Current meta of tank class?

dehlert · December 2015

Alright, I'll roll a magicka dk the . Any good builds you guys could recommend? My char is currently 14 but looking to get into dungeons ASAP on the side of grinding to lvl him.

BTW great tips thanks a lot guys

Septimus_Magna · December 2015

Im creating a stamina NB tank with 5x MA/2x HA. If the calculations are correct it should be possible to cap armor and spell resist with more than 2k stam regen. The healing with Vigor+Rally should allow the healer to dps 90% of the time.

CreepyPahuska · December 2015

tangy.citrus wrote: »

SmalltalkJava wrote: »

Isn't magic sorc tank powerful? double spell shield spam and taunt skill.

Magic sorc tanks can be very good, they require some level of skill to play well though. But i guess the same can be said of all the other classes. Im honestly not sure why people say DK is the best tank. It has a lot of passives for tanking, but templar has just as many if not more. Sorc has the crazy shields and negate, and nb has the super powerful self/group heals and infinite sustain.

Amen !

The question that should be asked is not "which is the best class to tank ?" but "with which class would I enjoy tanking the most ?".
Every class can tank but they are all very different. Magicka sorc tanks can be very good (Breton being the logical race choice). We have huge shields, decent armor & spell res, and I wouldn't trade the DKs grip skill for any of my CC skill (Negate is an amazing skill).
You can also reach a decent DPS, especially if you tank with the energy overload.

EDIT : there's another thing I like about magicka sorc tanks, you can also be a very good DD, just by changing your gear, which is great on bosses like the atronach in vWGT or the Engine Guardian

Here's a video I made in vet WGT v16 scaled (with a templar healer v16, dd nightblade stamina v14 and an other dd nightblade stam v16) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzi3t5li8o8

hayaschwarz · December 2015

Regarding the comments about any class can tank, I would suggest you go tank the mantikora with one healer, and then reconsider your opinion!

But for the normal content which includes all dungeon except IC-dungeons, anything will do! Sometimes we don’t find a healer, so we tank with a magicka sorc and hardened ward, or the healer do both jobs, tanking and healing!

If you want to consider proper tanking (trials, IC-dungeons and upcoming content) you need to consider the class and the race very carefully, as a good tank is required (both as character and skill).

Sorcs aren’t appropriate for tanking, as the class doesn’t provide any sustain while blocking, same goes for Templars (no stamina regen while blocking). Unless you want to play risky and block selectively, which requires a very experienced player.

The classes you can choose from for tanking are the DK and the NB. DK because of the resources return when u use any ultimate. NB is because of siphoning attacks. That would mean you can sustain yourself with minimum need for the healer to provide spears. Both classes are incredible at DPS as stamina, so you will be able to switch gear flexibly and be a DD rather than tank (required at the 3rd boss in the WGT).

The DK provides more reliable resistance buffs through the class abilities (volatile or hardened armor), and with that the DK can handle more damage, and hold block for longer for less resources and resources management. Also DK is the only class with chains, which give a DK tank a bit more advantage on the Nightblade.

The Nightblade requires more constant buffing your resistance (shadow barrier passive) and using abilities for sustain (proccing siphoning attacks and keeping it up), but provides better off-DPS while tanking and support to the group with higher ultimate regen. The extra ultimate regen makes the Nighblade better in speed runs, because the tank can regenerate more ultimate for warhorns and barriers.

Regarding the race, I would always go for the imperial when tanking, bonus health and stamina is more than useful. For DK you can go dunmer, as for NB I don’t think anything beats the imperial. Having extra stamina will be helpful to boost your DPS when you switch role.

Finally it is up to you, if you like tanking, and you want to tank properly you are limited in options. Otherwise ESO provides very flexible role rules, and you can always do tanking with whatever you have and be able also to change whenever you want.

dehlert · December 2015

Wanted to revive this thread because I feel I am having issues, just hit vet 1 and got hist armor on my guy. Currently all heavy wasn't sure if I should throw 2 pieces of something else in there.. but basically having issues with resources all together...

Running Magicka for attributes and I don't have my bars fully fleshed out but they look something like

Bar one
Chains
Puncture
Choking talons
Defensive stance
Green dragon blood
Dragon leap

Bar two, 2h
Cleave
Molten whip
Hardened Armor
Igneous shard
No skill yet
Magma she'll

I can only imagine how rough this looks but I see so many guides and they all have some niche or set piece that seems above me atm.. currently only have 116 champion points also...

Any recommendations would be welcome.

Sukenlihol · December 2015

Forget about HP/ stamina tanking. They are dead.

Learn magicka tanking. Use magicka taunt and magicka pool. I have Templar and Nightblade magicka tanks. They are pretty cool, and they can tank everything (include Imperial City Prison).

Imperial and Nord are good races for a tank. One note: if you want change your role to DPS in the future, then Nord will be a trash, but Imperial has advantages still.

Use Restro staff at your off bar. Mutagen is cool for a tank. Plus, you can recharge your magicka easily.

