know your aggro! a guide for DPS.

[ChickensEvil]

Thanks for putting this up for new players.
It's nice to see that they had the sense to include this in the core UI, rather than forcing you to rely on mods like most other MMOs do. Is there much latency on the bars (I just bought the game last night, so I've yet to do group content). If the bars are laggy, or only update every x number of seconds, it would be good to know.

Since it is likely all handled server side, I am going to go with little to none. Here is hoping for some kind of DPS meter implementation next! (either through a mod or from the devs)

[Odins_wrath]

Tanking can be quite stressful; if there's something a tank can be doing better ask them if they'd like some tips? Everyone needs to start somewhere and it's everyone's job to watch their hate.

I may be off base with this tip. I only discovered it last night. I'm a PS3 player. I leveled a glad in both P3 and P4 betas. I really struggled in holding aggro when there was multiple mobs. but biggest challenge was simply switching from target to target using the hotbar system ps3 utilizes. new to the controls, the class and the game is a steep learning curve.

while having the hot bar open(hold R2) you can cycle through the mobs in your view while taping R1 or L1. That function may have been there all along, but had eluded me. it may have been in the update applied when entering EA for the first time, or in one of the maintenance downs recently.

now my point/tip for tanking. with that ability to effortlessly switch targets, I was able to generate hate on multiple mobs, and hold aggro time and time again. if we don't get caught up in trying to DPS and cycle through the mobs that have been engaged do your 3 -4 abilities on each to build hate, switch mobs and repeat. you will be congratulated, and the stress fades away and is now extremely fun.

[ChickensEvil]

I am pretty sure it has been there all along, but I didn't notice it right away either. That is extremely helpful information to anyone

[CrisGer]

Yes you can use the Next Enemy Prevoius enemy arrow key icons on the hot bar for that too, it is a good ay as the Flash does not grab them all often and it is very hard to get their attention ....or to pull them off of the healer It is very frustrating. so that s a good advice indeed for any platform for tanks.

[Odins_wrath]

I am pretty sure it has been there all along, but I didn't notice it right away either. That is extremely helpful information to anyone

yeah, it probably was there. unfortunately for all those dps and healers who suffered through a few instances where I would occasionally loose a mob or two. i was relying on keystroke memorization to engage a mob, and repeat the steps to grab multiples.

PS3 control key stroke to engage from default.

1.press x to con
2.hold R2 to open hotbar
3.press ability(s) of choice.
4. release R2
5. press x again, looking to con the next/add mob, if you got the first mob back, release R2 repeat step 1&2

and now repeat for each add on mob.

may have been my newness to the game. but that was a tough set of keystrokes to hit flawlessly, under stress in the midst of a flash of sparkles from the dps abilities of those in my group. and if you did make an error in the key strokes was usually a train wreck.