Do squads lose order levels by class swapping?

[Omedon]

I’ve been contemplating moving the classes around on my 60 squadron members after researching a few things, and the only thing staying my hand is they all have offensive 5 and I don’t want to lose that.

Is that even a consideration? Am I safe to do this?

Bonus Question: In what way is marauder potentially better than gladiator for a squadron tank, given the fact that aoe threat grabbing is a weakness for the AI and, as I understand it, marauder is all frontal cone threat where the gladiator has actual AOE? I’ve never picked up an axe so I could be wrong here. I heard marauder is ideal and I don’t see it.

[SannaR]

Changing their classes I want to say only changes their stats. Which doesn't affect the dungeon runs as much as the Squadron Missions. Which is where the want for a Marauder comes from as they have higher stats than a Gladiators.

[Xtrasweettea]

Changing classes does the following:

• Lowers their current EXP and causes them to lose levels
• Changes which attributes they can offer for missions

What doesn't change:

• The tactics and ranks within those tactics that squad member earned. So that squad member will not lose that Offensive 5 for switching that Marauder to another class.

As for your bonus question:
It counts on how fast you want to clear the content with them.
GLD, even with offensive 5, does really poor damage. Though it is a tradeoff for them being able to grab hate a bit easier.

MRDs on the other hand, with 5 offensive will be able to out damage almost all of the other DPS squadrons, even with them being offensive 5 (Rouge I knows will overtake MRD damage). Of course, they have a slightly harder time grabbing hate.

There is a way around the hate grabbing issue: don't use engage. Instead you pull with a range attack of some sort. The enemies will converge on you, and either of the tank should have an easier time grabbing hate off of you.

My team I use for quick dungeon runs are:
Marauder, Rouge, Rouge, and me as WHM. All squads have Offensive 5. I can easily get 13 minute dungeon runs out of them on the dungeons that don't have that many quirks.

[Omedon]

Changing classes does the following:

• Lowers their current EXP and causes them to lose levels
• Changes which attributes they can offer for missions

What doesn't change:

• The tactics and ranks within those tactics that squad member earned. So that squad member will not lose that Offensive 5 for switching that Marauder to another class.

As for your bonus question:
It counts on how fast you want to clear the content with them.
GLD, even with offensive 5, does really poor damage. Though it is a tradeoff for them being able to grab hate a bit easier.

MRDs on the other hand, with 5 offensive will be able to out damage almost all of the other DPS squadrons, even with them being offensive 5 (Rouge I knows will overtake MRD damage). Of course, they have a slightly harder time grabbing hate.

There is a way around the hate grabbing issue: don't use engage. Instead you pull with a range attack of some sort. The enemies will converge on you, and either of the tank should have an easier time grabbing hate off of you.

My team I use for quick dungeon runs are:
Marauder, Rouge, Rouge, and me as WHM. All squads have Offensive 5. I can easily get 13 minute dungeon runs out of them on the dungeons that don't have that many quirks.

Thank you for all of this, I just have one question! Why rogue? I've really wanted to include rogues in my squad but everyone and anyone says archer is the best DPS! I want to ignore that and I'd like you to give me a reason haha! I originally favored ranged squads for the safety factor but it's not an issue now with offensive 5 and an all melee team (I play mostly melees) seems to be easier for hate management, is there another reason?

[Xtrasweettea]

Thank you for all of this, I just have one question! Why rogue? I've really wanted to include rogues in my squad but everyone and anyone says archer is the best DPS! I want to ignore that and I'd like you to give me a reason haha! I originally favored ranged squads for the safety factor but it's not an issue now with offensive 5 and an all melee team (I play mostly melees) seems to be easier for hate management, is there another reason?

Back when squads were release, Archers were the best overall since their AI would have them use a buff at the start and then deal quick spike damage upon the use of Engage. You could've spam Disengage and Engage and those buffs would refresh and they would do them again. SE changed the Archer's AI and reduced their damage some.

Rouge is a better substitute since the nerfs.

I take the double rouge and MRD for the quick kills on bosses. Since target based mechanics (except a few) will always chose you, the player. So the quicker you kill the bosses, the better.

If you don't care about boss mechanics and want to focus on quick trash clears, drop a rouge (or both) and go with Arcanist. Arcanist have great trash kill speeds.

[Omedon]

I take the double rouge and MRD for the quick kills on bosses. Since target based mechanics (except a few) will always chose you, the player. So the quicker you kill the bosses, the better.

This is a very good reason. I literally just killed the green dragon in brayflox in three vomits changing my AI DPS to a rogue and the tank to a marauder, that's amazing!