Is it Illegal to Stance Swap?

[Ahrniel]

So I just got Shield Oath for the first time (finally Paladin is playable!) and decided to try a few things with it in my first run with it, I ended up in Cutter's Cry.

Playing a bit with the stances I realized I could get some advantage in aggro with the Shield Oath and after I had enough enmity in I could just swap to Sword Oath and get that extra dps in with absolute safety.

Well, it ends up that in the last boss, in the Chimera, the Monk complained about the stance swapping with a "Please stay in shield" while taking all AoEs in the face and not even being able to do his job, while I tanked it flawlesly in Sword Oath (after I got some enmity with Shield in). I'll be honest, I don't remember seeing Paladins doing what I did in -50 dungeons, but is it wrong to do that now?

[SpookyGhost]

Yes, it is. Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.

[Brannigan]

Tell him that if his DPS wasn't so garbage you wouldn't have to stance swap in the first place. Then outdps him.

It's funny that it came up on Chimera on all bosses - as I recall he spends so much time doing dodge-able AOEs that he does basically no damage to the tank.

[Keltraeng]

Unless you are losing the art to a high dps or to a healer then it's not an issue unless the healer says it's an issue keeping you up. Later on in the game you will no doubt need to learn tank stances dances...getting used to it now shouldn't be an issue. Depends on your healers ability to keep you up and you holding aggro.

[ZhaneX]

Dancing between DPS and Tank Stances is pretty much the hallmark of end-game tanking.

[Fluffernuff]

I....Is this an honest question?

I'm assuming it is. If so, and I see you doing this while I'm DPSing my heart out? you get my comm. I don't discourage better than average play in my DF runs.

if it were me, I would have "politely" snarked back immediately- "Please stop dying to every boss mechanic" or "SOMEONE here needs to DPS"

on one end, I can see them "trying" to help- perhaps they only ever saw you in sword oath and they thought they were being helpful...

But I doubt this on the grounds they waited until chimera to say something- in fact, it sounds more likely that it was a very VERY poor attempt at those people who make death threats and "hurtful" comments at the end of runs and high-tail it out of there before you can respond.... except this guy blew his load too soon.

[Bloody]

Stance Dancing IS the current design of the game. It only really matters on your ability to handle mechanics and the healer's ability to keep you alive.

[Shurrikhan]

Given that your only combo is the enmity combo, you're typically safe pulling bosses in Sword Oath with a Lob, Flash, RoH combo it to death.

Only exception if your DPS are well above average (e.g. overgeared people doing Leveling Roulette who *also*—these are separate issues—happen to know how to play their class), or you need some bursty threat to deal with a healer spamming overheals on you as adds are appearing.

[Tint]

Well, it ends up that in the last boss, in the Chimera, the Monk complained about the stance swapping with a "Please stay in shield" while taking all AoEs in the face and not even being able to do his job, while I tanked it flawlesly in Sword Oath (after I got some enmity with Shield in).

he just wanted you to stay in shield oath for the 20% damage reduction, so the healer don't have to worry about healing you and can spend all his time for the crappy monk.

[Lambdafish]

If the healer complains then you shouldnt stance dance, if the MNK complains then ask the healer.

Bottom line, you should only stance dance if the healer is up to it.