DPS, tank or other?

[Larkverdin]

<p>So reading alot of different bruiser forums, I've noticed people tend to mention parsers alot. I'm new to the game still, but I'm going to assume these are meters that judge your DPS in a raid. If I'm correct, I've been seeing alot of bruisers saying that they either used to, currently do, or want to get a great parse, IE do good DPS in a raid. This leads me to my current question. Are most of you spec'd for tanking, DPS, a mix, or do you switch it depending on what's needed? Just looking for a general answer, don't need to be specific if you don't feel like it <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p>

[Aull]

<p>Bruiser aa's are very basic and do not specifically enhance just one area for a bruiser. Example would be the intelligence line that gives both criticals and parry (I think). So you actually get both a dps enchancement and the parry help some when tanking.</p><p>The bruiser tree will help taunts, close mind, resistant spirit, rock skin (bleh), ect.. either refresh quicker or give minor enhancements. Knockout line will increase dps somewhat.</p><p>Dps is important. It is what kills the mob. When parsing starting being used it was more less a guide for raid leaders to view performance of the raid team. If a certain class in the raid wasn't performing to that classes expected dps potential then raid leaders made group adjustments or contacted that player and discussed matters.</p><p>This was all fine and dandy back when there was or were actual dps variance between the archtype classes. Wizards/warlocks and assassins/rangers were top and to a degree still are. Now there are utility classes (illusionist/coerecer and swashbuckler/brigand) that are rivaling the sorecerers and predators dps all thing being equal. Even sk's now are rivialing the rogues dps and sometimes a zerker too.</p><p>Right now dps is really out of proportion, but with the upcoming changes not just to fighters, but all classes in the not to distant future I am sure this will all change.</p><p>Try not to get to wrapped up in this dps warped environment.</p>

[Sprin]

<p>I have a spec for both, use the AA mirror to switch between them, one for DPS spec and one for tanking / PVP spec...</p>

[peepshow]

I'm not tanking much just yet, but I will soon I hope.. For then I'll have 2 spec's, 1 hybrid and 1 tank..

[Pnaxx]

<p>I just made 2 different builds...one just for dps and one for solo/tanking.</p><p>I really do alot more damage with the dps spec. I spent almost no AA's on defensive type of area's unless I had to to get to the dps goodies on that line. But, since I respected to that, and stored it in my AA mIrror, I am pumpin out some good numbers. If I am with groups equipt simular to me, I rank pretty  high on parses. I don't do it for a pride thing, i want to contribte as much as I can for the role I play.</p>

[Pnaxx]

<p><cite>Vassir@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>So reading alot of different bruiser forums, I've noticed people tend to mention parsers alot. I'm new to the game still, but I'm going to assume these are meters that judge your DPS in a raid. If I'm correct, I've been seeing alot of bruisers saying that they either used to, currently do, or want to get a great parse, IE do good DPS in a raid. This leads me to my current question. Are most of you spec'd for tanking, DPS, a mix, or do you switch it depending on what's needed? Just looking for a general answer, don't need to be specific if you don't feel like it <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>One more thought to your question....It depends on the type of equiptment the Bruiser has. If they are very active raiders and thus are raid equipt with the best stuff, then they will have very high dps when compared to the other guys like me, even if they are specced for tanking. I have the 2 builds toget the best bang for my buck.</p>

[Sprin]

<p><cite>Pnaxx wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Vassir@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>So reading alot of different bruiser forums, I've noticed people tend to mention parsers alot. I'm new to the game still, but I'm going to assume these are meters that judge your DPS in a raid. If I'm correct, I've been seeing alot of bruisers saying that they either used to, currently do, or want to get a great parse, IE do good DPS in a raid. This leads me to my current question. Are most of you spec'd for tanking, DPS, a mix, or do you switch it depending on what's needed? Just looking for a general answer, don't need to be specific if you don't feel like it <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>One more thought to your question....It depends on the type of equiptment the Bruiser has. If they are very active raiders and thus are raid equipt with the best stuff, then they will have very high dps when compared to the other guys like me, even if they are specced for tanking. I have the 2 builds toget the best bang for my buck.</p></blockquote><p>Right, AA lines have a part to do with it, but in the case of DPS, just like always with this game, its all about the gear.</p><p>Pick a few of the melee spec's you want to go down, meaning DPS, Double Attack, Critical Hit, Haste... and try to find as many items with those stats on it as you can... and then play accordingly... meaning if you mave super high critical strike, that works with combat arts as well as auto attacks, so dont worry too much about fitting in your auto attack between combat arts, at least dont worry as much about it if you have high Double attack and DPS mods... which only work with auto attack... so if you have 85 percent double attack and 75 DPS, your auto attacks are doin some major damage, so you want to make sure you time your auto attks in between your Combat arts.... etc. etc... you get the jist...</p>

[Lethe5683]

Tanking only, I refuse to DPS on my bruiser.

