Aggro Management

[AaronSnow]

<DIV> <P>I’m a lvl 36 Pally and I duo often with 36 lvl Warden. Recently, I have been losing aggro to the warden a lot more lately. The warden only uses heals when I get low on hpt's, and I do complete my first HO. All my spells are app4 or better.<SPAN>  </SPAN>I have even tried using redemption, and I still lose it. This same Warden also duo’s with a 33 Monk, and the Monk never loses agro.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 </P> <P>I know we are not the best taunting class, but if I cant hold aggro in a duo, I think high end game is going to be a real problem for pally's in the MT role. If I have to constantly keep spamming taunts and hit with big AoE's to keep aggro, I won’t have any mana left after the first 30 seconds of fight.<SPAN>                                                                                </SPAN></P> <P>Anyone have any advice or tactics on how you keep aggro as a Pally? Also wondering what buffs you have constantly running and how do you pull. Trying to figure out if it’s my playing style, or what really worries me – our ability to tank in the 40's.</P> <P>My personal feeling is our wards don’t absorb enough dmg, heals take way too much power, and I really cant put out much damage because I don’t use a two-hander (use ghoulbane and need a shield more often now for defense) <SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN></P></DIV>

[Fargil]

<P>What i've noticed is that if you get loads of hate at the start, it's a lot more easy to manage in the long run..</P> <P>My pull cycle: Implacable Wrath, Fighting Chance, Omen of Battle, Noble Tone (single mob) or Smite Prayer (multi mobs), auto-attack on or Vengance, Aegis of Hope, Blinding Bash</P> <P>Finishes an HO before the mobs are on you, wards in the beginning and creates loads of HATE..</P> <P>After this multi HOs with an occasional Noble Tone/Smite Prayer, or if in a small group you do most HOs.. (most of the time I manage to survive on just doing low Taunts, but that's up to the group too)</P> <P>I use that cycle when soloing too, but i use taunt instead, because the pwr drain is so low.. :smileyvery-happy:</P> <P>Naturally i would use the higher lvl attacks/taunts if i'd a a bit higher.. :smileysurprised:</P> <P> </P> <P>/Fargil lvl 39 Paladin Splitpaw</P> <P> </P>

[GilfalasElaandrin]

<DIV>The Druid based classes regen heals have a known bug to them. Most 'Pre-heals', like the templar reactive heals or the shamanic runes, assign no heal aggro or the healing aggro to the tank they are affecting. The druid regenerative heals, though, assign the aggro back to the Warden or Fury and as such they generate CONSIDERABLY more aggro than other healers.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>SOE has decided that this is a 'feature' and not a bug last I heard so the only real thing for it is to use Redemption on the warden and cast your group buffs during he melee and make sure you try to OVER aggro while tanking. <U>Use and complete Solo HO's.</U> The taunt power used is worth it and you get bonus damage as well.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If you have Chessguard Divine Portant, USE IT to pull with. Initial aggro has always seemed to be at a bonus and Chessguards is not only good damage but bonus hate as well. I have had very good luck using it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have duoed with a warden and furies before doing this and I have had nearly no problems with aggro using this method. Using this method with NORMAL groups keeps mobs locked on me like they were cemented to me as well.<BR></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> AaronSnow wrote:<BR> <DIV> <P>I know we are not the best taunting class<BR></P> <HR> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV>BEST no. Really, really good? Yes. We have a TON of abilities that add a little more aggro (or a LOT) if you use them all they definately make a difference.<BR></DIV><p>Message Edited by GilfalasElaandrin on <span class=date_text>04-20-2005</span> <span class=time_text>11:30 AM</span>

[SanJ]

