Low level tank questions

MattHC · 02-19-2010, 12:49 PM

I am new to the berserker class and was wondering a few things I have been hearing conflicting information about as far as tanking goes for berserker..

For lower levels (low 30s though the 50s) where you can assume that players in the group will be of lower gear, how should I be setup to tank for dungeons?-Shield or no shield? Why or why not?

-What AA line should I go down? Currently I am going down the agil line working for Dragoon reflexes with a few points in stam/str. What will be best for "pure tank" build. Agro has not yet been an issue.

-I see people saying str as primary stat, but if tanking is my desired role why not stam/agil/str?

-Lastly is there a good website/guide/spread sheet ect that would have information on how to obtain gear for my level from non-crafting non-broker means? For example a berserker website that showed some good plate gear that drops out of the differnt dungeons and the bosses they drop off of. Or Quests that have very good plate/stam rewards. Thanks for the info !

Obadiah · 02-19-2010, 02:23 PM

I would set up to maximize DPS. It's not tankish, but the mobs aren't going to be difficult, particularly if you have 30 or so AA points.

I would enter the STR tree down to the crits, maximizing crit chance (which now applies to taunts as well). Then STA down to double attack. Particularly after getting Open Wounds at level 52 I would ditch the AGI entirely, although it may be worth putting one point in. 1 point for an AoE isn't bad.

Then I think I'd go down the Cyclones branch of the EoF tree, trying to have enough points to put 5 in Rampage when you get that ability at level 50.

Unless you are having survivability issues I would dual-wield. I'd CARRY a shield, and potentially use it on bosses if they are causing you grief. The block chance AA in the STA tree is nice and tankish too, but honestly though I think at those levels I would just go down each of the branches of the Warrior tree to the damage parts, even the +DPS in the hated WIS line for a while.

Nothing wrong with STA, but STR adds to your power pool, taunt amounts, damage amounts ... all good things.

I don't know of any sites that list it out in that level range, but you could look over the drops that particular bosses in some zones have at lootdb.com. If you just go nuts killing stuff in Runnyeye and Deathfist and Sol's Eye, etc. you'll find them though. Why don't you want crafted? It's pretty solid stuff.

Wilin · 02-19-2010, 02:26 PM

Playing a tank well is a constant balance of defense vs. aggro vs. offense. They are not independent of one another and the balance can shift everytime you get a new piece of gear or new level or new AA. At your level, the basic heuristic is to concentrate on defense until you start having aggro problems, then shift to aggro control while keeping defense up as much as possible. In the past, the only real way to increase aggro while levelling was to increase offense. But, there are some other tricks now. Still the easiest way to increase aggro is increase offense and you get the added payoff of killing things faster.

So, the answer to your question is, pick whatever lines give you good defense, good aggro, and good offense for your current gear, level and AAs. In that vein, the STR line seems to be the absolute winner now with the release of SF. That is because STR increase Crit chance. That used to be melee crit only, but now it also affects your taunts critting(aggro) and your heals. You only need to go down the first 2 steps in STR now. If you need more aggro you can continue to the third step in STR. I would stop at the crit chance though if you are having no aggro problems. After STR, I'd go with STA. Get a good tower/kite shield, and take that down to shield block chance. That will give you a useless reaction buff, but more importantly 25double attack and 12% shield block chance. INT is usually the third that is chosen for several reasons. WIS and AGI have been less useful in the past but at 81+, they might get more use. Dragoons Reflexes is not a typical zerker pick because it requires that you go all the way to the end of the line. After you get Open Wounds, the agi line is marginally useful whereas STR/STA/INT are usually en easy return.

Wilin · 02-19-2010, 02:33 PM

The advice is largely the same between us, but just coming at it from differents ends. One goes default defense then add offense and the other goes default offense then add defense. They both end up somewhere in the middle by balancing it all out. I go the offense then add defense for my solo and easy group build. But flip it for the hard stuff.

MattHC · 02-19-2010, 03:55 PM

Thanks guys! Big help. And its not that I dont want crafted gear, its that I already know/have most of it. ATM I am a 22 armorsmith so I can figure that easy enough but I didnet know much about quest items/mob drops.

Payneal The Great · 02-19-2010, 03:59 PM

One thing to keep in mind, your job is not just to stay alive, but to hold aggro, so DPS is almost as important as defenses.

