Another day, another dungeon

[mushintao]

As I have previously stated, I am new to tanking classes in general.Last night, I, a lvl.23 shadowknight, led a group into Fallen Gate. We also had a dirge, bruiser, warden and mystic. Everyone was around the same level.While fighting, I noticed that I was able to pretty much keep aggro, as long as I attacked first. If I ever lost aggro, it was to the bruiser.My taunts are only app. 1 because I can't find any upgrades for them, but like I said, I had no problem as long as I hit first.The problems started occurring when the bruiser took it upon himself to initiate attacks on adds. When this happened, I couldn't pull the aggro off of him. I asked him to please let me handle the adds, which he did some of the time.This gave me a little insight into group play. It seems like the tank could have the most responsibility in a group. I used to believe it was a healer, until last night, when I saw how much tanks have to manage in a fight.It was fun and more enjoyable than I had anticipated. I had always thought that tanks just kind of attacked first and then was only good for being a meat shield, but there is quite a large amount of management that must be done.Just felt like putting my thoughts into writing.What do you guys do when you lose aggro? Better yet, how would you have handled the situation with the bruiser?Gherehn Grimm, 23rd Shadowed CrusaderNox Noctis AlternusLucan D'Lere

[YummiOger]

<P>Hi ya Gher, Bruisers/Monks are notorious for pulling aggro due to their high damage output, even with all master spells i have a problem with monks sometimes.</P> <P>Important = upgrade ur Taunts, they are very important and ur Stances.</P> <P>Some Classes, such as the Dirge and Coercer, have buffs that gives tanks +Hate. Those are good.</P> <P>Also a good thing to remember is 1damage = 1hate/threat ... so pulling with a good damage spell -->Fast HO helps with holding aggro.</P> <P>Regaining aggro seems to be the tricky area for SKs. Use Rescue, HT, or Feign Death to regain aggro. i Usually switch to Offensive stance also for added damage. DO NOT Ward the other guy! the SK ward adds hate to the Target. If u ward the bruiser, he would get more hate.</P> <P>Ya <img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> .. Tanking if fun and involved, prolly the most involved guy in the group. Maby a positional attacking scout works harder. The Tank usually sets the pace of the group, decides direction, i usually ended up group leader while i was grinding in groups.</P> <P>GL guy <img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> .. hope u like the SK so far</P> <P> </P>

[Snowbeard]

Bruisers are tanks... If the Bruiser was grabbing aggro on a mob, because it was beating on another weaker team member, why would you need to get that aggro back?  The Bruiser can handle the aggro, and switch back to your main target. If, on the other hand, the Bruiser was not assisting you as MT, that's a different issue.  It's important to focus on one mob at a time. Just don't get angry when another tank is grabbing aggro from mobs that peel off onto weaker team members.  As long as a mob is beating on a tank, that's what's important.

[Kazander13]

<P>/Agree with Yummi all the way. At the very minimum if you absolutely cannot afford adept 1's from the brokers, go over to West Freeport and buy the app II version of your taunts and combat abilities/spells. When I pull singles, I start with any form of damage spell, as they approach, use your AoE taunt which has the disease debuff on it, after wards all damage(also equating to hate) will also be increased, then single target taunt. Afterwards just attack away, unless I'm grouped with scouts/or trigger happy casters, that covers the entire battle 9/10 times.</P> <P>Pull groups, I always get in thier face with this one, I pull with the AoE taunt(once again your friend) situate myself and use every last AoE attack spell I have. Once again, that is 9/10 sufficient to hold aggro depending on your group makeup for the remainder of the battle as long as your keeping the AoE's on when facing multiple mobs. It allows you to continuouslly establish hate with mobs long before you even turn to face them, and by that time, they have beat the crap out of you too, earning even more hate from your damage shield/hate proc. Since our AoE's are all out of encounter it helps when fighting multiple heroics at the same time.</P> <P>Also with the bruiser, for the most part no matter who is in my group, I tank most of the time and no one argues that fact, I work hard and play hard. I pull fast, multiples, and on very few occasions lose hate. I group with guardians a lot who do not care about that because they know I do it well. However, if we do get adds or I lose aggro and the guardian or (insert any tank class) takes aggro or just decides to get frilly, I ignore it, in MOST groups settings that's fine, once again we are all tanks. Now if he/she peels it off you then starts taking up your heals in a more dangerous/advanced setting then you as the MT need to step up and say something. If they don't like it, See ya! It's all about group dynamics, every single button mashing freak in your group has a responsibility that they have to live up to, if they don't even after you asking respectfully, kick that fool to the curb. You'll be better off in the long run, it will set standards and examples if you grouping with regulars and hopefuly, the person screwing up will learn a lesson and be a better groupmate in the future. Just try and work things out first, it will go a long way.</P>

[Beldin_]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Snowbeard wrote:<BR>Bruisers are tanks... <BR><BR>If the Bruiser was grabbing aggro on a mob, because it was beating on another weaker team member, why would you need to get that aggro back?  The Bruiser can handle the aggro, and switch back to your main target.<BR><BR>If, on the other hand, the Bruiser was not assisting you as MT, that's a different issue.  It's important to focus on one mob at a time.<BR><BR>Just don't get angry when another tank is grabbing aggro from mobs that peel off onto weaker team members.  As long as a mob is beating on a tank, that's what's important.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Yeah .. i often play in a group with a Paly, Monk and Warden, and sometimes i tank, other times the Paly, however the Monk often pulls aggro off the MT, but we really stopped caring much about that .. on the other hand .. i also often pull aggro on AoE fights .. and the Pala always gets crazy and cries :I can only choose who steals the aggro .. the monk or the SK <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P> </P><p>Message Edited by Beldin_ on <span class=date_text>09-04-2006</span> <span class=time_text>09:23 PM</span>