Tank Help

TamrielSaviour215 · February 2018

Hello everyone. I took a hiatus from ESO for about 6 months. Maybe longer. I returned and found a lot of updates and it looks amazing. I started a new character as a Warden, intending to tank it out with him, but I am not so sure now. I might just go Stamina DPS for that one and have some fun tweaking at it.

Here is my dilemma. I have never played as a tank in an MMO. I completely know how and understand the role so no worries there. But I have never had the urge until now. Can I get some suggestions as to race, class, and skills for this build? I am 90% PVE. Once I get the mechanics of the tank down, I am sure I will head over to PvP here and there but I mainly PvE. I can make those tweaks later. For now, I am looking for something that will let me go beast mode in dungeons and trials when I hit endgame. Thanks!

TamrielSaviour215 · February 2018

Forgot to mention....I do NOT want to run as a vampire. I know that is a huge thing especially with builds I have seen online for tanks. Too much work for me lol. I will find other ways to beef up without that hassle.

VaranisArano · February 2018

Assuming you want to maybe go stam DPS later, I'd suggest a redguard, Imperial, or Orc for race.

Stam Warden will make a good tank. Otherwise, Dragonknights tend to be the main tanking class, but any class can tank well.

Must have skill: Pierce Armor from One-Hand and Shield, its a taunt and a powerful debuff.

TamrielSaviour215 · February 2018

Awesome. Just needed to get my foot in the door. Thanks!

Nestor · February 2018

All you need to know about Tanking in this game, from beginning to end game.

https://woeler.eu/

Word of Advice --- Leveling a Pure Tank is difficult in this game as mob deaths will take forever, or should take forever if your a real tank. Instead, level the character as a DPS until you get to CP160 or better. Then respec and regear them as a Tank. You can level all the skills you will use as a tank as you go along, so you will be ready to go.

TamrielSaviour215 · February 2018

Great Advice. I guess that makes sense with the mobs. Much appreciated!

AcadianPaladin · February 2018

I came from ranged bowsorcs, magsorcs and healplars so the whole melee/tanking business was new to me. Therefore I set my heart on leveling my tank as a tank right from the very beginning. As Nestor mentioned, it could get tedious but I needed to spend that time honing block/parry/bash etc and really getting comfortable up close. It did take a little longer but I was not in a hurry and I'm glad I did it. By level 18 my tank was able to claim he was a tank and could lock down single WBs so that any squishy could kill them. For leveling, I found WBs to be wonderful training aids. I also learned that if you come up in zone chat as a tank asking for dps to help kill a WB, you generally get plenty of takers.

VaranisArano · February 2018

AcadianPaladin wrote: »

I came from ranged bowsorcs, magsorcs and healplars so the whole melee/tanking business was new to me. Therefore I set my heart on leveling my tank as a tank right from the very beginning. As Nestor mentioned, it could get tedious but I needed to spend that time honing block/parry/bash etc and really getting comfortable up close. It did take a little longer but I was not in a hurry and I'm glad I did it. By level 18 my tank was able to claim he was a tank and could lock down single WBs so that any squishy could kill them. For leveling, I found WBs to be wonderful training aids. I also learned that if you come up in zone chat as a tank asking for dps to help kill a WB, you generally get plenty of takers.

World Bosses are great for practice since the base game ones are usually about the same difficulty as a final boss in a normal dungeon. The group ones in Vvardenfell, Wrothgar, and Clockwork City take more players, but if you have the quest its easy to get help.

TamrielSaviour215 · February 2018

Ya I guess a WB is not too bad with a tank. There are usually random people flopping around the area waiting for most of them anyway. I think I will just grind out a bunch of those when I get my important skills.

BejaProphet · March 2018

As you look for more information you are going to see a lot of people brag about their non-meta builds. They will post really powerful survival sets and say, "This can tank anything! I can't believe people shun it!" And they'll probably post combinations that truly can tank anything.

But as you grow in skill the goal is not to find a set that is the pinnacle of you surviving. End-game tanking is about you dialing back your tackiness (only so far as you can handle) and then running sets that most benefit the group. At that point things get more specific, because you as a tank are going to bring the most to your group, not by your dos, but rather by boosting your teams dps. That's why meta revolves around debut sets like Torug's or Alkosh, and group benefiting sets like Ebon. So get as selfish of gear as you need to in order to survive, but right from the start have the mindset that better tanking is less selfish gear, not better self boosting gear. That's what you grow towards as you learn.

