Hunker Down

[Shike]

<DIV>What is everyones take on this?  Great skill to use after A few taunts and Hold the Line is up?  Or skill too costly to use because you can't do styles?</DIV>

[Xter]

<DIV>HD doesnt get used as often as my other skills, but its a VERY usufll skill to have.  Its more of an "Oh Sh*T" skill, but not always.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Two ways of how I use it come to mind. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>First:  Your fight is lasting longer then expected, someone goes LD, you get adds or whatever.   Be sure to have HOL on, and shout/Assault so that everyone is plenty [Removed for Content] at you, blast off a round of skills, shout again, and then HD.  I make sure I tell my healers so they know they can relax just a bit.  This has saved my healer from going OOM, or if they have gone OOM saved my bacon long enough to finsh off the mob.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Second: Taking group mobs in a group that are VERY hard for you.  Single pull even.  again, make sure HTL is up, and use HD late in the encounter after you've done about 4 rounds of taunts.  Again, let your healers know (more of just an FYI) and kick back for a second.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>On both of the above, I always have either shout, or a single taunt in the que so once HD drops you get everyones attention again.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ive never had a mob pull off of me while HD'ed. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>There is one more place you could use it.   Running for your life!  Hit sprint, start running, then HD for added def on your way to the zone or whatever.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Fam]

<DIV>I personally don't have much love for HD but it has its uses.  HTL on the other had I despise, there are two things that I value more than anything else in MMO games and thats visibility and mobility.  Its personal preference really if you can get the job done without it.</DIV>

[Pla]

I utilize this skill ALOT, I feel my roles are: 1) Maintain agro through out the encounter 2) Allow my healer the ability to help with HO's without having to babysit me. Typically I will target a mob, get massive agro on it, do some sort of taunt on the rest of the mobs in the group and hunker down. The reason I do it this way is that I am not a DPS machine, I help some but that is not my purpose so my special attacks are very rarely used except to further an HO or when they are included in me getting agro. I try and make sure I have at least 2 taunts on everything and with Hold the Line proccing an agro while hunkered down.I do it early in the fight to start since that is when I would be taking the most dmg and a healer would have to be healing me more, so I save mana and healer agro by doing soon. I generally come out of it as the second mob is almost dead so then a few more taunts and you are home free. I also do it on named in groups too, I will agro group solid then I will be on the DUP named while group kills the smaller ones before moving to a named, I always will be on named but group on the others. Named hit hard, but they take alot longer to kill so it is in my opinion best to kill the little ones fast so they are not pestering you during the fight with named. (except in case of caster named)Anywyas I think it is a very useful skill to help your healer early on, I know the feeling of saving it until you "NEED" it, but I just prefer to not get in that situation if I can help it.

[carych]

<DIV>Personally I don't like it much.  Maybe it's just bad luck, but the times I have used it, it really hasn't seemed to make enough difference to be worth it.  Especially since invariably right after I use Hunker Down is the exact moment someone in the group chooses to aggro new mobs or fail to assist and get aggro on something.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Although it might help with the second problem, using Hold the Line is even more trouble, as then I can neither move nor taunt.  Admittedly not moving isn't a real big deal with the many camera options available, but I usually have Soldier's Stance on anyway so HTL isn't an option unless I want to cancel that and lose defense.</DIV>

[Fable_E]

<DIV>I use Hunker Down all the time.  At least 1 time every other battle.  When you are getting hit by 6 Giants that stun it really doesn't matter what styles you are throwing.. Basically I taunt, Shout, RC, and then Hunker down to aid the healers.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Works very well.  Its one of my favorite skills.</DIV>

[Aren]

<DIV>I use it as an emergency move</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When healers are oop, and the mob is in the red and so am I, Hunker Down lets the group finish him off, or the healers to med a little.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Buys those few seconds we need to come out on top.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It's saved dozens of encounters, and I have never lost aggro while using it.</DIV>

[Shike]

<DIV>Really great replies everyone.  Thanks.</DIV>

[Jam]

<DIV>I mostly just use it on boss mobs really .. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>dont need it with my group, 2 Assassins, 1 zerker, 2 clerics, me as the Guardian, Mobs drop fast...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>But for boss mobs I do use it.. fast weapon combined with HTL + HD = nice taunt.</DIV>

[Kint]

I love the skill. I don't use it that much, but if our group gets something that seems to be beating the crap out of me, I'll do some taunts, shouts, etc. and then Hunker Down since I have the aggro and all I need to do is stay alive now. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />I let the DPS classes do the damage while I take the hits, that's my job.

[BashoMats]

It has saved my bacon many times and I like it.I havent had much luck with HTL yet as I have lost the agro and the mob has gone out of range, but then I am playing in easy going pick up groups where asking them to even manage doing HO's can be impossible!