<P>I tend to experiment with aggro management A LOT!</P> <P>Today's methods:</P> <P>Solo - I strangely hold aggro well <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P>Duo - I camp my partner, run out towards a mob and pull (usually nuke unless I feel it will pull nearby unwanted)--something like, implacable wrath (stationary nuke), HO, ranged nuke, taunt to complete HO, as the mob nears, my high DPS attacks like Refusal of Grace, Sworn Strike and always Condemnation for the reducation of the mobs slashing and crushing defense.  The key here is to get off an HO before the mob arrives at camp.</P> <P>Next, I chain HOs.  When I say chain, I mean as soon as the green success arrow appears in the middle of the combat wheel the next HO is underway.  Using this method, I rarely EVER loose aggro and likewise I rarely taunt unless requested by the HO.  While duoing you should ALWAYS start the HO and let the other class open the combat wheel.  I will taunt once in the middle of the battle for good measure.  If I should loose aggro, I toss up in this order - a little prayer, a little call to glory, a taunt, a heal, a ward--then I inform my buddy that the mob has it out for them if I still don't have aggro.  I will continue to taunt and toss out heals as needed, but I hold off on wards as much as I can due to the high mana cost.  Should I be in a situation where I'm loosing aggro a lot (only happened once and never with this method), I would recommend upgrading your old gray con redemption to adept 1 and tossing that on the aggro stealer <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P>Fighter/Mage HOs complete with our taunts and our shield bashes A LOT (both hate builders)</P> <P>Trio's - same method as above, however I have HO choices now.  (figher/scout/healer) or (fighter/scout/mage) I always go for 3 man HOs.  Scout always starts, and then I make the decision (taunt to push to mage), (kick to push to healer, our doom judgement when in a safe spot will trigger the kick if you miss with charge or vengence--good to know).  I try to throw in taunts when not part of HOs, 30 percent into the battle, 60 percent into the battle, and near the end for good measure.  However, if you are working with a mage, you'll be taunting like mad to open the 3 person HO--maybe that's why I don't loose aggro trioing with that class combination?  Once again should I loose aggro, a prayer, a call to glory, a taunt, a heal, a ward. </P> <P>Larger Groups - I save my call and prayer until I'm in battle and cast shortly after I do the run from camp pull.  In many situations, I can complete 2 HOs prior to the mob reaching the party.  When I "plant" to go toe-to-toe, out comes my call and prayer, followed by advancement of HOs that the scout has started.  If I have one healer, I will push more HOs to the mage class to allow the healer to focus on keeping me alive.  If we are doing well with HOs, conserving mana, and I'm not taking a bad beating and the healer likes doing 3 man or 4 man HOs, I'll push a few their way for the buffs, but when I do, out comes some extra taunts.</P> <P>All my taunts @ 45 are adept 1.  All my wards are adept 1.  However, I played with 1 taunt and 1 ward at apprentice 4 for a few days and noticed no aggro management issues.  Now that I have a nice reserve of coin, my next rhodium will go to an adept 3 while a ruby will either upgrade another adept 3 or maybe an imbued ring.</P> <P>Raids and high level content will either have a Guardian MT with the Pally OT and occasionally the Pally MT.  I would suggest forgetting all about any kind of dps in a raid as MT and focusing on targeting the right mobs at the right time and taunting as quickly as the recast timer permits--still do HOs like mad <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  However, dont' button mash and burn all your mana on dps.  The rest of the professions will deal with damage--if MT'ing, you need to hold aggro so taunt, taunt, taunt again and use your abilities well.</P> <P>If I have a Guardian -2 levels of me working hard on aggro management I can still coordinate the HOs and I can still taunt without stealing aggro to complete the HOs as long as I don't ward especially with a prayer or call.  Guardians have a LOT of aggro management tools.  We just have to work a little extra hard using heals and wards to offset our taunts.  Redemption, already mentioned on this board, is worth the upgrade when you have a single player in the group singing the Rockets Red Glare!</P> <P>Thanks,</P> <P>Kalen</P>

[Elesar]

<P>Some terrific advice here, thanks all!</P> <P> </P> <P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#33cc00>~Aeulyn</FONT></P> <P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#33cc00>Level 35 Paladin/Level 40 Provisioner</FONT></P> <P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#33cc00>Proud Member of The Calanor</FONT></P>