Maintaining Agro in Group Encounters

[Leawyn]

Ok, so I am level 51 now (just got it last night hehe) and the last couple of nights I've been in Shimmering Citadel killing snakes for exp. Great exp if you have the right dps. One night, I went crazy and ahd 2 warlocks, a wizard and a conjurer (ya for dps!) but found myself losing agro CONSTANTLY to everyone but the one I had Amends on (changed repeatedly trying to hold agro!) They would constantly use their group encounter AE's and steal agro off the mobs I wasn't single-target taunting.Then last night, I was with a mezzer, so that changed my usual tactics of AEing for agro, because he was mezzing, and that kept killing him lol! But I again found myself losing agro constantly to other people after the first mob of the encounter was dead.Was just wondering if you guys have some tips about how to hold agro in a group encounter when the group is always using AE attacks. I know that warlocks and conjurers are well known for their ae dmg, but I find my one ae taunt (which I have at master level) is sorely lacking. Then when I group with mezzers, I get even worse as I can't even spam my ae's to get that extra dmg for agro. This is my one weak spot in tanking (I think!) and I would really like to solidify my AE taunt abilityThanks in advance!<div></div>

[Monfar]

I usualy don't have a real huge problem with it , sometimes you loose agro but that can happen. maybe try pulling with Decree then encounter taunt folowed by a ward and a heal then call assist folowed by a second encouter taunt and use your AE's when no other mobs around. if that doesn't help [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] slap the person getting agro the whole time. Keeping agro is not just the tanks job ,its a team job to keep the focus on the MT and not have the mob run around the group killing everyone because of dps hungry players but thats just an opinion that is not always shared by few dps who think they should be able to go full dps and if you can't keep agro say you are a bad tank.

[Anariale]

Yeah, when I have multiple high-AE damage classes blasting full bore, I have issues with aggro too... but so would ANY tank class.  Also, dont forget how important distance is to aggro.  If these casters are standing on top of the mobs, they are gonna get rocked.  Make them stand back and nuke from range.  Still, as the above poster said, Aggro is everyone's job, not just the tank.  If someone is pulling too much, tell them to back down a hair or just let them die 2-3 times.  At lvl 50+, they should know better.<div></div>

[Wannabepaladin]

<div></div><p>The group is going to have to help you out with aggro management. Any aggro-pulling class CAN get aggro off any tank if they try hard enough, and that is even if a paladin has Amends on them (they just have to try harder. Trust me. I have experimented).</p><p> </p><p>A couple suggestions:</p><p>Pull with Decree if you remember and it is up--you hit every mob initially.</p><p>Unyeilding conviction is your best friend--it is a very fast cast and hits every mob--sometimes even stuns them. I typically pull with a nuke--Decree when I remember--hit Unyeilding Conviction to grab control of the encounter, THEN use Zealous Preaching, then my single taunts. I also use Unyeilding Conviction to quickly grab mobs who aggroed on to someone else. (Unyeilding conviction is your AE stun--if you don't have it yet at your level you have the equivlent spell from a lower level).</p><p>Figure out who your biggest aggro puller is and make sure they have Amends. Some classes have more ability than others to not draw aggro--rogues have some aggro-reduction stance they can go into, for example. If you have a rogue, a monk, and a warlock in your group, you probably don't want to cast Amends on the rogue, even though he might be doing the most damage. He can avoid aggro, and the monk can take a few hits, so in that scenario I would put Amends on the Warlock. Then the DPSer with Amends needs to hit a little earlier and harder than normal, and everyone else needs to be a bit careful. So it is teamwork between you and your aggro-magnet.</p><p>BTW when I have an illusionist I give them Amends, over any other class, which seems to work very well.</p><p>It does seem to be very important for you to have hit the mob first, yourself, if possible. Proximity aggro just isn't as effective.   When you do get promimity aggro, use the AE stun ASAP. If your group insists on running ahead, get them under control--a few deaths will send the message quite well. Personally I don't worry about the death of careless/overeager non-tanks who insist on running ahead of me.</p>

[Leawyn]

I used everyone's suggestions last night in another Shimmering Citadel group, and it worked great. I found if I put amends on an AE happy person, that i held agro better. I don't use decree to pull but I will have to try that (I generally tro to use my ae taunt cuz i can cast it while running) hehehe. Good suggestions, and thank you! I Look like less of a [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] losing agro so much in group encounters.<div></div>

[Calroth Stilgar]

You can use Decree while running also. At least i could riding backwards on my carpet.<div></div>

[sliderhouserules]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>Calroth Stilgar wrote:You can use Decree while running also. At least i could riding backwards on my carpet.<hr></blockquote>I believe this is one of the spells they're changing with LU20, which is unfortunate. I pull with this spell and the judgment line while on the move nearly every pull I make.If you feel this is a bad change make sure to voice your opinion through /feedback, or threads here on the boards. <span>:smileysad:</span></span></div>

[sliderhouserules]

<div></div><div><span><blockquote><hr>Wannabepaladin wrote:<div></div><p>The group is going to have to help you out with aggro management. Any aggro-pulling class CAN get aggro off any tank if they try hard enough, and that is even if a paladin has Amends on them (they just have to try harder. Trust me. I have experimented).</p><p>A couple suggestions:</p><p>Pull with Decree if you remember and it is up--you hit every mob initially.</p><p>Unyeilding conviction is your best friend--it is a very fast cast and hits every mob--sometimes even stuns them. I typically pull with a nuke--Decree when I remember--hit Unyeilding Conviction to grab control of the encounter, THEN use Zealous Preaching, then my single taunts. I also use Unyeilding Conviction to quickly grab mobs who aggroed on to someone else. (Unyeilding conviction is your AE stun--if you don't have it yet at your level you have the equivlent spell from a lower level).</p><p>Figure out who your biggest aggro puller is and make sure they have Amends. Some classes have more ability than others to not draw aggro--rogues have some aggro-reduction stance they can go into, for example. If you have a rogue, a monk, and a warlock in your group, you probably don't want to cast Amends on the rogue, even though he might be doing the most damage. He can avoid aggro, and the monk can take a few hits, so in that scenario I would put Amends on the Warlock. Then the DPSer with Amends needs to hit a little earlier and harder than normal, and everyone else needs to be a bit careful. So it is teamwork between you and your aggro-magnet.</p><p>BTW when I have an illusionist I give them Amends, over any other class, which seems to work very well.</p><p>It does seem to be very important for you to have hit the mob first, yourself, if possible. Proximity aggro just isn't as effective.   When you do get promimity aggro, use the AE stun ASAP. If your group insists on running ahead, get them under control--a few deaths will send the message quite well. Personally I don't worry about the death of careless/overeager non-tanks who insist on running ahead of me.</p><hr></blockquote>These are my basic strategies also, and I feel I am a very good tank (not trying to brag, I just take pride in doing the job well).If I'm pulling a multi-mob encounter I always pull with Decree. There is <u>no substitute</u> for being the first one to hit a mob. I then follow up with group taunt as this can be done from range, then when the mobs are in point-blank range I use my Conviction spell (and I almost always use my spinning AE [Holy Symbol, from the Assault line] too).If I have a chanter in group that is mezzing mobs, I usually tell them to hold off on mezzes until I've pounded out both those AE's on the pull. I usually put my Amends on him also, as with him mezzing he's generating good aggro, and if we're in a situation where mezzing is necessary, his dying would probably not be a good thing. <span>:smileytongue:</span></span></div><p>Message Edited by sliderhouserules on <span class="date_text">02-21-2006</span><span class="time_text">02:15 PM</span></p>