Testing Tank Builds in PvE

GreenHere · February 2021

How do you do it? Got a good go-to method for seeing if your setup is up-to-snuff?

I'm looking for solo methods, preferably, for toying around with different builds; something I can go test without needing to form a group or account for strangers (variables) in my testing. Currently, I'll usually just hop on the PTS and go hassle a dragon for a while or pop into various vet DLC dungeons and slog to the first boss, but I'm curious if some of you folks have better methods. I've never quite found anything that seems like the "right" baseline.

Is there a good "you should at least be able to handle [this]" type of benchmark you go by?

fizl101 · February 2021

I haven't got a tank yet (working on one), but how about going into cloudrest or AS and go tank one of the bosses, as they are easy to get to without a slog through a load of mobs first

Mojmir · February 2021

Tank training dojo would be cool. Just an instanced room with boss selection.

JanTanhide · February 2021

I take my Tanks into Veteran Aetherial Archive and Hel Ra Citadel Trials. Vet A.A. will test against fire and ice as well as direct physical damage.

Hel Ra tests against mostly up close physical direct damage but also against some ranged enemies.

I've also gone into Vet Sunspire and taken on the first mob but that is a bit crazy since the giant Welwa's bounce the Tank all over the place. But it is a good test regardless.

I've gone into other Vet Trials solo but A.A. and Hel Ra are the best in my opinion for solo Tank runs. Just be sure to set it to Vet. Normal is a joke.

And yes, all solo runs.

Grandchamp1989 · February 2021

vAS+2 - jump in and start dance with him is a classic.

If you want a bit more of a challenge find a dungeon with one-shot elite adds like vet Falkreath Hold and start pulling bulls. 2-3-4 until you're satisfied with the difficulty and hold out for as long as you can.

GreenHere · February 2021

Thanks for the suggestions, all!

Trials seem like the obvious choice, but I haven't spent too much time in those solo because it seemed like I could only do well with "cheese" builds that heal based on enemies surrounding or something; sets like Leeching, Bahraha, etc.

I always kind of figured that wasn't a fair test, since the power of those builds diminishes when less enemies focus on you and that's what happens in groups... But maybe I just gave up too early! I'll head back in with some other setups and see if I can't just work it out better. Thanks for the info, @fizl101 & @JanTanhide

Vet Falkreath was a go-to for me for a while due to the quick and scalable difficulty, but I wasn't sure how good of a gauge that is when you have two Minos on top of the adds all at the first boss. I can eek out survival with some builds, but not with others. How would you rate that pull on a scale of difficulty, @Grandchamp1989 ? I wasn't sure how to feel about that in solo, because it feels brutal with no support, but I've never had problems there in a group.

Mojmir wrote: »

Tank training dojo would be cool. Just an instanced room with boss selection.

I would love that! I'd be shocked if they added it, though. We can dream, right? :P

JanTanhide · February 2021

One more thing I want to add: Don't let others in this game push you into wearing gear they want you to wear. Get out a piece of paper or whatever and look over all the sets in this game. Both dropped and crafted. Theory crafting builds is one of the things I like to do in this game and then test my builds. I can craft anything so that's not an issue and if nothing else I head to the PTS when it's up for hard core testing.

Think of racial passives for your particular Tank build as well and perhaps you may want to have more than one Tank due to the difference in the dungeons. For example all the fire heavy dungeons and ice heavy dungeons. Perhaps a particular race Tank will fare better especially in Vet.

I've been Tanking for quite some time now and have something like 10 different gear sets on both of my Tanks. I use Alpha Gear (Others use Dressing Room) to switch between gear sets and skill bar setups for different dungeon runs. I also use different foods for various dungeon runs. I push both of my DK Tanks to very high Magicka regen to do all the crazy things I need to do to stay alive. Currently sitting at 2000 regen for most setups with a low of 1500 and a high of 2700.

If you run with the META that supposed experts deem you must use, you will run a pretty standard non fun tank in my opinion. Think out of the box and have fun.

josiahva · February 2021

I too do solo runs of crag vet trials to test survivability(not that you can get past the first mob in vHRC as a tank, at least not a pure tank or off-DPS/Tank build...stupid flagbearer AOEs overlap and outheal any dmg you can do, but I can usually get to first boss on both vSO and vAA...theoretically if I had the patience I could also solo those bosses at least on my mild dmg gear setup...one mistake with that storm atro though and you are dead)

Bradyfjord · February 2021

In terms of selfish builds, you could run Maelstrom Arena as a raw survival test. You're going to find out there what holds you back, whether it be mitigation, resources, etc.

dcmgti · February 2021

I usually test incoming damage on my tanks by going solo into vAS+2.

Runefang · February 2021

JanTanhide wrote: »

One more thing I want to add: Don't let others in this game push you into wearing gear they want you to wear. Get out a piece of paper or whatever and look over all the sets in this game. Both dropped and crafted. Theory crafting builds is one of the things I like to do in this game and then test my builds. I can craft anything so that's not an issue and if nothing else I head to the PTS when it's up for hard core testing.

Think of racial passives for your particular Tank build as well and perhaps you may want to have more than one Tank due to the difference in the dungeons. For example all the fire heavy dungeons and ice heavy dungeons. Perhaps a particular race Tank will fare better especially in Vet.

I've been Tanking for quite some time now and have something like 10 different gear sets on both of my Tanks. I use Alpha Gear (Others use Dressing Room) to switch between gear sets and skill bar setups for different dungeon runs. I also use different foods for various dungeon runs. I push both of my DK Tanks to very high Magicka regen to do all the crazy things I need to do to stay alive. Currently sitting at 2000 regen for most setups with a low of 1500 and a high of 2700.

If you run with the META that supposed experts deem you must use, you will run a pretty standard non fun tank in my opinion. Think out of the box and have fun.

The tank meta exists to buff group damage as much as possible.

AcadianPaladin · February 2021

I used WBs before I actually began tanking for a group. Differing bosses for differing purposes.

Short Tusk kaghouti in Deeshan hits quite hard and uses his heavy and magical attacks a lot. He is a good test of your ability to read a boss. If you make all your blocks/interrupts, the fight is smooth. If you start missing a few heavy or magic attacks the fight can go south fairly quickly.

The troll WB in central Deeshan has an insane health regen rate. Versus a pure main tank, all you should be able to do to each other is wiggle your health bars between 96-100%. If you can kill him solo, your damage is too high. Lol.

Near Alten Corimont in Shadowfen is a pair of ogres. They are good for starting to control/manage multiple bosses. I say good because they are simply melee brutes and there are only two of them.

Once happy with all that, I try trio WBs that include at least one mage. That really tests your ability to read multiple bosses and react accordingly. Surviving is the key. If you can slowly kill them, that is good but, if you're lucky, at least one dps will show up to speed things along. Otherwise, nothing wrong with fighting until you're satisfied with your training objectives then work your way back until they reset and call it good.