Calling Tank Aficionados!

Texecutioner187

So there is a lot of discussion around "end game meta" for tanking in terms of class. I've been looking around and doing some comparisons of them all out of curiosity. ASSUMING that the measure of a good end-game tank is the ability to support their group and debuff the bosses, what options are available to all of these classes?

For example, I know the warden and the DK are favored options, moreso the DK for main tanking and the warden for off tanking... but what about the necro? What about the even lesser considered classes, but I've seen them perform REALLY well? Sorc, Nightblade, Templar? Any group support/debuffs there?

This is, of course, assuming that we are speaking about class skills only since all others are universally available. I'm interested in hearing discussion about different types of end-game tanking that is just as effective as that beefy DK over there or that really versatile warden that you see flying all over the place.

Joxer61

Ability to not die and hold big dudes....jobs done.
Class is irrelevant.....skill and knowledge of mechanics key.

paganslyer

dk as u said is the popular 1
but u can tank with any class
me for example tank all the hardest places with templar
skills like Repentance-Extended Ritual-Restoring Focus-Practiced Incantation- are very good for tnaking

Texecutioner187

Joxer61 wrote: »

Ability to not die and hold big dudes....jobs done.
Class is irrelevant.....skill and knowledge of mechanics key.

Respectfully, I disagree that the job is done if you can simply hold agro. Tanks should be debuffing bosses and potentially supporting their group with item sets, should they not?

It's easy to just hold agro, but actually making everyone else's job easier, that's how I've been taught that tanks should be.

However, I do agree that skills and knowledge of mechanics is key, absolutely agree with that comment.

Texecutioner187

paganslyer wrote: »

dk as u said is the popular 1
but u can tank with any class
me for example tank all the hardest places with templar
skills like Repentance-Extended Ritual-Restoring Focus-Practiced Incantation- are very good for tnaking

What do you use for group support?
Templars use power of light for minor breach and minor fracture which dps use already. Nova will do major main which is a waste of a warhorn. Restoring aura, which is minor endurance (waste on a tank) and minor fortitude/minor intellect which isn't bad. Major protection from Remembrance. Minor protection from spear wall but for 3seconds. Major resolve from rune focus (great) and that's about it

Sanguinor2

Every class can be used for tanking. It all depends on what your group is running.

A dk tank is obvious for stagger and its survivability. Minor brutality if you play a stam dps group. Engulfing is usually taken care of a by a magdk dd but if for whatever reason you dont have one you can also do engulfing on a dk tank.
Warden tank if you find you need the toughness buff and can also give alkosh synergy if the warden isnt the one using alkosh, you can also give your group major resolve.
I dont think necro is really that worth it as a tank since the only reason you would take a necro along is colossus and you have those on dds and want horn on a tank anyway.
Nightblade tanks were great in sunspire because of the AoE attacks from dragons and nightblades having major evasion in heavy armor, they also give minor savagery for stam dps groups.
Sorc tanks you can do if you need minor prophecy and conduit and dont have a sorc dd, between bound aegis and the clanfear sorc tank has good survivability too, the only thing that sucks is dark deal having a cast time.
Templar tank, again, if you dont have a templar in your group you should take a templar tank for potl and ritual along aswell as minor sorcery for mag dps groups.

As you can see it all depends on your group. You can make any tank work in trials and all classes bring group support if you would otherwise not have that class. For example if you dont have a sorc dd you can have a sorc offtank and provide conduit for the maintank aswell as minor prohecy for the group. If you dont have a templar healer you can do a templar offtank with potl and ritual for the group etc.

Vajrak

Texecutioner187 wrote: »

paganslyer wrote: »

dk as u said is the popular 1
but u can tank with any class
me for example tank all the hardest places with templar
skills like Repentance-Extended Ritual-Restoring Focus-Practiced Incantation- are very good for tnaking

What do you use for group support?
Templars use power of light for minor breach and minor fracture which dps use already. Nova will do major main which is a waste of a warhorn. Restoring aura, which is minor endurance (waste on a tank) and minor fortitude/minor intellect which isn't bad. Major protection from Remembrance. Minor protection from spear wall but for 3seconds. Major resolve from rune focus (great) and that's about it

...Minor Protection is 6 seconds.
6 seconds is a damn long time in some situations, and usually something you'd want when trying to mitigate a big hit.
Blazing Ward -- now gives you a shield that has minor protection on it. For 6s, the same duration as the shield (if it doesn't break). You can also utilize sweeps to proc instead, and get back some healing during; varies by build, but is viable.

Minor Endurance isn't a waste on a tank; it helps get more stam back when you aren't blocking.

Major Resolve from Rune Focus is for the Templar casting it only -- and gets bonus resistances when on standing on it, but that isn't so much group support, it's self support.

Texecutioner187

Sanguinor2 wrote: »

Every class can be used for tanking. It all depends on what your group is running.