TamrielSaviour215 · March 2018

BejaProphet wrote: »

So get as selfish of gear as you need to in order to survive, but right from the start have the mindset that better tanking is less selfish gear, not better self boosting gear. That's what you grow towards as you learn.

Fair enough. I think you made good points as to what the group needs. So basically if I should have a few sets on me and change based whether I am running solo or with a group. I guess that kind of makes sense. My main is a healer and I always focus on buffing the group and healing rather than focusing on myself. So a tank is kind of the same role only pulling the enemies to me instead of healing the group, while buffing them to increase DPS.

I also tried to take on a WB on lvl 11 last night by myself.....didnt work out to well. So I still have some work to do LOL

BejaProphet · March 2018

One thing I've learned is that tanks are going to swap gear more than most. Also, tanking is one part build, one part skill, and one part knowing the dungeon/trial you are in. So you may be able to wear group benefiting gear in a dungeon you know well because you have identified the real threats and know how to survive them. Then you might actually need to put your selfish gear back on when trying a new dungeon for the first time. Because in that dungeon you don't yet know what AOE's can trash you and which ones tickle etc. You haven't gotten less skilled, you just don't know that dungeon yet. Knowing the encounter is a huge part of PvE, be flexible as you learn.

GreenhaloX · March 2018

Nestor wrote: »

All you need to know about Tanking in this game, from beginning to end game.

https://woeler.eu/

Word of Advice --- Leveling a Pure Tank is difficult in this game as mob deaths will take forever, or should take forever if your a real tank. Instead, level the character as a DPS until you get to CP160 or better. Then respec and regear them as a Tank. You can level all the skills you will use as a tank as you go along, so you will be ready to go.

Leveling a pure tank or any tank, for that matters, isn't difficult or takes long at all. Sure, if you're just going around and slashing away with a one-hander while holding a shield from the get-go, yes, it can take a few. However, having leveled up to max a pure S&B, stam and mag-based DK and Templar tanks, I can do it fairly quick and with brutal damage/dps; even without throwing up all the CP once your new toon pops up with level nothing 3 in rags. So yes, definitely start leveling, initially, as a dd/dps.

I'm sure there are many ways, but the way I do is with 2H, initially. To me, 2H is the best and hardest hitting damage dealers of all weapon type ability/class. Nothing can potentially take out a target faster and harder than with Wrecking Blow/Dizzying in your rotation. I'm sure others will have their opinions, but it's just for me. So, I always start from level 3 with a 2H slot the Uppercut, initially. However, I also unlock the Puncture and slot it, while going around and wrecking things with the Uppercut until morph. Thus, my 2H skill line is being leveled up, and since I have that Puncture on the bar, the One Hand and Shield skill line is also being leveled up. Only when I reach level 15, do I then slot in the S&B on the other bar. Even then, I would have a skill from the One Hand/Shield slotted on the front 2H skill bars; thus, both skill lines and skillsets are continuously leveling up simultaneously.

Also, I was thinking about messing around with a Warden tank (either stam or mag-based.) However, I am currently leveling up a StamSorc-based 2H/tank, and it has been awesome. It's wrecking the hell out of PvE and been thrashing quite a few world bosses, even the DLC ones. Even in PvP, it has been wrecking a lot of dudes/toons, and I haven't reach level 50 yet. Again, I started with 2H StamSorc style until slotting the S&B at level 15. The Hurricane, throwing down Liquid Lightning and then wrecking them all with Dizzying Swing and Brawlers, them mobs just melts. Now, that I have Caltrops and Vigor in the arsenal, PvE-wise, combo Hurricane, Liquid Lightning, Caltrops, Brawler, the mobs just melts before I can take a swipe with the Dizzying Swing. Plus, you still get that Pierce Armor for Major Fracture for higher HP baddies. I'll even use the Mage's Wrath in the rotation for world bosses. For PvP, (aside from those questionable soloing toons that needs like 8 or more just to take down one; damn, there are just quite a few running around sololy or maybe in a 2-3 man group) I was wrecking a lot with Haunting Curse and the Mage's Wrath supplementing other damage dealers and the Hurricane; even though, the Dizzying Swing and Executioner are not functioning properly.