Guards - our aoe aggro is ok for groups of mobs?

[Rothgur]

<p>Hi Guys</p><p>I'm a new guard lv 8, I spent some time reading these forums and found them very helpful but one question I have that I wasnt clear on was about aggro on groups of mob encounters.</p><p>I was torn between making a zerker and the guard, but what I understand is that guard takes better spike dmg, is mainly for raid tanking named and gernally speaking better equppied to live 'I'm not flaming zerkers! - as I havent really played either class yet.</p><p>So heres my question, one thing I keep reading is that that at lv 80 many heroic instances etc have lots of group mobs - want I want to know is simply, does the guard have the tools to do group encounters ok? this is the only niggle I have about the guard class before continuing to level up.  I think I understand the zerker would be easier with their CA's but just let me know if the guard is stilll ok?</p><p>Thanks for any feedback.</p>

[Rahatmattata]

<p>It's doable with support classes and <strong><em>once you have the gear.</em></strong> You won't be holding aggro off fabled equipped players, which there are suprisingly many, unless you are equipped similarly. So, your first couple months tanking in TSO are going to be pretty brutal I'd guess as far as holding aggro. It can be done though, but it takes a lot of effort.</p><p>The basic rule of thumb is if you have your heart set on being a main tank for a raiding guild, play a guardian. If not, play something else.</p>

[Landiin]

<p><cite>Rahatmattata wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The basic rule of thumb is if you have your heart set on being a main tank for a raiding guild, play a guardian. If not, play something else.</p></blockquote><p>I wouldn't say that is true anymore, it is just the mind set people have. (about being main tank) It's more true for a hardcore raiding guild but just the run of the mill guild I would say any plate tank would work.</p>

[Rothgur]

<p>Hi Guys</p><p>Thanks for the feedback, my concern was guards struggle badly with aoe content of mobs but what yout saying is, they are fine, just got to work a bit harder.  Thanks for that.</p>

[Landiin]

No no, they are not fine on AE content. You will have to have a dirge and or Coercer putting hate on you or be way way better geared then you group mates to do AE content fine as a guard.

[Comtorro]

<p>If you are going to tank as a gaurd you have to stess to you group no AOE and only attack what you are attacking if somthing pulls off you to go after the healer target single taunt AE taunt rescue then lay into it.  Its you job as the tank to pull what you can hold and pay attention and NO AOE from group members.</p>

[Rahatmattata]

<p>Hrm... well I'm a guardian and I can hold multiple encounters with a dirge. Give me a coercer and swash and I can do it in dstance with a shield. Sometimes a mob gets loose but hey. That's why we have threat snaps, and other classes have de-aggros, crowd control, emergancy heals, save vs deaths, and thought snap/magnetic note.</p>

[Tinthalas]

<p>No. Guardians can hold a single encounter with hate gain just barely enough to keep it off of minor ae's etc that your group will do. Guardians can NOT hold even a single encounter off a warlock who chooses to dps to heavily. Meanwhile a wizard can ae dps all they want and generally not get aggro. I know that doesn't make alot of sense to a level 9 player but warlocks rule at ae dps.</p><p>The bottom line is this. Guardians are tanks that can hold a single mob decently. At the moment Shadowknights are at the top of the tank list. They can hold AE aggro from 100 mobs all at once and not blink. Bezerkers with their mythical is the same way. Pallys can also do it. Guardians at the moment bow down to SK's. Our AA's are resisted often. When they are not resisted they still will not overpower an SK's normal CA's. The system atm is broken not because SK's are overpowered because they still loose aggro to casters - but rather Guardians aggro (especially AE) is beyond pitiful.</p><p>My Advice - if your going to be a common player (not the MT of a raid guild) play a bezerker or an SK. As a bezerker get your mythical as soon as possible it is a game changer.</p>

[Landiin]

<p><cite>Rahatmattata wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Hrm... well I'm a guardian and I can hold multiple encounters with a dirge. Give me a coercer and swash and I can do it in dstance with a shield. Sometimes a mob gets loose but hey. That's why we have threat snaps, and other classes have de-aggros, crowd control, emergancy heals, save vs deaths, and thought snap/magnetic note.</p></blockquote><p>Hrm.. thats what we've been saying.. Lose the direge and or coercer and u can't keep agro on crap..</p>

[Rahatmattata]

<p><cite>Toran@Oasis wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Lose the direge and or coercer</p></blockquote><p>No thanks. And I am able to hold single target ok with no support at all. Multi-target encounters are do-able as well for me with no support, but it takes work. I have to be in ostance and maybe duel wielding, but I have enough survivability for it. Moderate helps. Honestly, once you get some gear and adornments it's not bad. True AoE tanking isn't happening without some utility though unless your group AoE DPS is terrible.</p><p>I PUG a lot and fortunatly threat control isn't much of an issue for me. Sorry if you have problems. Get gear, AAs, and potions and the problems start to ebb. Just have to suck it up and do the best you can until then. Try to roll with classes that compliment you. Personally, I have no desire to group with any mage besides enchanters, or troubadors, or druids, or other fighters... but sometimes I do. Although I'd rather group with a good bruiser than a crappy scout or mage. Warlocks? Eh, no thanks. Go find a shadowknight or pally to play with. I'd rather have a swash.</p><p>It's usually not hard to find a dirge to PUG with. But yea, if you can't get anything at all and you have like a warlock with time compression, and you basically have no buffs to help you... maybe haste from illy which just pushes you into dim. returns... throw in a crappy healer forcing you to stay defensive then yea... going to be a long night. I've been there.</p>

[Yimway]

<p><cite>Toran@Oasis wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Rahatmattata wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Hrm... well I'm a guardian and I can hold multiple encounters with a dirge. Give me a coercer and swash and I can do it in dstance with a shield. Sometimes a mob gets loose but hey. That's why we have threat snaps, and other classes have de-aggros, crowd control, emergancy heals, save vs deaths, and thought snap/magnetic note.</p></blockquote><p>Hrm.. thats what we've been saying.. Lose the direge and or coercer and u can't keep agro on crap..</p></blockquote><p>While this might be true for some guards, I do not require either to successfully complete aoe content.  Do they make it easier?  Sure.  Are they required?  Not for all of us.</p>

[RafaelSmith]

<p><cite>Atan@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Toran@Oasis wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Rahatmattata wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Hrm... well I'm a guardian and I can hold multiple encounters with a dirge. Give me a coercer and swash and I can do it in dstance with a shield. Sometimes a mob gets loose but hey. That's why we have threat snaps, and other classes have de-aggros, crowd control, emergancy heals, save vs deaths, and thought snap/magnetic note.</p></blockquote><p>Hrm.. thats what we've been saying.. Lose the direge and or coercer and u can't keep agro on crap..</p></blockquote><p>While this might be true for some guards, I do not require either to successfully complete aoe content. Do they make it easier? Sure. Are they required? Not for all of us.</p></blockquote><p>I guess it depends on gear and where you are in terms of game 'progression'.  For me currently I cannot complete AE content without some form of hate buff/xfer...unless I purposily compose my group of worse geared, speceds players than myself.</p><p>Ok i guess it also depends on how one defines 'complete'.</p>