Raid Tanks + Buckler Spec

[notyou]

Just trying to figure out where I want to stick with my Warrior AA's before it gets ridiculously expensive.Any of you raid guardians use buckler spec and able to tank everything? I just want a little extra dps for holding aggro but don't want to sacrifice any tanking ability.I've been browsing and seeing things about 20k raid dps where we usually only hit 12k-14k (me being around 600-800) on a good fight and I think part of it is probably people don't want to steal aggro by going all out.So I'm wondering the final warrior spec any of you bucker raid MT guardians use.It looks like it'd be STR 4-4-8-8 + STA 4-4-8-8 or INT 4-4-8-8 + STA 4-4-8-8 but I'm not sure the extra hate + crits from STR is needed or if haste + parry from INT would be better.

Message Edited by notyou on 02-05-2007 01:51 PM

[Jackula]

Using a Buckler, STA 4/4/8 is a no-brainer.  To MT raid content, unless you have a great group set up and the gear to back it up, you need to invest a bit more into your defense so STA 4/4/8/8 is the way to go.To me, STR 4/4/8 is also a no-brainer.  It's a good boost to dps.  The bigger the difference between your weapon's low and high hit, the more the crits from this line pay off.  DPS = hate.   These are points well spent. The last 9 points are a toss up.  You can put 8 more into STR and 1 more into Buckler Reversal (STA).  Myself, I spent those 9 last points in INT instead.  I love being able to boost my own haste and I use a sword, so it was an easy choice.  I only raid 2 days out of the week as well, so I have to balance solo, grouping, and raiding.  For me this has been a good balance.The last 9 points depend on your gear, the groups you have access to, and what you are trying to raid MT.

[Ep]

all kos(except viculade, sometimes he hits hard 25%) i tank w/ buckler, eof i tank trash w/ buckler, use tower for eof epics.

[TuinalOfTheNexus]

Yep, buckler's still the way to go.

 

One useful trick is to hotbutton a tower shield and ToS, and bind them to the same key, so on one keypress you go from having a buckler out to being behind a tower shield with stoneskin on. This handles spikes, then after you can decide if you want to keep the tower shield for the rest of the fight. This really gives you the best of both worlds.

 

99% of raid content I tank with a buckler, if you include trash. No zone has trash so hard you'd need or benefit from a tower shield, and most raid time is spent killing trash. With named, whether you pull a tower shield really depends on how well you know the encounter. If, for example, the raid are going to be switching targets and not focussing on the named 100% of the time, you don't really need hate so it's better to play it safe. It's a good idea to use a tower on a lot of EoF named, but most KoS ones you can just go pure DPS and let the healers pick up the slack (justifiable, since your DPS = your hate = raid DPS).

 

My spec is str 4 4 8 8 sta 4 5 8 8, I can see a definite argument for str 4 4 8 sta 4 4 8 8 int 4 5 if you use a sword. I like the 10% hate from str because of the edge it gives you when tanking multiple mobs, whereas haste would only help on a single target. Perhaps dropping the avoidance from the buckler line and putting it into int would be a possibility but I'd be reluctant to diminish avoidance any further.

[LuckyLuck]

I see no reason to lay 9 points in Int.

5 points are completely sufficient. on rank 1 there are 23% of Haste on 5 27%. 4 Points for 4% Haste is a waste.

the last 4 Points i put in Str for hategain

 

Str 4484, Sta 4488, Int 41

[Bhuhdiy]

Switched back to buckler spec recently, and it's made all the difference in the world for agro control.  I dropped wisdom line to pick up stamina, I don't notice the loss of mit, and the double attack more than makes up for the +dps  Like a couple mentioned above, I use buckler for all content except a few hard-hitting named in EoF, and for Chel-Drak.  I tanked Chel once with the buckler, and it went fine, but the healers complained, and agro isn't an issue on that encounter, so I complied. STA 4/5/8/8 STR 4/4/8/8

[Bhuhdiy]

Something else to help with the loss of block, I put the +block adornments on both wrists and on my buckler.  That's 3% extra block, and yes they do stack with each other.

[Lorellia]

Okay, I'm a serker rather than a guardian, but I've got some questions for the better and more experienced players out there. Just hit tier 7 andfound that the mobs are a whole different ballpark harder than tier 6 and been discussing with guildies about AA strategy. As background I am fairly well equiped (level 60 in full pre nerf cobatl, with a set of Xegonite waiting level 62) and mostly interested in grouping as opposed to raiding. I am going to choose either the sta or the str line probably married with Int. Some of my group are dubious that a buckler will be able to keep up with the tougher nameds in EoF and KoS and that the +10% hate is better than the increased DPS of the stamina line. So the two main questions I have at the end of that is, does strength give a higher overall hate than Sta and does a moderately equiped warrior with a buckler stand a chance in a full group against the tougher mobs in EoF? Thanks!

[Terron]

>As background I am fairly well equiped (level 60 in full pre nerf cobatl, with a set of Xegonite waiting >level 62) and mostly interested in grouping as opposed to raiding. For grouping just pick the AAs you think will suit your character best. Since you are guilded try to get on some guild writ raids. They give level 60 legendary armour that is better than Xegonite. The hand feet and head armour molds drop commonly and are worth going for. The other pieces are a lot rarer and probably not worth trying to get, but would be a nice bonus.

