Build Help Please, Tank

ACamaroGuy

I'm an Imperial Dragonknight level 1289 using the Lady mundus. I am using the Alcast build for Champion Point placement and skills to use only. I'm thinking of running Mighty Chudan, Brands of Imperium and Battalion Defender or Almalexia's Mercy for sets. Will these sets work with each other? For spell and physical resistance, what is PvE cap?
• The reasoning behind my thought process when it comes to selecting the sets, to me a tank should be able to resist and take damage on their own. I do not believe a tank should buff the group or debuff an enemy boss. When the group gets wiped by one shot, I want to be that selfish tank that's running around picking everyone up while taking damage. Thank you so much for your thoughts and help with this build. I just want to add this is my first ever tank build, I play DPS.

BejaProphet

The cap is 33,000. But unless something has changed, enemies have an innate 100 piercing. So practically speaking the cap is 33,100.

Those sets will indeed make you a sturdy tank. However, just to stretch your thinking...

A tank resurrecting a dead group is what failure looks like, the goal of tanking is to not reach that point.

Kurat

It depends on what content you're doing. If you just wanna pug some dungeons then any setup is fine as long as you can do the minimum - taunt bosses and stay alive. But if you plan do do vet trials then you should wear sets that help group and buff/debuff.
Pve resistance cap is 33k but you dont need fo be at that. Even harder endgame content can be done with 24-26k.

BejaProphet

Kurat wrote: »

It depends on what content you're doing. If you just wanna pug some dungeons then any setup is fine as long as you can do the minimum - taunt bosses and stay alive. But if you plan do do vet trials then you should wear sets that help group and buff/debuff.
Pve resistance cap is 33k but you dont need fo be at that. Even harder endgame content can be done with 24-26k.

I’m not saying Kurat is wrong, but for what the original poster expressed as his personal goals, you will want to get your resistances jacked.

ACamaroGuy

BejaProphet wrote: »

A tank resurrecting a dead group is what failure looks like, the goal of tanking is to not reach that point.

I fully agree with you. Unfortunately I have been in too many pug groups where there's just me, dps, and a tank left trying to fight off bosses. I remember about the second or third time doing the final boss in Sunspire. The group went down except for the tank and I. We finally brought the boss down to end the fight. That tank was badass. I respect what you say and I loved the input... I just don't think I will ever made a tank and be comfortable enough not having all of those resistances. I think if I ran a tank full time I would go the META route. I feel that the high resistances might be my insurance policy for any mistakes I might possibly make. I'm sure once I get better at it I'll switch around but for right now this is kind of where my mind sets at.

BejaProphet

Oh I’m not trying to dissuade you from getting Tanky. Max resistances is incredibly powerful and I keep mine maxed on my tank as well. I very much dislike tank builds that think they are tough but it’s only because they have an awesome dedicated healer.

I’m only trying to nudge you towards a different mental picture of what an awesome tank is. Awesome is controlling the fight, not salvaging a wipe. But then again I’m more partial to dungeons than trials.

ACamaroGuy

BejaProphet wrote: »

Oh I’m not trying to dissuade you from getting Tanky. Max resistances is incredibly powerful and I keep mine maxed on my tank as well. I very much dislike tank builds that think they are tough but it’s only because they have an awesome dedicated healer.

I’m only trying to nudge you towards a different mental picture of what an awesome tank is. Awesome is controlling the fight, not salvaging a wipe. But then again I’m more partial to dungeons than trials.

I appreciate your input. I hope I enjoy tanking enough to get comfortable with exploring different play styles and sets.

Funjac

ACamaroGuy, you could take a look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqS6YM75VFo.

Keep in mind that you will probably be excluded from most score-pushing trial groups with this build.

ACamaroGuy

Funjac wrote: »

ACamaroGuy, you could take a look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqS6YM75VFo.

Keep in mind that you will probably be excluded from most score-pushing trial groups with this build.

This is a great video! Thank you so much.

etchedpixels

ACamaroGuy wrote: »

I'm an Imperial Dragonknight level 1289 using the Lady mundus. I am using the Alcast build for Champion Point placement and skills to use only. I'm thinking of running Mighty Chudan, Brands of Imperium and Battalion Defender or Almalexia's Mercy for sets. Will these sets work with each other? For spell and physical resistance, what is PvE cap?
• The reasoning behind my thought process when it comes to selecting the sets, to me a tank should be able to resist and take damage on their own. I do not believe a tank should buff the group or debuff an enemy boss. When the group gets wiped by one shot, I want to be that selfish tank that's running around picking everyone up while taking damage. Thank you so much for your thoughts and help with this build. I just want to add this is my first ever tank build, I play DPS.

