Powerr's Jedi Shadow Tanking Guide

[Powerr]

Thanks for the write up and video power, much appreciated. I've been running with this build and although I miss the raw burst from my old infiltration build, I'm loving the utility and survivability I get from this. I have never played any kind of tank spec in any other game, so this is all new to me, but it's a lot of fun. I've not lost a single 1v1 in either warzones or open world, I've come against 31 point Sins and won quite easily, since it's so easy to predict their rotation I just pop resilience after the second Clairvoyant and totally negate their burst. I am noticing more sins speccing this way though.

 

Couple of questions though, some already have been asked in this thread.

 

Harnessed Shadows, is this worth it? Telekinetic Throw just doesn't seem to have synergy with what I'm doing, I just don't like being rooted while channelling this ability. Plus it's duration seems quite short so I sometimes miss 3 stacks of it.

 

Offhand slot, I've read some people saying that shields are useless in PvP, is this the case? Should we just be using a dps focus?

 

Kinetic Ward, again this is another ability which people have questioned using, due to the state of shields in PvP, plus I keep forgetting to turn it on lol

 

Firstly, its duration is incredibly long, like a minute or something crazy I believe. It's also a nice snare so situational when you need to get some range from your target a heal a bit. (good to do this versus melee of course), or when your teams assist train is on a target you can keep the target slowed while you re-cooperate.

 

Kinetic ward is amazing, have it on always

[Zintair]

First I have a few questions before I break down why I feel this isn't a PvP tanking guide.

 

1) Why do you waste Battle Readiness? Are you not using Combat Technique? You dont mention what Technique you do use although I didn't watch the vid as the Guide didn't impress me.

 

2) You don't ever mention Force Slow or Pull...why not?

 

3) Opening with Spinning Kick is not always a good idea.

 

Many times your better off popping Resilience to resist CC, then Force Slow to set yourself up and then move to Double Strike for Particle Acceleration. Save Spinning Kick for when you need to interrupt or finish off your opponent at the tail end of their health.

 

 

Now onto why this seems more about bursting than tanking

1) I took out 1 you do mention taunting opposing big dps players

2) As I stated before you never mention our single target snare or Force Pull.

3) As a tank your priority is to interrupt and harass the key players on the opposing side, perhaps a brief explanation on how to identify the dangerous classes on opposing sides?

4) A tanks job isn't to always burst down targets. Sometimes interrupting healers for 10 seconds straight with stun/mind snap/spinning kick/force wave is more important that the measly 3-4k burst you can generate after 10 seconds of prep work and 5 seconds of execution.

Edited April 20, 2012 by LexiCazam
IC/old post

[Powerr]

first i have a few questions before i break down why i feel this isn't a pvp tanking guide.

 

1) why do you waste battle readiness? Are you not using combat technique? You dont mention what technique you do use although i didn't watch the vid as the guide didn't impress me.

 

why didn't you watch the vid? Battle readiness makes my heals proc more often and because peoples main burst of damage is at the beginning of a fight when they pop cd's/biochem, that gives me the reason?

 

2) you don't ever mention force slow or pull...why not?

 

Both are situational at best. It's obvious you would pull people off healers, and snaring with force slow isnt viable because it's on the gcd. You could be putting out much more damage which is more beneficial.

 

3) opening with spinning kick is not always a good idea.

 

Many times your better off popping resilience to resist cc, then force slow to set yourself up and then move to double strike for particle acceleration. Save spinning kick for when you need to interrupt or finish off your opponent at the tail end of their health.

 

Popping resilience should only be used to counter their burst i.e an assassin who just popped biochem and has 2 stacks up ready to burst. Spinning kick gives you enough time to kick him and get a combo with snare in before he's able to fight back. It's the perfect and only opener you need, also helps teammates close distance. My guild melee assist trains, so its needed on the opener, obviously i use it for interrupts when its back up off its short cd

 

 

now onto why this seems more about bursting than tanking

1) i took out 1 you do mention taunting opposing big dps players

2) as i stated before you never mention our single target snare or force pull.

3) as a tank your priority is to interrupt and harass the key players on the opposing side, perhaps a brief explanation on how to identify the dangerous classes on opposing sides?

4) a tanks job isn't to always burst down targets. Sometimes interrupting healers for 10 seconds straight with stun/mind snap/spinning kick/force wave is more important that the measly 3-4k burst you can generate after 10 seconds of prep work and 5 seconds of execution.

