Veteran DK Tank TLDR 2023

damdamjel

Hello!!
First of all im really sorry about the Title.. I'm too busy with life but want to enjoy the game..
Anyway, straight to the point.
How do you maximize DK for tank? im too "lazy" to search and read. (actually just confused)
Im cp 1300+ "returnee" (cause auto tank is auto queue confirm)
Just lvl'd a DK from just doing the random dungeon bonus exp everyday. and a few skill pts..(already maxed all the class skills and passives)
CP nodes would be optional..

What I wanna know is the meta skills, and sets
what are the best sets? and what are the good skill rotations?
There are so many guides yet I still fail to tank some (DLC)vet dungeons and trials, and yes I do my research on the mechanics (yes im a noob, but something must be off with the rotation)
I admit I'm one of those players who just activate skills based on tutorials online
thanks in advance for the tips. (I'm humbly, really asking for tips)

Soarora

Tank Club is a great resource and easy to understand, dedicated to tanking. There is more to tanking than knowing mechanics and skills (which may differ depending on content) and sets (which may differ depending on group), you also have to become a good tank. Learn to think like a tank, learn the details like how to keep up your sustain. This takes a long time, I've been tanking (not exclusively) for about a year now with people able to help me and I still have a ways to go.
Also, tanking dungeons and tanking trials are very, very different. They're practically different roles, honestly.

Learning to tank is "trial by fire". Groups will fail, but you will become better over time. I'm not a great DK tank but I can tank vet HM dungeons on my sorc. I run my ranged taunt (inner fire), immobilize, and vatashran sword and board (void bash) on my backbar to group trash and DSA sword and board (masters) on my frontbar. For difficult bosses without much trash or for HMs I switch my backbar to ice staff with a 1-bar set (ex. yoln) so I can use a monster set. I keep my chain on my frontbar since once everything's grouped, I stay on frontbar except for buff reasons.

My rotation for trash is to switch to backbar, range taunt the big adds or throw caltrops if there are none, run in and activate void bash then roll dodge through the trash (to turn them around for dps flanking), immobilize, caltrops, puncture as many remaining adds as I can, starting with the big ones again, chaining any stragglers and immobilizing again if needed.

For bosses, I run in and range taunt before the boss notices me (despite seeing you first, it may go after a groupmate) and roll dodge through again to turn the boss around. Then puncture and buff up.

There are some other things to keep in mind.
One is Line of Sight (LoS). If an enemy can't see you, they'll move until they can. You can use this to your advantage to move enemies that aren't chainable.
Another is that many bosses have cone attacks. You want to stand still or move predictably with the boss facing you, with your back by a wall to limit the amount of ground the cone covers.
Additionally, sustain. You do not need to block every light attack. This is something I still struggle with. You WILL have to heavy attack since you're a DK (as sorc I use dark deal instead). Since you're a DK your sustain comes from the helping hands passive, from poison abilities, and from using your ultimate. Helping hands can be activated by spamming igneous shield or using something like ash cloud. Poison abilities include things like leeching plate, which is a great 5pc selfish set to get started with as it provides you a LOT of healing. I believe DKs also run charged poison glyph on their frontbar 1-handed weapon, other tanks largely run decisive instead. Finally, watch out for orbs from groupmates, they help a lot and give sustain through block (you do not regenerate stamina while blocking, unless you're on an ice staff with trifocus).
You want to reach maximum resistances while buffed, which the DSA sword and board helps with. I don't recall the exact number off the top of my head.

A TLDR on gear is that I run Naz/Turning Tide/DSA frontbar/Yoln backbar (ice, infused crusher) for a boss setup, Turning Tide/Yoln/DSA frontbar/Void Bash backbar for trash. For getting started though I highly recommend Leeching instead of Yoln. If you ever adventure into Necro tanking, don't use Turning Tide since you have colossus, don't use Naz either because you can't Naz your own colo.

Attributes, all health. Tripot potions. All sturdy, heavy gear. I'm sure I'm missing things but this is a lot already. Hope it helps!

El_Borracho

Basic DK Tank Skills:
Burning Talons (Your primary mob CC)
Unrelenting Grip (Your pull)
Green Dragon Blood (Your self heal)
Standard of Might (Basic Ultimate, helps group damage on a stationary boss)

Optional DK Skills
Igneous Weapons/Molten Armaments (If your group does not have access to Major Brutality)
Igneous Shield (If your group is squishy)
Magma Shell (Also with a squishy group or on a very damage-heavy boss)
Volatile Armor (If you are squishy, or if you are running Encratis Behemoth with a magicka heavy DPS group)
Protective Scale (If there is a fight with lots of projectiles [I don't think I have ever used this in PVE].)
Cinder Storm (I think this is a very good alternative to Blood Altar)

Those are the DK-specific skills. Most basic DK tanks run S&B on front bar and Desto Staff on back, with Pierce Armor, Heroic Slash, Inner Rage, and Elemental Blockade. Aggressive Warhorn is a staple, too, but healers can run it in trials. Barrier with a new group in a dungeon with massive damage. Either of the Bone Shield morphs are popular with dungeon tanks, too.

Best universal sets for group play (to help group damage): Yolnakriin, Pearlescent, Turning Tide, Saxheel, Powerful Assault (weapons & jewelry preferred), and Leeching Plate. Do not wear 2 trial sets at the same time, its a waste of a buff.

Best selfish sets (for the newer player to help them stay alive): Vrol's Command, Plague Doctor, Akaviri Dragonguard, Alessian Order, Fortified Brass, and Beekeeper.

Monster sets: Nazary is the best. Archdruid Devyric is my second favorite as it does almost the same thing as Turning Tide, allowing me to wear a different 5 piece armor set and still get Major Vulnerability. But you can use anything that helps group healing or damage, or helps you stay alive, regenerate resources, or generate ultimate, depending on your needs.

Mythics: I find the Spaulder of Ruin to be the most effective in dungeon content. When I run this, I only wear one monster piece, and that is typically Stonekeeper or Baron Zaudras, as those give you tri-stat buffs with the one piece.

There is truly an endless number of combinations to work with, with none being "more correct" than the other. As long as you taunt, interrupt, and stay alive, you are doing it right.

ZOS_Icy

Greetings,

After further review we have decided to move this thread to a category we think is more appropriate for this topic.

Thank you for your understanding.