Tanking in ESO

posthumecaver · March 2015

Hi guys,

I have a question about tanking mechanics and builds in ESO.

All the MMO I played, I prefered the tank role, it was more challenging for me to control the fight and keep everybody alive then keyboard meshing and producing DPS.

All the MMO I prefered the mitigation tank classes instead of pure HP tank classes, I think they require more skill to be effective, now I look to the people playing tank in ESO, I see that most of them going for full HP and no stamina investment, so around 27K-30K HP and 8K Stamina. I know some exotic sets can produce some sick stamina regeneration skill but that low stamina after 2-3 block, dodge you can not use any active skill that might improve your mitigation and you will be starving for stamina.

So my question isn't viable at all for going 15-16K Stamina and around 22K HP for tanking in ESO or it is wrong way to go. It is important for me to know that because I hate constant re-specs.

chairenn · March 2015

The simplest way to build a tank is to put all attributes in health, and get your stamina from enchantments and set bonuses. This all combined with a stamina-efficient race, and believe me, it works.

Ffastyl · March 2015

19k HP
17k Stamina
11k Magicka
Templar Tank.

Mitigation matters a lot more than HP, though HP can be increased to make up for a lack of mitigation. I have 20k Physical Resistance and 23k Spell Resistance, +5k to both with Unstoppable active. My build's focus is regeneration, with ~900 Magicka regeneration, 1.2k Health regeneration, and 1.3k Stamina regeneration. With all buffs active, I can tank bosses without a healer, nor blocking. My regeneration and mitigation are that high.

The only content I have issue tanking is Trials, for bosses can hit for 8k through blocks.

And I DPS too, thanks to the set bonuses I have. My weapon damage while tanking can reach 3k, allowing me to perform two roles simultaneously. And being a Templar, I can provide self-healing too, essentially becoming self-sufficient.

Aaramis · March 2015

Ffastyl wrote: »

19k HP
17k Stamina
11k Magicka
Templar Tank.

Mitigation matters a lot more than HP, though HP can be increased to make up for a lack of mitigation. I have 20k Physical Resistance and 23k Spell Resistance, +5k to both with Unstoppable active. My build's focus is regeneration, with ~900 Magicka regeneration, 1.2k Health regeneration, and 1.3k Stamina regeneration. With all buffs active, I can tank bosses without a healer, nor blocking. My regeneration and mitigation are that high.

The only content I have issue tanking is Trials, for bosses can hit for 8k through blocks.

And I DPS too, thanks to the set bonuses I have. My weapon damage while tanking can reach 3k, allowing me to perform two roles simultaneously. And being a Templar, I can provide self-healing too, essentially becoming self-sufficient.

3k weapon damage as a tank? Do tell.

Petros · March 2015

There are different ways to tank in ESO, If you want to tank/dps, that's fine. Tanking in ESO is different then most if not all mmo's out there.

For tanking Trials though, Mitigation/health is top, with a good stam regen. A healer will be your health regen in trials/dsa.

Tanking in dsa will also have you change up your gear vs trails.

I don't think there is a successful one type of build for tanking for all aspects of the game.

Ffastyl · March 2015

It is the Ravager set combined with Forward Momentum from the Two-Hand line that allows me to have 3k Weapon Damage as a tank. I had been gathering the set for the native enchantments in 1.5, but now use them for the set bonus. Ravager's 5 set effect is an 8% chance on melee hits to increase Weapon Damage by 600 for 10 seconds. My Mundus Stone is also the Warrior, so without buffs I am at 1.7k Weapon Damage. The +600 in addition to the +20% from Forward Momentum puts me just over 3k, temporarily. My other set (which is also x5) is Willow's Path.

The Ravager set can be bought from the Elite Gear Vendor at South High Rock Gate for 248,000 AP a piece.
Ravaging Choker
Ravaging Band
Ravaging Ring
Ravaging Greatsword
Ravaging Cuirass
Ravaging Greaves
Ravaging Gauntlets

I have Choker, Band, Ring, Cuirass, and Greaves.

Aaramis · March 2015

Ok, well Ravager set explains it. That's awful brave of you to be tanking in dps gear with 19k HP, though

I'd feel much safer doing that with an Imperial with 30+k HP.

*edit* - grammar

posthumecaver · March 2015

That is the part I don't understand, getting 28-30K HP then saying it is healer responsibility to keep the HP there.

Lets say with 30K HP you have 10K Stamina, you taunt the boss/mob + blocked a damage 6K is gone and you don't have the Major Resolve + Major Ward on you let say you have to cast Immovable, but you don't have the stamina (yeah I know you can pop a potion and other tricks but lets say they are on CD and most dungeons I am in Tanks are most of the time complaining that they are out of Stamina) now would it be the healers fault if you can't cast the immovable and mitigate considerable amount of the damage.

The point I am struggling to understand, all the other MMOs I played HP tanking advertised bad compared to Mitigation tanking and in ESO it is completely different.

Aaramis · March 2015

posthumecaver wrote: »

That is the part I don't understand, getting 28-30K HP then saying it is healer responsibility to keep the HP there.

