DK tank, mildly confused on skill bar

Phranq · February 2016

Okay, I looked around online for some tanking advice, I realize that I need armor, both taunts, dragon blood, and probably talons; but I've also been told that I need damage shields, Igneous Shield, and bone shield once I unlock it. .
Do I put buffs in bar 2 and switch back and forth a lot, or what should I focus on?
Currently, I've tried to have one bar for solo questing, and the other for groups.

NBrookus · February 2016

I like to organize with single boss on one bar, mobs on the other. There's still going to be switching back and forth since my single boss bar has the shields and healing on it.

But I use completely different bars -- both of them -- for soloing than group content.

Phranq · February 2016

I hadn't thought of it that way, that is a good idea, and I will try it out tonight.
I have a pretty good handle on single boss tanking, which skills would you suggest for the multi target bar ? ( I recently switched to 1H&Shield for both bars, tho I have destro staff leveled if it helps, lol )

dodgehopper_ESO · February 2016

NBrookus wrote: »

I like to organize with single boss on one bar, mobs on the other. There's still going to be switching back and forth since my single boss bar has the shields and healing on it.

But I use completely different bars -- both of them -- for soloing than group content.

@NBrookus is giving good advice here.

You need the Igneous Shield, that is a given. It is an earthen heart skill, and the passives it procs when you fire it are a lifesaver as a DK tank. Likewise, it will give you a damage shield which couldn't hurt either. Sword and board taunt is also a debuff, inner fire from undaunted line is ranged which helps with runaway bosses (but it is more costly than the S&B skill). I'd personally go with Spike Armor over Bone Shield. Coagulating Dragon Blood is probably the morph you want, because GDB underperforms these days, and at any regard you'll get more out of the skill after you fire your Igneous. Talons is great for crowd management, and helps you keep ranged enemies off of your chums, while at the same time letting you back up and avoid getting swiped by melee attacks. When I'm playing a non-DK tank it is probably the one skill I wish I had that I can't get, caltrops is nice but a gentle snare won't stop enemies dead in their tracks.

Some bosses are actually easier to deal with if you swap to a ranged attack bar, so keep that in mind.

UrQuan · February 2016

NBrookus wrote: »

I like to organize with single boss on one bar, mobs on the other. There's still going to be switching back and forth since my single boss bar has the shields and healing on it.

But I use completely different bars -- both of them -- for soloing than group content.

This is pretty similar to what I do. Personally when I'm tanking I like to have Structured Entropy on both bars (for the passive health boost, along with the Empower buff from activating a Mages Guild ability & Major Sorcery buff, and it's a handy little DOT/HOT that costs very little to cast), Shuffle on one bar (which I keep active nearly constantly) and Harness Magicka on the other (which I use far less frequently) because those work with the Armour Master set of gear that I use.

Aside from those skills, my bars are set up mostly for crowd control on one, and single target boss fighting on the other.

Edit: oh, and while I have Inner Fire available, the only taunt I usually have slotted on one of my bars is Pierce Armour. That taunt is the only taunt you need as a tank for 90% or more of the fights. If you're coming up on a fight where you'd like to use a ranged taunt, you can just slot Inner Fire before that fight, rather than waste a slot on one of your bars all of the time.

NBrookus · February 2016

Phranq wrote: »

I hadn't thought of it that way, that is a good idea, and I will try it out tonight.
I have a pretty good handle on single boss tanking, which skills would you suggest for the multi target bar ? ( I recently switched to 1H&Shield for both bars, tho I have destro staff leveled if it helps, lol )

On my mob bar, I use:
Inner Beast (magicka morph of Inner Fire -- I'm a DK magicka tank) - ranged taunt
Extended Chains - pull ranged mobs into the AoE of death
Cinder Storm - slows down mobs
Shuffle - dodge chance
Choking Talons - stops mobs + does damage + debuffs mobs
*War Horn

Shuffle is kinda the anomaly as it's a buff, but I don't have room for it on my boss bar and I wear Armor Master so it gives me the 5% increase. Choking Talons is probably my favorite tanking skill, especially on the netch adds in vet Darkshade. Or if someone has a bunch of adds on them they can just run past me and wham, they are locked down.

