Off stance + mit gear... or Def stance + int gear?

[Xanoth]

its something i've been considering for a while. this is mainly when off-tanking or being MA... i just dont like the feeling of being "squishy" when i want to DPS, so always switch gear in/out to keep the balance as favourable as possible.and im starting to think that wearing mostly mitigation gear in offencive stance would more than compensate for the loss of mit when wearing int gear and def stance, and give a better return on int due to poor itemisation.just wondering if anyones spent much time playing around with this.

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

<DIV>For offtanking I stay defensive/miti gear. For MA it might be best to stay defensive/miti as well...you don't want to draw aggro ever as MA and you don't want to die either (so no harm staying in the most defensive/resist oriented stance).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>We usually choose one of the least offense oriented classes to MA, or a buffer/debuffer. Often it's a troubie.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If not offtank or MA...then I'd probably go offensive/ high INT gear and swap in some resist pieces as needed.</DIV>

[Xanoth]

Offencive stance, mit gear<img src="http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/3904/eq2000021vw2.jpg">and...Defencive Stance, int gear (not fully wearing int jewelry)<img src="http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/7168/eq2000022tx6.jpg">as far as finding a balance goes, i think i'd rather go with mit gear and off stance. i ended up tanking the first named in DT with a 2h and of stance due to death march giving me agro at 50%, and i kept agro till it died. while its posible to cap int in defencive stance, its rarely the most optimal use of a fury and vim, as well as a mage with group int buff just so that a SK can cap their int in def stance, especially if your not actaully the MT.I've still not got all the items on my wish list, and my off stance is still adept3 <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> (never EVER seen the master on the borker, in level channel for auction... never seen it :'(), but it still seems the loss of defencive stance doesn't hit that hard (other than power pool mebies, but not sure how much of that bonus power was gear related), and you can more than compensate with better gear, and the int bonus from off stance can't be compensated for with gear, due to the lack of truely desirable items for our class.just my thoughts for when im not expecting to tank a great deal, or anything too hard. but for balancing DPS with he ability to survive, it seems to work fine.anyone else played around much with this?

[No]

<P>your less offensive clas to be MA ? Hope you are not getting your healer to be MA ! Actually if you got a good MT, or a Tank Depending if you are talking about raids or about grouping, you should be just under his aggro lvl ... so you maximize your dps and don't draw aggro... That's where knowing your Tank comes into play.  Not all tanks play the same way and have the same aggro lvls on mobs ... That's why it takes a few to get to know your tank and get to play without aggro.  </P> <P>If you have to Wear your Mitigation Gear and be in defensive stance, then you need a new Tank or be the tank!</P>

[Eluzay]

<div><blockquote><hr>Xanoth wrote:its something i've been considering for a while. this is mainly when off-tanking or being MA... i just dont like the feeling of being "squishy" when i want to DPS, so always switch gear in/out to keep the balance as favourable as possible.and im starting to think that wearing mostly mitigation gear in offencive stance would more than compensate for the loss of mit when wearing int gear and def stance, and give a better return on int due to poor itemisation.just wondering if anyones spent much time playing around with this.<hr></blockquote>Personally I always wear int gear and just switch stances, have not been MT in any raids and would reconsider and carry mit gear for that purpose if I was designated MT or Backup tank</div>

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

<DIV>Healers would be a poor choice for MA <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />. I'm always MT or second tank (or off tank) so I have almost 0 concern with my dammage insofar as it is not related to maintaining aggro or being able to snatch aggro fast. The more frequent MT (a guard) is good and  has few aggro issues. I have no problems maintaining my aggro level a notch below him and next on the aggro scale in defensive and miti gear. My DPS is quite low ( that's not my job in our raids)...but the raid's is decent (10-12 K on this week's runs). I do most of the offtanking and a few of the nameds, and basically just prevent any deaths at all if possible. I suppose if you never lose your MT it would be a non-issue (or if he/she  never loses aggro..or no one cares about a few unneccesarry deaths here and there), but we always keep a second tank on standby who is pretty much equally capable/buffed to step in anytime (even on the occasion one has to take a minute to tend the kids or what not)...keeps the raid moving as well for us. We don't like to have the backup tank as MA as the targetting can be erratic while locking aggro in a step-in or picking up breakaways, especially on TP/mem-wipe mobs, but that goes without saying.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>For groups. I pretty much always MT the regular groups. Sometimes I wonder why I carry around any INT gear/2handers at all...cept for soloing or easy group zones. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Xanoth]

