New tricks for an old dog?

[WolfSha]

<DIV>Hi guys,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm getting close to "Congratulation you win, would you like to play again?" time with my zerker - currently lvl 47.  Yes i'll raid, but i'm not going to make it a full time job and I've only got a couple of heritage quests left to do, so he's gonna be working part-time till september and the expansion comes out.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm gonna be going back and working on my old main (a swashie) that i abandoned at lvl 30, but i'm also looking for a fun new class to play...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I <EM>think</EM> i wanna play a SK.  I've grouped with a few high level ones recently, both with them MT'ing and me MT'ing and it looks like a fun class to play.  I'm not out to make an uber hard raid tank, i'm out to enjoy playing a class and i think i'd enjoy an SK</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I've made my char and done the crusader class quest which leveled me to 7 on completion, so i'm really just starting out with my sk.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anyone got any good tips on playing a SK for an already experienced tank? (Ie, I know how to play a tank, so please, no tips about how AC buffs generate good argo if your taunts don't get argo off the healer or wizzy - I'm talking about tips that a <EM>speciffic</EM> to playing a SK - things i won't have learnt while MTing more or less 100% of the time up to lvl 47 with my zerker).</DIV><p>Message Edited by WolfShark on <span class=date_text>06-02-2005</span> <span class=time_text>08:27 AM</span>

[Liquid]

I'm a level 36 shadowknight at the moment andi like it. At least i know that you'll do alot of disease damage <span>:smileyvery-happy:</span> <div></div>

[YummiOger]

<P>Hello Wolf,,</P> <P>A few things that u should possiably know about SKs before u get heavy into it. like pre warnings 8P ...</P> <P>Sks use ALOT of Power to keep aggro, like 3:1 vs a Bezerker. thus we have problems holding Aggro in long fights, So conserver Pow as much as u can.</P> <P>SK wards are bugged/broken/whatever as described in the Shaman sections on Wards. So they could be actually Debtramental at say 35+... read up on them to know what they are good for.</P> <P>SKs (and Pallies also) have very limited weapon selection. I would sujest a Good 1hb / Kite sheild for Tanking, and a 2hs for Soloing / DPS. Divide ur time to keep Blunt and Slash maxed (we do not get peirce). Also the Lv 30 Defensive buff does not give u negative in Slashing skill, so its good for solo with a 2hs, where as that will not really matter in group due to buffs / heals/ ect.</P> <P>Do not put much Stock into the SK class horse.. it can not outrun mobs.</P> <P>Some argue that the Tank Buff spells are broken/dont work, some say they are OK. i personally am never in MT group in raids so it is unknown to me.</P> <P>SK pets are Good. Use them .. they increase overall DPS enough to warrent there use.</P> <P>SKs are not for everyone <img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> .. i personally wish i had made a Bezerker 8P .. played a friends a month ago and Loved it! But i hope u enjoy SKhood. hope this helps at all</P> <P>Yummy Izbad</P> <P>50sk</P> <P>50armorer</P> <P>Imperium</P> <P> </P>

[MF2K|Wh]

<P>Sks are a challenging, fun class to play. When tanking, it's not so mind numbing, because you constantly have to be aware of your aggro, keeping it is HARD, but that doesn't meanb it's not doable, I MT all the time, and almost never have problems. You just have to constantly monitor your dps, buff spells, wards, etc... because they all add up when it comes to holding aggro.</P> <P>Our dps pretty much rocks. I have all but 2 of our dps spells Adept3 or higher, and I crank out the damage. I can steal it during raids if I'm not careful.</P> <P>Personally I don't see too many problems with the SK class, I would love to see my guild try me out as MT for raids, I know that I could do it, and it would be a blast and good accomplishment for the sk community. I do tank, x2s all the time, and have done a few of the easier x4s, but would love to try and tank somethine more difficult.</P> <DIV>A well trained SK, with good equipment, spells, and the force on their side, can dominate...... Like me. <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV>

[WolfSha]

