How to be an efficient tank?

CassandraGemini
CassandraGemini
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I've just created my very first tank (a Nord DK) and I'm really looking forward to experiencing this different kind of gameplay. I've looked up Alcasts build guide for some reference regarding skills and gear, but obiously his content is end-game focused, so my question is basically: What should I focus on as a new low-level tank? Which skills are most important to have quickly? What's a good gear set-up not only for myself to have good survivability but also to perform sufficiently well as a tank in a dungeon (normal non-dlc) and not hold my group members down until I've learned how to play the role better? Is it always best to focus on the boss or are there situations where I should rather try to aggro the adds? Are there other things to keep in mind except pulling aggro away from my group members and trying to keep myself alive in the process?

Stuff like that. Basically the question is really just: How can I learn to be a good tank as someone who has never done this before but is eager to try?
This poor little Bosmer stealth passive had passionate friends and a big loving family!

Best Answers

  • PerArdua
    PerArdua
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    Most important skills are puncture and heroic slash from snb , ingneous shield , talons , chains and hardened armour from dk lines . You will also need to get inner fire from the undaunted lines . These are your bread n butter skills
    Answer ✓
  • Nestor
    Nestor
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    As above, you need to level your tank as a DPS if you want to get this done in a reasonable amount of time. Then spec and gear them to be a tank. You can level as a tank, but either your going to have long fights with trash mobs or just do dungeons all day long.

    As for being a tank, the hardest thing to learn is to slow the rotation, only applying skills as the buff or debuff times run out. That and knowing when to block or bash.

    As for gear and techniques, Woeler has an excellent Tanking site for this game. Covers beginning set ups all the way to end game. Google eso woeler to find his site
    Enjoy the game, life is what you really want to be worried about.

    PakKat "Everything was going well, until I died"
    Gary Gravestink "I am glad you died, I needed the help"

    Answer ✓
  • PerArdua
    PerArdua
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    Ideally run with friends or guildies who already have a tank who can give you advise on the fly . Boss n mini bosses are the priority then heavy hitting adds but if you can grab everything don’t worry to much . Talons is handy for holding things in place while giving to time to taunt
    Answer ✓
  • Nestor
    Nestor
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    https://woeler.eu/

    Are you on the PC? If so, there are some addons that help swapping gear and skills. While not an optimal way to tank, it will work for normal dungeons to learn.

    There are also Heavy Armor sets like Rattlecage that work for a DPS. There are some other ones that you can use too.
    Enjoy the game, life is what you really want to be worried about.

    PakKat "Everything was going well, until I died"
    Gary Gravestink "I am glad you died, I needed the help"

    Answer ✓
  • PerArdua
    PerArdua
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    If you are lvling from scratch and play mainly solo while lvling my suggestion would be to set up as a dps on your front bar . It’s really slow killing stuff in full tank set up . You can put tank skills on back bar (snb skills) then swap to that bar when you hand in quest or as you finish random dungeons . When you hit 50 respec
  • PerArdua
    PerArdua
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    As for sets plague dr n Ebon gives you lots of health that gives you a buffer wjile you are learning your trade . Run some normal dungeons and some random dungeons . Don’t worry about letting people down as most pug tanks are nt tanks anyway
    Edited by PerArdua on March 8, 2019 5:31PM
  • CassandraGemini
    CassandraGemini
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    Thanks guys, that helps. I kind of thought that I would have to level him as a dps and then respec, but I still wanted to try and learn the tanking in some easy dungeons before hitting level 50 and getting my cp (since I believe people will expect me to be a better tank than I actually am if I'm running around with 300 cp). I'll probably try it from time to time in dungeons while levelling but spend the most of my time with a "normal" dps setup to speed things up. I'll remember the skills you told me and the gear sets. Seem reasonable easy to get, as far as I can tell. So, yeah, thanks again!
    This poor little Bosmer stealth passive had passionate friends and a big loving family!

  • CassandraGemini
    CassandraGemini
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    Nestor wrote: »
    https://woeler.eu/

    Are you on the PC? If so, there are some addons that help swapping gear and skills. While not an optimal way to tank, it will work for normal dungeons to learn.

    There are also Heavy Armor sets like Rattlecage that work for a DPS. There are some other ones that you can use too.

    No, I'm on PS4. Unfortunately in this case because some of these addons that I see PC gamers talk about seem to be really useful, I wish we had this kind of stuff on PS4. Also, whenever I watch an ESO video recorded on PC the camera seems to be zoomed much further out than you can do on console. Wish we could do that, too, the screen gets so crowded and hectic sometimes in dungeons that it's hard to have a good overview of things (but maybe that's just me).
    This poor little Bosmer stealth passive had passionate friends and a big loving family!

  • PerArdua
    PerArdua
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    Eu or us server ?
  • CassandraGemini
    CassandraGemini
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    EU
    This poor little Bosmer stealth passive had passionate friends and a big loving family!

  • CassandraGemini
    CassandraGemini
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    Nestor wrote: »
    https://woeler.eu/

    Are you on the PC? If so, there are some addons that help swapping gear and skills. While not an optimal way to tank, it will work for normal dungeons to learn.

    There are also Heavy Armor sets like Rattlecage that work for a DPS. There are some other ones that you can use too.

    Just wanted to add that I'm reading through this website right now and it's exactly what I was looking for. Awesome, thanks again! :)
    This poor little Bosmer stealth passive had passionate friends and a big loving family!

  • PerArdua
    PerArdua
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    Shout if you want any advice
    Psn PerArdua504
  • CassandraGemini
    CassandraGemini
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    PerArdua wrote: »
    Shout if you want any advice
    Psn PerArdua504

    Thanks :) Would it be okay, if I just sent you a friend request later? Started levelling my tank today and as soon as I have some more of the relevant skills I'll totally go and try him out in a dungeon.

    (Oh, and just so you know, my Psn is "DonFrancesco". Yeah, I know, it's a long story :D )
    This poor little Bosmer stealth passive had passionate friends and a big loving family!

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