And the golden words are coming: Maim and Dodge are a key of tanking. Always remember them.

Resipsa131 · December 2015

HebrewHatchet wrote: »

I don't think that one hand and one shield on both bars is ideal. There are many fights where you want to do damage instead of tanking; for example the engine guardian, or the final boss in veteran f grotto, or that boss in crypt of hearts that stays in the center and does the double AoE thing on everybody.

I just got my tank to vet level and I went double sword and board and ran into these problems. I'm gathering skill points now to try sword and board on one bar and bow on the other since bow damage increases with stamina and its ranged damage.

Of course, it's best to have a million skill points and carry many sets of stuff, but when you're just hitting very rank and starting to tank veteran dungeons, I think this gives you the best compromise.

In all those situations you can switch your weapon to bow prior to the fight.

Autolycus · December 2015

Joy_Division wrote: »

For all the reputation DKs have as tanks, in my experience NBs have been generally all around superior performers...

...except the very last boss in Vet DSA

Even the last boss in vDSA. It was difficult at first, but now any method of the final arena is feasible, and generally easy for a NB tank.

Autolycus · December 2015

Laranoye wrote: »

Whats the one you can do all 3 on one?

So would a stam DK be good for tanking and dps'in then? :0

Thanks

I do all three on my magicka NB.

dehlert · December 2015

Hey me again, I must not remember what tanking is like so could someone shed some light on a few questions.

1. Is it typical to be running out of resources each pull? I am using hist heavy with 2 light seducer.
2. I feel I need heals from big hits more often now then before... tank issue or normal for v16 scaling?
3. Should I still be blocking hits or am I better off rolling?

Thanks for any insight as I try to rejoin the ranking ranks

NBrookus · January 2016

dehlert wrote: »

Hey me again, I must not remember what tanking is like so could someone shed some light on a few questions.

1. Is it typical to be running out of resources each pull? I am using hist heavy with 2 light seducer.
2. I feel I need heals from big hits more often now then before... tank issue or normal for v16 scaling?
3. Should I still be blocking hits or am I better off rolling?

Thanks for any insight as I try to rejoin the ranking ranks

Are you aware that you no longer regen stamina when blocking, and there's a 2 second timer? Also they added Dodge Fatigue, so you are limited in the amount of dodge rolling you can do. So now you get penalized for either blocking OR trying to time your blocks OR dodging, which is a serious drain on both stamina and health for tanks.

If you have 501 CP and the right build, you can still permablock tank. Everyone else has had to adapt. I went magicka tank, use shields/absorb magicka/shuffle/GDB, only block the big hits and never dodge roll unless the mechanics require it. Focus is on regen instead of max specs, and I actually use heavy attacks when I can to regen stamina because it's still a weak spot.

dehlert · January 2016

NBrookus wrote: »

dehlert wrote: »

Hey me again, I must not remember what tanking is like so could someone shed some light on a few questions.

1. Is it typical to be running out of resources each pull? I am using hist heavy with 2 light seducer.
2. I feel I need heals from big hits more often now then before... tank issue or normal for v16 scaling?
3. Should I still be blocking hits or am I better off rolling?

Thanks for any insight as I try to rejoin the ranking ranks

Are you aware that you no longer regen stamina when blocking, and there's a 2 second timer? Also they added Dodge Fatigue, so you are limited in the amount of dodge rolling you can do. So now you get penalized for either blocking OR trying to time your blocks OR dodging, which is a serious drain on both stamina and health for tanks.

If you have 501 CP and the right build, you can still permablock tank. Everyone else has had to adapt. I went magicka tank, use shields/absorb magicka/shuffle/GDB, only block the big hits and never dodge roll unless the mechanics require it. Focus is on regen instead of max specs, and I actually use heavy attacks when I can to regen stamina because it's still a weak spot.

Yeah I know about the stam, I am currently running magicka though I am debating on throwing a point into health every 3 or 4 I put into magicka...

That is a bummer though, seems tanks aren't needed at all anymore since I see people grind that take hits better than I do a lot of the time. Any recommendations for champion points if I am in the low range of 130?

NBrookus · January 2016

dehlert wrote: »

Yeah I know about the stam, I am currently running magicka though I am debating on throwing a point into health every 3 or 4 I put into magicka...

I used to be all health, but I switched to 40 health + 24 magicka specifically for dungeons that require the tank to switch to damage dealing. The DPS can't help you close portals in vWGT no matter how awesome they are. My tank gear has health glyphs mostly, and my solo/damage gear has mostly magicka glyphs.

That is a bummer though, seems tanks aren't needed at all anymore since I see people grind that take hits better than I do a lot of the time. Any recommendations for champion points if I am in the low range of 130?

I don't think any regular pledge dungeon really needs a tank. But often a tank makes it easier and faster. In the vet dungeons, so many bosses can one shot players that aren't at a tanky health level that I don't think the average group can manage without a tank, although certainly some experienced players can. I see enough "looking for tank for last boss of ______" in chat that I think the demise of the tank role is somewhat exaggerated.