<P>Hehe, i think i am going to suited to this - i'm always out of power by the end of a fight with my zerker too- not because i have to to keep agro, but because i love doing as much damage as i possibly can!! :smileytongue:</P> <P>Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated!</P> <DIV>Quick question: can a SK dual weild - i really fancy dual weilding 2 short swords with this char - my zerker always uses a big 2 hander except when absoluelty necessary and i have to pop on a sheild or die, so it'd like to go with something different...</DIV><p>Message Edited by WolfShark on <span class=date_text>06-02-2005</span> <span class=time_text>11:26 AM</span>

[YummiOger]

<P>Nay .. Neither crusader can dual weild. </P> <P>Skills:</P> <P>1-hand , 2-hand</P> <P>Sword, Grt. Sword, hammer , Grt. Hammer, Axe .. and That is it ... </P> <P>Yummy Izbad</P>

[WolfSha]

<P>Well i think that sucks.  Pally's are towards the defence end, and hell, it's tradition, pallys use swords... but i see no reason why SK's, who ara towards the DPS end of the tank scale shouldn't be allowed th dual weild... grrr... give us dual weild SoE!!</P> <P>Oh dear.. i'm lvl 8 and i'm making demands...  :smileysurprised:</P>

[Diern]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> WolfShark wrote:<BR> <P>Well i think that sucks.  Pally's are towards the defence end, and hell, it's tradition, pallys use swords... but i see no reason why SK's, who ara towards the DPS end of the tank scale shouldn't be allowed th dual weild... grrr... give us dual weild SoE!!</P> <P>Oh dear.. i'm lvl 8 and i'm making demands...  :smileysurprised:</P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Because then we would really start to look like Rogues in Heavy armor. If you want to deal dps, as a shadowknight you want a real big nasty 2 handed sword/axe.</P> <P>Dual wield doesnt suit the class imo</P>

[Toogel]

We are knights, we use big bad weapons or a shield... with the exception of Lancelot in the King Arthur movie, I cant think of many instances where a knight real or ficticious dual wielded... always a shield or a BFW

[WolfSha]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <P></P> <HR> <P>Diernes wrote:<BR>Because then we would really start to look like Rogues in Heavy armor. If you want to deal dps, as a shadowknight you want a real big nasty 2 handed sword/axe.</P> <P>Dual wield doesnt suit the class imo</P> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>I take your point, and i suppose you're right... just though it'd be cool and add to the evil look to have 2 swords... </P> <P>It's mainly just that my zerker uses the ebbc most of the time and a shield/1H sword if he has to, so i wanted to go with something a bit different.... I'll find something. </P> <P>It wasn't really a serious post :smileytongue:</P> <P><SPAN class=time_text></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN class=time_text></SPAN> </P><p>Message Edited by WolfShark on <span class=date_text>06-03-2005</span> <span class=time_text>04:43 AM</span>

[Margen]

<P>Welcome Wolfshark</P> <P>Hope you enjoy the world of Shadow Knights.  We have some nice dps skills, and you will really like the pet once you get high enough level.  Down side, Aggro is MUCH tougher then with your beserker.  The class can be alot of fun to play, just grind your teeth when you find some of our problems and hope they get fixed (dang Lifetaps LOL).  Hope you have fun.</P> <P>V/R</P> <P>Blackoath 36th Troll Shadow Knight</P>

[Uggli]

You didn't make a frog SK did you?  If you did, consdier this your notice to delete and reroll as a prissy pally.  F Frogs. <div></div>

[WolfSha]

<P>[Removed for Content], no i bloody didn't!!! :smileyvery-happy:</P> <P>I made a dark elf!</P> <P>I think my lvl 40 zerker fluff spell (bear form) should allow me to eat frogloks.</P>

[far]

