Sorcerer Tanks in comparison to Dragonknight Tanks.

Valykc

I've been looking into the skills and passives of Both and yes, before you say it, I am aware that DK Tanks are the only viable choice to veteran trials but sorcerers have some interesting abilities as well. Overall, I'm just looking for opinions on skills and passives of the classes. Is some utility of the DK negated by lack of skill slots or just the overall unneeded use of the Skill? Such examples as Igneous Weapons; it's a great group utility but is it needed?

Talons in comparison to encase. Talons can apply minor maim and encase just applies a lingering snare.

Overall the Passives for DK support a more block heavy role and health regeneration. While the sorcerers are more into reducing costs, overall recovery and damage boosts.

Major/Minor resistance buffs, as for DKs volatile/hardened armor can boost health regen while hurricane/boundless do AoE damage, proc implosion and provide mobility, sorcs also have a minor resist toggle.

Overload bar for extra skills is a plus for sorcs, while DKs are sort of limited.

DKs have chains which can be great but some DD's find it annoying.

I'm mainly just looking for a fun Tank build to play. I used to run a Ulti-regen tank and that was very boring, I'm looking at the DK skills and thinking one spec'd more into magic could be fun because of the class skills like deep breath provide some more reactive gameplay but Stam sorcs are just amazing and I feel like Stam sorcs can Tank any vet dungeons easily and still be able to dish out some moderate damage or proc implosion on trash mobs. I realize Stam Sorc will not be able to handle vet trials most likely but I have other toons for that.

So what's the community's thoughts on DK vs Sorc tanking? Can you suggest any fun Tank builds?

Much appreciated!

AhPook_Is_Here

fine for vet dungeons.

Valykc

AhPook_Is_Here wrote: »

fine for vet dungeons.

Thank you for the response! It has been noted!

Anhedonie

I've seen a sorc tank only once throughout 3 years of playtime and to be honest, I won't miss that abomination if I never see it again.

Valykc

Anhedonie wrote: »

I've seen a sorc tank only once throughout 3 years of playtime and to be honest, I won't miss that abomination if I never see it again.

Haha so overall DK is better for group utility and tankiness?

Taylor_MB

Any class can tank everything up to vet trials. I'd even argue some specs can tank better then a DK for lower level stuff (my templar tank pulls 10k+ dps in vdsa).

However, DK's are the only class that can regen enough stamina for near perma-block in vet trials with out constant shard feeding. Battle Roar + Helping Hands + Constitution is amazing.

central_scrutinizer

As a stam sorc you can lean more heavily into dps with ease and role synergy then dk can, which can be a huge help both in pugs with low dps players, and also in well-oiled groups that don't necessarily need a tank outside of a few fights.

The trade off is that you have to be attacking to get the most out of it, and your ability to mitigate incoming damage can fluctuate a lot. Ressing teamates as a sta tank for example can be a bit dicey sometimes, even with vigor.

I play both and there are definitely times that I am on one and wish that I am on the other, but I honestly find sta sorc to be more versatile for pve.

Valykc

Taylor_MB wrote: »

Any class can tank everything up to vet trials. I'd even argue some specs can tank better then a DK for lower level stuff (my templar tank pulls 10k+ dps in vdsa).

However, DK's are he only class that can regen enough stamina for near perma-block in vet trials with out constant shard feeding. Battle Roar + Helping Hands + Constitution is amazing.

Great response! Thank you! Yeah I'm probably going to choose DK, especially since I won't have to level a new character

Anhedonie

Valykc wrote: »

Anhedonie wrote: »

I've seen a sorc tank only once throughout 3 years of playtime and to be honest, I won't miss that abomination if I never see it again.

Haha so overall DK is better for group utility and tankiness?

In my opinion DK is the ultimate tank and has no rivals in that role.

Ferretstalker

Stam tank since launch. It's fun. Not sure how viable it is for Vet Trials but dungeons are easy.

