A SK with a two-hander?

[Judo13]

<DIV>Hello.  I just started out, and kinda wanted to tank... zerker's, everybody and their mom plays em, paladins and guardians are boring, and well SK suits my fancy.  Anyway.  I was reading, and a lot of people say SK's avoidance sucks.  So would an SK using a great sword be better because they would hold more hate?  Doesn't all a shield do is raise your avoidance??</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks for the input</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Oh and also, what's a good tradeskill class for an SK? I know an armorsmith would be good... But what else would be nice for an SK, and would make him good money??</DIV><p>Message Edited by Judo1359 on <span class=date_text>11-08-2006</span> <span class=time_text>08:43 AM</span>

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

<DIV>SK avoidance is quite good actually, raid buffed I'm usually low 60%, soloing around mid 50%...pretty decent. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Also, if you're not changing stances to offensive, you won't be gaining much hate wise by going to a 2 hander. You will likely be losing a fair amount of stats besides avoidance too. What the balance come down to would depend on the quality of your gear/spells.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>For tradeskilling, go with what you enjoy...I can say that I spent a lot more money on upgrading spells than I did on upgrading gear though (since I got quite a few pieces of nice dropped gear...but much less dropped rares/masters). So possibly Alchemist....I spend quite a bit on potions as well, and I hear they sell well generally.</DIV>

[Zanix]

<P>I'm a rare case. Unless the encounter is epic (or a few KOS named) ... I use 2hs. I prefer the hate gain due to higher DPS...I have<STRONG> much</STRONG> better agro control this way over sword/board.....while mit. and avoidance aren't <EM>super</EM> high, my lifetaps make up for it.</P> <P>edit: I usually hold offensive stance also</P><p>Message Edited by Zanix on <span class=date_text>11-08-2006</span> <span class=time_text>09:29 AM</span>

[standupwookie]

What are you talking about?  You dont tank in groups with a two handed.  If you are the main tank, chances are you are gonna have a lot of buffs on you.  Your DPS will improve becuse of that.By using a shield, you have access to the Shield Bash skill, which not only has a nice hate increase to it, but stuns and interupts those nasty casting mobs.You are not DPS, never have been and never will be.  You job in a group is to be the meat shield, hold aggro, and not let anyone else get hit.If you are soling, sure go with a two hander...no one else is going to get aggro and you will put out more DPS.  Comes down to weapons though.I make it a point to advoid any groups with the main tank using a two handed weapon...always.  "dang, dinner time..sorry guys"

[Zanix]

<P>well, like I said, I am a rare case.</P> <P>The only actual zones I've needed to 1hs / board is Nizara & Nek3.</P> <P> I ALWAYS tank groups with 2hs. It's worked beyond great so far. My healers usually tell me to speed things up (and I pull like a speed addict to begin with) I can out DPS and out taunt zerkers and other 1h/board tanks. I'm just speaking from experience, which I know for a fact ...is what it is.</P> <P><STRONG>Think outside the box</STRONG></P> <P>SKs <EM>can</EM> tank, but I dont think they weren't built specifically for tanking, in fact, we usualy are the compensation for <EM>lack of a meat shield</EM>. I like to envision my ability to several sides of the spectrum - I can both DPS and I can also tank.</P> <P> </P>

[Dogm]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> standupwookie wrote:<BR>What are you talking about?  You dont tank in groups with a two handed.  If you are the main tank, chances are you are gonna have a lot of buffs on you.  Your DPS will improve becuse of that.<BR><BR>By using a shield, you have access to the Shield Bash skill, which not only has a nice hate increase to it, but stuns and interupts those nasty casting mobs.<BR><BR><BR><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Umm,  I tank groups with a 1h/symbol.    For most group content that is out right now, you don't need a shield.   Only things I would use a shield on would be named mobs in Nizara.    Although I don't do pickup groups and only group with guildies, so I don't get stuck with the stupid healers that don't know how to heal.</P> <P><BR> </P> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> <BR><BR>You are not DPS, never have been and never will be.  You job in a group is to be the meat shield, hold aggro, and not let anyone else get hit.<BR><BR><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>An SK can do [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] good DPS if you know what you are doing.   And good DPS > 1 extra taunt.</P> <P> </P> <P> </P> <P>For raiding, yes use a shield. (unless it's labs or half of DT)</P>

[Boke]

<DIV><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> standupwookie wrote:<BR>What are you talking about?  You dont tank in groups with a two handed.  If you are the main tank, chances are you are gonna have a lot of buffs on you.  Your DPS will improve becuse of that.<BR><BR>By using a shield, you have access to the Shield Bash skill, which not only has a nice hate increase to it, but stuns and interupts those nasty casting mobs.<BR><BR>You are not DPS, never have been and never will be.  You job in a group is to be the meat shield, hold aggro, and not let anyone else get hit.<BR><BR><BR>If you are soling, sure go with a two hander...no one else is going to get aggro and you will put out more DPS.  Comes down to weapons though.<BR><BR>I make it a point to advoid any groups with the main tank using a two handed weapon...always.  "dang, dinner time..sorry guys"<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>you must be a really crappy tank if you cant tank without a board..I tank all the time with 1h/symbol or 2h, only on nameds do i use a board (rarely), and sk's are dps tanks i.e. plate necro. learn ur class noobnugget3000<BR></DIV>