Boss bar:
Pierce Armor
Heroic Slash
Absorb Magicka
Igneous Shield
Green Dragon Blood (this morph because I need the stam regen and overall run a regen-oriented build)
*War Horn

I don't run an armor ability on this bar even with the Armor Master, because I think Absorb Magicka is worth the trade-off over either of the other armor buffs. S&B on both bars.

There are dungeon bosses where you need ranged damage, so keep the destro staff. If you are on PC, using Dressing Room or Wykkyd Outfitter can help by saving your gear and skill bar setups and allowing you to quickly switch.

Phranq · February 2016

What level is Armor Master set ? I am up to Vet 6 atm, but when I have time I solo quest a lot and level pretty quickly.
I gave up extended chains for inner fire a bit ago, but I am noticing that I eat magica pretty fast, so I will put it back tonight when I rearange things.

I currently have 5 piece Hundig's Rage, and 4 of Vampire Kiss.. I am probably going to save that for questing, and swap the Hundig's for Seducer's for groups. Haven't found a good jewelry set that I like yet.

firewatch · February 2016

I play a Magicka DK Tank. I've tanked most of the content in the game with him. I have a DoT bar and a Taunt bar. I try to add to dps as much as possible by keeping DoT's up on bosses and mobs.

Bar 1 - 1HS
1. Engulfing Flames
2. Burning Embers - nice heal at the end
3. Choking Talons - 15% damage debuff, will sometimes put chains here
4. Cinder Storm
5. Defensive Posture
U. Standard of Might

Bar 2 - 1HS
1. Inner Beast - taunt
2. Pierce Armor - taunt
3. Igneous Shied - 30% increase in healing done, 5% stamina return (passive), minor brutality to allies (passive)
4. Coagulating Blood - 8% increase in healing done
5. Defensive Posture
U. Corrosive Armor

I put a lot of CP into increasing healing done and received. I always cast Igneous Shield before Coagulating Blood to get the extra 30% in heals. Casting Coagulating Blood again adds another 8% increase. I can replace 80-90% of lost health this way. As long as I don't get one shot or run out of Magicka, I can stay alive a long time. The build focuses on self heals as much as damage mitigation.

When I'm soloing, I replace Choking Talons with Flame Lash and move Talons to bar two. I also switch to Destruction Staff on that bar and add Crushing Shock and/or Elemental Ring. I replace Defensive Posture on the 2nd bar with Dragon Fire Scale.

NBrookus · February 2016

Phranq wrote: »

What level is Armor Master set ? I am up to Vet 6 atm, but when I have time I solo quest a lot and level pretty quickly.
I gave up extended chains for inner fire a bit ago, but I am noticing that I eat magica pretty fast, so I will put it back tonight when I rearange things.

I currently have 5 piece Hundig's Rage, and 4 of Vampire Kiss.. I am probably going to save that for questing, and swap the Hundig's for Seducer's for groups. Haven't found a good jewelry set that I like yet.

Armor Master is a crafted set, so it can be any level. It requires 9 traits and access to IC to craft. Hist Bark is a very good tanking set that's accessible to craft with fewer traits, ditto for Song of Lamae. Seducer if you run out of magicka a lot. I would skip Vampires Kiss 5 piece for tanking as it wouldn't proc often enough. Set jewelry at vet 6 is going to be hit or miss. Maybe pick up some purple arcane jewelry in guild stores and re-enchant to magicka reg or health, depending on what you need.

Chains can be a little wonky; they were "fixed" recently. For a boss, you always get pulled to it. Mobs get pulled to you... unless they don't and it goes the other way. And it has to be pretty flat. It's good to use if your DPS's are heavily AoEing. If your DPS are leaning toward single target, maybe replace it with another dot. Instead, be more mobile and bash the archers and mages and healers to reduce their damage on the group.