Valykc

central_scrutinizer wrote: »

As a stam sorc you can lean more heavily into dps with ease and role synergy then dk can, which can be a huge help both in pugs with low dps players, and also in well-oiled groups that don't necessarily need a tank outside of a few fights.

The trade off is that you have to be attacking to get the most out of it, and your ability to mitigate incoming damage can fluctuate a lot. Ressing teamates as a sta tank for example can be a bit dicey sometimes, even with vigor.

I play both and there are definitely times that I am on one and wish that I am on the other, but I honestly find sta sorc to be more versatile for pve.

Awesome response! Thank you! I guess I need to decide if I want to Tank vet trials or not then go from there

idk

Valykc wrote: »

I've been looking into the skills and passives of Both and yes, before you say it, I am aware that DK Tanks are the only viable choice to veteran trials but sorcerers have some interesting abilities as well. Overall, I'm just looking for opinions on skills and passives of the classes. Is some utility of the DK negated by lack of skill slots or just the overall unneeded use of the Skill? Such examples as Igneous Weapons; it's a great group utility but is it needed?

Talons in comparison to encase. Talons can apply minor maim and encase just applies a lingering snare.

Overall the Passives for DK support a more block heavy role and health regeneration. While the sorcerers are more into reducing costs, overall recovery and damage boosts.

Major/Minor resistance buffs, as for DKs volatile/hardened armor can boost health regen while hurricane/boundless do AoE damage, proc implosion and provide mobility, sorcs also have a minor resist toggle.

Overload bar for extra skills is a plus for sorcs, while DKs are sort of limited.

DKs have chains which can be great but some DD's find it annoying.

I'm mainly just looking for a fun Tank build to play. I used to run a Ulti-regen tank and that was very boring, I'm looking at the DK skills and thinking one spec'd more into magic could be fun because of the class skills like deep breath provide some more reactive gameplay but Stam sorcs are just amazing and I feel like Stam sorcs can Tank any vet dungeons easily and still be able to dish out some moderate damage or proc implosion on trash mobs. I realize Stam Sorc will not be able to handle vet trials most likely but I have other toons for that.

So what's the community's thoughts on DK vs Sorc tanking? Can you suggest any fun Tank builds?

Much appreciated!

DKs are not the only viable tanking class for vet trials. They merely have the best overall resource rregen and utility. The resource regens trumps the passives for cost reduction and regen the sorc has. The Sorc tank must rely on others for stamina (or magika if tanking with a staff) or drop block for a heavy attack which is challenging in some fights (Mage Axes).

As for chains, any decent dps would not have an issue with chains. A DK that uses them well is pulling in NPCs to group them all together for faster clears of trash mobs. A DD that does not like that has much to learn.

Major/Minor resistances is already coming from Combat Prayer and it does not stack..

Overload bar is not much of a benefit. Block appears to drop for a moment when activating overload and probably losing the weapon passives so less effective in a fight.

Overall the NB, especially as a Sap magika tank is probably the most fun in 4 man dungeons and has the second best resource regen against bosses. For 4 man dungeons the NB can gear for damage and help out the group.

Templar tanks have the most native damage reduction. Has the same added spell resist, added mitigation when blocking as a DK plus has access to 8% overall damage reduction and can use repentance for stam when trash or adds have been killed. Can use the other morph for magika regen while attacking. Basically not reliant on having a healer setup well.

KochDerDamonen

Sorcerer tank looked fun when I was in guild with a couple, one stamina and one magicka funny enough. Though the magicka tank was more of a sorcerer dps with more points dumped into having fat shields, can only imagine if they're using frost staff now. I'm interested in having tank gear for my stamina sorcerer.

As I'm sure you'll hear plenty of times, absolutely fine for veteran dungeons.

