AE Taunting

[Zooce]

<DIV>I like tanking! Just thought I'd get that out of the way first. My usual group makeup includes a Zerker, so I let him take the hits and go DPS most of the time.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>However sometimes I wanna tank, pickup / guild group or the Zerker is away, I've tried quite a bit. My standard group makeup includes a Conjuror - group AEs abound.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So I'm having trouble keeping aggro on groups of mobs as I've seen other monks have the same problem, it can be quite frustrating when other fighters do not seem to share this same problem.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm level 36, I chose the Master 2 AE taunt Hand Slap, which I use on INC (which is still better than the new lvl 36 AE taunt), I then usually use the AE dmg (Sparking Cobra?) and then maybe my stone face depending on how hard they are hitting. I'm using defensive stance as the DPS of the grp is not a problem. Perhaps I should try offensive stance? But this would only give me better aggro on single targets...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I heard that using group buffs like Wisdom of Zephyl can increase aggro on me from grps of mobs, but it's a 1 min refresh on cast so I can't use this on every pull. What else can you use?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I only have one other taunt (apart from hand clap) which is the single mob taunt (all other taunts share a re-use timer), so other can constantly switch to mobs to use the single mob taunt to keep them on you, am I missing anything I can do to stop the Conjuror or his pet getting pummelled? He already waits quite a while before wading in to let me get aggro but this often is not enough.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Just looking for your advice <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Are we the only fighter that only gets two distinct taunt re-use timers?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Zooce</DIV> <DIV>36 Monk</DIV> <DIV>Forlorn Hope</DIV> <DIV>Splitpaw</DIV>

[ArivenGemini]

<span><blockquote><hr>Zooce wrote:<div>I like tanking! Just thought I'd get that out of the way first. My usual group makeup includes a Zerker, so I let him take the hits and go DPS most of the time.</div> <div> </div> <div>However sometimes I wanna tank, pickup / guild group or the Zerker is away, I've tried quite a bit. My standard group makeup includes a Conjuror - group AEs abound.</div> <div> </div> <div>So I'm having trouble keeping aggro on groups of mobs as I've seen other monks have the same problem, it can be quite frustrating when other fighters do not seem to share this same problem.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm level 36, I chose the Master 2 AE taunt Hand Slap, which I use on INC (which is still better than the new lvl 36 AE taunt), I then usually use the AE dmg (Sparking Cobra?) and then maybe my stone face depending on how hard they are hitting. I'm using defensive stance as the DPS of the grp is not a problem. Perhaps I should try offensive stance? But this would only give me better aggro on single targets...</div> <div> </div> <div>I heard that using group buffs like Wisdom of Zephyl can increase aggro on me from grps of mobs, but it's a 1 min refresh on cast so I can't use this on every pull. What else can you use?</div> <div> </div> <div>I only have one other taunt (apart from hand clap) which is the single mob taunt (all other taunts share a re-use timer), so other can constantly switch to mobs to use the single mob taunt to keep them on you, am I missing anything I can do to stop the Conjuror or his pet getting pummelled? He already waits quite a while before wading in to let me get aggro but this often is not enough.</div> <div> </div> <div>Just looking for your advice <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Are we the only fighter that only gets two distinct taunt re-use timers?</div> <hr></blockquote> Make sure you either use a Main assist setup or train them to use /assist (yourname) to swap to your first target.  Keep everyone on that target til it dies and then they swap to whatever target you are currently on.  Fire off the AOE taunt whenever it is up. This lets you "walk" the mobs and target each one individually and direct taunt and do damage to them.  If you have dragon stance (or others in its line) this lets you get the taunts off from hitting them...  Make sure you have built up good agro on the first mob before swapping off (or it will peel). After you have done at least one single taunt (assuming good quality taunt) and some damage to each one it is a lot easier for AOEs to be done in group without losing agro...  but it is critical that people do -not- indirect fight by merely targetting you.. this lets them chase your agro on all the mobs.. this also slows down the encounter (it will go a lot faster if everyone hits one mob all the time instead of spreading the damage across the encounter). Once you get this in action and practiced, it goes fairly easy.. just remember to fire off sparking hands when it is up, and your AOE taunt when it is up. When I pull, if it is a single mob I get a direct taunt then an AOE,  and reverse that order when it is multiple mobs.. Other than borked agro mobs (owlbears in Nek forest for example) this should help you get a good handle on the problem..</span><div></div>

