the marketing plan is working

[ShashLigai]

<p>I know that in the past there has been alot of discussion about monks tanking poorly. I also know that over the last two years both SOE and this group (forum) has done alot to improve both our tanking abilities and the way the rest of the EQ2 population perceives us. </p><p>I just wanted to let you all know that a couple of nights ago, while tanking in a pickup group, the primary healer sent me a private tell, "You are the easiest tank to heal I've ever grouped with."</p><p> I realize that there are alot of variables at play here, but it seems that not only our reputation, but our abilites as tanks must be improving.</p>

[Junaru]

<cite>ShashLigai wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>I know that in the past there has been alot of discussion about monks tanking poorly. I also know that over the last two years both SOE and this group (forum) has done alot to improve both our tanking abilities and the way the rest of the EQ2 population perceives us. </p><p>I just wanted to let you all know that a couple of nights ago, while tanking in a pickup group, the primary healer sent me a private tell, "You are the easiest tank to heal I've ever grouped with."</p><p> I realize that there are alot of variables at play here, but it seems that not only our reputation, but our abilites as tanks must be improving.</p></blockquote>The only real issues (besides raid tanking) I have with tanking is I need to give up so much to do it. Most Monk gear seems build for either DPS or tanking but not both. There doesn't even seem to be a happy medium.

[x0rtrun]

I tank regularly and consistently get added to peoples friends lists so they can contact me to tank for them again. It is getting a lot better. There are still some people out there that will assume that the scout must be tanking at first, cause it couldn't possibly be the monk! It usually only takes a few minutes to set them straight though. Of course I'm speced and geared for tanking. A monk specced for DPS might not be in the same position. I've had more trouble getting a group to tank for in RoK though. People seem to have the impression that the mobs are too hard and that a leather tank just won't cut it. If I get another reply of "sorry, plate only" again I think I'm gonna scream. RoK has been out for a month or so now, I'm lvl 78 and I've only tanked a 3 or 4 times. I hope it improves.

[Bewts]

<p>You can look up Sanctum, on Everfrost Server.  That is my monk.  By no means am I raid geared as you can see from my profile.</p><p>I have tanked with the following support classes the past 3 days:</p><p>Day 1: </p><p>CoA with a 77 Mystic, 80 Illusionist that refused to mezz anything and did straight DPS.  No bard, no other fighters.  I tanked in my T7 M1 Defensive stance with M1 T8 Hate proc on.  Put my 9% threat transfer on the Illusionist.  Completed zone, zero wipes.</p><p>Vaults with an 80 Defiler, 80 Coercer, no bard, no other fighters.  Coercer mezzed encounters with multiple mobs, no one broke those mezzes.  Zone was a breeze, Zero wipes.  Tanked in T7 M1 Defensive stance, M8 M1 hate proc, 9% threat transfer was on the Swashy.</p><p>Maidens with an 80 Templar, 80 Illusionist, no bard, 80 Bruiser in group as well.  We died twice on sisters as it was my first time tanking the zone, was my third time through the zone.  I took too much damage to make any realistic attempts on final mob.  Successful but had growing pains.  Same tanking setup as before, Threat transfer was on wizard or illusionist depending on the encounters.  I had the hardest time keeping aggro off the Bruiser and I'm not sure why.</p><p>Day 2:</p><p>CoA with 80 Defiler, 80 Warden, 80 Illusionist, no dirge.  Tanked in middle stance, no issues, Ranger and Brigand did crap dps (maybe 900 between the two TOTAL).  Zone took forever but no wipes.  My ZW in defensive was 1100 DPS.</p><p>Vaults with same setup.  Zero wipes again, same tanking setup as stated prior.</p><p>Maidens with 79 Mystic, 80 Inquisitor, 80 Coercer, 77 Dirge, 80 Brigand.  Wiped to the second named, but Coercer got kill shot as he died.  Lucky.  Beat Sister with ease.  Had to do final boss 4 times before our Brigand got the encounter down and stopped healing him.  Successful zone, still not perfected but I need to keep killing the Sisters to get my fabled BP from there.</p><p>Day 3:</p><p>CoA with 79 Mystic, 77 Warden, 78 Dirge, 80 Assassin, 80 Coercer.  Wiped twice; once I just pulled in that choke point after the frog named while mezzer was AFK.  3 adds = bad for us.  Wiped on final boss once; AE plus bad rolls on avoidance = karma working against me.  Tanked in T7 M1 offensive from the start.  Changed to T7 M1 Defensive after first wipe on boss.  Breeze of a zone.  All scout loot too.</p><p>Vaults with 79 Mystic, 80 Inquis, 78 Dirge, 80 Assassin, 80 Coercer.  Had serious issues against the stoneskin guy.  Ends up the Inquisitor wasn't healing unless I was critical in health and focused on DPS primarily.  Didn't say much about that until I pointed out to our mystic.  She changed tactics and things were a breeze there after.  All scout loot again.</p><p>In summary: CoA, Vaults and Maidens are tankable by monks without a doubt.  My gear is primarily Legendary from T8 at this point.  I run with 11125 HP with just my own buffs running.  Just a bit over 100% Haste, 25% Crit, 5% or so DA in defensive stance.  I have the final skills in the Wis and Int Brawler lines as well as 8 points in the second and third tiers of the Agi line.  Rest are invested in raw HP in the wisdom line.  I also took the level 75 M2 of our single target taunt.  Still running the M2 of our T7 Group taunt until I can afford the T8 M1 I see on our broker.  Not running any uncontested avoidance adorns, but plan to.  Just can't validate spending all that cash on adorns I would put on legendary equipment I'll replace once we raid again.  </p><p>I would also like to point out that unless you are fighting orange con content, as long as you have 20% or so worn haste and AD3 of life drain haste / group haste you should be able to run approximately 100% haste.  This means that your 2.5 delay weapons will be 1.9 in defensive instead of 1.8 in offensive once you apply haste.  You'll swing the same amount as you always do and won't have issues hitting most mobs enough to hold hate over anyone other than perhaps a DFing Bruiser, MBing or LBing wiz/nec on inc type stuff.  Just throw your avoidance/threat transfer(with AA) on any of your DPS and you should do just fine in hate management.  Dirges, Crusaders, and Wardens and Templars can buff your +Crushing skill if you really feel you need the extra ability to hit a mob.  I don't seem to have issues.</p><p>You don't need a perfect group.  </p><p>You can be single healed.  </p><p>You don't need raid gear to tank.  </p><p>You don't need a dirge.  </p><p>You don't need a shaman.  </p><p>The above classes just make things easier.</p>

[Exordus]

<cite>Bewts wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>You can look up Sanctum, on Everfrost Server.  That is my monk.  By no means am I raid geared as you can see from my profile.</p></blockquote><p>Oh God Bewts, you're Sanctum!!    j/k   <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p>