Suggestions for holding hate (WAR)

[Casmi]

I started playing WAR towards the end of Heavensward and may have picked up some bad habits. For dungeon trash pulls I would use "Flash" a few times and never really lost hate with packs. Now that I don't have that option, I use "Overpower" and constantly run out of TP, and still loose hate on mobs I am not actively damaging. I use "Untimatium" when I can, but the cooldown is longer than pack to pack. So far, the hate lose hasn't caused a death, but it is annoying/embarrassing.

I am not a very experienced tank and any tips/Guide links would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the noobness and thanks for the time.

-Casmi

[bswpayton]

I started playing WAR towards the end of Heavensward and may have picked up some bad habits. For dungeon trash pulls I would use "Flash" a few times and never really lost hate with packs. Now that I don't have that option, I use "Overpower" and constantly run out of TP, and still loose hate on mobs I am not actively damaging. I use "Untimatium" when I can, but the cooldown is longer than pack to pack. So far, the hate lose hasn't caused a death, but it is annoying/embarrassing.

I am not a very experienced tank and any tips/Guide links would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the noobness and thanks for the time.

-Casmi

Ill level warrior last for that very reason I already know losing flash is gona make the job not that fun

[Leigaon]

Sorry for the noobness and thanks for the time.

You're way ahead of the game since you asked! Don't take this as solid information b/c I'm in the same boat as you in terms of being new. (I've only been in dungeons up to 70, heck I don't even know how to tank swap naturally! I am new. Little leaf on my head, but if I can hold hate so can you!)

So far now that I'm 70 I'm don't have many hate issues. I do happen to miss a mob or two if I don't pull correctly with over power, but I get them back in range and we're good. I noticed I was doing a good amount of over powers but now that I've replaced them with a few steel cyclones I'm good. I then start rotating around my combos as needed, if I feel one is neglected I'll BB him otherwise I keep my dmg boost up and get my 20 beast points. I don't really have many issues not having my gauge filled (I even use the new forbidden Onslaught and Upheaval moves!)

I guess it's easiest to say, start off with Berserk or Unchained if you can, use Infuriate when you can. Overpower and use Steel Cyclone to get a handle on hate, then start with your rotations, once you get the 20% buff either overpower or another steel, then you're free to gather up for next pull or use it for an absorb move.

Adjust this due to how fast things are dying.

Since you can't use Unchained outside of battle I usually use it after my first OP. Weave your cool-downs and switch around between Steel Cyclones (tp free) and Overpowers. Also, now this is just me..not saying this is for anyone else in this world, I ask for TP if needed or sometimes I just get it! This is a co-op game, we're a team, if they can they shouldn't have an issue tossing you a Goad.

Sometimes I start off with throwing an axe, sometimes Onslaught, then take the mobs through and turn them around. So far shoulder rushing them turns them around just fine, some may disagree.

I don't even miss flash. Though maybe a veteran can come in and give you some major details because I'm not that guy.

But so far on my end? Haven't had any real TP issues / Hate issues / Beast Gauge issues, and my healers are still able to burn my eyes with Holy Spam.

And watch out for those healers burst heals, they're wonderful. (Asylum / Excogitation / Earthly Star) less they got to heal me the more they get to blow stuff up every now and then!

[Dement]

I'll usually overpower as I run through a group and stagger for a second one if I miss one of the mobs. When I get everything gathered, and on my hate table, I'll Equilibrium and hit the whole group with an additional 2 overpowers. Then I'll usually get Storm's Eye up, Infuriate, Berserk, Steel Cyclone, perform a Storm's Path and do another Steel Cyclone. Until the DPS thin the herd a little bit, I focus most of my time on keeping Storm's Eye up then acquiring and utilizing Steel Cyclones to insure that I have hate on everything. This is lower DPS than the old Decimate spam but I've yet to lose hate (save for a party that had an RDM focused solely on Single Target attacks in a mob of 6 while also competing with a BLM utilizing their AoE rotation) which is the tanks primary role.

