Viable Templar Tank/Paladin suggestions?

Riddari · July 2017

Been a Templar and a tank from day 1 of console launch. I was drawn to Templar because I love paladins and I can do most content and tank just fine. I have yet to attempt trials but I know Templar Tanks are usual looked down upon.

Just want to open the discussion for what the community thinks a viable endgame Templar Tank build would be.

Dubhliam · July 2017

You can be a viable tank for veteran dungeons.

You can even be a tank in veteran trials, but a Templar tank simply doesn't bring the utility that a Dragonknight tank brings to the group.
Your best bet would be to go to veteran trials that require two tanks, so that the group has at least one DK tank, and you can offtank.

As for vetearn dungeons, this is your opportunity to shine.
In organized groups you can take 3 damage dealers and act as both tank and healer for the group, making runs fast and smooth if the group is experienced.

When I tank as a Templar heal tank, I wear Armor Master, Desert Rose and Engine Guardian.
I am however seriously thinking about replacing Guardian with Sentinel of Rkugamz.

In any case, a heal tank hybrid needs one resourse management set, where Desert Rose shines. You could replace Desert Rose with Lich or something similar, just make sure to get jewelry since those are usually all light armor sets.
The other set is usually something tanky. I already had Armor Master goldened out with tri stat enchants a long time ago, so I use it just so that it doesn't collect dust in my bank. It can easily be replaced with something else, any other tank set.

Note that I use resto staff on my backbar to be able to cast Combat Prayer and Mutagen. Sometimes I slot Grand Healing also. This means you will lose 1 5th piece bonus on your backbar. This is why Armor Master is a nice set because you only need the 5th bonus on the bar you activate it. Lich is the same thing. You only need the 5th bonus on one bar.

Riddari · July 2017

I can already tank most vet dungeons fine but I'll definitely keep that setup in mind in vet dungeons I have trouble with. Is the build magicka focused instead of health focused?

Also out of curiosity, the utility everyone talks about with DKs, is it from talons and chain? That on top of ultimate generation from some of their passives?

Never played DK tank so just trying to wrap my head around what makes it the best.

Also on a side note I find it interesting that they gut Templar by taking away major Mending, destroying repentance, and sharing a cool down with shards and orbs in an effort to "not make templar the best healer" but they seemingly dont care that DK is seen as the only viable tank for end game content. I haven't even tried endgame content because of it.

Dubhliam · July 2017

Yes, a tank healer is magicka based.
With enough resistances and block cost reduction, you don't need health. At all.
Around 25k for dungens, and 30k for trials is just fine.

What makes DK so good at tanking is that it can self sustain easily when build properly.
The utility it brings is unparallel for the chains alone, talons are a nice bonus, but people often overlook Igneous Shields.
This skill is solely responsible for the "health stacking" meta that came to life with the Morrowind patch.
With enough health and magicka recovery, a DK tank can spam Igneous Shields, and give everyone in the group a huge shield almost all the time.
Also, no... DKs don't have great ulti gen by themselves. But every ulti cast restores resources to the player. And as you can guess, tanks really need a way to restore stamina other than stamina regen.

Riddari · July 2017

I wonder if they could make one of the morphs for sun shield more similar to igneous. I feel like everyone uses blazing (myself included) so maybe the other morph. I agree that giving everyone in your group a large shield is huge.

I also agree that resource management is a big problem with Templar Tanks. I thought of an idea for a passive that would give you resource back when you healed someone but the resource would be based off of max health. The only problem I see from that though is the people that hate blaze shield builds would be able to have tons of resources. I honestly don't feel like that's a huge deal though because all those builds have going for them is blaze shield. They have no attack.

Anyway, what are some good light armor sets you would recommend?

Dubhliam · July 2017

As I said above, I use Desert Rose.
Another great set is Shroud of the Lich, especially since you only need the 5th bonus on one bar.
Alteration Mastery is also great for heal tanks.
Magicka Furnace is also very interesting, just like Lich.
There are plenty of other sets you can use, but I think those are the best for magicka sustain.
Another set worth testing out would be Bloodthorn's Touch, since it will restore both magicka and stamina, although I think the values are rather subpar.

Another way you could build the healer tank is to craft Seducer in heavy armor, and wear some standard healer set on jewelry like Sanctuary, Healing Mage or something similar.
Heck, even Almalexia's Mercy comes to mind.

You can be very versatile when building a healer tank, the theorycrafting possibilities are endless, as long as you don't try to be a competitive trial tank.
But hey, who knows... if your build proves very effective, maybe you can be a great off tank in trials, vHoF especially where people recieve great amounts of damage.

But first and foremost: remember to have fun!
Make something you feel comfortable with and have a blast!