Brands of Imperium and Battalion defender is what I currently run when tanking normal and vet dungeons on my main tank. Neither are what I would call selfish sets (eg beekeeper or plague doctor). Battalion defender is a very good tank set and heals a group member not always you, ditto brands and the shields. There are better options than imperium, I've just not gotten around to working on acquiring something better.

Monster helms depend a lot on play style and regen. A resourceless tank is a dead tank so engine guardian can be a great option.

You'll still buff the group - because you use skills for it:
- Igneous weapons gives everyone major brutality/sorcery which is a 20% damage buff. It last for ages too so you don't have to remember to use it very often
- Igneous shield isn't a big boost but it's something you can usually keep up ok on a tank
- Ash cloud both slows the trash down and gives a small boost to the group healing output
- Standard of might is on one bar for boss fights and is a bunch of buffs, or if nobody else has it then warhorn
- Pierce armour gives the target major fracture and major breach which is a big deal in itself

and of course there are buffs and other benefits from stone giant, talons etc and ice staff if you use it.

If you want to pick people up off the floor the best option is more likely a necrotank because of the ultimate. In plenty of fights you can't pick up the damage dealers when only the tank is left as you'll need to move or get interrupted, whereas a necro tank can solo until they have the ultimate then res the group. Necrotank is also probably the ultimate unkillable selfish tank right now as you can stack health gear and enchants to get insane health and recovery, and heal off the scythe

Hotdog_23

Claw of Yolnahkriin
(2 items) Adds 1206 Maximum Health
(3 items) Gain Minor Aegis at all times, reducing your damage taken from Dungeon, Trial, and Arena Monsters by 5%.
(4 items) Adds 1096 Maximum Stamina
(5 items) When you taunt an enemy, you give yourself and 11 group members Minor Courage for 15 seconds, increasing your Weapon Damage and Spell Damage by 215. This effect can occur once every 8 seconds.

Spell Power Cure
(2 items) Adds 1096 Maximum Magicka
(3 items) Adds 1096 Maximum Magicka
(4 items) Adds 129 Spell Damage
(5 items) When you over heal yourself or an ally, you give the target Major Courage for 5 seconds which increases their Weapon Damage and Spell Damage by 430.

Are my 2 favorite sets for 4-man content. Use energy orbs under undaunted skill line to produce spell power cure and give resources to the group. Find adding 645 weapon and spell damage or major/minor courage to the group is best overall.

Use Stonekeeper for monster set for my resources rather then something like Symphony of Blades since I am already using orbs for the group’s resources.

Stonekeeper
(1 item) Adds 548 Maximum Stamina, adds 548 Maximum Magicka, Adds 603 Maximum Health
(2 items) When you block an attack, you gain an energy Charge stack. When you gain 6 Charges, you release the energy, restoring 2480 Stamina and Magicka, and healing for 2480. After releasing the Charges, you cannot regain new Charges for 14 seconds. Charges can be accumulated up to once every .25 seconds.

YOL is body pieces and SPC jewelry and weapons. Have around 40-42k health, 27k stam and 26k mag I believe. Pretty sure my resistance is in the 25-29k range for my Imperial Dragonknight. My warden tank is another beast built completely differently using Azureblight Reaper, Frozen Watcher and arena weapons, also magic based with double frost staffs.


Stay safe and enjoy the journey 😊

PS. ZOS stop the micromanagement of the green tree 🥺

zvavi

Hotdog_23 in my opinion spell power cure is too hard to keep up since they nerfed altar, I would prefer olorime.

Hotdog_23

zvavi wrote: »

Hotdog_23 in my opinion spell power cure is too hard to keep up since they nerfed altar, I would prefer olorime.

Does olorime produce on alter? I thought they changed it so doesn't anymore. How do you produce olorime on a tank now?


Either way a orb every 10 seconds is not to bad plus it gives resources.

Stay safe and enjoy the journey 😊

PS. ZOS stop the micromanagement of the green tree 🥺

Septimus_Magna

Personally I would start tanking with sets that are selfish or at least semi-selfish. If you're used to being a DD it might be overwhelming to keep track of set effects besides the mechanics of the fight without sets that do a lot for tanking.

For monster sets I like Lord Warden, it gives everyone in range a nice armor buff and you dont have to manage it. Since the last update DDs run with more health but less resistance due to the CP changes so the armor buff is often pretty useful. A set like Ebon is less useful in 4-man content, percentage-wise the difference with 1k extra health is pretty small now. It used to be about 30% more effective because DDs had low health and high resistances from the old CP system. Mighty Chudan gives the same major resolve buff as Hardened Armor or Balance so its not the best pick imo.

