Tanking

21jws10

Is tanking fun? How do I tank? I really don't understand the concept.. I don't have any idea what class to use... what abilities to use.. attributes or anything.. Preferably I'd like to be an imperial with Sword and Shield. I've spent all my time with nightblade DPS and it doesn't feel rewarding.. Just that I'm getting cheap kills that contribute nothing to the alliance war whatsoever. I also have no use in group content and really would like to get involved with that. Armor has also confused me, with lots of people going for undaunted passives, which I cant even get.

Akavir_Sentinel

Tanking is fun and rewarding, to me anyway. An Imperial DK tank is probably what you should go for. As a tank, your job is to keep the main boss occupied and focused on you, and aggro and pull in the trash mobs when you can, so your group DPS can burn them down. Heavy armor and 1H + shield are best suited for this purpose.

21jws10

@Akavir_Sentinel Stats confuse me overall, I had a dragonknight imperial as my original character, but deleted him soon after veteran rank 2 (Very regrettable) I was using one DK move and the rest 1H + Shield, not the most enjoyable experience. How would a tank function in PVP and what should I do for stats? Any proposed bars or builds I could base upon? I also am confused in regards to what I could have on my back bar. (I'm a console player, so unfortunately dungeons arent doing too well at the moment and takes a massive amount from the game) Tanks are very unpopular too though, so that gives me a sense of being unique. Seems to me DPS is the majority.

21jws10

That one DK move was the self heal, green dragonblood.

MangoSsk

21jws10 wrote: »

That one DK move was the self heal, green dragonblood.

You know what would be fun and annoying to other players. Make something thats not a tank and make it into a tank. I've seen Battlemages/Armored Healers taking hits although you need to build your stats and enchantments as well as your armor solely on that.

21jws10

Halp

Mighty_oakk

Check out the website tamriel foundry for builds and guides imo

21jws10

What does a tank do in PVP?

Flaminir

21jws10 wrote: »

How would a tank function in PVP and what should I do for stats?.

It doesn't!

Well... not really anyway. in PvP you have to be able to do damage and kill other players, because even in a full tank setup they will be able to kill you, albeit slightly more slowly than than somebody in a stick & dress.

There's nothing to stop you being a more 'tanky' build... heavy armor etc... but there is no need to hold aggro on mobs, and you can't on players.... so not a true tank in the general scheme of things

I did start to imagine a particularly tanky group based build based around the new 'Guard' skill which makes the enemies projectiles hit you instead of your other group members..... but you have to be a very high PvP rank to unlock that & it's quite a niche build.

AlnilamE

That's a good question. Because taunts don't work in PvP afaik.

Tanking in PvE is a lot of fun. I have a Templar and 2 DKs who are tanky, and a friend has a NB that he turned into a tank and we have a great time doing group dungeons.

Akavir_Sentinel

Tanks are very useful in PvP in group and siege situations, but not for 1v1. I have a siege tank setup for PvP that would require you to drop a keep on my head in order to kill me.

21jws10

@Akavir_Sentinel very nice, any insight into that particular build ?

traigusb14_ESO2

Tanky works in PVP if you work in small groups.

Oh..Dear.. here I am, a heavy armor Templar lost in the woods... I feel so helpless and alone...

Oh. here comes a nice gank patrol.

/Everyone tries to kill tank.. doesn't work.

/Tank's friends unstealth and beat the snot out of everyone.

I tend to throw down heals once trap is sprung... also throw out AOE DoT spears with extra minty STA synergy.

21jws10

I dislike the cheap kills I get on my stamina nightblade, to the extent where I don't really want to play it much anymore. Makes you feel kind of weak in PVP in some respects when instead you could be charging in on the battlefield taking keeps, instead of creeping on solo players below your level or unarmored etc..

Jennifur_Vultee

Leveling I used a build like this very early on...
1. Spiked Armor (Draconic)
2. Puncture (1H & Shield)
3. Dark Talons (Draconic)
4. Searing Strike (Ardent Flame) periodically swap out with Molten Weapons (Earthen Heart)
5. Fiery Grip (Ardent Flame) periodically swap out with Stonefist (Earthen Heart)

Swapping out the last two skills allowed me to level Ardent Flame and Earthen Heart fairly evenly though I admit Earthen Heart was my most neglected Skilling and it hurt my end game build a bit because it was underdeveloped.

