My level 27 Zerker experience

[Raidyen]

<DIV>Ok im one of the MANY Zerkers that has been irrate the last week.  I have been reading all these posts, and posting some myself, including some PM's to some red names, and have had 0 desire to even log my zerker in.  Well last night i decided to forget everything i have read on all these threads and go make the best of things.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>First my wife and i decided to duo owlbears in Nek, (27 zerker 27 templar)  As before the patch, we were able to easily take down a group of 4 level 25 owlbears.  (using only fury and battlechat buffs, Solo hops as soon as they came up, and every offensive attack i had) Not once or twice but for about an hour we had 0 problems with group mobs.  Every once and awhile i would loose agro, but it was nothing her distract couldnt fix.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Second, we went to Varsoons.  We went into the back door, moved around the gobbies, and into the Golem halls.  Just for grins, i decided to pull a level 30++ Golem.  Full buffs, we both emptied our power, and actaully had the Golem into the orange, almost red before we had to run.  Now thats pretty darn good against a group mob 3 levels higher.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Third i built a group.  Myself as Main tank, Templar, Mystic, Conjuror, and 2 swashies, all level 27, 28.  We went all the way to the forge from the enterance, me as main tank the healers where never below half power in fights we didnt get adds, and i didnt loose agro once.  I even had a bad pull where i got 2 level 32++ golems, in which i got agro on both, tanked them both, and we still won the fight.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Here is what i did different.  Bought a tower shield and a really nice 1 hander.  yes fights last a tad longer in a duo, but i take less damage overall and healer uses less power.  Used my defenisve buffs which before last night i rarely ever used.  Does it make Historical sense that a zerker uses a shield?  well no, but we arent in Norse times.  We are in Norrath.  And in Norrath, apparently thier Beserkers use shields.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Moral of the story?  Its easy to get caught up in everyone else saying how gimped our class is.  But its the player behind the toon that makes it gimped or not.  True, i can no longer cast one buff in a fight and go make a sandwich knowing i will never loose agro.  True, I have to give up duelwielding for a shield when i plan to tank, but that doesnt mean i cant be a Beserker.  Its more than just being Huge DPS, its about being able to take as much as you can dish, DPS means nothing when your dead.  All i ask is everyone clear there minds of what they have known for the last 2 months, and all these negitave posts over the last week, go out and try it one more time.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[bpark]

<DIV>I am glad to hear you have found light where other have not - however - the agro issue isnt the main issue for alot of us. We want our higher DPS back or we want our DAMAGE taken lessened to match the dps we dish out.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Example: If we dish out 15% more than guardian then we should take 15% more damage - as of now - we did out damamge Guardians by about 30% and now only by 10% - but at the same time we still take 30% damage and not 10%.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Can you see the problem we are faced with now?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I for one do not want to hide behind a shield to save myself from a swamp rat. Its ok if I am MT but we are not viable any other way now - and thats just called a Guardian btw - but we still take more damage.</DIV>

[Lut]

I experienced the same, Berzerkers are still playable, and have used a 1 hand axe (i AM a dwarve ya know) and a tower shield since the day I could use one, its expected in a group if youre the main tank. The issues with Berzerkers wont stop me playing mine, especially as I've put some time into him both as a Berzerker and an Alchemist.I never used bloodlust to keep aggro, to my embarrisment i didnt even notice I had the skill until after the patch, seeing all the rants and then wondering to myself "Hmm when do i get that skill?" I use it to offset the penalty of using Solders stance now, which I never have switched off anymore....I tired it once and it scared me and my healer.I'll play this char till i get fed up of it, its not what i thought it would be though.