[Yennik]

<DIV>If your HP bar is going down faster than the healer can fix it.  Hit this skill and hit it fast, lol.</DIV>

[Shakir10]

<DIV>Yup, I agree, The skill is great for both planned moments, and the, " Oh what have I gotten myself into" moments :smileyvery-happy:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Shakir</DIV>

[GenesisForgot]

<DIV>very good skill if used properly. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>also the effect can be cancled! whenever needed so i hover mouse over it while it is on and if I even think that mob is going to lose agro I immediately cancel it and taunt a bunch.</DIV>

[ArgosyAxeGrind]

<DIV>Can anyone compare Hunker Down to soldier's stance? When would one use HD versus Soldier's?</DIV>

[GenesisForgot]

<DIV>I am always in soldiers stance.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hunker down is an emergency or planned use ONLY. By using it you cannot use any other abilities - ie, taunts - for the duration (which can be canceled if needed) and it decreases your hate level. This can wipe a group if not well used.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Basically what I do is use this skill on single pull group ^^ mobs that take a ton of healer mana usually to kill - ie, Giant Wretches in FG.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Pull with Anger, then Shout, Taunting Blow, Hold the Line, all self/group buffs, Anger, Shout - and then I will use Hunker Down.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I should be far enough ahead in Aggro at this point to stay on top. I keep my cursor over the effect anyways and cancel if the monster attacks anybody else (shouldn't happen).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This can save a TON of mana for the healers. I find that with HD activated I get hit for about 10% of attacks. I have survived with literally no HP for very long periods with this skill on.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Or if I'm in the red and so is the monster I'll hit HD because usually at that point the mob hates me sufficiently to not worry about losing aggro.</DIV>

[tarufondl]

<DIV>i use it everytime fighting a group mob i have a set routine for groups now where i use shout, assualt, htl, then hunker down, then back in with shout, assualt once hd wears off and ive never lost agro yet.</DIV>

[adalr]

<DIV>I run around in soldier stance.  The trade off in offense is worth the defense boost.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>For pulls I'll Hold the line, shoot, Rally while it closes, Assault (if group and no collateral monsters near),  taunt (if more than 3) and then Hunker Down.  The recycle timer is fast enough that I can repeat this, often without breaking Hold the Line if the area is densely populated.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hunker Down is very useful, if for nothing else then your power and your healer's power is saved.  Yours because you can't use it up and the healer because you are parrying and mitigating more.</DIV>

[speerha]

<DIV>I hafto agree with this skill being used by myself mostly in the "oh sh*t" situations, ie: when getting adds or taking a larger encounter then you normally would.</DIV> <DIV>And as most others, when its needed I fire off what taunts there is left, activate HTL and it back and wait, depending on the situation (# of healers, their mana etc) I announce it or not..</DIV>

[MajorBurn]

<DIV>I use it at the very end of tough battles ...the kinds where your not sure if your gonna kill the mob or the mobs gonna kill you and the healer is out of power..it gives just that little bit of mitigation to have helped me out in quite a few close calls.</DIV>

[Lightmoog]

<DIV>Hunker down is great vs boss creatures. Basically Pull the boss, anger, shouting cry, 3 calls, AC buff, hunker down and let the enchanter drain the creature's power down to 0. Hunker down will help you avoid specials for the 30 or 40 seconds it takes to totally drain the creature's power, a blessing when creature specials are doing upwards of 700 damage now X_X.</DIV>

[Tarskin]

<DIV>i'm always in soldiers stance (**ZOMG** do i need a adept1 for that) but use Hunker Down (have adept1) a lot, i like pull with Anger, then Shouting cry while i run back to party, anger once more, turn on Hold the Line and Hunker Down (if more then 2 mobs). If its 1 or 2 mobs i dont bother using HTL and HD (unless theyr hitting a lot harder then i expect and i see the healer having a hard time keeping up with the damage i take then i use HD as well, like on nameds)....</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>and fear my signature which wont work!</DIV>

[schrammy]

<DIV>my main use for HD is as mentioned above an oh sh*t skill</DIV> <DIV>but also when i have almost no power/mana left and my hold the line is on, this way my power/mana can regenerate and so can the healers the few more hits i could do won't change the outcome of those battles we already won by that time anyway,</DIV> <DIV>and when my HD wears out i have enough power/mana to either end the fight by killing the creeps or am ready for the next pull.</DIV> <DIV>witch saves time.</DIV>

[GenesisForgot]

Now that I'm getting higher in level and more used to gaurdian ability I use use Hunker Down almost every fight to save mana for the healers so we can kill more mobs. After unloading my taunts, some special attacks, buffs, and a few more taunts, I hunker down for a bit. I will then taunt /buff again as soon as I'm ready. This works everytime. =) I also use it if I'm redlined, the mob is, or I'm OOP.

[Tarskin]

<DIV>same as genesis exactly <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> pull with anger, shouting cry on the way back, slam, mangle, anger once more and then HD usually to save mana so we kill faster (less downtime)</DIV>

[Rynga]

<DIV>I am glad that I read this thread. My Warrior is only level 16, so I've not used Hunker Down very much. I thought that it was a weaker skill, but it actually appears to be very useful. I am going to have to redouble my efforts and be sure that no skill goes to waste. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  Thanks all!</DIV>