Berserker tanks question

[mylin1]

Berserker tanksOur guild berserker has been getting more and more frustrated with his inability to hold agro in our regular groups. Im hoping that someone can suggest some solutions to our problems (if there are any)our standard group consists of the following49 berserker49 warlock49 ranger49 templar50 mystic49 illusionistI think these are his biggest issues.1. timers on taunts - he says they have slow refresh rates and he cant get them ready in time for when the warlock on group mobs or ranger on single mobs starts to throw their damage around.2. Even when warlock and ranger wait till mobs are 40%+ damaged they still manage to peel the mob off him with him constantly taunting about 50% of the time3. Once the warlock/ranger has agro he cant seem to regain it even with the 15min retimer rescue skills he has.The warlock has his aoe and dd at adept 1 only, the ranger has his hidden strike skill at master 1 but the rest adept 1 - 3The berserker has adept 1 and master II taunts where he can.He was thinking of changing to a guardian when the new betrayal quest comes out..so a few questions.1. What can we do better to reduce agro - obviously casting later helps but in the case of the warlock aoe it seems she can peel the mobs off at any stage.2. is there some weapons/items the berserker can get to increase hs agro generation3. is a guardian better at agro control (esp group) than a berserker?We only started getting these agro problems 45+ lvl CheersMylin<div></div>

[Lornick]

Really there is no reason he shouldn't be able to hold aggro in that group.  Is he just mashing his 2 main taunts or is he using everything in his arsenal?  If he hasn't figured it out yet (damage = aggro).  Your group even has an illusionist so power regen shouldn't be an issue.  Have him try to just mash everything, power be damned.  See if he can hold aggro that way.  Then have him pace his abilities a little more as he gets used to what is needed to keep aggro keeping a stun or two in reserve so if someone peels aggro off him he has time to get it back before they die.  His buffs are important too.  Berserkers have a few defensive procs that help alot like wall of rage, counterstrike etc. (maybe not exact names but close enough he should be able to tell what I'm talking about).  In the end if he's unable to keep aggro with a berserker, he will likely have trouble holding aggro as any fighter class. 

[Waung]

<DIV>also is he tanking in defensive or offensive stance?  the offensive stance AE proc should help with holding agro along with the extra melee capabilities not nerfed with defensive stance.  unless fighting orange or high yellow mobs i usually tank in offensive stance.  and with 2 healers (especially mystic and templar) you should have ALOT of buffs going and plenty of healing power that offensive stance really is the great way to go.</DIV>

[mylin1]

Ok thanks, Ill let him know and we can try the offensive stance etccheersMylin<div></div>

[Dim_Per]

<DIV>Get his taunts up and have him pull using a bow with high end arrows...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>His single target should be AD3 and his multi target should be Master 2 once he goes high end...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I tank all day with high dps classes so that mashing buttons theroy is very valid... and normally he should see one or two who pull fast aggro... tell him to give them a 5-10 second time out or they get smacked <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>OH and if he is tanking  he should be using a shield and a fast 1 hander... and get into his DEFENSIVE stance... not offensive... the proc on Defense is what you want for more aggro...</DIV><p>Message Edited by Dim_Perma on <span class=date_text>04-20-2006</span> <span class=time_text>07:26 PM</span>

[mylin1]

Anyone know of items out there that proc hate either weapons/armour/anything?So far all the proc's ive seen have been fairly sad - although my staff had a nice stun on it<div></div>

[QuiXilver]

<P>im a 68 zerk and have all my taunts either masters or adept III, i pull with bow then when mob gets near ill taunt ( saving my rescue for emergencies) i use offence stance if mobs are tuff and dual weaps, and first swing with something that increases hate, then take a few more swings then use increase speed spell, todo more dammage and keep the hate goin and every now and then taunt, however i do loose aggro at times but will use rescue if player is in real danger if i see no real dammage is being done i try goin all out to kill faster.</P>

[QuiXilver]

also flowing sash is a good hate proc i still wear mine but for weaps i find stuff thats has alot of str and speed

[Baeel]

Dim_Perma is incorrect.  Either he doesn't play a zerker or got his words backwards.  There is no proc in defensive stance, I have the same trouble holding agro if I use defensive stance as a 70 zerker.  The proc + extra points in slashing etc really help you hold agro much better with offensive stance.  Besides if you're tanking mobs that you need to use defensive stance in besides high end named they're probably resisting most of your taunts anyway. <div></div>

[Dim_Per]

Awww crud <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I meant taunting defense (sorry was playing and typing) it has a chance to proc a Provoking Counter Attack which brings in more hate... Just got them mixed up is all <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Of course I play a Zerk.... there is no other class in this game <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Obadiah]

<P>Aye. Offending Defense I think it's called at that level. Believe that was my Master 2 choice at 44. It is his friend. </P> <P>Gain a level. That's my advice. </P> <P>Gain a level and get Rampage. As a bonus. . . stuff will die so fast it will make you cry. (I sometimes let people know when I'm casting it because of the long cast time. Last thing you need is an Ice Comet hitting while you're getting ready to Rampage) Gaining a level will also help because his level 36 group taunt - be it Adept 3, Master 1, whatever - is getting old. The hate numbers are just getting small to deal with the massive amounts of damage those bada** dps dudes are doing. That's upgraded at 50 too. As is the Offensive Stance.</P> <P>Rampage-Slaughter-Frenzy . . . . . the few mobs left standing will hate him for the remaining 15 seconds of their lives.</P>

[Ep]

<div></div>Berserkers will loose hate occasionally to Tier1 DPS no matter what, sometimes i group with a warlock or 2 and even a ranger, with no shaman(shaman wards, negate our hate proc when mobs attack us) just a templar usually. Even with a coercer(40%+ pure hate) and all my taunts at master(30-48% harder to resist) and my aoes and stuns at master they will pull aggro. I'm at mostly purely offensive at lvl70 in groups even on named. I tell them don't hold back, i don't. Usually they'll pull aggro every 20mins or so, nothing rescue can't take care of, just happens that way.If you notice a tank loose aggro every few fights or every few minutes, then it becomes an aggro issue, need to use CA's need to do dps, need to have spells at least at adept3(pretty sure most adept1's are 10% harder to resist while adept3's are 20% while masters are 31-48% harder) the shaman doesn't help heh, as i said thier wards negate taunting defense line where zerkers taunt as they get hit heh. Thats about it really, if tank does loose aggro, don't forget to use the stun line so that at least the mob is stunned and you have a chance to gain back aggro. Have zerker do single HO, where he finishes it also, fighting chance-,advance, taunt. About it really.<div></div><p>Message Edited by Epyx on <span class=date_text>04-21-2006</span> <span class=time_text>02:19 PM</span>

[KFizzle]

Of course the Kurgan is right ... there can be only one