Warrior rotational complexity?

[DWARF_INTENSIFIES]

I took some time off of FFXIV, and when I came back I decided to finish leveling the tanks up to 70 instead of just grinding tomestones. I've mained Warrior for a long time (since around 2.2-2.3), and that's continued up through Stormblood.

[DWARF_INTENSIFIES]

But now that I'm playing DRK (or even PLD), I'm finding WAR super unengaging to play. Don't get me wrong - I don't think WAR needs buffs, and I understand it's a very strong tank. But at the same time, in Stormblood we have a total of two oGCD damage abilities. When I'm OTing, I find myself pressing nonsense ogcds just so I can do SOMETHING. The removal of Low Blow (and Mercy Stroke) and the fact that WAR, again, pretty much only pushes a single ogcd every twenty seconds makes it feel pretty unengaging. Even the IR window is only two ogcds despite being like 40 percent of our damage.

Is it just me? Or does anyone else feel like the rotation is a little boring?

[ZkInPhamouZ]

I personally found PLD's rotation is more boring, but again have been playing PLD since release, so Warrior is the "new" tank for me, which I guess their rotation is also more... "refreshing".

[whiskeybravo]

Honestly it was a bit more interesting at the start of SB, even after they somewhat fixed gauge halving/Shake it Off. After the last update to IR though it definitely feels a bit flat. Level synced content is terrible (leveling up an alt War) because Berserk is nearly useless until you have the full kit. IMO they should've left Berserk like it was until 70 and then applied the newer IR trait. But that's neither here nor there.

But the other thing about War, the base rotation hasn't really changed at all since ARR. I took nearly 2 years off and when I came back shortly before SB it was like nothing changed and that was kinda nice, so I stuck with it. I wouldn't focus so much on there being only 2 oGCDs. Especially if you played Drk because they have a lot, so much so that people are asking to reduce them because of all the double-weaving that's required. Definitely 2 sides of the coin. But if that's what you're looking for then perhaps Drk or Pld would be more to your liking. Don't forget that War is doing just fine without an excessive amount of oGCDs in their rotation

[Launched]

It's not any more boring than PLD or DRK. Tanks have always been simple to play.

[Izsha]

The zerk/inner release redesign really killed a lot of the class complexity. There are no more decisions to be made or planning to be had. Hit button. Spam FC until you cant anymore. Then 80 seconds of just Eye>Path>Path and shove as many upheavals and FC up a monsters butt every chance you get. I really resent the change the longer it goes on. The two window zerk IR War was much more rewarding and satisfying to actually play correctly. Now its just dumb. Its effective, but stupid.

[Fendred]

I actually like the lack of complexity. I primarily use inner release as another defensive cooldown during large mass pulls to spam steel cyclone. Stance swapping during a boss fight is overoptimizing, in my opinion. We're their to hold aggro. Any damage we deal above and beyond basic rotation stuff is a bonus.

[Izsha]

I actually like the lack of complexity. I primarily use inner release as another defensive cooldown during large mass pulls to spam steel cyclone. Stance swapping during a boss fight is overoptimizing, in my opinion. We're their to hold aggro. Any damage we deal above and beyond basic rotation stuff is a bonus.

This only applies in dungeons. In raids this is simply untrue. Holding and sitting on ~40% of your damage for a defensive opportunity and then using it on IB instead of FC just wont cut it in savage. You can take the lowered complexity and then lower it even further by not using the offensive half of your kit, but sheesh that's the least engaging way to play one of the least engaging classes in the game. Even if that did work in savage, the idea of playing that mind numbing level of play practicing savage for hours and hours every week is terrifying.

[Fendred]

This only applies in dungeons. In raids this is simply untrue. Holding and sitting on ~40% of your damage for a defensive opportunity and then using it on IB instead of FC just wont cut it in savage. You can take the lowered complexity and then lower it even further by not using the offensive half of your kit, but sheesh that's the least engaging way to play one of the least engaging classes in the game. Even if that did work in savage, the idea of playing that mind numbing level of play practicing savage for hours and hours every week is terrifying.

If the boss is giving openings for a swap, sure. I don't see the point of doing it otherwise. I've seen warriors swapping stances during boss casts that are under 10 sec and that is what fueled my comment. If a tank is taking regular direct hits from a boss he should be in tank stance.

[whiskeybravo]

*GRABS POPCORN*