<blockquote><hr>CHIMPNOODLE. wrote:<DIV> I'm always MT or second tank (or off tank) so I have almost 0 concern with my dammage insofar as it is not related to maintaining aggro or being able to snatch aggro fast. <hr></blockquote>1 damage = 1 hateand you dont use pestilent touch to get agro? wierd

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

<DIV>Is it really 1 dammage=1 hate (I've read too many threads saying it didn't equate 1 to 1)? Regardless, no, I don't often have to use pestillent touch to get aggro. I'll only use it if I have not judged my hate well enough to grab aggro quickly. Pestillent touch does not work on multi-mobs, and is not usually sufficient if you fall too far down the aggro scale anyway. It can be useful  though to push over the top in a pinch, great spell. It would not be recommended to rely overmuch on pestillent touch to effect a tank switch quickly and/or lockdown aggro during fights in progress on breakaways/ multi-mobs.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by CHIMPNOODLE. on <span class=date_text>09-12-2006</span> <span class=time_text>10:48 AM</span>

[Xanoth]

works great for princes

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

<DIV>Often fails unless you are maintaining your aggro in the right zone. Usually no effect on multi-mobs either except on the single the target.</DIV>

[Xanoth]

dont think i've ever had it resited, even Tarinax, CD, Matron... all can be quite resistant, yet not once has it resisted.kinda beside the point though.the whole basis for this thread, is balancing DPS and Mit

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

Not resisted...just not generate enough hate when needed. The thread was actually revolving around stances and gear for an MA/offtank. I answered how I do it, and for what purpose, then another  poster began to take it in a different direction (continued by yourself I believe <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />). A couple of good answers though...I like the screenshot comparison you did. That should be helpful.<p>Message Edited by CHIMPNOODLE. on <span class=date_text>09-12-2006</span> <span class=time_text>11:53 AM</span>

[Dogm]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> CHIMPNOODLE. wrote:<BR> Not resisted...just not generate enough hate when needed. The thread was actually revolving around stances and gear for an MA/offtank. I answered how I do it, and for what purpose, then another  poster began to take it in a different direction (continued by yourself I believe <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />). A couple of good answers though...I like the screenshot comparison you did. That should be helpful. <P>Message Edited by CHIMPNOODLE. on <SPAN class=date_text>09-12-2006</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>11:53 AM</SPAN><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>That is why as MA/ST you should be taunting the entire fight, and keeping your threat level right below the MT.   Pre Death March atleast, we just didnt have the snap aggro to pull mobs off DPS or whatever, so a good SK should be taunting the whole fight to maximize their aggro without pulling of the MT.</P> <P> </P> <P>As far as swapping gear, I just have one nice set of balanced gear, the only pieces I change are the Earring/Belt from claymore  with the HQ Belt and Spell proc ear, and  also Ichor Thorax with spell proc hat from MO.   The earring and belt I usually only swap off if I know I am going to be tanking that fight, otherwise its usually the proc gear.</P><p>Message Edited by Dogmae on <span class=date_text>09-12-2006</span> <span class=time_text>04:30 PM</span>

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

<P>"That is why as MA/ST you should be taunting the entire fight, and keeping your threat level right below the MT.   Pre Death March atleast, we just didnt have the snap aggro to pull mobs off DPS or whatever, so a good SK should be taunting the whole fight to maximize their aggro without pulling of the MT."</P> <P> </P> <P>That's how we do it, yep. Except if MA, for us...our backup tanks are pretty much never MA (unless it's a sure win really). If the OP is only going to pick one or the other of his setup choices (and will be MA), I would agree then that the Miti gear with offensive would be the best bet. If the MA lives through the pickup/standin...it is easier to switch stances than gear mid-fight (or between every few fights for pre-set offtanking).</P> <P><SPAN class=time_text></SPAN> </P><p>Message Edited by CHIMPNOODLE. on <span class=date_text>09-13-2006</span> <span class=time_text>04:56 AM</span>