PvE Trial Tanking - Absorb Missile or Defensive Stance?

CrashTest · January 2020

Which morph is more useful? I'm thinking Absorb Missile for the HP return, but is there a reason the other morph is better?

thadjarvis · January 2020

Note for the heal to be helpful consider a build I have in front of me. Shield is 12k and heal is 7.5k. So, the projectile would have to hit for 19.5k (call it 20k for easy math) after mitigation to be fully realized. Now suppose suppose we use Stance. We get hit with 18k due to mitigation passive. After the 12k shield we are at 6k. So, if it's a big projectile you'll take 6k more damage overall with stance (if math is right; may not be so), but gain 10% mitigation on all other blocked damage plus blocking sustain.

Lokk ranged tanking, vMoL situations in which a large chunk of big damage is projectiles I'd consider swapping morphs to Absorb. Outside of those I don't know.

thadjarvis · January 2020

It's content and usage dependent.

Absorb has the heal, but
-it's useless if the boss doesn't use projectiles and they are not that many as I've looked for them as a previous Warden main
-has no passive value for slotting; so it must be used
-is it 15% HP health? conditional (<resolving vigor on a tank)
-is it used enough to justify a spot on the bar?
Frankly I never use it, so I don't see it's value. Maybe if you run low mag sustain and need more healing it has good value. Someone else might be able to share contexts in which it shines.

Stance's passives are great all the time even if the shield is seldom used

3rd Option:
Bone Shield: if I want a stam shield and don't feel I need Stance passives, this is my go too. Same personal shield strength. Total group shield strength crushes either of the other options + a valuable group buff + a synergy.

CrashTest · January 2020

thadjarvis wrote: »

Lokk ranged tanking, vMoL situations in which a large chunk of big damage is projectiles I'd consider swapping morphs to Absorb. Outside of those I don't know.

Thanks, I was mostly thinking of Lokkestiiz when trying to decide on morphs, so that's very helpful.

Pollux_Geminorum · September 2023

I wish the animation for both Defensive Posture morphs were cooler. It's so simple and barely noticeable. 🛡🫤

Necrotech_Master · September 2023

i prefer defensive posture, 1 for the passive bonuses, 2 because dmg reflecting is 100% mitigation and allows you to hit the enemies pretty hard

when you reflect an attack, it re-scales the attack based off of your stats

in icereach last boss for example, the witches heavy attacks are all projectiles (not sure on the lightning one), but you can reflect those and make them do crazy dmg to themselves

the key thing to keep in mind with the defensive posture is knowing which projectiles can actually be reflected, as not all projectiles are reflectable

El_Borracho · September 2023

I'm with @thadjarvis. I don't think I've used either skill since I first started tanking. In a group, there usually is a healer dedicated to keeping you alive, so Absorb is useless. Stance lets you block more, but if the projectile damage is that substantial, the shield is not that good.

I suppose its also class dependent. DK has much better class skills than these morphs, like Protective Scale or Obsidian Shield. Warden has Frost Cloak and Crystallized Shield. Even then, most of the raid tank builds I've run and seen have the ability to block all damage without specific skills for things like projectiles. I think you're better off upping your overall resistances than looking to build for a specific boss

Soarora · September 2023

The original post is from 2020.

pelle412 · September 2023

Both morphs have their use in very specific situations but the overwhelming majority of fights you don't need either. I've used Defensive Stance during my first Sunspire hardmode range tanking Lokkestiiz. I've also used Absorb Missile on Rakkhat hardmode when he uses his barrage ability.

The Elder Scrolls Online

PvE Trial Tanking - Absorb Missile or Defensive Stance?

Best Answer