A dk tank is obvious for stagger and its survivability. Minor brutality if you play a stam dps group. Engulfing is usually taken care of a by a magdk dd but if for whatever reason you dont have one you can also do engulfing on a dk tank.
Warden tank if you find you need the toughness buff and can also give alkosh synergy if the warden isnt the one using alkosh, you can also give your group major resolve.
I dont think necro is really that worth it as a tank since the only reason you would take a necro along is colossus and you have those on dds and want horn on a tank anyway.
Nightblade tanks were great in sunspire because of the AoE attacks from dragons and nightblades having major evasion in heavy armor, they also give minor savagery for stam dps groups.
Sorc tanks you can do if you need minor prophecy and conduit and dont have a sorc dd, between bound aegis and the clanfear sorc tank has good survivability too, the only thing that sucks is dark deal having a cast time.
Templar tank, again, if you dont have a templar in your group you should take a templar tank for potl and ritual along aswell as minor sorcery for mag dps groups.

As you can see it all depends on your group. You can make any tank work in trials and all classes bring group support if you would otherwise not have that class. For example if you dont have a sorc dd you can have a sorc offtank and provide conduit for the maintank aswell as minor prohecy for the group. If you dont have a templar healer you can do a templar offtank with potl and ritual for the group etc.

I like this answer - it's well thought out. I actually was thinking along those lines for most classes and I also wrote down the following buffs/debuffs the Necro class had in fairness to them:

Colossus - Major Vulnerability
Boneyard - Major Breach/Fracture (AOE)
Agony Totem - Minor Protection to Allies /// Minor Vulnerability to enemies
Deaden Pain - Major Protection
Ghostly Embrace - Minor Maim

Texecutioner187

@Sanguinor2 - I'm actually glad you said that because my buddy in our vSS prog group mains a Nightblade tank. As a healer, I've observed that he actually takes noticeably less damage during the dragon breath phase and this certainly should explain why. His health bar barely moves, whereas I see both DK's and Wardens have huge health fluctuations during dragon breath.

It's fascinating how much of a difference this buff makes.

Sanguinor2

Texecutioner187 wrote: »

I like this answer - it's well thought out. I actually was thinking along those lines for most classes and I also wrote down the following buffs/debuffs the Necro class had in fairness to them:

Colossus - Major Vulnerability
Boneyard - Major Breach/Fracture (AOE)
Agony Totem - Minor Protection to Allies /// Minor Vulnerability to enemies
Deaden Pain - Major Protection
Ghostly Embrace - Minor Maim

Its not that necro tanks dont have things going for them or no group utility but rather that most of the things that are important for the group are already there via other sources (or necro dds in case of boneyard and colossus). Im sure necro tank is very good with survivability and you can also have great ult gen but since optimized groups need both colossus and warhorn there is rarely any reason to bring a necro tank since dds take care of colossus.

Texecutioner187

Sanguinor2 wrote: »

Texecutioner187 wrote: »

I like this answer - it's well thought out. I actually was thinking along those lines for most classes and I also wrote down the following buffs/debuffs the Necro class had in fairness to them:

Colossus - Major Vulnerability
Boneyard - Major Breach/Fracture (AOE)
Agony Totem - Minor Protection to Allies /// Minor Vulnerability to enemies
Deaden Pain - Major Protection
Ghostly Embrace - Minor Maim

Its not that necro tanks dont have things going for them or no group utility but rather that most of the things that are important for the group are already there via other sources (or necro dds in case of boneyard and colossus). Im sure necro tank is very good with survivability and you can also have great ult gen but since optimized groups need both colossus and warhorn there is rarely any reason to bring a necro tank since dds take care of colossus.

So in theory, if there ARE no necros in the group, then what?

Sanguinor2

Texecutioner187 wrote: »

So in theory, if there ARE no necros in the group, then what?

First of all, you are no optimized group if you dont bring necros.

More to your point someone would have to do the maths on damage increase from warhorn vs colossus to see which is stronger on a tank. I dont have those maths tho.

Onefrkncrzypope

The big three tanks: nb, warden, dk are great and bring something to group. (OB or stagger)
Sorc is great in places like vcr and vas but is just below the others.
Templar and necro start becoming detrimental as a tank if you are a novice because of how difficult just tanking is on those classes.(toolkit available)

This is with trial end game in mind.

Texecutioner187

Sanguinor2 wrote: »

Texecutioner187 wrote: »

So in theory, if there ARE no necros in the group, then what?

First of all, you are no optimized group if you dont bring necros.

More to your point someone would have to do the maths on damage increase from warhorn vs colossus to see which is stronger on a tank. I dont have those maths tho.

Agree completely on the non-optimized group. Thinking more of a non-hardcore/optimized group composition

KennyAr

It is sometimes confusing to use the term "Tank" in ESO. Traditionally a tank is melee type char, but in ESO, say, a necro tank is using a staff.