<DIV>I. First learn which of your abilities can be cast while moving and those that dont... I know some tanks arent afflicted with such problems, but sks are, and its annoying., but for the purposes of soloing its important, We get one group buff its disappointing but you will cast it often, also toughness is oddly an xp grinding taunt you will use your entire 1-50 career.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>II. To cast the pet you need tainted essence from the caress line of spells, birds help a great deal on white ++ encounters, just remember like rogues and casters to position the mob away from the bird so they dont barrage.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>III. You DO NOT GET A RANGED ITEM, you will pull with your anger line of spells, it sucks hard but rumors of capes appear far off on the horizon.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>IV. When a spell says it has a lifetap option it will either tap for VERY little or be broken... do not be alarmed this is normal</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>V. Some spells are not worth upgrading beyond adept I always research the upgraded spell first to see if its worth the rare to price to % benefit.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>VI. To maximize your dps as an sk you will be AEing, having an enchanter in your regular group will negate the desirability of AEing.. plan accordingly</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>VII. You get natural poison and disease resists + buff spells to maximize your effectiveness in later raid situations you may want to put more pts into this.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>VIII. Monks Zerks and Guards will occassionaly pull aggro for doing 'nothing'. Nothing in this case is a group buff or mob debuff that use to max dps, be careful grouping with them.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>IX. There are broken spells, spells that dont stack, or spells that seem pointless non upgrades to previous spells which will seem confusing... it is simply so.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>X. Your level 40 fluff spell will NOT assist you in any meaningful way (not implying anything but it comes up way too often).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>XI. Knights Stance, Lucans Pact ETC are your friends when tanking plz always use them while tanking. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>XII. Training options should be considered at great length, you will out grow alot of them very quickly and not alot of passives, so select to match your playstyle.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>All said and done sks make fine grinding tanks, but your earlier attempt at humor that sks might just be rogues in plate armor is pretty square on the head, I compensated by being a level or 2 higher then others in group and did a VERY decent job (coercer included) and you know how that per tick aggro they get sucks.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Other then the power consumption and the ineptness of our taps the class is solid 1-49 at 50 it suffers a few raid defeciencies but that can be said of alot of classes, as so many people have pointed out its the player behind the toon that makes em, but it can be a trying time, the best advice i can give you is not to give up 19-27 (you will notice woeful inbalance at this level, but if you put yer head down ignore a few things and grind though, things will start looking up at 30,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>/Lvl 50 sk with a 19 zerker</DIV>

[WolfSha]

<DIV>Cool thanks, a lot of good points there for a zerker player - some things are similar; zerker + mezzer isn't great either, some things are different, even little things like the fact some buffs can't be cast when running are different.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Don't worry, i won't give up on my SK...  My zerker was nothing specail in his 20's, or most of the the way through his 30's, then turned into an absolute animal at around lvl 40! :smileytongue:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>My swashie is sucking at around lvl 30, hoping that will get better - he rocked in the mid 20's.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I think all clases have their off teirs where SoE didn't do a very good job on balancing the increaes to a few lines of key skills.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Personally i've come to the conclusion that i'll not judge a class until T5 and you've really grown into it, getting your final skills and have properly learnt how to play it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It took me exactly one month to get my zerker to 30.  If it takes the same to get my SK there i'm not gonna be too worried if he sucks along the way.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>edit:  Btw, it wasn't me that said sk's were rogues in plate - that's what Diernes said - they would be a rouge in plate if they cound dual weild... i've tanked with my swashie quite a bit and if my SK tanks like my swashie i will be most unimpressed! :smileyvery-happy:</DIV> <P><SPAN class=time_text></SPAN> </P><p>Message Edited by WolfShark on <span class=date_text>06-04-2005</span> <span class=time_text>04:30 AM</span>

[Orka]

<P>SK is a great Solo and group class IMHO. I have played a few of the other classes like druid, cleric and brawler also, but the SK is my main. The class holds my attention and I enjoy it. SKs are good tanks with fair DPS. </P> <P>  The best advice is to have fun with the class you play, and always have the best gear and spells you can get for your Level. Keep all of your weapon skills up as you level also. That is blunt slash and shield etc..... I use a combination of 1hs with shield and 2hs with some 2hb and great ax for fun.</P>