Riot Blade > Rage of Halone Needs Work - Some Ideas

[Judge_Xero]

Halone as I believe it can be reworked from being a highly situational combo to a bread and butter combo of both classes. I know some of these concerns have been brought up before but I'd like to bring focus to this particular combo.

You pretty much answered your own question.
This combo is pretty situational, and thus...working as intended.
The defense down debuff is pretty powerful, does decent damage, and when combo'd is crazy.

I wouldn't mind the cooldown being lowered a bit, but the mechanics of it are fine.

Flat Blade and Spirits are the bread and butter. Easymode Rage would be way too much icing on the cake.

While I know where the OP is coming from and agree with the notion of PLD needing changes, I don't think that Riot Blade was meant to be bread and butter in a DPS rotation. The cooldowns are too restrictive.

The only changes I know of that PLD may need, but at the same time would make it way OP is the ability to Tank Multiple Mobs, as well as War.

What it does good right now:
1) Can block 50%+ of physical attacks on Bosses
2) Damage reduction with Sentinel
3) Highest single target Enmity Generation
4) Medium Damge to High Damage potential
5) Self Heals/Party Buffs/Cover
6) Enemy Debuffs (Goring Blade, Defense Down. Aero, Stone)

[Duelle]

The only changes I know of that PLD may need, but at the same time would make it way OP is the ability to Tank Multiple Mobs, as well as War.

What it does good right now:
1) Can block 50%+ of physical attacks on Bosses
2) Damage reduction with Sentinel

Damage mitigation is fine, I agree.

3) Highest single target Enmity Generation

While nice, means little in a world there there are groups of mobs involved. Lack of AoE damage makes it look very subpar, especially when placed next to a tank that can hold single target aggro AND do AoE damage in encounters that matter. The attempted dichotomy of "WAR tanks groups, PLD tanks bosses" is idiotic and should go away ASAP.

4) Medium Damage to High Damage potential

This is false. PLD can very easily get out-DPSed by pretty much everyone else, including WAR.

5) Self Heals/Party Buffs/Cover

Cover's design is pretty flawed. Only buff would be Protect, which is not native to the job.

6) Enemy Debuffs (Goring Blade, Defense Down. Aero, Stone)

No PLD that I know of has Aero and Stone on their action bars. Not when you're pretty much using Provoke, Raise, Bloodbath, Protect and Stoneskin. I can't place large value on debuffs that don't have a 100% land rate, either.

As I said, the OP makes a good point in saying PLD plays second fiddle to WAR. I'd rather both be interchangable, and to meet that end PLD needs changes.

[Judge_Xero]

While nice, means little in a world there there are groups of mobs involved. Lack of AoE damage makes it look very subpar, especially when placed next to a tank that can hold single target aggro AND do AoE damage in encounters that matter. The attempted dichotomy of "WAR tanks groups, PLD tanks bosses" is idiotic and should go away ASAP.

Who know's what 2.0 will bring, but in a world where the only fight that "matters" where there are multiple mobs is Princess. I'd think the strongest single target hate generator would be ideal.

This is false. PLD can very easily get out-DPSed by pretty much everyone else, including WAR

I honestly haven't parsed against a DPS geared Warrior to compare numbers. I mentioned "potential" because you need to be geared properly as a DPS tank. Warriors base stats are STR and VIT, which makes the average WAR build, naturally geared towards damage output, so I can understand why you would think PLD can be so easliy out-DPS'd

Cover's design is pretty flawed. Only buff would be Protect, which is not native to the job.

I agree, cover is a bit of a pain, and only works well on close quarter DD's. Buffs include, Rampart, Stoneskin(can AOE this), Protect, Divine Veil + Heal, gives party members within range a Regen effect.

No PLD that I know of has Aero and Stone on their action bars. Not when you're pretty much using Provoke, Raise, Bloodbath, Protect and Stoneskin. I can't place large value on debuffs that don't have a 100% land rate, either

Maybe this is where your view on how poor PLD is comes from? At the very least, why not use Aero to put a DOT effect on the boss. Aero > Protect 95% of the time.

[MoarLegion]

It used to be that my LS wanted me to tank on WAR and WAR alone.

Now they want me to tank on PLD and only want my WAR for tanking trash.(And to be honest, I don't even do that, I'm just initial aggro until the BLMs come in). If PLD was playing second fiddle to WAR, why am I on PLD more often than WAR?

Hell, as much as I hate to pull this card to validate my arguments, why is Blue Gartr using PLD as their tank instead of WAR? If any tank class is playing second fiddle now, its WAR.

I'd go on to say that if you can't tank single target MORE effectively as a PLD than a WAR, you need to stop facerolling cooldowns and learn tanking rotations.

[Curcio]

Paladin isn't absolutely TERRIBLE in the AoE hate generation department.

Flash + Party Rampart + War Drum (Should be up if you've flashed and/or Ramparted a group of mobs) and if absolutely necessary. AoE hate is usually necessary for the beginning of a pull or fight, then the Dragoons and Black Mages clean everything up.

It's not as easy to pull off as Steel Cyclone, but it's indeed a decent chunk of emnity on a group of mobs that are just going to die in a few seconds anyway.

Edit - Back on topic!

Riot Blade -> Rage of Halone is a great combo I've found out from Skirmish. It does an absolute load of damage (Even on high defense bosses like the Golem), applies Defense Down, and grants a large chunk of emnity just off the damage alone. For 1500tp, it's not a bad investment at the right time. Also, TP isn't a huge problem if you're capped on Accuracy.

[Alerith]

There is no clipping the current version, lock-off and run through the mob as you use riot which will trigger the combo and then back to your spot and use halone.

I do want it to be a frontal combo though.

You should never be using lock-on while tanking to begin with. Ever.

[Molly_Millions]

It used to be that my LS wanted me to tank on WAR and WAR alone.

Now they want me to tank on PLD and only want my WAR for tanking trash.(And to be honest, I don't even do that, I'm just initial aggro until the BLMs come in). If PLD was playing second fiddle to WAR, why am I on PLD more often than WAR?

Hell, as much as I hate to pull this card to validate my arguments, why is Blue Gartr using PLD as their tank instead of WAR? If any tank class is playing second fiddle now, its WAR.

I'd go on to say that if you can't tank single target MORE effectively as a PLD than a WAR, you need to stop facerolling cooldowns and learn tanking rotations.

Anyone who's telling you PLD is always better than WAR or vice versa, doesn't know what they are talking about. There are instances where WAR is clearly the best option, and there are situations where a WAR simply won't survive as tank.

[ShivenCasull]

I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere in here...

We can't forget Riot blade is the only melee based long ranged WS in the game. (Not that it's useful as I've only ever used it as a ranged attack once.)

Riot Blade -> Rage of Halone is a great combo I've found out from Skirmish. It does an absolute load of damage (Even on high defense bosses like the Golem), applies Defense Down, and grants a large chunk of emnity just off the damage alone. For 1500tp, it's not a bad investment at the right time. Also, TP isn't a huge problem if you're capped on Accuracy.

Riot Blade is 2000 TP (2250 if you use shield bash for the setup)

[DeadRiser]

I love how you have the risk of turning a mob towards the party to make the defense go down.

Or if you don't like using it randomly...

Save 2250 TP
Shield Bash and if enemy is stunned
Riot Blade

[buritoslicer]

I love how you have the risk of turning a mob towards the party to make the defense go down.

Or if you don't like using it randomly...

Save 2250 TP
Shield Bash and if enemy is stunned
Riot Blade

pure genius.