SK openers

[Lando4]

<DIV> <P><SPAN><FONT color=#ffff00>Howdy, </FONT></SPAN></P> <P><SPAN><FONT color=#ffff00>I am new to SK and tanking in general. <SPAN> </SPAN>So far I have been playing w/ some RL buds, there is usually 2-4 of us in the group and they consist of healers and DPS. <SPAN> </SPAN>I usually open w/ my disease debuff taunt and then a poison AOE and my AOE direct damage attack, then into my single target stuff. <SPAN> </SPAN>Is this a cookie cutter opener for SK?<SPAN>  </SPAN>I am lvl 20 and sorry I could not put the spell names in but I am at work.<SPAN>  </SPAN>Any strats you have forr building and retaining agro would be appreciated.<SPAN>  </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P> <P><SPAN><FONT color=#ffff00></FONT></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN><FONT color=#ffff00></FONT></SPAN> </P> <P><SPAN><FONT color=#000000><FONT color=#ffff00>One more thing, if I have a mob targeted and lose agro on him and he goes after the over zealous DPS guy and I hit Intercept or FD while still targeting the mob will my spell effect affect the DPS guy?</FONT><SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P></DIV>

[mikeyswizz]

<DIV>i pull with</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>coil</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>followed by</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>heroic opp, any continuer (usually lifetap), and single target taunt to end it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>group taunt</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>sheild bash</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>AoE Dot 1</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>AoE Dot 2</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>single taunt</DIV>

[Xanoth]

not sure what you have yet, but generally i body pull, move back, encounter debuff/taunt, agony (single target wis debuff), then single target taunt, shield bash, coil, a few attacks, kick, repeat.if its a group encounter i use miseray after agony, and throw others in as needed.

[Lord Montague]

<P>My standard opener is to go HO starter -> Agoy (wis debuff) -> Sacralige (group taunt AE disease debuff) -> Insideous Promise.  From there, if the situation allows I will use Unending Misery and Death Circle (AoE attacks).  This strategy serves me well 99% of the time.  Sounds fairly consistent with what you're doing.  I also rely on my caress line to help build up hate too (the numbers may not seem like much but they sure do add up) - be sure you get this to at least adept quality if possible.</P> <P>And yes, if you have the mob targetted and they have aggro on someone else, your FD will apply to that person.  This can get you in trouble however, if you hit FD at the exact moment that aggro is returning to you.  If that happens, then it is you who will FD.  If that happens, remember...the X key is your friend.</P>

[Beldin_]

I always precast blessing before pulling .. then coil or bodypull .. depending on social aggro. After that grouptaunt, and HO with wisdebuff and single-taunt. Shieldbash .. AoEs if muti-encounter <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Danimal24]

Pull with whatever Wrath line spell you have available as it does solid damage that helps in case a trigger happy nuker gets twitchy, also, it its a single mob you can start casting your coil spell, anger spell and even a ward if its far enough away due to the nice slow effect. follow up with ae taunt then a heroic op, then both aoe dots. Helps to make a macro (I have two) that does a heroic opp for you in one click, a lot faster and if you use a fast spell to advance it, you get it off uninterupted 9 times out of 10 <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Should never lose aggro if you do this..it works for me anyway, a lot depends on your spell quality of course and playing skill.

[Lando4]

<DIV> <P><SPAN><FONT color=#000000><FONT color=#ffff00>Thanks guys, I have 2 more lvls till my 1st coil spell I think but Ill be sure to work it in there. <SPAN> </SPAN>I just wanted to get some of my tactics in line before I start grouping more, this was very helpful.</FONT><SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P></DIV>

[joeygopher]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Danimal24 wrote:<BR> Pull with whatever Wrath line spell you have available as it does solid damage that helps in case a trigger happy nuker gets twitchy, also, it its a single mob you can start casting your coil spell, anger spell and even a ward if its far enough away due to the nice slow effect. follow up with ae taunt then a heroic op, then both aoe dots. Helps to make a macro (I have two) that does a heroic opp for you in one click, a lot faster and if you use a fast spell to advance it, you get it off uninterupted 9 times out of 10 <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Should never lose aggro if you do this..it works for me anyway, a lot depends on your spell quality of course and playing skill.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>I always save my wrath until I have the mob's WIS and Disease both debuffed.  Any casters with itchy trigger fingers deserve to go down anyway :smileytongue:<BR>

[Kryptonix]