I don't claim to be a build expert, but for a magicka DK tank I started with:
GREEN
10 points Tumbling
3% mitigation in Warlord and Magician (7 points each, I think)
and the rest in the Lover tree for magicka, stam and health regen

BLUE
A few in Elfborn then max out Elemental Damage

RED
10 points each in Bastion and Quick Recovery
The rest in Hardy and Elemental Defender

I'm at about 225; not sure if I'll eventually be adding some to block mitigation or what. I do still have to block.

Layenem · January 2016

I haven't played in a year now and I'm reviewing this thread. Are you guys saying that light armor is the way to go? Or are we talking about heavy armor magicka tanking with exceptional magicka regens?

CreepyPahuska · January 2016

Layenem wrote: »

I haven't played in a year now and I'm reviewing this thread. Are you guys saying that light armor is the way to go? Or are we talking about heavy armor magicka tanking with exceptional magicka regens?

Tanking in light armor might work in some dungeons, but if you wanna be able to tank everything, I'd still recommend to use a heavy armor. The idea is to reach (or get close to) 30k resistances at v16

Prospering · January 2016

48k shield stacking high elf sorc

dehlert · January 2016

Hey guys it is me again, with myself going Magick dk I was wondering for someone not too rich in skill points, what would be some good moves to supplement dps when I'm not tanking? Was using wrecking blow with a 2h but was wondering if that is a little weak given I am invested all in magicka. Would a destro staff and a couple class skills be a better fit?

AverageJo3Gam3r · January 2016

dehlert wrote: »

Wanted to revive this thread because I feel I am having issues, just hit vet 1 and got hist armor on my guy. Currently all heavy wasn't sure if I should throw 2 pieces of something else in there.. but basically having issues with resources all together...

Running Magicka for attributes and I don't have my bars fully fleshed out but they look something like

Bar one
Chains
Puncture
Choking talons
Defensive stance
Green dragon blood
Dragon leap

Bar two, 2h
Cleave
Molten whip
Hardened Armor
Igneous shard
No skill yet
Magma she'll

I can only imagine how rough this looks but I see so many guides and they all have some niche or set piece that seems above me atm.. currently only have 116 champion points also...

Any recommendations would be welcome.

You'll want to put igneous shield on your block bar as a way to get stamina back through the DK passives. Also, igneous shield + any heal is really good so you want them on a bar together. If you're a stam DK then drop whip from bar 2. If you're a mag DK then drop 2H entirely for a resto/destro staff.

For ults, I like to run war horn and DK standard. Rarely do I need magma shell, but I run whitestrakes which gives me enough "oh crap" protection that I don't need the ultimate to serve that purpose. You should time your ultimates when you're low on resources to get them back through battle roar.

For resource management, light attack weave and heavy weave in between your taunts and blocks. Between that, earthen heart passives, battle roar, and potions I rarely need shards to maintain my resources.

If you want to increase your DPS as a DK tank, I prefer to use DoTs as it doesn't mess up my rotation. My WBs or executes are never going to hit as hard as a dedicated DPS, so I'd rather contribute in that way. I'm still looking for a valkyn skoria shoulders. I'd be interested if any DK tanks have found that to be useful to increase DPS while still being a dedicated tank.

Baconlad · January 2016

Hmm...seems alot of you tanks are afraid to drop block and just chase stamina...wrong way to go imho. Templar non blocking tank with blazing shield is incredibly effective plus you do SOME damage will tanking through light/ heavy attacks. Only block big stuff. Easy templar tanks do not need extra regen

Baconlad · January 2016

45k health/ 9k stamina and magicka/ 1500 magicl and stamina regen/ 2k health regen/ capped armor and spell resist. Almost 20k blazing shield. Very fun build, very solo cappable. Pvpers will cry at their innability to solo kill. Hell even two of the best duo pvpers will have a VERY hard time taking you down. You can solo almost anything. Templar tanks are great

DaveMoeDee · January 2016

Baconlad wrote: »

Hmm...seems alot of you tanks are afraid to drop block and just chase stamina...wrong way to go imho. Templar non blocking tank with blazing shield is incredibly effective plus you do SOME damage will tanking through light/ heavy attacks. Only block big stuff. Easy templar tanks do not need extra regen

It is a shame to drop part of combat and to make the game just skill rotations.

It also doesn't make sense to single out blocking for no stam regen. Why not do the same when swinging a weapon since that requires even more effort. The only actual reason is that they messed up the game with CP buffs and instead of fixing the CP buffs, they decided to screw up blocking. Poor choice because it passes the burden of fixing power creep to less powerful players.

I also don't like replacing something so physical as blocking with more spells like shields.

beerninja · January 2016

I just want to throw out there that templars (even though mediocre) are the only class out there with the ability to AoE taunt via Explosive Charge and the Tormentor set (http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Tormentor+Set) from ICP. Keyword "ability to" as I've heard that set is extremely rare.

NBs might also be able to do it with Lotus Fan but I'm not sure.

nevermind some guy just confirmed it doesn't work :'(