PSA: For all newbie Tanks:

Use Flash and/or Overpower(Both if you are a Marauder/Warrior, Flash atleast twice in a row if you are a Gladiator/Paladin).

While yes, it IS important for you guys to use your rotations(The window that accomidates the skill glow yellow when you follow the skill pattern), using Flash/Overpower at the start of dungeon encounters removes ALOT of the potential burden the rest of the party has to deal with. You guys are Tanks, you are designed to be taking everyone's hits so that there won't be no issues.

I'm not saying this to be mean or evil, in fact, I usually tell all the Tanks I see that don't use Flash/Overpower to use them in the most sincere manner possible(until it's been like 2-3 boss encounters and the whole dungeon without it's use, but I digress). If you can't deal with this...then you may need to choose another class.

Sincerely, Xhominid.

Also, as a PLD, make sure to use Fast Blade >> Savage Blade >> Rage of Halone in that order. Because I've met a lot of tanks who don't, and will just spam Savage Blade and rage of Halone.

I prefer Flash x 3 when I'm on Paladin, then maintain hate by switching between targets. If there's more than 3 mobs it's Flash x3, Fast > Riot > Flash > Fast > Riot > Etc... When tanking on WAR I tend to do Flash x2 AND Overpower x2. Never lose healer aggro again with these combos.

If I had a nickel for every time I've seen a noobtank run in and flash to the middle of a room and hit one mob, then get all indignant when someone pulls aggro... I'd probably have like... 3 bucks. That's not how flash works! ><

Sadly the noobtanks that we're trying to help won't be reading this, but it's fun to vent!

MRD and WAR; crossclass Flash. Flash will not end combos like Overpower does, and you can use it even while Pacified by Berserk. We don't have anything else to use our mana on anyways.

Shouldn't this be posted in the new player section of the forums? I doubt many newbies visit the forums anyway but if they did they'd probably go there.

Everyone knows that fracture spam is the best skill for tank and aggro and everything.


(Sorry, I can't just take seriously posts that are not posted in the correct forum section such as TANK ROLES or NEW PLAYER HELP.)

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Originally Posted by Thistledown

MRD and WAR; crossclass Flash. Flash will not end combos like Overpower does, and you can use it even while Pacified by Berserk. We don't have anything else to use our mana on anyways.

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When I first started going MRD/WAR I can't tell you how many people laughed at me for using flash. But I almost never have hate problems.

I do get called out for low DPS from time to time but I don't really care, DPSing isn't my job.

I've found the following to be effective:

Shield Lob/Tomahawk
Flash/Overpower
Rotation on primary target
Flash/Overpower
Rotation on primary target
Rotation on secondary targets
Flash/Overpower

Then just do whatever the hell you want while keeping an eye on enmity.

The best advice that a newbie tanks can get is to take things slow. Don't pull more than you are comfortable with. If you get over-geared level synced DPS with a bad attitude, let them get aggro and die. The touch it they own it, and if they die from them, it is their own fault. Flash helps, but you are not going to out aggro BRDs and BLMs who do not know how to use quelling strike. If they are impatient and want to AOE everything before you can even get your ROH combo off, they got the mobs they own it. Players like that deliberately making the tank's job hard are not even worth the provoke to get the mob back. And if those players that should know better start up with the verbal abuse, report them to the GM and attach the chat log with evidence of all their insults.

Don't forget the now buffed Circle of Scorn, generates enmity (since patch) and is off GCD. Ooooh pretty! :P

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Originally Posted by Adrian74

Everyone knows that fracture spam is the best skill for tank and aggro and everything.


(Sorry, I can't just take seriously posts that are not posted in the correct forum section such as TANK ROLES or NEW PLAYER HELP.)

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Wait....WAT?!?!? There's other places to post other than General Discussion in these forums?!?! Lies....

Honestly, if it means even one less dungeon where I'm pulling hate on mobs 2 through X just keeping the tank above 50%, you could post "Flash/overpower moar" on a lawnmower maintenance forum, and I'd be all right with that.

When I am pacified from Berserk, a flash or two keeps decent aggro on me until I recover from the debuff. That's about the only time I use Flash unless I'm out of TP.

The most important thing is that you cycle through your targets to maintain enmity. What abilities to use and how often to use them is entirely situational. The most important part is maintaining control over the group you're currently fighting.

For the Warrior out there:

When engaging multiple enemies (3+ usually), typical sequence
1) Tomahawk, optional
2) Overpower, considering direction so that you actually hit everything .. or Flash
3) Overpower
4) Choice of whatever you like: Maim, Butcher Block combo, more Overpower, etc.