[Aeadiin]

<span><blockquote><hr>Ariven wrote:<span><blockquote><hr>Zooce wrote:<div>I like tanking! Just thought I'd get that out of the way first. My usual group makeup includes a Zerker, so I let him take the hits and go DPS most of the time.</div> <div> </div> <div>However sometimes I wanna tank, pickup / guild group or the Zerker is away, I've tried quite a bit. My standard group makeup includes a Conjuror - group AEs abound.</div> <div> </div> <div>So I'm having trouble keeping aggro on groups of mobs as I've seen other monks have the same problem, it can be quite frustrating when other fighters do not seem to share this same problem.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm level 36, I chose the Master 2 AE taunt Hand Slap, which I use on INC (which is still better than the new lvl 36 AE taunt), I then usually use the AE dmg (Sparking Cobra?) and then maybe my stone face depending on how hard they are hitting. I'm using defensive stance as the DPS of the grp is not a problem. Perhaps I should try offensive stance? But this would only give me better aggro on single targets...</div> <div> </div> <div>I heard that using group buffs like Wisdom of Zephyl can increase aggro on me from grps of mobs, but it's a 1 min refresh on cast so I can't use this on every pull. What else can you use?</div> <div> </div> <div>I only have one other taunt (apart from hand clap) which is the single mob taunt (all other taunts share a re-use timer), so other can constantly switch to mobs to use the single mob taunt to keep them on you, am I missing anything I can do to stop the Conjuror or his pet getting pummelled? He already waits quite a while before wading in to let me get aggro but this often is not enough.</div> <div> </div> <div>Just looking for your advice <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Are we the only fighter that only gets two distinct taunt re-use timers?</div> <hr></blockquote> Make sure you either use a Main assist setup or train them to use /assist (yourname) to swap to your first target.  Keep everyone on that target til it dies and then they swap to whatever target you are currently on.  Fire off the AOE taunt whenever it is up. This lets you "walk" the mobs and target each one individually and direct taunt and do damage to them.  If you have dragon stance (or others in its line) this lets you get the taunts off from hitting them...  Make sure you have built up good agro on the first mob before swapping off (or it will peel). After you have done at least one single taunt (assuming good quality taunt) and some damage to each one it is a lot easier for AOEs to be done in group without losing agro...  but it is critical that people do -not- indirect fight by merely targetting you.. this lets them chase your agro on all the mobs.. this also slows down the encounter (it will go a lot faster if everyone hits one mob all the time instead of spreading the damage across the encounter). Once you get this in action and practiced, it goes fairly easy.. just remember to fire off sparking hands when it is up, and your AOE taunt when it is up. When I pull, if it is a single mob I get a direct taunt then an AOE,  and reverse that order when it is multiple mobs.. Other than borked agro mobs (owlbears in Nek forest for example) this should help you get a good handle on the problem..</span><div></div><hr></blockquote>The above pretty much outlines the easiest way to hold agro on a group, it's unfortunate, but it's definately a reality.  Monk's don't have enough taunts to make holding agro on groups easy, so taking the extra time to get a taunt or two in on all the mobs is the only way you can really do so.</span><div></div>

[Cyngii]

<DIV>Something else to keep in mind is a) taunts are resistable and b) it appears they've put a limit as to how far group taunt is effective.  If you read the general combat boards there are a lot of people complaining about taunts being resisted.  This really messes with brawlers since it's a hastle trying to clean up from taunts being resisted when we only have 2 real taunts to play with.  Pre revamp as long as one MOB of a group was within range of group taunt, the taunt would effect the whole group (even if one of the MOBs was like 100 feet away).  Post revamp they made the range of the taunt a lot further, but it's humble opinion that if any MOB is beyond the range of the spell they don't get effected by the taunt.  If you are using group taunt from max range to pull see if you have agro issues when you get back to the group...  Just a thought/observation that might be worth looking at.</DIV>