WAR Help; Specifically TP Management

[KyroeFelix]

Small background: I've had WAR (and PLD) at 50 since 1.0 but haven't touched it since the launch of 2.0. I currently have a 60 DRK and know what I'm doing on that side of the house.

So, I have been trying to play WAR essentially the same way as my DRK using Tomahawk (in place of Unmend) and Overpower (in place of Unleash). However, I don't have a TP regen combo so this playstyle, obviously, isn't working well as I get down to 200 TP in about..30 seconds of regular comboing after a pull. Other than "don't spam Overpower" what can I do to keep group hate without draining my TP so quickly?

Current cross class skills: Internal Release, Second Wind, Awareness, Foresight, Convalescence.

Thanks in advance.

[SpookyGhost]

When your CDs are up, go Deliverance and Equilibrium, then back to Defiance when you can and Second Wind.

Otherwise make use of Steel Cyclone/Decimate, focus on single target after using a few OPs if you're just pulling small.

It can be finicky at times, but generally just know how much TP you'll need for the next pull and don't end up below that point, then repeat from there.

[KyroeFelix]

~snip~

I'm still only 50 atm. Would you recommend I spam Infuriate to get more Steel Cyclone usage? This is my first time playing it again and I was just switching targets while doing the Butcher's Block combo after a couple OPs.

[Thunda_Cat_SMASH]

I'm still only 50 atm. Would you recommend I spam Infuriate to get more Steel Cyclone usage? This is my first time playing it again and I was just switching targets while doing the Butcher's Block combo after a couple OPs.

For AoE, I'd recommend using one Infuriate for Unleashed, which'll remove the 25% tank stance penalty, essentially increasing your overpowers by 1/3 if you want to stay in Defiance. Infuriate has a one minute cooldown, Unchained is two, so depending on the length of the pull and how much HP the mobs still have remaining, I'd recommend using your second Infuriate for Steel Cyclone.

Another thing you could do if all you're worried about is AoE hate is cross class Flash for a while. This'll give you a reasonably potent AoE enmity gen that costs MP instead of TP... though the downside is that you won't get any mitigation from the PLD exclusive blind trait or deal any damage to the enemies. At 50, really, it's a case of 'pick your poison'. I used Flash up until I got Equilibrium, personally.

[KyroeFelix]

~snip~

I'll try this out. Thank you.

[Sarcatica]

It also helps to use Flash if you have TP issue during pulls. Ideally shouldn't happen but if you do get the situation, Flash away instead of waiting for TP for Overpower.

[Lethallin]

Yeah, Flash.

Should be using it at least once during pacification anyway.

Doesn't generate as much as overpower, but you're a lot more likely to hit all the mobs while you're pulling.

Also overpower/flash a few times, then use regular combo and steel cyclone to help with TP.

[AriKitae]

Great points above, although of course you will want to be able to use your cross class slot on something a bit less redundant than Flash later.

If you are tanking a pack that does not need stuns, go ahead and use Brutal Swing in your rotation, and be sure to take advantage of Mercy Stroke when a mob's health falls low enough. I think you already mentioned cycling targets with your BB combo, which is good. You can also play around with seeing if you can get away with using Overpower slightly less in the front end of your pull, using it or flash after a few combos if you still see your party members catching up with you on the meters. Using Unchained when available can help you with enmity as well.

Honestly I wish we had a TP regen available to us in Defiance, because I never run out of TP in Deliverance, only when I need to be in Defiance to keep up with enmity...

[Quor]

It sorta helps to use Berserk on cooldown if possible. The pacification debuff serves as a pseudo-TP regen.

Unless of course you've got a great healer who Esuna's you, or a BRD that knows to put Warden's Paeon up.

Having said that, a good general rule is to Overpower a group = to the number of mobs in that group (unless you're doing a mass pull with lots of AoE, then just spam it with Bloodbath up to your hearts content). So ideally, a group of 4 will = four OP's. You can toss in a Flash in place of an OP, or while you're getting the mobs set up so that they'll all get hit by OP. Just be mindful of Flash and it's weird mechanic of leaving a "light bomb" that detonates a half second after you actually use the skill.

As noted above, Steel Cyclone is your friend. It's a 200 potency attack that I think has at least a 2x emnity modifier on it. Opening with an SC > Infuriate > SC will cement aggro on you through damn near anything.

Give it some more practice and you'll find the rhythm that works for you. On your average pull of 2-4 guys, I'll use the Overpower rule above, then cycle into my normal combo, tabbing between targets to check aggro and laying SS or BB down as appropriate to keep hate. Once I've got 5 Wrath I'll SC and that's almost always enough threat for the rest of the fight without having to tab swap during my main combo.

[winsock]

Overusing overpower is usually what gives new WARs issues.

I would say:
Do a few runs being as conservative with overpower as you can. Focus the use of overpower toward keeping threat, not dealing damage. This will give you an idea of how much TP you would have had to play with / how spammy you could have gotten with it.

^ after you've done this, plan the pulls that you really want to go to town on, and make those pulls as large as you can realistically make them. The easiest way to make sure you have enough overpowers to handle 2+ groups of mobs, is to handle all groups at the same time xD.

Lastly, when planning to spam overpower, make sure you're also planning on dmg buffs (you might as well throw down vengeance as well). More dmg per overpower means fewer overpowers are needed to accomplish the same result.