Lets say with 30K HP you have 10K Stamina, you taunt the boss/mob + blocked a damage 6K is gone and you don't have the Major Resolve + Major Ward on you let say you have to cast Immovable, but you don't have the stamina (yeah I know you can pop a potion and other tricks but lets say they are on CD and most dungeons I am in Tanks are most of the time complaining that they are out of Stamina) now would it be the healers fault if you can't cast the immovable and mitigate considerable amount of the damage.

The point I am struggling to understand, all the other MMOs I played HP tanking advertised bad compared to Mitigation tanking and in ESO it is completely different.

Thing is, it kinda is the healer's responsibility to keep you alive. And with a boss mob that, as you said, hits for 8k *through blocking*, that's almost half your life gone. If that boss has already thrown a DoT on you, or comes with 1-2 adds that also hit for 1-2k *through blocking*, then you won't survive a second volley. If your healer gets distracted at the wrong moment, or lags, or sneezes, you're potentially dead.

I'm not saying to go all Health, and no Stamina. That's foolish. My point was the HP is a *bit* on the low side, and without a "tanking" set of gear such as Footman, Hist, or Whitestrakes, you don't have that extra reserve.

Personally, I'm thinking more of the 15-20k Stamina range, and 25ish k HP range is ideal. But to each their own. If this works for you, all the more power to you

KaizoMK · March 2015

Talking is about having the hp and mitigation to survive. If you can't take burst damage, you need more hp. If your healer can't maintain enough healing on you to keep you alive over time, you need more mitigation.

The meta will tend to determine what's more important, really. In RIFT mitigation used to be king, but once SL hit, health became the most important bit. Don't sweat it if it seems counterintuitive.

uso245 · March 2015

I would have split attributes usually delving between Health and Stamina and making up for my magicka with enchants but usually my hp is higher being around 25k with food buff and my stamina and magicka ranging aroung 16k each since I run a split build on my DK. Also these stats are from Cyrodiil prior to 2.0.2 update we just got today.

*edit* - DK is only v1 so gear not as comparable to a v14 sets.

yodased · March 2015

I just press right mouse button and hold on

uso245 · March 2015

yodased wrote: »

I just press right mouse button and hold on

You aren't an effective tank if all you do is blocking.

Shunravi · March 2015

uso245ub17_ESO wrote: »

yodased wrote: »

I just press right mouse button and hold on

You aren't an effective tank if all you do is blocking.

Watch his stream sometime.

uso245 · March 2015

Shunravi wrote: »

uso245ub17_ESO wrote: »

yodased wrote: »

I just press right mouse button and hold on

You aren't an effective tank if all you do is blocking.

Watch his stream sometime.

Doesn't matter what his stream is, you need to taunt and do some aoes to maintain effective aggro. I know tanking in ESO is different then other MMORPGs but that is the base rule to maintain aggro on mobs that transfer throughout the game. He may have said he only blocks but obviously he would have to do more then just that i.e. taunting.

Shunravi · March 2015

uso245ub17_ESO wrote: »

Shunravi wrote: »

uso245ub17_ESO wrote: »

yodased wrote: »

I just press right mouse button and hold on

You aren't an effective tank if all you do is blocking.

Watch his stream sometime.

Doesn't matter what his stream is, you need to taunt and do some aoes to maintain effective aggro. I know tanking in ESO is different then other MMORPGs but that is the base rule to maintain aggro on mobs that transfer throughout the game. He may have said he only blocks but obviously he would have to do more then just that i.e. taunting.

!!!WATCH HIS STREAM SOMETIME!!!

Seriously. It's good on you for using his comment as a springboard to discuss proper tanking.

We are joking around dude. And that's why I said to watch his stream. You would learn that if you see us run. There is a good deal more going on than just block. I wanted to keep the joke alive, and offer something constructive, but whatever.

uso245 · March 2015

Shunravi wrote: »

uso245ub17_ESO wrote: »

Shunravi wrote: »

uso245ub17_ESO wrote: »

yodased wrote: »

I just press right mouse button and hold on

You aren't an effective tank if all you do is blocking.

Watch his stream sometime.

Doesn't matter what his stream is, you need to taunt and do some aoes to maintain effective aggro. I know tanking in ESO is different then other MMORPGs but that is the base rule to maintain aggro on mobs that transfer throughout the game. He may have said he only blocks but obviously he would have to do more then just that i.e. taunting.

!!!WATCH HIS STREAM SOMETIME!!!

Seriously. It's good on you for using his comment as a springboard to discuss proper tanking.

We are joking around dude. And that's why I said to watch his stream. You would learn that if you see us run. There is a good deal more going on than just block. I wanted to keep the joke alive, and offer something constructive, but whatever.

I was unaware you were making a joke or him for that matter. Reason being was someone asked an actual question regarding tanking and I thought he was being serious. I have healed pledges before where the tank will literally sit there and block and not taunt half of the time which is why I thought when he said that he could have been one of those tanks. I am at the point where a friend of mine finds a tank or we run with one that knows his role since I primarily heal now since the new patch with Champion Trees. Kudos to you guys though for making light of the situation and relieving the stress that so many healers end up dealing with haha. Good to know that others are aware of this.