DK Tanking guide: An offensive approach

Stautmeister

drgneb wrote: »

thanks for that. I swapped to all heavy and yea, didn't lose that much in magika regen at all. Plus getting it on gear is a great way to make it up and not waste a point. But again, what attacks you guys use other than ransack? Spamming that would suck your stam would it not? Or you just using white (auto) hits in between along with the damage volatile armor and such do and just let your dps be the damage dealers....is their job after all...lol?!

You dont use any other skill
Il make sure the boss attacks me, you make sure you burn the boss down. Thats my approach to tanking and it seems to work

drgneb

Lol, I like that approach!! Now if only the DPS would comply Thanks again for all the info and input guys, keep it coming! We need our own little EJ approach going to squeeze all we can out of this new game! Now if only they would make the attrib bar more than 5 abilities....I mean man, whats up with that?

Xsorus

As a Nord, I always choose Pierce Armor over Ransack, as i softcap my armor anyway.

Tanking generally theres two ways you can do it as a DK

Pierce Armor/Searing Strike/Inhale for Multi Mob Pulls, Cinder for Boss Mob/Dragonblood or Obsidian shield/Absorb Magic

I tend to prefer Obsidian Shield in dungeons since its useful for the entire group.

Stautmeister

xsorusb14_ESO wrote: »

As a Nord, I always choose Pierce Armor over Ransack, as i softcap my armor anyway.

Tanking generally theres two ways you can do it as a DK

Pierce Armor/Searing Strike/Inhale for Multi Mob Pulls, Cinder for Boss Mob/Dragonblood or Obsidian shield/Absorb Magic

I tend to prefer Obsidian Shield in dungeons since its useful for the entire group.

I noticed that even when im softcapped (around ~1400) ransack still gets me towards the 1900 point, which i think is pretty amazing.
I also found that obsidian shield doesnt do enough for me for the mana cost. The passive health regen, selfheal and stamina regen softcap is just to much to pass up for me with green blood.

drgneb

we need updates, how are people doing now? the builds and such...successes?
I actually re-rolled, went with Redguard for passives, trying to get back into pure tanking as opposed to being a dps that takes hits. Rerollin was far cheaper than respeccing and to many points were wasted in levels of DW and such from when I started out.

KhadgarPL

Any tips on a good attribute spread for an Argonian?

drgneb

ok, servers down, good time to chat. How is everyone finding the DK tanking and are the builds holding? Anyone finding the need to repsec like 6 times, like me? The reason I did it was went into game as dual-wielding dps, but then found that most "tanks" I was grouped with couldn't keep agro for what ever reason so decided to go ahead and keep tanking... have done it in WOW since vanilla so figured what the hell. Now, this game has a completely different style to tanking and dungeons as a whole, and I love it! It will take some time for sure for dps players to get used to the fact that ESO tanks don't 'round 'em up, like in WOW and other MMO's. I'll hold the Big guy and try and grab some stragglers but other than that dps has to be on their toes. I am loving Dark Talons for sure, making holding packs just a tad easier for that short time. That and Fiery Breath is great for keeping the damage and some amount of agro on as many as you can. Cant wait til Inner Fire! Having that AOE taunt will really add a whole new level to grabbing the packs and helping the dps and healers not get owned as much. I really wish the Devs had made for a bigger ability bar, because with such we could have a whole heap of skills that would make tanking so much more fun, without the bar swapping. I don't know about anyone else but due to lag and such it just sucks trying to swap bars at the right times. But I have found that you can be a bit more relaxed with killing and that a second here or there isn't really that bad, but it just "feels" like forever when you are used to things being "right now".
All in all though thus far ESO is a welcomed breath of fresh air and lets hope that the Devs do take heed and make some good UI changes. I for one am willing to keep on killing and waiting to see what happens. Keep the posts coming guys, always great to hear what others have tried and what feels right and what sucks. And where is our OP?? Be awesome to hear about how you are going now and is the "offensive" approach still viable and fun?!

drgneb

Ok, here's a question that I hope a few will answer. How often are you all hitting your abilities? I mean with "other" MMO's you have your GCD (global cool down) so spamming them isn't an option. But I am not seeing such in ESO. So with skills like Green Dragon Blood and that do you all just keep hitting it when its up, along with others like Ransack or Inner Fire? I mean I do know that your stam and magika levels will come into play, as you run low on resources but many of the "trees" I have seen posted don't show a lot of damage dealing abilities. Is that due to constant bar swapping? If so, then I can see it really becoming an issue. Would really like to hear from any of you who have done the higher dungeons, where things start to get a bit hectic as compared to some of the lower ones. Like I stated, this game is a whole new way of tanking so many questions in regards to play style and just plain and simple, what button do I hit now kinda thing. Thanks again DK community, and all tanks as well!!!!

