Protection skills?

[Rhaam]

<DIV><FONT size=2>Mostly I'm a bit disappointed with our guard skills at this point (lvl 24). They all seem to have pretty long cast times. Normally if the **mods 4 teh win!!1!** hits the fan and someone else in the group is getting beat on I go all out taunt trying to get the adds on me. Seeing as how our guard skills are a big part of our class, anyone have a take on the best way to maximize there effectiveness? I'm hoping with the right strategies they can be more effective.<BR><BR>Since outside of intervene cast pre-fight on the healer only (almost always have soldier's stance up) I haven't been using them much. So what are your strategies to use them? Blow your taunts then use sentinel? How's stand firm compare to sentinel in your experience? Use protection abilities first then work on getting agro? Anyone use allay? What's everyones take? They may need some tweaking, but in the meantime we need to go about trying to work out some possible solutions.</FONT><FONT size=2>I think working on using our skill set to it's full ability is a better option than just going "OMG they are teh suck! FIX EM!!1". If we start experimenting and getting some good discussion going we can get a better hold on the crux of the problem and give SoE better feedback.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>What'cha all think?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV><p>Message Edited by Rhaaman on <span class=date_text>12-11-2004</span> <span class=time_text>12:46 PM</span>

[Thi]

Well, what I do if I use Sentinel or Stand Firm, is cast it on the party member before I pull. And I'll usually only bother with it if I feel it'll be a tough pull/mob. Like you kinda mentioned, it sucks having to use it when things go sour. Then you're no longer attacking the mob or building aggro. Though, Stand Firm/Sentinel may induce aggro upon casting, I don't know.If I pull (which I prefer to do), I'll pull with Taunt/Anger. Upon the mob's arrival into the 'camp', I'll generally do a Taunting Blow, and maybe a Shout, if there aren't any other mobs around to aggro. Usually, if I pull with Taunt/Anger, and then hit them with Taunting Blow (rinse, repeat) I have no trouble keeping aggro. If it's a nastier mob, I'll also hit them with Mangle (for the debuff) and Shield Bash (stun)early in the battle. In EQ1, debuffs and stuns were big aggro getters. I don't know if they are in EQ2 or not, but it certainly can't hurt. And I've had nothing but compliments about my tanking ability. I almost always use Soldier's Stance also. I personally don't care how lousy my DPS is (from Soldier's Stance, using a shield, and maybe using Hunker Down). All I care about is taking the punishment for the party. If I end up going down, usually the rest of the party isn't far behind. Let the rest of your party members supply the DPS.I do NOT generally group with a Zerker. Not because I don't want to, the opportunity has never presented itself. I'm also fairly low, level 20. So I havn't run into the aggro/tanking issues that others have reported, when dealing with a Zurker, or other high DPS classes.

[Rie]

<DIV>Just an FYI, Shout is an encounter based taunt. You have no need to worry about argo from mobs not in the encounter. Also, once you have Bury, it is also an encounter based ability. The downside to them is that adds don't count as part of the encounter. Good way to help hold argo with adds is to use your prot abilities since they are group buffs that help add hate for you.</DIV><p>Message Edited by Rielz on <span class=date_text>12-11-2004</span> <span class=time_text>01:17 PM</span>

[range]

<DIV>I was curious about this same thing.  I haven't come across a situation yet where I needed or used my guardian abilities, except for Intervene (which I always have on) and SS.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In theory, I could see them useful if the mob you were fighting tore off of you and headed towards a party member.  While still having the mob targeted, you could activate your guardian abilities and since they're beneficial they will land on the mob's target, which is the party member who pulled agro.  This would serve the dual purpose of protecting that party member and agroing the mob, hopefully pulling the mob's attention back to you, as beneficial abilities/buffs cause a lot of agro.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>But, in my limited experience as a guardian (level 22), I have never lost agro on the mob I have targeted.  He never seems to be the problem, no matter what my party members do.  The only time I have problems is when we're fighting a group of mobs, more than 2 usually, and someone pulls agro on one of the mobs other than the one I have targeted, due to their error or mine.  It's difficult to even tell if someone has pulled agro at first, and once I realize they have agro and they shouldn't, it's even more difficult to regain agro if shout isn't up or if shout isn't enough.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So, is there another scenario where the guardian abilities are worthwhile?  Or does it become increasingly difficult to hold single target agro and the guardian abilities play a regain/protect role?</DIV>