[asteldian]

<DIV>No, thats the problem, if we take 15% more damage we cant do only 15% more damage-in group situations that is not balanced, the damage we do extra would not be noticable whereas the tanking deficiancy would be</DIV>

[Reol]

<DIV>If our damage is reduced then take off the penalty we get from going zerk. This should elleviate the dmg issue, because as of right now...a few extra pts of damage over a guardian is an insult to our class. The shield is fine, but since we don't get the defensive bonuses that a Guardian gets we should at least have that penalty removed, hell even lower the ac reduction from going berserk, would probably be even better, something to truly balance the skill out so it doesn't hamper the class. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Raidyen]

<DIV>First of all, i would like to see some hard numbers of what a guardian takes vs a Zerker in a group.  Im willing to bet its not much different if at all if they both have the EXACT same gear.  I have a feeling that its been blown way out of perportion.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Second up to level 28, the Gaurdain gets a couple of GROUP defensive buffs, and a couple of TARGET defenisve buffs.  The Zerker gets a couple of GROUP offensive buffs, and a couple of AoE attacks, which i dont care what anyone says, are just mean.  Now whats the point of the guardian getting GROUP buffs if they are the tank?  if they are doing thier job right, and holding agro, 5/6 ths of that buff is wasted.  A zerker on the other hand is increasing EVERYONES attack skills.  that means for everyone in melee in the group that is swinging, they are getting a benefit.  The AoE's are alot of fun, and as long as you pay attention, can be used just about anywhere, and i wonder if these people running DPS tests are even counting the damage we can do in fights with multiple mobs, i doubt it.  Which would you rather have?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Beleive me i understand everyones frustration, but im starting to see most of the chatter on these boards have little fact to back things up.  A few posts of a 40% drop in DPS are out there, and they took off.  Sorry, flat out i dont see it.  Yes we took a hit in DPS, but it wasnt 40 percent.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The only problem i still have with this was that SoE didnt warn us this was comming, and is not allowing us to Reselect our training skills.  The nerf is truely not as bad as what everyone here has been saying.</DIV>

[Hopp]

<DIV>Well I havent posted about the nerfs because I know I'd get flamed about it.  I'm a lvl 31 berserker, and I've grouped for most of my levels (well that and quests).  I've always carried the triad of weapons with me (dual, two-hander and shield-onehander).  Through all the nerfs, the only one that has really affected me is the green^^ mob modification.  I've never had a problem playing MT in groups, which is what I do 99% of the time.  My hp and ac unbuffed right now is about 2087/2083 respectively when I MT with my shield and onehander.  I've never had a problem holding aggro, being MT, and I feel I'm doing a sufficient amount of damage.  And lately I really have no problem going berserk with my normal buffs up and using the same skills I've always used.  I do miss being able to solo green^^ group mobs, but that was alittle unbalanced anyway I suppose.  All in all, I really enjoy my class.  Just my observations, and my feelings about it.</DIV>

[Hopp]

<DIV>double post</DIV><p>Message Edited by Hoppas on <span class=date_text>01-12-2005</span> <span class=time_text>09:35 AM</span>

[Lut]

I like the group buffs, but I really dont think they help the 2 healers and whatever nukers are in the group, just the melee-ers. I have to use the group buffs to hit the mobs though (offsetting the offense penalty of using the only defensive buffs i have), and thats with a sword and board. I prefer the guardian buffs over the Zerker ones, as a zerker in the group with a guardian, and a templar who might mistime my heals and get aggro from time to time. But if i had defensive buffs i wouldnt be a zerker <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[asteldian]

<DIV>Well green ^^ mobs being adjusted at the same time really didnt help the situation-it made berserkers look like they got hit even harder than they may have, one day they are happily soloing these green mobs then they come on post berserker nerf (and post green mob adjustment) and he mobs they were killing easily before are slaughtering them, so naturally major nerf panic is set in everyones mind.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>That said, there are still problems-the difficulty of going berserk when not MT is an issue, means our damage when not MT is not too good and as we offer little else in this position its bad, and no fun</DIV>

[Padi]

<DIV>Don't know about you guys, but unless I'm using blood rage, I still do more damage as 2ndary tank.  Reason being is I get stunned often as main tank.  My DPS is right up their with a monk and bruiser I group with regularly.  Maybe 2 DPS less.  Though I rarely am not MT.  As an illusionist too, I've watched logs and what not to see how haste effects damage.  I've come to realize that haste is pretty meaningless all things considered.  At the most your base damage amounts to 50% of your damage, normally less.  30% haste on that is only a 15% damage improvement.  While nice, it's definately not a huge leap in performance.</DIV><p>Message Edited by Padien on <span class=date_text>01-12-2005</span> <span class=time_text>11:13 AM</span>