For the bulk of my leveling I used...
1. Spiked Armor morphed to Volatile Armor (Draconic)
2. Puncture morphed to Pierced Armor (1H & Shield)
3. Dark Talons morphed to Burning Talons (Draconic)
4. Power Bash morphed to Power Slam (1H & Shield)
5. Shield Charge morphed to Shielded Assault (1H & Shield)

Bar 2 was a restoration staff.


I currently use a build somewhat similar to this with sword and shield on both weapon bars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyy4PCHldzY&index=3&list=PLogQAJEuxu9YhE3LuJuP4-9p966gPsdcL

At this point I have 42 attribute points in health and 20 in magic, when needed I buff magic and stamina with foods.

This is my current build at VR14:
Bar 1 Axe and Shield
1. Spiked Armor morphed to Volatile Armor (Draconic)
2. Puncture morphed to Pierced Armor (1H & Shield)
3. Dark Talons morphed to Burning Talons (Draconic)
4. Inhale not mophed yet. (Draconic) I'm leveling this now but depending on the situation will run
Reflective Scales (Draconic) or Defensive Posture morphed to Defensive Stance (1H & Shield)
5. Dragon Blood morphed to Green Dragon Blood (Draconic)

Bar 2 Sword and Sheild
1. Fiery Breath morphed to Engulfing Flames (Ardent Flame)
2. Low Slash morphed to Heroic Slash (1H & Shield)
3. Ash Cloud morphed to Eruption (Earthen Heart)
4. Obsidian Shield morphed to Igneous Shield (Earthen Heart)
5. Immoveable morphed to Unstoppable (Heavy Armor)

Ultimate either
Magma Armor morphed to Corrosive Armor (Earthen Heart)
or
Dragonknight Standard morphed to Standard of Might (Ardent Flame)

Akavir_Sentinel

21jws10 wrote: »

@Akavir_Sentinel very nice, any insight into that particular build ?

And have whine threads created about it having ~90% damage mitigation? No thank you.

21jws10

@Akavir_Sentinel perfectly understandable. If I'm an imperial, where the heck to I put my attributes.. I have no idea what skills to use, any must-haves for PVP and PVE?

Akavir_Sentinel

21jws10 wrote: »

@Akavir_Sentinel perfectly understandable. If I'm an imperial, where the heck to I put my attributes.. I have no idea what skills to use, any must-haves for PVP and PVE?

It depends on your overall setup, like what level you are, how many CP's you have, what armor you are wearing, and what enchants are on those armor pieces. I can tell you that you are going to want to put as much into health as you can, but still have a decent amount in stamina. Magicka is a secondary concern if you are going straight tank. I recommend at least 30k health, but depending on the factors I mentioned above, you may not be able to do that and still have plenty of stamina.

21jws10

@Akavir_Sentinel argh why does everyone say the exact units of health and not the amount of points to be put in. I only have around 32 champ points at the moment.

Personofsecrets

I'd suggest that you totally stay away from tanking until after imperial city has been released. It is a really turbulent time right now for tanks as the whole roll is being threatened by a tremendous nerf.

traigusb14_ESO2

21jws10 wrote: »

@Akavir_Sentinel argh why does everyone say the exact units of health and not the amount of points to be put in. I only have around 32 champ points at the moment.

Because we often get there by using enchants and other methods, not just stat points.

We can give you a target and you can get there a few different ways.

21jws10

@Personofsecrets how bad can it be? Double cost?

Personofsecrets

21jws10 wrote: »

@Personofsecrets how bad can it be? Double cost?

Well, we all see the sad state that extended chains is in. Many people also swear that Reflective Scales is not working some times. There was also the time that taunting got stealth nerfd and there was so much outcry that the developers quickly fixed the issue within days.

Pretty bad

rb2001

You stand in the mobs. You take damage. You hit them with your sword. You hit them with Inner Fire.

All the healers cheer you on, like cheerleaders. All the DPSers envy your power.

All the game wants you.

You celebrate.

All the other roles wonder why they die in 4 seconds while you are spec'd to actually survive a fight. Go figure. What else are we here for.

helediron

21jws10 wrote: »

I dislike the cheap kills I get on my stamina nightblade, to the extent where I don't really want to play it much anymore. Makes you feel kind of weak in PVP in some respects when instead you could be charging in on the battlefield taking keeps, instead of creeping on solo players below your level or unarmored etc..

So you have a nightblade. Have a look at this thread in Tamriel Foundry:
http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/pve-nb-tanks-for-starters-compendium-of-information-theory-and-insight-2-0/
It is about PvE, but shows the ropes for NB tank. Look also other builds and ideas there for PvP in the Nightblade theorycrafting section.