02-19-2010, 02:23 PM	#2
Obadiah Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2,154	I would set up to maximize DPS. It's not tankish, but the mobs aren't going to be difficult, particularly if you have 30 or so AA points. I would enter the STR tree down to the crits, maximizing crit chance (which now applies to taunts as well). Then STA down to double attack. Particularly after getting Open Wounds at level 52 I would ditch the AGI entirely, although it may be worth putting one point in. 1 point for an AoE isn't bad. Then I think I'd go down the Cyclones branch of the EoF tree, trying to have enough points to put 5 in Rampage when you get that ability at level 50. Unless you are having survivability issues I would dual-wield. I'd CARRY a shield, and potentially use it on bosses if they are causing you grief. The block chance AA in the STA tree is nice and tankish too, but honestly though I think at those levels I would just go down each of the branches of the Warrior tree to the damage parts, even the +DPS in the hated WIS line for a while. Nothing wrong with STA, but STR adds to your power pool, taunt amounts, damage amounts ... all good things. I don't know of any sites that list it out in that level range, but you could look over the drops that particular bosses in some zones have at lootdb.com. If you just go nuts killing stuff in Runnyeye and Deathfist and Sol's Eye, etc. you'll find them though. Why don't you want crafted? It's pretty solid stuff. __________________

02-19-2010, 02:26 PM	#3
Wilin Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,151	Playing a tank well is a constant balance of defense vs. aggro vs. offense. They are not independent of one another and the balance can shift everytime you get a new piece of gear or new level or new AA. At your level, the basic heuristic is to concentrate on defense until you start having aggro problems, then shift to aggro control while keeping defense up as much as possible. In the past, the only real way to increase aggro while levelling was to increase offense. But, there are some other tricks now. Still the easiest way to increase aggro is increase offense and you get the added payoff of killing things faster. So, the answer to your question is, pick whatever lines give you good defense, good aggro, and good offense for your current gear, level and AAs. In that vein, the STR line seems to be the absolute winner now with the release of SF. That is because STR increase Crit chance. That used to be melee crit only, but now it also affects your taunts critting(aggro) and your heals. You only need to go down the first 2 steps in STR now. If you need more aggro you can continue to the third step in STR. I would stop at the crit chance though if you are having no aggro problems. After STR, I'd go with STA. Get a good tower/kite shield, and take that down to shield block chance. That will give you a useless reaction buff, but more importantly 25double attack and 12% shield block chance. INT is usually the third that is chosen for several reasons. WIS and AGI have been less useful in the past but at 81+, they might get more use. Dragoons Reflexes is not a typical zerker pick because it requires that you go all the way to the end of the line. After you get Open Wounds, the agi line is marginally useful whereas STR/STA/INT are usually en easy return. __________________

02-19-2010, 02:33 PM	#4
Wilin Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,151	The advice is largely the same between us, but just coming at it from differents ends. One goes default defense then add offense and the other goes default offense then add defense. They both end up somewhere in the middle by balancing it all out. I go the offense then add defense for my solo and easy group build. But flip it for the hard stuff. __________________

02-19-2010, 03:59 PM	#6
Payneal The Great Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 166	One thing to keep in mind, your job is not just to stay alive, but to hold aggro, so DPS is almost as important as defenses. __________________ Dear Devs, please nerf rock.., paper is fine. Yours Truly, Scissors!

02-19-2010, 12:49 PM	#1
MattHC Scholar Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 3	I am new to the berserker class and was wondering a few things I have been hearing conflicting information about as far as tanking goes for berserker.. For lower levels (low 30s though the 50s) where you can assume that players in the group will be of lower gear, how should I be setup to tank for dungeons?-Shield or no shield? Why or why not? -What AA line should I go down? Currently I am going down the agil line working for Dragoon reflexes with a few points in stam/str. What will be best for "pure tank" build. Agro has not yet been an issue. -I see people saying str as primary stat, but if tanking is my desired role why not stam/agil/str? -Lastly is there a good website/guide/spread sheet ect that would have information on how to obtain gear for my level from non-crafting non-broker means? For example a berserker website that showed some good plate gear that drops out of the differnt dungeons and the bosses they drop off of. Or Quests that have very good plate/stam rewards. Thanks for the info !

02-19-2010, 03:55 PM	#5
MattHC Scholar Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 3	Thanks guys! Big help. And its not that I dont want crafted gear, its that I already know/have most of it. ATM I am a 22 armorsmith so I can figure that easy enough but I didnet know much about quest items/mob drops.