One thing of note is that using Ultimatum when it's up isn't going to help you very much. Ultimatum is just a widespread Provoke which only gives you the same as the highest enmity +1 additional enmity point. If you're already the highest enmity then Ultimatum is effectively only adding +1 to your enmity and is mostly worthless. Honestly, I don't even cross class Ultimatum as its use is so niche that I've yet to encounter a situation where it would have been useful.

[Shinkyo]

I never really relied on Flash before so it's really not a big deal. Only when things spawn in a circular patern was Flash really useful (or when we used to be pacified).

Just run to a group with tomahawk to get the mobs coming to you, position yourself to hit all of them with 2 overpower, then start doing your S.Eye > S.Path combo while doing overpower in between.
Make sure you switch target when doing maim to apply the slashing debuff to multiple mobs and do Steel Cyclone every time you have enough rage.
Also, since berserk is now on 60s CD, you can use it on every pool with infuriate.

Really WAR doesn't have any issue with aggro as long as you stay in Defiance.

[HELLruler]

Leigaon and Dement have good points. I'm opening my trash pulls with Berserk + Overpower twice and Infuriate for Steel Cyclone. Abuse Berserk, it has low cooldown and you can have it available every pull

After opening, use Storm's Eye combo for extra damage and distribute your aggro combo through enemies: Heavy Swing and Skull Sunder one target, Butcher's Block another target. This way, you can build a bit of aggro on each of them to stop the DPS from generating enough to get attention. Repeat until monsters are dead

[Areic]

For large packs of mobs, first thing is first, don't worry about optimal DPS. Don't take the time to try and get your storm buff on. It'll make it a big pain in the ass. I never used flash even since ARR as it was always kinda garbage of a GCD.

Try to stay a few steps ahead of your party, see if you can get all viewable enemies in a cone and open with an overpower and hope you catch them all, if not, click/tab on who you missed and overpower while trying to fit the rest of the mobs in your cone. Once they're all around you, infuriate and steel cyclone. I usually like to continue overpower til I'm around 500-600 TP. At this point try and get your storm buff up, do so on a mob that your DPS may be focusing. Rotate a few butcher's block combos between the mobs you see your DPS primarily focusing, in pugs they often focus separate targets as they want maximum benefits from their DoTs/debuff timers. The emnity between your overpowers/cyclone should buy you enough time to butcher's block between these mobs.

Sometimes you're gonna lose aggro for a second or two, or take a few to get aggro. IE: Red Mages have absolutely retarded opening burst so it may take a second to pull off. Mobs may spawn midway through a pack and not be easy to gather without cyclone. Don't worry much about these, your DPS/healers can take hits for a couple of seconds, just try your best not to let that happen if possible. With trash mobs your first priority is hate over DPS, always remember that.

For single target boss fights a tomahawk+butcher's block combo in tank stance is usually enough to hold hate while you do anything else.

[Venjenz]

Leigaon and Dement have good points. I'm opening my trash pulls with Berserk + Overpower twice and Infuriate for Steel Cyclone. Abuse Berserk, it has low cooldown and you can have it available every pull

After opening, use Storm's Eye combo for extra damage and distribute your aggro combo through enemies: Heavy Swing and Skull Sunder one target, Butcher's Block another target. This way, you can build a bit of aggro on each of them to stop the DPS from generating enough to get attention. Repeat until monsters are dead

Pretty much all this, especially distributing the aggro combo through enemies.

And for feisty DPS who are determined to have a reason to clown me, when I am cycling targets, I give a quick glance to the enmity meters to see if the DPS are choosing different mobs, are working one really hard even though I marked a different order, etc. If I see them climbing up the meter and going red, I stay on that mob, maybe toss a mid/late Overpower out for general purposes.

[silverlunarfox]

Steel Cyclone, has seen much more use in my case this time around. Which isnt a bad thing. It's TP free and aggro holding, that combined with an occasional Overpower+Beserk for an opener and maybe even a mid/late pull, and being mindful of all the adds, you will adjust to it.

[Gooner_iBluAirJGR]

Start Encounter > Infuriate + Steel Cyclone > Storm's Eye > Overpower X3 > Storm's Path > Steel Cyclone > ???

That'll keep your TP comfortable and keep threat under control assuming your gear isn't leagues behind the DPS in your group. Berserk helps too.