[Ep]

EoF mobs would prolly kick you while you were down, w/ buckler spec and that type of equip. Remember prenerf'd cobalt ain't bad, but it's lvl range is like 52, while your fighting lvl 70+ mobs so in effect your tanking in cloth =p You need better tier appropriate armor to tank effectively w/ a buckler(you can tank but i said effectively, meaning you won't need 2 healers workin hard to keep you up) Some sos gear is still good for that range, and i'm sure theres new broker gear you can get that'll give you a better edge than grey'd out cobalt. Also like many have and will suggest, if you have not done claymore, Do it now asap, it'll still be your best quest to do in terms of getting high mitigation. Mitigation isn't as important as it was b4 the big LU, but you still need a good amount of MIT to tank effectively. claymore gives you side rewards of decent bp good legs good ring/earring decent wrist good arms nice ranged and of course if you make it far enough, another good earing and quest reward(90% choose shield)

[laurial]

hmm i have yet to see the % chance to block for the shield, who makes it?

[laurial]

found it, t6 adornment

[Bhuhdiy]

Shield - Fabled T6 - Lambent Balanced Strut (Woodworker) - increases Block chance by 1.0%  

[rubels]

Buckler spec ... can tank everything my guild has done so far.

I do gheto shield it though on heavy targets.

- Krov

[Raahl]

I just respec'd to STR: 5/4/8/8 STA: 4/4/8/8 and wow what a blast!  I've just tested this on 2x blue and white con mobs, but I like what I'm seeing.

[FightGame]

Lorellia wrote:

the +10% hate is better than the increased DPS of the stamina line.

Picking up 76% chance to double attack, and the 2nd ability that does damage when you or the mob avoids an attack, in the stamina line will give you ALOT more hate than the 10% you can pick up in the strength line.  I've went back and forth a couple times to prove it to myself and my guild.  Also, the 10% hate gain in str line can't be shut off, if you ever were not tanking.  With buckler, you can control your hate gain, through dps.

I am sta 5-8-8-8 and str 4-8-8 right now and tank everything in KoS with buckler.  At the start of the named fights in EoF I put on a tower shield.  When they change the final AA ability to cost only 2 points, I will respec and pick up end ability in sta line, and maybe even change to agility line to try the end ability there.

I enjoy this set up because it works well for me and our raid, but also because out of all these points spent, I only have 1 hotkey that is a buff (on until canceled) and 1 hotkey that does damage (2nd ability in str line).  No extra buttons that need spammed in between my taunts, etc.  Very easy crittin double attackin damage.

[Keavea]

When i read this threat,  and when i read other treath, about witch line to follow or whats the best line to go , or should i go STA ,INT or STR ,WIS or AGI. Nobody can say what line is the best to go.  You have tanks that love the INT/STR line and other that love the AGI/INT and others use something Completly different I think that it is a persona choice . I  was checking Dayly Guardian Forum as i was clueless on what line i should follow with new combat revamp.  wel From what ive been reading since launch It is a Persona choice , Everything got to do with what you wear not everyone got the best BP, not everyone can say they are fully fabled. Som tanks wil stil need to boost Wis for Mitigation som others wil just go AGI / INT to boost parry and block, as they dont have any probo keeping agro on raid/grp Adorments is now in game and those makes it a lot nice . I should say to everyone that are checking forum to get info just Tryout and see whats fit the best for you IT is not Coz someone is using the STA line that you wil be able to do the same while you are using it .. Every tank is different to another and every tank use different Gear combo .

[Ep]

^--- translates to do your own thing dawg, do your own thing. Now keavea, i really don't want to be the grammar police, lord knows i mess up too, but i think we'd all just appreciate paragraphs in what seems to be a very long run on sentence. Now, if this isn't your main language i won't fault you and take everything back, at least your communicating thats cool. Heck it could be translated for all i know, i notice these forums have support for different languages too, but man thats one long sentence.

[Keavea]

Hi really sorry lol indeed English is not my main Language . jsut kpe typing yesterday and Forgot the EOL and comma :p . Comment on What ive typed :p 

 P.S: Ive edited my post so hope you can understand it now :p

[Yimway]

To beat a dead horse... Don't need buckler, don't need dps.  Neither contributes to my primary roll, survivability. Still on AGI/INT.  However, I've now got 485 Defense buffed in raid (the 30 points buffer for debuff I wanted).  I've considered dumping AGI, however the end ability adds WAY too much to my survivability to change to something vane like dps. There are simply too many raid encounters where I take the big ugly while 90% of the raid kills off adds.  A very common tactic is to have the ST pull group taunt, I fire rescue on named (landing 5-6k+/swing damage).  Hitting the 7 second 100% parry buff now allows the debuffers assigned to my target to get it debuffed, healers to load full sets of reactives / wards before a point of damage is taken.  By the time i finally get hit, the mob is doing atleast 50% less damage.  There are plenty of other instances where this has increased survivability as well. I never have agro issues without going buckler / str for dps. Perhaps other guilds have insane cases, but I'm tanking for raids averaging around 14500 dps zone wide. My MT group has to change around a good bit as attendance varies greatly.  However this is generally how it looks: Tank Group Sample 1: Guard Defiler Templar Conj Swash Dirge Tank Group Sample 2: Guard Defiler Templar Conj Swash Assassin The conjurer is a crutch atm, cause my miti isn't far enough into the curve after dropping wis and putting on stat gear vs +miti gear.  When I pick up 350 more miti (what the conj adds), we'll consider moving him out, although we find hydromancer to be useful for both healing, and the aoe hate reducer for non-fighters.  Generally we always have one conj on hydro and one necro on ooze for every raid. I just wanted to post a discenting opinion to what everyone else seems to believe.  The above works very well for me.