Valykc

Giles.floydub17_ESO wrote: »

Valykc wrote: »

I've been looking into the skills and passives of Both and yes, before you say it, I am aware that DK Tanks are the only viable choice to veteran trials but sorcerers have some interesting abilities as well. Overall, I'm just looking for opinions on skills and passives of the classes. Is some utility of the DK negated by lack of skill slots or just the overall unneeded use of the Skill? Such examples as Igneous Weapons; it's a great group utility but is it needed?

Talons in comparison to encase. Talons can apply minor maim and encase just applies a lingering snare.

Overall the Passives for DK support a more block heavy role and health regeneration. While the sorcerers are more into reducing costs, overall recovery and damage boosts.

Major/Minor resistance buffs, as for DKs volatile/hardened armor can boost health regen while hurricane/boundless do AoE damage, proc implosion and provide mobility, sorcs also have a minor resist toggle.

Overload bar for extra skills is a plus for sorcs, while DKs are sort of limited.

DKs have chains which can be great but some DD's find it annoying.

I'm mainly just looking for a fun Tank build to play. I used to run a Ulti-regen tank and that was very boring, I'm looking at the DK skills and thinking one spec'd more into magic could be fun because of the class skills like deep breath provide some more reactive gameplay but Stam sorcs are just amazing and I feel like Stam sorcs can Tank any vet dungeons easily and still be able to dish out some moderate damage or proc implosion on trash mobs. I realize Stam Sorc will not be able to handle vet trials most likely but I have other toons for that.

So what's the community's thoughts on DK vs Sorc tanking? Can you suggest any fun Tank builds?

Much appreciated!

DKs are not the only viable tanking class for vet trials. They merely have the best overall resource rregen and utility. The resource regens trumps the passives for cost reduction and regen the sorc has. The Sorc tank must rely on others for stamina (or magika if tanking with a staff) or drop block for a heavy attack which is challenging in some fights (Mage Axes).

As for chains, any decent dps would not have an issue with chains. A DK that uses them well is pulling in NPCs to group them all together for faster clears of trash mobs. A DD that does not like that has much to learn.

Major/Minor resistances is already coming from Combat Prayer and it does not stack..

Overload bar is not much of a benefit. Block appears to drop for a moment when activating overload and probably losing the weapon passives so less effective in a fight.

Overall the NB, especially as a Sap magika tank is probably the most fun in 4 man dungeons and has the second best resource regen against bosses. For 4 man dungeons the NB can gear for damage and help out the group.

Templar tanks have the most native damage reduction. Has the same added spell resist, added mitigation when blocking as a DK plus has access to 8% overall damage reduction and can use repentance for stam when trash or adds have been killed. Can use the other morph for magika regen while attacking. Basically not reliant on having a healer setup well.

Very insightful post! Thank you very much!

Valykc

KochDerDamonen wrote: »

Sorcerer tank looked fun when I was in guild with a couple, one stamina and one magicka funny enough. Though the magicka tank was more of a sorcerer dps with more points dumped into having fat shields, can only imagine if they're using frost staff now. I'm interested in having tank gear for my stamina sorcerer.

As I'm sure you'll hear plenty of times, absolutely fine for veteran dungeons.

Thank you for the response!

hmsdragonfly

Someone has tanked vMoL HM with a sorc tank if i am not mistaken.

Properly built sorc tanks are not bad at all.

Anhedonie wrote: »

I've seen a sorc tank only once throughout 3 years of playtime and to be honest, I won't miss that abomination if I never see it again.

That's not a good argument, you know. I have seen terrible DK tanks.

Anhedonie wrote: »

Valykc wrote: »

Anhedonie wrote: »

I've seen a sorc tank only once throughout 3 years of playtime and to be honest, I won't miss that abomination if I never see it again.

Haha so overall DK is better for group utility and tankiness?

In my opinion DK is the ultimate tank and has no rivals in that role.

That's false. Yes in PvE vet trials, DK tank is the best, that's why leaderboard competitors often go with dk tanks. But there are sorc and templar tanks that also cleared vet trials, so as long as you don't want to compete for a place on the leaderboard, you are fine with any classes.