[peepshow]

<p><cite>Lethe5683 wrote:</cite></p><blockquote>Tanking only, I refuse to DPS on my bruiser.</blockquote><p><img src="/eq2/images/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" /></p><p>I still hold true to my hybrid and tank specs..</p><p>Maybe it wil change with the new changes, I'm not sure..</p><p>I have not been on test yet, so I cant really tell</p>

[Lethe5683]

<p><cite>Scipius@Splitpaw wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Lethe5683 wrote:</cite></p><blockquote>Tanking only, I refuse to DPS on my bruiser.</blockquote><p><img src="/eq2/images/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" /></p><p>I still hold true to my hybrid and tank specs..</p><p>Maybe it wil change with the new changes, I'm not sure..</p><p>I have not been on test yet, so I cant really tell</p></blockquote><p>Why would I want to DPS?  DPSing on a bruiser is about as much fun as doing math HW...  If I want to DPS I'll play my assassin or swashy.</p>

[Pnaxx]

<cite>Lethe5683 wrote:</cite><blockquote>Tanking only, I refuse to DPS on my bruiser.</blockquote> Ok, so whats the deal? If you don't tank you don't play in a group or raid? I really have a hard time believing this. Is this some sort of macho thing again? /looks at Brannagin Who knows what your thinking. It makes very little sense. But, who really gives a chit, right.

[Lethe5683]

<p><cite>Pnaxx wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><cite>Lethe5683 wrote:</cite><blockquote>Tanking only, I refuse to DPS on my bruiser.</blockquote> Ok, so whats the deal? If you don't tank you don't play in a group or raid? I really have a hard time believing this. Is this some sort of macho thing again? /looks at Brannagin Who knows what your thinking. It makes very little sense. But, who really gives a chit, right.</blockquote><p>If I wasen't tanking in a group then why would I be in the group in the first place?  As for raiding I almost never raid and when I do I do "DPS" but that is rare enough that I don't count it.</p>

[Aull]

<p>Just my opinion here but bruisers should have the best dps potential of all fighters. With out maxed out aa's bruisers do not have any true tanking abilities like the other fighters do and that is where dps should make up for the loss of tanking abilities.</p><p>Bruisers of all fighters have less utility in groups and survival so again their dps is what should make them stand out when groups are trying to configure the group set up. This doesn't mean that bruisers should be able to tank like plates and dps like predators either, but again when compairing to the other fighters bruisers should bring better dps for the lack of what all the other fighters have.</p><p>I play a bruiser, zerker, sk, and swashbuckler. Right now both zerker and sk have better survival and their dps is very close and will at times beat my bruiser. What I cannot say is that my bruiser can at times beat my zerker and sk in survival to even that out but it just isn't happening.</p><p>Those shields and plate armor should make zerker and sk tougher no doubt, but my bruisers leather armor should make him harder to actually hit and offer quicker/stronger attacks.</p>

[Larkverdin]

<p>I'm still pretty new, so I don't exactly understand this AA mirror that allows you to switch between specs. Is it something you get from a quest at 80? Also, I read somewhere that you can reset your AAs for a certain number of times for free before it costs you anything, is this true, and where do you reset them at? Which NPC?</p>

[Aull]

<p>Academy of arcane science or something like that in north or west freeport on lower lvl to reset aa's. I think.</p><p>Need a chromatic essence to make or have made an aa mirror. The essences drop off named in rok instances.</p>

[Couching]

<p><cite>Pnaxx wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><cite>Lethe5683 wrote:</cite><blockquote>Tanking only, I refuse to DPS on my bruiser.</blockquote>Ok, so whats the deal? If you don't tank you don't play in a group or raid? I really have a hard time believing this. Is this some sort of macho thing again? /looks at Brannagin Who knows what your thinking. It makes very little sense. But, who really gives a chit, right.</blockquote><p>It's very hard for brawler to be invited to fill the dps slot unless you make your own group.</p><p>Why should any group leader invite a subpar dpser, brawler, rather than a real dpser?</p>

[Dareena]

<p>The AA switching device is a house item called Mirror of Reflected Achievements.  It's created through using a Smoldering Reflective Shard.  The shards drop off of RoK ornate chests and in the crafting instances.  Creation can be done by any crafter who has the tradeskill society faction recipe.</p><p>As a FYI, Smoldering Reflective Shard prices have sky rockets in the past few weeks.  While they were only 40-60 GP back in the RoK era, people aren't running those instances very much.  Combined with the fact that the upcoming guild hall trophies on Test are using them for creation and you've got a really messed up market.  At this current time, I'm seeing shards sell for 4-6 plat.  In time, prices may lower again as the depend wears off.  But they're a bit pricey (comparatively) at the moment.  Yet for being able to completely switch between two AA specs, 6 plat is nothing.</p>

