen, that dude is by far the best.</p>

[Payneal The Great]

Heres what i can gather... a brawler might find a spot in a raid, but in a preffered raid set-up there is no brawlers?

[Novusod]

Brawlers get a lot more respect on the PvP servers than they do on the PvE side. If you don't exile the factional raiding guilds only have access to the evil classes so you don't have to compete with Swashbucklers or Rangers for raid slots. Most freeport guilds will have 3 or 4 bruisers in a raid. When I raided with my troub on PvE raids there where no Brawlers in the full raid setup. I am sure the exile raiding guilds do not use Bruisers.

[lagerone]

<p>Most guilds will usually tolerate one Bruiser on the assumption that you will have something to do.  Your key problem is that you will need to work very hard to justify your position as compared to other classes.  There are three areas in which a brawler can contribute in a raid:</p><p>a) DPS.  Usually the best approach is to optimise your DPS and pray to be grouped with the dirge/coercer.  It you work really hard at it, a Bruiser (dont have a Monk so I won't comment) can do enough DPS to compete with lazy or poorly equipped scouts.  Really good scouts will leave you in the dust.</p><p>b) Tankage.  The second raid role you might be called upon for is to off-tank usually in those encounters where there are multiple linked mobs.  In my personal experience (and note I'm set up for DPS not tanking) we are absolutely shocking.  Avoidance is practically useless on raid mobs so effectively you're a high hitpoint druid.  The most average plate tank in legendary gear will out tank you on a raid.</p><p>c) Utility.  In my opinion this is the one reason you want a brawler on a raid.  They have all sorts of little tricks like Stone Deaf, Tsunami, Mantis Leap, Sonic Fists and the ever popular Feign Death.  You never know when they can become a key aspect to solving a difficult encounter.</p><p>So in summary my recommendation is to optimise your DPS, understand your class very well and what it can do, pray you're not asked to tank anything on the mistaken belief you can fulfil the duties of your archetype.</p><p>I'm sure there are plenty of Chuck Norris' that will post we out DPS necros, can tank anything etc etc, but thats my 2 cents. </p>