In PvP, magplar tank is the best.

SolarCat02

Any class can tank veteran dungeons well. Success there is entirely up to the player, not the character. Normal Trials will also not be an issue.

Veteran Trials... The meta is the meta for a reason. That doesn't mean you can't do it with non-meta builds, just that the meta can be stronger for a skilled player, and easier for a non-skilled player.

There are some players who can cause more damage with a magicka Nightblade than the average magicka Sorcerer right now...
But how much more damage could they get with a magicka Sorcerer then?

My main is a Dragonknight healer who has completed all veteran content excluding vMaw and vMA.
I recently (two weeks ago) leveled a Templar healer who has already proven herself in vSO and vAA and I am still missing skills and don't even have most of her passives yet.

But then there is the matter of what is the most fun for you, too! There is a reason the Templar is not my main, after all. So you also need to find what is fun for you, personally, and if it's non-meta, just find a group that supports your choice.

MakeNoiseMan

Just thought I'd toss this out there, in case anyone's interested—I main a MagSorc healer/DD, and I've never built a dedicated Sorc tank, but I have had a a lot of fun heal/tanking with 5/1/1 Light Armour: Armour Master + Necropotence + a monster set. Definitely nothing you would take into a vet Trial, but it can support three DDs through any vet Dungeon just fine (which, with three DDs, become speedy runs indeed!).

KochDerDamonen wrote: »

the magicka tank was more of a sorcerer dps with more points dumped into having fat shields

Essentially this. Bound Armour, Twilight Matriarch, Harness Magicka/Conjured Ward and go to town. You'll end up with upwards of 50k magicka and nearly 30k physical/spell resistance, buffed. Dark Deal keeps your stamina topped up, Boundless Storm for Major Ward/Resolve. It's a good time! It's handy too for situations where you only need an off-tank for a short period of time, like the Twins in nMaw.

KochDerDamonen wrote: »

can only imagine if they're using frost staff now.

I did play around with a Frost Staff in this setup (you only need the Armour Master 5pc on one bar), but no matter what I was doing I was sacrificing efficiency for novelty, sadly. I still find it most effective to run double Sword/Boards. If they change the other morph of Weakness to Elements so that it applies Major Fracture as well as Breach, then I could see it being run a lot more (and they should call it Weakness to Everything, heh). Until then, only Nightblades and Dragonknights have the ability to apply Major Fracture while using a Frost Staff. And even then... efficiency > novelty.

VaxtinTheWolf

I'm in the process of doing pledges on a 'sort of recently leveled' Magicka sorcerer tank. Thus far it's been fine, but I don't know how much my champion points are hiding potential flaws in this. Never had an interest in the trial environment though, Just up to Vetern non-DLC dungeons, Because I still don't have any.

Valykc

SolarCat02 wrote: »

Any class can tank veteran dungeons well. Success there is entirely up to the player, not the character. Normal Trials will also not be an issue.

Veteran Trials... The meta is the meta for a reason. That doesn't mean you can't do it with non-meta builds, just that the meta can be stronger for a skilled player, and easier for a non-skilled player.

There are some players who can cause more damage with a magicka Nightblade than the average magicka Sorcerer right now...
But how much more damage could they get with a magicka Sorcerer then?

My main is a Dragonknight healer who has completed all veteran content excluding vMaw and vMA.
I recently (two weeks ago) leveled a Templar healer who has already proven herself in vSO and vAA and I am still missing skills and don't even have most of her passives yet.

But then there is the matter of what is the most fun for you, too! There is a reason the Templar is not my main, after all. So you also need to find what is fun for you, personally, and if it's non-meta, just find a group that supports your choice.

Great response and I do enjoy the DK since it is my main, my crafters and my first class. I'm not usually a meta hopper but like you said it's the meta for a reason. Thank you!

LadyLavina

I may be a little biased in saying this , but DK tanks ftw

(and MS Paint , for letting me cobble this image together from screenshots)