For a reliable healing set I think Almalexia's Mercy is better than Battalion Defender, Ive also heard good things about Leeching Plate, its more selfish but offers self-healing and I think it can restore stamina through the Combustion passive so that might also be worth considering.

At the moment I am farming Drake's Rush for my DK tank, the ult regen is a nice buff for the group, faster ults means more War Horns and better sustain through the Battle Roar passive so it should work pretty well. I plan to use Drake's on the front bar, Yoln on the backbar, Bloodlord's Embrace on the body and Lord Warden as monster set. Resistance, support and sustain should all be pretty good with that setup.

zvavi

Hotdog_23 wrote: »

zvavi wrote: »

Hotdog_23 in my opinion spell power cure is too hard to keep up since they nerfed altar, I would prefer olorime.

Does olorime produce on alter? I thought they changed it so doesn't anymore. How do you produce olorime on a tank now?


Either way a orb every 10 seconds is not to bad plus it gives resources.

Stay safe and enjoy the journey 😊

PS. ZOS stop the micromanagement of the green tree 🥺

Spell power is the one that needed altar, olorime is produced through elemental blockade on back bar, and lets you run an arena set on frontbar.

Hotdog_23

zvavi wrote: »

Hotdog_23 wrote: »

zvavi wrote: »

Hotdog_23 in my opinion spell power cure is too hard to keep up since they nerfed altar, I would prefer olorime.

Does olorime produce on alter? I thought they changed it so doesn't anymore. How do you produce olorime on a tank now?


Either way a orb every 10 seconds is not to bad plus it gives resources.

Stay safe and enjoy the journey 😊

PS. ZOS stop the micromanagement of the green tree 🥺

Spell power is the one that needed altar, olorime is produced through elemental blockade on back bar, and lets you run an arena set on frontbar.

Thanks, good to know, may change my setup if I ever find a round to it

Stay safe and enjoy the journey 😊

PS. ZOS stop the micromanagement of the green tree 🥺

GreenHere

Almalexia's Mercy is just plain better than Battalion Defender, imo.

A steady stream of "free" heals to everyone within (an admittedly smallish) range of you beats one mildly chunkier heal to one random person at a time (though the much larger range is nice) -- BUT you need to be blocking for Battalion Defender's heal to proc. Almalexia's heal is just firing off pretty much non-stop with no input from you whatsoever. Unless you're built for perma-blocking (which given your other stated goals for tank builds, you're likely not), there will be times you needed that heal from Battalion Defender but weren't blocking at the time for one reason or another. Or more than one person needed the heal at once. Or the heal just went to the "wrong" person (even though I believe it's "smart" healing, there will be times it goes to someone with less health but not in as immanent danger, like with mechanics or whatever). Almalexia is just constantly topping off anyone in range, and there's no guesswork about it. The only downside is the short range. And maybe the weaker heals, but that's up to your build to augment imo.

And then there's the 2-4 set bonuses. Health, Stam, and Healing Done are all nice for Battalion, but if you're looking to cap your Resistances, then Almlexia's does you more favors here with Health, Armor, Armor.

AND, with Almalexia being a light armor set, you can slap three jewels on, and use your waist and hands slot for two light armor pieces (because those are the slots with the least armor rating to begin with, hence least armor value lost) and gain a few nice light armor bonuses x2 (assuming you put the skill points in the relevant passives). I always want more mag recovery & cost reduction as a tank!

AND AND... Almalexia's Mercy has a nice pure golden light visual effect, whereas Defender's is more of a "dirty" gold vfx, as I recall. ;P

ANDANDAND!! If you for some reason want to go for a Werewolf Tank (or Healer) build, Almalexia is amazing there too! As a pack, you're usually gonna be close enough together for everyone to get heals at all times by design since everyone is in melee range. Tormentor + Alma is a fun WW tank setup! Or Alma + SPC for a sturdy WW healer build!


Everyone else covered more salient points above, but since I recently tested my own (Templar) tank build with the various healing sets I thought I'd share my insights, for whatever they're worth. I just found Almalexia's to be a no-contest, hands-down, flat-out way better option than the BD set (and pretty much all others) for my setups. The "equip it and forget about it" nature of it is just so damn nice. It really carries you in a lot of situations, honestly; it's like having a sorc's Surge "Lite" skill proccing on you at all times, but without having to do anything to earn it. I don't mind the short range, because it enforces good positioning habits (or at least that's how I justify it). YMMV