Hints, tips, advice needed.

[Gareck]

Now that I have finally got my main, an S&S Armsman, to level 50 and have started to do more RvR, I really could use some advice from some of you more experienced defensive Tanks.

Problem is this....I find it at times extremely difficult to keep the person I am guarding alive.....especially if 2 or more enemies are after him/her. I try and Slam the attackers as fast as possible, but it seems that I am rarely fast enough. This being the case, I have some questions:

-What viewpoint do you all recommend? First or third?
-What is the best/fastest way to target the attackers? Point and
click? F8? /assist?
-Should the person I am Guarding leg it when there is more than
one attacker on him?
-Which keyboard/mouse-layout do you all recommend to be able
to react as fast as possible?

Any answers and/or other advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm currently specced 50 + 12 Slash, 50 + 10 Shield and 28 + 13 Parry. I'm RR 3L2 with the following RA's: MoB 2, MoP2, Determination 3 and Purge.

Thanks in advance everyone.

 

[Apathy]

Hi. First off, let me say that it's nice that you ask this thing.

As someone who plays both a wizard and a sorcerer, I like nothing more than to have someone guarding me. A strong tank to stand by me with Guard and Intercept on me, ready to save my life. Hurrah!

When I am being guarded and get an enemy tank on me, I like my guardian to slam the enemy. I then root or mezz it before the stun wears off. If more than one person attacks me, well...I can use AoE mezz/root on my sorc (whilst trying to remember if they are people who have purged). Guard and intercept will stop me taking as much damage as I normally would have and QC will help a lot. All you need to do is make sure you slam *before* your protected caster uses root/mezz otherwise you simply break it. So you need to be very fast and pay attention - look at the situation and make the call.

I'd also suggest that you stay VERY close to your target and refresh the Intercept when it is used - I think it's 45 seconds reuse timer? Not sure on that. Stay in range for Guard to work. *Never* run off to melee people if you are playing defensively! Such an annoying thing when that happens.

Third person view is best - you can use the ` button with the arrow keys to change your camera view and then press D to reset it. Well, those are the keys on my computer.

Mmm.

a.
*

 

[Trinilim]

3rd person view, gives you a wider area to see and 1st person is too cramped, and can seriously hinder you if there's a lot of people/effects going on.

Point and click would probably be best if you use your mouse a lot. If you use your keyboard a lot, F8.

My keyboard setup is like this:

Mouselook toggle: right button
Foward run: up and/or left button
stick: F
Face: A
View reset (for if you Pan camera around and want to return to normal view): D
Pan camera: ~ + mouselook/arrows

The person you're guarding should NOT leg it. Ever. For a few reasons.

1. The enemies will catch you. You sprint, they sprint. These aren't mobs, these are people, they will keep chasing you, and they will get you eventually.

2. It makes it very hard for the person guarding to guard a running person.

3. More than half the time Prevent Flight will keep you from running anyway.

4. If you do manage to get away, what then? Your group will probably be dead and you'll be alone with nowhere to go. If you're group's going to die, die with them, at least stick together.

 

[lac_desariel]

One thing to add to the 2nd post..

Know your caster... what are they? RA's up.. i as ice wizz will stand and fight pbae till dead and if loads i would leave you to slam as many as you can lessing the damage on me while i pbae or moc... intercept is a winner try get a caster you learn from.. a good guard caster combo needs good team work between caster and guard... its not just you its a 2 way thing... watch how they move and learn so you can anticipate movement.

Most off all be prepaired to die for your caster it will make you better, not to say you will die first but they will trust you more too

hope it helps, myself and stormm a pally build a great caster tank combo through trust and watchiong easch other styles

 

[Gareck]

Thanks for the great advice so far, people. And special thanks to Lac for the kind words while we were running around in Emain.

Keep 'em coming!

 

[bracken_woodman]

Another thing to add - if you do happen to lose the person you are guarding midfight, target them from the group bar, then use /face to locate them - then get back to them asap. Having /face and /stick bound to keys is always a good idea . Also learn to switch your guard during fights - as a defensive tank chances are your guarding priorities will change as a fight progresses, so learn to switch as needed.

 

[yurka_polearm]

ditch the MoB and if thats MoParrying get rid of that.

get Det 4, and PF.

If your defending i would use a jamb, quickest thing to break BT, then you can slam.

PF will help slow down attackers, try and slam from the back you got more chance of landing it + use small shield.

But if its more than one or two attackers, then your casters toast anyway.

2+ zerks or savages assisting = dead target =/

 

[Draylor]

Originally posted by Apathy
refresh the Intercept when it is used - I think it's 45 seconds reuse timer?

Not overly important, but its 30 seconds, from time Intercept was set rather than when it finally intercepted a hit.

 

[Skaven]

Something I don't think that has been touched on yet - and im going to assume you don't know this already. Buy yourself a small mp shield. If your guarding a caster then slam them with that, you lose alot less end and its much quicker - specially if theres more than one attacker.

 

[gunner440]

guard stick face slam mainly.....

and yes do try and click as it's the most accurate way to select attackers

 

[gunner440]

Originally posted by Skaven
Something I don't think that has been touched on yet - and im going to assume you don't know this already. Buy yourself a small mp shield. If your guarding a caster then slam them with that, you lose alot less end and its much quicker - specially if theres more than one attacker.

lol bullshit

a defensive armsman with a small shield won't do shit trust me

maybe in PvE and fighting mobs it's enough but in rvr defensive tank + large shield is the only way to go.

if you for some reason hate large shield designs then mediums would be the last and ONLY other alternative, no small shields pls.

why? current enemy assisting tank groups .... well they assist and you can have from 1 up to 4 enemy tanks hitting ur poor liddul cloth wearer and with a small shield well.....

the only time i'd recommend a small shield is for duels or for ........

*hybrids* uke:

but even if they were hybrids i would suggest carrying 2 shields with same stats but 1 small and 1large.

equip the small one when playing offence i.e. unstyled - slam - heavy weapon etc and swap to large shield when in guard mode ~~
easier way would be to use medium shields and avoid the hassle of swapping or carrying 2 different shields.

u think small shield is good cos it's fast? well try next time and by the time u finish slamming them all no matter what against a good assisting group the caster will be dead before the last attacker is slammed ^^ which makes everything u've done, and all ur efforts - completely useless.


say what u want about my ideas but im my experience ive seen clerics being attacked by 3-4 enemy tanks and with 1 pure shield tank they can cast without problems as he's not being hit and hence not being interrupted ^^



.

 

[bracken_woodman]

Originally posted by gunner440
say what u want about my ideas

Nope you're spot on - except that nasty puking thing about hybrids Small shield offence, large shield defence and switch as needed - always.

 

[gunner440]

oh and i have to add:

lol at the 50shield tanks out there with small shield

yes ive seen and you know who you are

 

[wolfen_rb]

grp members : F1 - F8

easy peasy way for facing grp members...know whos ur caster ..hit the button and face

and customize ur keyboard !!!

stick, face, sprint...keyboard !..i still c screenshots of "old heros " sprint in qb and stick macro ...:doh:
maybe Berzerker need only one button...we alb tanks dont

remember if ur caster dead...switch guard, intercept on some1 whos still alive and go there asap ...guard will work mucho betta in 1.62 after the famous grp rvr parry / block bug is eleminated ....

stay cool when fight starts....and try chat while fighting = hardest part

ok, hope that helps ...

 

[Edohadien]

as a defensiv tank u have to assist aswell forget that and ur as bad as the rest most defensiv palas think they dont have to assist because they are defendin caster but u have

 

[Gareck]

Thanks for all the tips, people. You certainly have given me plenty to think about.