Comments:
Tomahawk is great when you're starting out, but I find a lot of times I like to just run in and body pull without Tomahawk first. This is because what you DO NOT want is to Tomahawk while moving forward, healer heals you, and all but 1 mobs run toward healer -- all before your cooldown is ready to Overpower/Flash. What I like to do sometimes is to just run in and Flash in middle of the group -- assuming all are fairly close together before you engage. If they're spread out, or you want to pull them toward you, then Tomahawk first.

Flash is awesome, even for a warrior who has Overpower. In the initial engage it allows you to not care about targeting and direction of the cone shape for Overpower. If you run out of TP, Flash. If you're under Pacification after Berserk, Flash. If need agro on something both ahead and behind you, Flash. If you're picking up an add just as it spawns, maybe Flash (that's a whole other topic.. Flash is OK, but there may be better options).

One Flash or Overpower at the start is NOT enough. If you just do 1 and start single target attacks, then secondary enemies will soon go for the healer. Think of it as a "score" on each target individually: each Overpower or Flash cumulatively adds to the score on every enemy it hits.

Overpower is frickin' awesome. If I can find 3+ enemies (more the better), I'll do that and chain Overpower until out of TP (Maim optional) -- instead of Butcher's Block combo. As long as your gear is approximately equal to the DPS in your group, you won't lose agro on the primary target. If your gear is lower, then you may have to switch to Butcher's Block combo after 2x Overpower/Flash. This may be true for Paladins too, since Flash is less agro than Overpower.

Finally, Steel Cyclone is a good ability. It has the same size and shape (circle) as Flash, but does more damage and agro than either Overpower or Flash.

Something that I'd like to add: Don't be afraid to ask your damage dealers (and to an extent, your healers) to wait a few seconds before unloading their mad deeps.

Also: don't be afraid to mark targets. Us damage dealers are not mind-readers.

something else to add as well:

Provoke is your friend, but she needs encouragement to be effective (maybe some roses). always follow up a provoke with a tomahawk/shield lob, or a combo'd enmity building skill, like savage blade or butcher's block.

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Originally Posted by Shougun

Don't forget the now buffed Circle of Scorn, generates enmity (since patch) and is off GCD. Ooooh pretty! :P

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Thats a level 50 action, doubt many new tanks would be using it, also most low level dungeons you can't use it anyways.

I'm not a career tank by any means but I would like to add this. Please don't burn all your abilities (Rampart and the like) in one shot. Spread them out because 15-30 seconds of "god mode" (it really isn't btw) means nothing when they are all down during a crucial high damage move or you need to put out extra damage to regain/hold hate during DPS burns.

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Originally Posted by Noshpan

Something that I'd like to add: Don't be afraid to ask your damage dealers (and to an extent, your healers) to wait a few seconds before unloading their mad deeps.

Also: don't be afraid to mark targets. Us damage dealers are not mind-readers.

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A good rule of thumb: DPS the target that the tank use Tomahawk/Shield lob on. Once that's dead, move to the mob with the next fewest hitpoints. ;) I say this as both a BLM and an occasional PLD.

PLD: Flash > Flash > Flash > Fast Blade > Riot Blade > Flash Repeat Fast Blade > Riot Blade > Flash.

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Originally Posted by Eye_Gore

Thats a level 50 action, doubt many new tanks would be using it, also most low level dungeons you can't use it anyways.

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It has been a while, I forgot what is what until I go into a low level dungeon and feel naked*. Still, use that circle of scorn! :P

*Leech, Leech, {Leech} the sludge, Lee-- "I don't have it yet" ... Oh.. Well then.

It's worth mentioning that new tanks need to make sure they're keeping their gear updated, too. Especially the weapon.

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Originally Posted by Shougun

It has been a while, I forgot what is what until I go into a low level dungeon and feel naked*. Still, use that circle of scorn! :P

*Leech, Leech, {Leech} the sludge, Lee-- "I don't have it yet" ... Oh.. Well then.

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I always find myself using actions that no longer work, just out of habit I guess. I'm not super-geared, but I hardly even have to use flash in low level dungeons, sometime I just use it to use it, don't even need it.

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Originally Posted by Woggers

Wait....WAT?!?!? There's other places to post other than General Discussion in these forums?!?! Lies....

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I.... I swear it!... Ain't noone gonna believe me?! T_T

I have found 2 overpowers is enough. You can run a few combos then maybe another overpower just to make sure.

PLD on the other had sucks. Tons of flashes (even post buff) & constant target toggling to keep hate is what I found you need to do to prevent losing agro, and even then its not guaranteed.

My only advice is to not let people to make you quit the role. You'll find rude people and a$$h0l3s everywhere. Just keep it cool and ignore them. Risk a vote kick if you feel like it. Most of the time, you'll be the head of the group and as such, you'll be the first target, besides the healer, that will be attacked if something goes wrong. Learn from your mistakes, accept criticism, ignore a$$h0l3s.