I however have a tank (with health/heavy armor but not yet fully developed) at level 31, he can solo Blackreach public dungeon and bosses there (except for the last one which is time consuming, I died but just don't want to retry). It's not difficult as I am just an average gamer. He's very tanky and offensive.

So my question here is, which classes can solo the Blackreach public dungeon (or any other group dungeon) at level 31?

Onefrkncrzypope

KennyAr wrote: »

It is sometimes confusing to use the term "Tank" in ESO. Traditionally a tank is melee type char, but in ESO, say, a necro tank is using a staff.

I however have a tank (with health/heavy armor but not yet fully developed) at level 31, he can solo Blackreach public dungeon and bosses there (except for the last one which is time consuming, I died but just don't want to retry). It's not difficult as I am just an average gamer. He's very tanky and offensive.

So my question here is, which classes can solo the Blackreach public dungeon (or any other group dungeon) at level 31?

What you are looking for is a solo build not a tank. But to answer what class can solo a public dungeon? All of them.

Nirntrotter

If you guys want to have a more in-depth discussion with tanks of all shades and colours, I can highly recommend The Tank Club Discord Link It also has a ton of resources and guides.

KennyAr

Onefrkncrzypope wrote: »

KennyAr wrote: »

It is sometimes confusing to use the term "Tank" in ESO. Traditionally a tank is melee type char, but in ESO, say, a necro tank is using a staff.

I however have a tank (with health/heavy armor but not yet fully developed) at level 31, he can solo Blackreach public dungeon and bosses there (except for the last one which is time consuming, I died but just don't want to retry). It's not difficult as I am just an average gamer. He's very tanky and offensive.

So my question here is, which classes can solo the Blackreach public dungeon (or any other group dungeon) at level 31?

What you are looking for is a solo build not a tank. But to answer what class can solo a public dungeon? All of them.

I mean which classes can do public dungeons at level 31. I know all classes can do in the end.

Sanguinor2

KennyAr wrote: »

I mean which classes can do public dungeons at level 31. I know all classes can do in the end.

Answer stays the same: all of them. You just need a heal and some kind of AoE abilities.

KennyAr

Sanguinor2 wrote: »

KennyAr wrote: »

I mean which classes can do public dungeons at level 31. I know all classes can do in the end.

Answer stays the same: all of them. You just need a heal and some kind of AoE abilities.

I don't think so though. I tried different classes now. Even my magplar has an issue.

KennyAr

Sanguinor2 wrote: »

KennyAr wrote: »

I mean which classes can do public dungeons at level 31. I know all classes can do in the end.

Answer stays the same: all of them. You just need a heal and some kind of AoE abilities.

And by what you said, everyone can be a tank as long as he has the 1h and shield enabled.

BeamsForDemacia

trust him every class can solo public dungeons at lvl 30, and magplar would actually next to sorc be the first that comes to my mind cuz of jabs
and btw did u just say u struggle in public dungeons and try to argue with ppl who do all raids regularly?

Sanguinor2

KennyAr wrote: »

I don't think so though. I tried different classes now. Even my magplar has an issue.

If you cant solo public dungeons at lvl 31 as magplar the issue is either your gear or you yourself. You either cannot sustain spamming sweeps, you dont know that spamming sweeps helps or you just dont have any health and damage and no class is gonna save you from that.
If you dont think so, you do you, but it most certainly is possible to solo public dungeons on any lvl 31 class if you have any idea what you are doing that is.

newtinmpls

KennyAr wrote: »

It is sometimes confusing to use the term "Tank" in ESO. Traditionally a tank is melee type char, but in ESO, say, a necro tank is using a staff.

My necro tank is a stamina build. My necro healer is a magicka build.

I think I will play around and see if I can work a Necro Magicka Tank, but I'm not there yet.

lozq

KennyAr wrote: »

Sanguinor2 wrote: »

KennyAr wrote: »

I mean which classes can do public dungeons at level 31. I know all classes can do in the end.

Answer stays the same: all of them. You just need a heal and some kind of AoE abilities.

And by what you said, everyone can be a tank as long as he has the 1h and shield enabled.

Concur, all classes can do public dungeons at level 30. When I roll a new character I craft them some random armour and take them dungeon hopping, great way to level up quickly and get skill points.

Tanks in ESO are a role rather than a specific class or race. They don't really exist outside of trials and dungeons. People who tank will either have a dedicated character for it or they'll use completely different gear and skills when they're questing or doing other overland content, simply because tanks, by design, usually hit like a wet noodle.

Have a read of this:

https://alcasthq.com/eso-how-to-solo-play-guide-elder-scrolls-online/

Lots of good general advice about skills, combat and basic mechanics. Also some good setups for all classes you can have a look at and build on yourself.