Depends on the situation. If the mobs are really social I precast blessing and body pull the mob AE taunt, HO, continuer, single taunt.ORCast wrath, AE taunt, HO, coil, single taunt. I use this on single mobs. For group mobs I will precast blessing first. Pick a mob cast wrath, coil, and anger. Then switch to one of the other mobs AE taunt, HO, single taunt. Because the inital mob is slowed down I switch to another mob thats already in front of me or closer to me, and use my taunts. This method is awesome because it almost glues the first mob onto you so you dont really have to worry about losing agro on that one mob or the one you switched too. After the slowed mob gets to me I shoot off some AEs, I always go Misery first and then Circle. No idea why though.<div></div>

[Beldin_]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Kryptonix wrote:<BR>I always go Misery first and then Circle. No idea why though.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Misery is faster casted and yo don't get interrupted that often on it .. think that is the main reasen <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I normally don't switch targets .. mostly i hold  the aggro of rest of the encounter just through my AoEs, group-taunt and caress. Our monk likes to pull aggro of one mob .. especially if he is not assisting me .. but thats his problem in that case <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  Btw.: he also peels constantly aggro from our Paladin .. was so funny when we were in Sanctum with a group of SK,Monk,Paladin and Warden .. first i was tanking ... after a while i found i've burned enough mana and the pala not enough .. so we made him tanking .. in the end he was crying that he could just decide wether the Monk or the SK peels aggro from him .. me and the monk are still laughing about that when he is not in Teamspeak <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><BR></P>

[bobdbutcherer]

<DIV>Just started grouping with this toon earlier this week around lvl 37 or so (41 now).  I was moving with some pretty fast paced groups, that were packed with DPS.  I'm a fast moving person so always on the go.  I was leading groups in RoV and RE and the method I was using was:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Run passed mob to turn, meanwhile casting direct taunt chained with shield bash.  HO start with WIS debuff (the one that used to require a 2h) and finish it with group taunt.  Proceed into normal HO chains from there and never lost aggro.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If there was a room with socials I would body pull back to the group with the reactive on.  When I know that the group is clear of socials i would hit my group taunt, followed by HO chain finished with single taunt (hoping for Crushing Anvil).  AE if I know its clear (sometimes when I know its not <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />).  Used this method alot with shift bosses in RE.  Used a ranged attack to pull Creator and then followed up the rest as stated before.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The embrace line (FD) will use implied targeting just like any other heal or buff would.  You gotta be careful though with this, since our taunts are time based.  I had one instance where I taunted to try and get a mob off an assassin.  Taunt hadn't done it so I figured, dirt nap for the assassin went to hit my FD and just before I pushed the button the mob turned on me.  So now the implied target for FD would be me and sure enough I dropped like a sac of taters.  Was a good laugh cuz I'd embraced the assassin several times earlier and /laughed at him <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />.</DIV>

[Desdichada]

<DIV>I have a question about HO use for pulling. What is the reason to fire HO and not taunting immediately? Does HO if completed generate extra hate other then the hate that comes from the HO damage?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Desdichada 60 SK </DIV>

[ArmadaXeenelk]

damage is hate. thats why maximizing your dps is important for agro control (IMO).I tend to pull with the longest casting highest recast spell we have. The Wraith line(as said above). there are always exception(like when I don't want the mob to be slowed 70% or a group of mobs that i'd rather get all at once).but from then on I get the taunts out asap and if I can throw a HO out. although in groups I usually just spam spells for a bit then throw heroics to help maintain without wasting power.I try to use agony line( for the wisdom debuff ) followed by the group taunt (for the debuff) and then throw out my dmg spells. this helps them land and do more dmg. it also helps with the group (wisdom at the very least).I also try to keep blessing ward up before I pull, and if  needed during a fight(after agro has been established).   it seems to work well, but i'm still experimenting even at level 70 with 50 Achievment points. I'd recommend you experiment yourself.good luck!<div></div>

[Mythicman]

My opener depends a bit on how close I can get to the mob before pulling.Having grouped with an overzealous assassin for much of my career, if I can get close enough, I actually pop off my taunt, shout, shield bash right up front.  While I realise damage = hate, damage != Taunt hate, so I try to establish lock as soon as possible just in case my friendly-neighborhood fury decides to open with his nuke.  If I'm not in range for taunt, I'll fire off a wrath, then pop the one-two-three outright aggro spells just as before.  HOs are worth it in the long run, and I fire them off as often thereafter as I can, just not as the opening volley, especially since I like to have the whole group there incase I roll the AoE knockdown HO.  This way I never lose aggro unless someone isn't assisting (which happens WAY more than I'd like) or someone hasn't got the message that I'm MT and taunts mobs off me (the first FD usually cures them of this, though) as the caress hate proc and shout work exteremely well.  Obviously, there are issues now with the expanded social aggro...at which point I'll body-pull, but as soon as the mobs are free of potential friends, I pop pff the aggro spells as well.Much of this depends on who you're grouped with, but, since I do so much in pickup groups, I like to start out strong.<div></div>