[Zanix]

<P>heh. I was awaiting some replies and some more opinion on this. people sometimes think i am insane not using a shield.</P> <P>2hs = more dmg = more taunts (what else is there?)</P>

[Boke]

<DIV><FONT color=#ffffff><FONT color=#ffffff>dont worry about it Zanix, as we can see </FONT><SPAN>standupwookie <FONT color=#ffffff>doesnt know his class</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>

[Judo13]

<P>Thanks for the replies ^^ I'll have a whole lot more fun using a two-hander.  Who knows, might end up getting a board when I get higher level, but for the lower levels gonna stick with a two-hander.</P> <P>Now a second question... Should I be using a defensive or offensive stance while using a two-hander?  So far from my experiences (highest char. is 24) whenever I have defensive stance I always end up missing like crazy.  But would being in offensive stance make me take TOO much damage?</P> <P>Thanks in advance</P>

[Antryg Mistrose]

Hmm, I always tank with a 1 hander, but often in offensive stance, and have hotkeys to swap shield/symbol/shield every time I use Legionaires smite.I'm not in stellar gear though - a few fabled (Nice being the only level 70 SK in the guild<span>:smileywink:</span>), mostly dropped legendary with a couple of Mastercrafted.I haven't come across a decent symbol (so mines player made - xegonite?  - forget its been a while since I made it), and I use Kite Shield of Seeing (better stats, not so great defence, but way better looks that Grizzlefazzles shield)Bear with me - I'm getting to the point.What weapons do you use?  I haven't found a 2 hander that has equivalent stats (Int/Str) to a 1 hander & Kite Shield.  Currently I use:<ul><li>Adamantine Doom Hammer - common drop in Labs, has some nice stats including Int</li><li>Scimitar of Slashing Claw - common drop in AoA (proc on melee, and lower damage rating)</li></ul>I do have a couple of 2 handers - legendary from KoS instance drops, but nothing I'd swap the DoomHammer for, despite it being way too fast (1.6sec unhasted and I'm normally almost 100% from dual boxing an illusionist), as the stats are more warrior based - Str/Agi/StaIs there a nice SLOW 1 hander, preferably with a spell proc, and large damage range?Or an decent 2 hander available from group instances?(http://eq2.ogaming.com/db/items/VraksakinClawClub.php is a bit out of reach, as the only templar who regulary raids in my guild, my SK doesn't get to much) <div></div>

[JoarAddam]

Always start with your best DPS stuff, and then dumb it down to what your group can handle.  If you see your health dropping too far, add mit or avoidance or resists till you feel safe enough...   Never just go, "oh, no matter what, i need every single bit of mit possible" because that's rarely the case.  Give your healer something to do, instead of just letting them wait every 30 sec to cast a heal.  That'd be like saying "Ooh, I'm an SK, I should have uber disease resist" and then sacrifice everything else that matters to get 9k disease...  No one set of gear works for all situations.  Sure, you can go all mit all avoid and then not get as much hate from caress, or you can just take a hit or three...  there are other colors to your health bar than green, use them all...  being at 80% all the time is just a waste of time and damage.  Mit and avoid are more important on raids, but don't necessarily pack on every bit there either... do what is right for the situation... pay attention to what your gear does to each encounter... if you'e sitting at 90-100% on the trash mobs, but losing aggro, change a piece of mit for int.Pull Crazy... Play crazy...  <div></div>

[ZhouYu]

<P><EM>For pvp use a shield and a 1hander, because that extra stun is critical when fighting scouts, very good way to slow them down and give yourself time to put on your blessing everytime. Also group with a fury to get their intel buff and stay in defensive stance when pvping, don't forget to take intel potions. I cap disease, divine, melee mig, cold, heat all at 80% when grouped with a fury. Intel also caps with my gear + buffs. Stick with one handed and a shield for pvp no matter what, even if its just for sake of a extra stun. Only time you would need a 2handed in pvp is when you fight a healer that would stay out of combat to heal and wear you out of power ..then usually I would switch to a 2handed nd wack on them to do most default dps possible. </EM></P> <P><EM></EM> </P> <P><EM>So yeh, a shield is always my choice for pvp.</EM></P>

[Rylight]

I love two handers to death, they simply kill quickly..........but sadly in pvp I NEVER use one, unless I am kicking a scouts butt and want to switch to kill mode very quickly so he wont get the chance to evac and I wont waste an HT, but yeah, the shield bash is just to much to lose. <div></div>