[peepshow]

With my gear slowly getting there, I have chosen to have a Solo/dps spec and a pure tank spec.. I know, the 2 are much alike, but I do notise the difference in em, so I'm fairly happy about it.. As for getting into groups, sometimes people search for dps, then I go in as dps and I do my job as people expect me to do as a dps'er... Sure they could have taken an Assa or Swashy that do more dps, but I bring what I can andwill continue to get into groups as dps

[einar4]

<p><cite>Aull wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Academy of arcane science or something like that in north or west freeport on lower lvl to reset aa's. I think.</p><p>Need a chromatic essence to make or have made an aa mirror. The essences drop off named in rok instances.</p></blockquote><p> Unless something as changed, you only need a drop called something like a "Reflective Shard..." something like that (I forget the name).  They are uncommon drops in RoK dungeons/instances and tradeable.  You can find them pretty cheap on the broker most of the time, but you have to find a crafter with high tradeskiller faction to make it for you.</p><p> The chromatic essences are for some of the special recipes found at the quartermasters for the various rok factions.</p><p> <em>edit: I didn't realize they had gone up in price recently.  They were actually down to 5-6 gp each before TSO released. </em></p>

[Bruiseyou2]

<p>I never noticed a huge difference in dps when running with a dps spec. I do however notice large difference in survivablility when speced defensively. I run with one spec that is mostly defensive with a few dps points thrown in. I haven't ever had a problem parsing well even when in defensive stance. However you spec though it depends on what you do with your character.</p>

[Gilasil]

<p><cite>Couching@Crushbone wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Pnaxx wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><cite>Lethe5683 wrote:</cite><blockquote>Tanking only, I refuse to DPS on my bruiser.</blockquote>Ok, so whats the deal? If you don't tank you don't play in a group or raid? I really have a hard time believing this. Is this some sort of macho thing again? /looks at Brannagin Who knows what your thinking. It makes very little sense. But, who really gives a chit, right.</blockquote><p>It's very hard for brawler to be invited to fill the dps slot unless you make your own group.</p><p>Why should any group leader invite a subpar dpser, brawler, rather than a real dpser?</p></blockquote><p>I have a whole lot easier time getting a dps slot then a tanking slot.  I'm included in raids all the time for dps slots but nobody wants me to tank because I'm a bruiser unless it's for special situations such as sisters.  Without the best equipment in the game bruisers make very poor raid tanks and raids generally only need two tanks anyway.  But raids need lots of people doing dps and often can't fill all the slots with true dps types.</p><p>I think it kind of sucks that bruisers are so ill suited for this game's endgame content, and I've said as much many times, but that's the way it is.</p>

[Couching]

<p><cite>Gilasil wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I have a whole lot easier time getting a dps slot then a tanking slot.  I'm included in raids all the time for dps slots but nobody wants me to tank because I'm a bruiser unless it's for special situations such as sisters.  Without the best equipment in the game bruisers make very poor raid tanks and raids generally only need two tanks anyway.  But raids need lots of people doing dps and often can't fill all the slots with true dps types.</p><p>I think it kind of sucks that bruisers are so ill suited for this game's endgame content, and I've said as much many times, but that's the way it is.</p></blockquote><p>The off tank in our first gynok kill is the bruiser and he has only 3 set pieces at that moment.</p><p>Another guild MT on their first gynok kill is bruiser and he has only 18% crit mit at that moment.</p><p>Brawlers survivability in TSO is a lot better than in RoK, especially bruiser. 50% chance to proc stoneskin when you get hurt over 40% damage is great for tanking in raid.</p><p>You can pick up the role you like but saying bruiser can't tank is far from truth.</p>

[Lethe5683]

<p><cite>Couching@Crushbone wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Gilasil wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I have a whole lot easier time getting a dps slot then a tanking slot.  I'm included in raids all the time for dps slots but nobody wants me to tank because I'm a bruiser unless it's for special situations such as sisters.  Without the best equipment in the game bruisers make very poor raid tanks and raids generally only need two tanks anyway.  But raids need lots of people doing dps and often can't fill all the slots with true dps types.</p><p>I think it kind of sucks that bruisers are so ill suited for this game's endgame content, and I've said as much many times, but that's the way it is.</p></blockquote><p>The off tank in our first gynok kill is the bruiser and he has only 3 set pieces at that moment.</p><p>Another guild MT on their first gynok kill is bruiser and he has only 18% crit mit at that moment.</p><p>Brawlers survivability in TSO is a lot better than in RoK, especially bruiser. 50% chance to proc stoneskin when you get hurt over 40% damage is great for tanking in raid.</p><p>You can pick up the role you like but saying bruiser can't tank is far from truth.</p></blockquote><p>Bruiser can't tank as well as they should be able to considering our non-advantage in DPS or utility.</p>