Advice needed on raid utility please

[Jeffmaster]

<p>Hello everyone !</p><p>My main toon is a brigand and I got to admit that he's really awesome on raids and I feel needed too ...</p><p>I also have an upcoming SK (62) and was wondering if the sta line is enough to get us on raids as a dps/utility class...(forget the tank part since we got 2 guards)</p><p>Also, is the last ability on the str line a must ?</p><p> Thanks for the advice !!</p>

[Hugsnkissums]

Most of what the SK brings to a raid force is usually trumped by another class that does it better, faster. There isn't much an SK can bring to make them more viable in a raid force, but IF for some reason your raid leader is crazy enough to let it happen I'd recommend the WIS line. Gives you more group type buffs and you get to resist fear on most fights (which in some fights is really nice). If you have a pally in the same raid, I'm sure they'd appreciate it too since they loathe speccing out of the STA line.  

[Jeffmaster]

<cite>Jeffmaster wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Hello everyone !</p><p>My main toon is a brigand and I got to admit that he's really awesome on raids and I feel needed too ...</p><p>I also have an upcoming SK (62) and was wondering if the <span style="font-size: large;color: #ff9900;">WIS</span> line is enough to get us on raids as a dps/utility class...(forget the tank part since we got 2 guards)</p><p>Also, is the last ability on the str line a must ?</p><p> Thanks for the advice !!</p></blockquote>Sorry meant wis line..

[rabid.pooh]

<p>I'm under the firm belief that a tank is there to tank, if he's not tanking then he better be pushing out some crazy DPS and have some other benifets too.  The wisdom spec is not a raid winner utility to have, it's nice but having scout like a brig or assassin in your spot that is going to double/tripple your DPS + some stellar debuffs is going to out benifet the exta +34 to skills the wisdom line brings to the group hands down.</p><p>The sad thing is an SK brings very little to a raid force, more so if he has no real gear to start raiding with.  And unless your in one of those everyone gets to raid type guilds.  You're going to have a hard time convincing anyone that you deserve that raid spot on your SK, and an even harder time convincing everyone that you should raid on the SK rather than the brig.</p>

[Phelon_Skellhound]

Unless you are a superb SK OT/MT, we have no real utility.... Combat leadership and debuffs are not enough...  average parse over 2k might get u in as a filler maybe...  DM in mage group.... if your guild isn't heavy on mages... Some fears will get past your immunity to fear but is super rare from what i understand... but that is only situational at best if they let you pull on raid trash...  or OT druushk fight or Thuuga mobs for example... ummm can't think of anything else at the moment...

[Mathafern]

I OT on raids.  I've also MT'd where disease damage is an issue.  I focus on aggro and being able to take a hit, not parsing high.  SK have serious snap aggro if you work at it.  We can pick up a runaway and bring it to the MT, and stay alive.  We can take a giant hit before debuffs.  We can survive well into the purple remarkably well- and thanks to itemization we end up that way more often than any other tank. I wouldn't want to raid SK as anything but MT/OT.    There isn't any combo of gear I've found that lets me parse better than say, a mystic- and the mystic can ALSO heal.   I'm hoping itemization changes in the expansion will change this, but I'm not holding my breath. My best advice to any SK wanting to raid is: make yourself useful, and popular, in groups.  The people you group with can then take pity on you and take you raiding. Works for me.

[Jeffmaster]

<p>Hehe,</p><p> Thanks for the responses, just wanted to make sure...</p><p> So like you said, I'm a SK not because of utility, I'm an SK because I'm a bada s s ....</p><p>Gotcha, I'm good on the pity part... ;p</p><p>But what about the last ability of the str line line.. a must ?</p>

[Mathafern]

Yeah, for me Str line and Stam line.  Str line keeps my aggro up and Stam line is good for when your party gets nuked by something and your healer needs a few seconds to cope.

[Hugsnkissums]

<cite>Mathafern@Mistmoore wrote:</cite> <blockquote><p>My best advice to any SK wanting to raid is: make yourself useful, and popular, in groups.  The people you group with can then take pity on you and take you raiding.Works for me.</p></blockquote><p>Oh yeah, this is so true. SKs are hard to beat when they mentor down and start pulling room after room of mobs to help out the little guys. Super easy way to make yourself popular and get your name out there. Sure ya might get used once in a while, but when you've had your fill of mentoring, don't be afraid to pull the plug. Chances are they'll love ya for what ya did anyway because you've earned them way more xp, way faster then they could have done with any other group. </p><p>As far as AA, most do stick with the STR line. I tried speccing out of it once upon a time and missed the extra speed you get from it. Doesn't seem like much, but I certainly noticed it when it wasn't there. I'd have to disagree with the faith most put in the STA line though. My personal experiences have shown me 10 seconds of invulnerability goes away way too fast when you're trying to kill something your group just can't kill anyway.</p>

[Mathafern]

Actually SK can group well even in t8- in fact, RE2 is just about designed to be an SK paradise.  Many of the fights are groups of critters that an SK can keep aggro on and do fairly decent DPS with AoE.  The second to last fight is THE premier SK fight in the game to date IMO- Slamhammer.  Easy for an SK to AoE taunt, divine aura, death march, AoE nuke.  Vaults is also a good instance for SK.  Show people what you can do with instances like that, you'll be more likely to get invited to raid. 

[Jeffmaster]

<p>I truly agree with you !! That is why i made an SK.. I can be a fantastic group tank...</p><p> The problem is, I'm in a guild that clears SOH and VP... AND my main is a brigand... </p><p>1+1= ....</p><p> BYE BYE raids !!</p>