Supersomething

drgneb wrote: »

Ok, here's a question that I hope a few will answer. How often are you all hitting your abilities? I mean with "other" MMO's you have you GCD (global cool down) so spamming them isn't an option. But I am not seeing such in ESO. So with skills like Green Dragon Blood and such do you all just keep hitting it when it up, along with Ransack or Inner Fire? I mean I do know that your stam and magika levels will come into play, as you run low on resources but many of the "trees" I have seen posted don't show a lot of damage dealing abilities. Is that due to constant bar swapping? If so, then I can see it really becoming an issue. Would really like to hear from any of you who have done the higher dungeons, where things start to get a bit hectic as compared to some of the lower ones. Like I stated, this game is a whole new way of tanking so many questions in regards to play style and just plain and simple, what button do I hit now kinda thing. Thanks again DK community, and all tanks as well!!!!

The three abilities you just listed have a duration timer on them. So basically just reapply them when the timer is up. The only one you may want to reapply before the timer expires is Green Dragon Blood due to the heal, but that is entirely dependent on your situation.

drgneb

Yea, duration I get and that's an easy one, as one tries to not clip dots even if they are buffs for yourself. But what I am referring to is the actual cool down of the ability itself and when you can hit it again, regardless of the time left on target. I can just sense some senseless spamming of abilities coming, that's all ( and meaning from me...lol).

drgneb

Spiked Armor, thoughts? I have bounced back and forth in its use and not completely convinced its viable. I mean, its not bad, and of course "looks" cool, but can the points be used elsewhere to a greater benefit? Some swear by it and others are meh, so what's it to be....? Fiery Grip is tempting mainly because I played a DK in WOW and it just feels right, but that's me. What I am finding is that most times Bosses are immune so its a waste yet again of precious skill points. Right now my "Boss" bar is looking like; Ransack, Engulfing Flames, Burning talons, Dragon Blood and Shield Charge with the Dragonknight Standard as Ultimate. Now to me it feels like I have only 2 really strong dps abilities as Talons is more of an aoe'ish attack and not one really suitable for a Boss fight. Any thoughts as to what could be changed to make for a stronger Boss focused bar? I do know that once I get my 2nd bar it opens up more options but as I stated prior swapping out my bar all the time during a fight just seems like a real pain in the butt and not very strong for a tank, but thats me.

drgneb

YOGA!!!?? How goes the spec? I am curious if it is still a viable build as you state. Any changes or things you have done different, as I am assuming you are a higher level for sure now. Let us other DK tanks know how its going
Also would like to ask, does more damage generate more agro as in other MMO's? Is this for sure or just an assumption, i.e. is there a threshold such as vengeance that can stack?

niknokseyer

Wow.. great build. My magicka won't be able to use all of these though.

Serge

I am currently playing with this build

http://teso.mmorpg-life.com/eso-skill-calculator/dragonknight/?calc=1269.1281.1289.1329.1338.:1492-2.1493-2.1496-3.1497-2.1500-2.1501-3.1502-2.1504-1.1505-2.1507-2.1508-2.1509-2.1511-1.1532-2.1535-2.1539-2.1540-2.1542-2.:1263.x1275.1277.1314.1322.1325.::1287.xf=20.29.0w7-1

First bar is for AoE DPS, which is quite common in later stages of the game. This helps me clear groups of mobs with very little effort. The trick is to turn on Sea of Flames and then do Cleave. Cleave puts damage shield on me that mitigates damage from one group of mobs. Once all are dead from constant usage of Cleave my mana is back up due to special Sea of Flames morph. You can use Draw Essence if you have a lot of mobs on you and Cleave damage shield is not enough. Executioner is always great and Ingenous Weapons is there to buff your weapon damage. Swing your sword as you do AOE damage.

First bar is basically spending both magicka and stamina while doing AOE damage and swinging your sword. After the fight you should have magicka fully back up and stamina fastly regenerating. 5/2 medium armor/heavy armor.

Second bar is your 1h/shield tanking section

Ransack is there for taunt and armor reduction of boss. Green Dragon Blood is a self heal and stamina regen helper which you always use. Shielded assault is there to jump to help healer or if you lose boss aggro to get to him fast. Choking talons are there just to help stop those groups of mobs from all rushing to your healer instantly and you can do several things for the fifth ability. Absorb Magick when fighting mage mobs or go for Low Slash perhaps to reduce boss weapon damage.

This is my build since I got Sea of Flames. Played it from around lvl 42- Rank 1 where I'm at right now. LEt me know if I am gravely mistaken with this build.