 

This is a tank bursting guide, maybe you read it wrong. Tanking in pvp is not like other games, tanky tanky i can't die type gameplay loses games. The team with the most dps and pressure, wins, always. Sometimes not huttball, but thats huttball and its for scrubs

 

 

 

 

reported

Edited January 24, 2012 by Powerr

[Zintair]

why didn't you watch the vid? Battle readiness makes my heals proc more often and because peoples main burst of damage is at the beginning of a fight when they pop cd's/biochem, that gives me the reason?

 

Your telling me you use Battle Readiness for the Proc heals from Comabt Technique and not the burst heal from using? Really?

 

 

Both are situational at best. It's obvious you would pull people off healers, and snaring with force slow isnt viable because it's on the gcd. You could be putting out much more damage which is more beneficial.

 

Fair enough. With the addition of ST I guess the single target Force Slow is only effective on a kiting enemy when ST is down and they are in range. It should be buffed to 30M after 1.1 to make it useful.

 

 

Popping resilience should only be used to counter their burst i.e an assassin who just popped biochem and has 2 stacks up ready to burst. Spinning kick gives you enough time to kick him and get a combo with snare in before he's able to fight back. It's the perfect and only opener you need, also helps teammates close distance. My guild melee assist trains, so its needed on the opener, obviously i use it for interrupts when its back up off its short cd

 

Id rather Save Resilience for Sorcerers and BHs who are smart and CC off the bat. This puts their CC on cooldown and they are now vulnerable to everything in my arsenal to keep them from doing anything. Assassins don't have that many Tech or Force Attacks. Your wasting one of the best cooldowns in the game on a class that won't even really be effected by it.

 

 

This is a tank bursting guide, maybe you read it wrong. Tanking in pvp is not like other games, tanky tanky i can't die type gameplay loses games. The team with the most dps and pressure, wins, always. Sometimes not huttball, but thats huttball and its for scrubs

 

Well I agree with you on Huttball.

 

This isn't WoW however either (and I saw you played DAOC which gave yah some points in my book ). A Shadow is able to burst in this spec whenever they want as long as they have a Power Relic and Stalker gear (something we agree on based on diminishing returns). Burst isn't king however when you can harass and CC to prevent classes from performing their desired roles.

 

There are different roles a Shadow Tank can play in PvP. Running on the assist melee train is just one. There burst may work best to your advantage but that's hardly all the Shadow can do to aid teamplay. Locking down the Healers or Big DPS is another role. Defending points is another.

 

BTW why did you report me lol?

[Stellars]

Just curious why you would take Shadow Sight or Mental Fortitude over more points in Technique Mastery. I would think the extra 6% elemental and internal damage resist would offer more mitigation.

 

Enjoyed the video!

[Powerr]

why didn't you watch the vid? Battle readiness makes my heals proc more often and because peoples main burst of damage is at the beginning of a fight when they pop cd's/biochem, that gives me the reason?

 

Your telling me you use Battle Readiness for the Proc heals from Comabt Technique and not the burst heal from using? Really?

 

 

Both are situational at best. It's obvious you would pull people off healers, and snaring with force slow isnt viable because it's on the gcd. You could be putting out much more damage which is more beneficial.

 

Fair enough. With the addition of ST I guess the single target Force Slow is only effective on a kiting enemy when ST is down and they are in range. It should be buffed to 30M after 1.1 to make it useful.

 

 

Popping resilience should only be used to counter their burst i.e an assassin who just popped biochem and has 2 stacks up ready to burst. Spinning kick gives you enough time to kick him and get a combo with snare in before he's able to fight back. It's the perfect and only opener you need, also helps teammates close distance. My guild melee assist trains, so its needed on the opener, obviously i use it for interrupts when its back up off its short cd

 

Id rather Save Resilience for Sorcerers and BHs who are smart and CC off the bat. This puts their CC on cooldown and they are now vulnerable to everything in my arsenal to keep them from doing anything. Assassins don't have that many Tech or Force Attacks. Your wasting one of the best cooldowns in the game on a class that won't even really be effected by it.

 

 

This is a tank bursting guide, maybe you read it wrong. Tanking in pvp is not like other games, tanky tanky i can't die type gameplay loses games. The team with the most dps and pressure, wins, always. Sometimes not huttball, but thats huttball and its for scrubs

 

Well I agree with you on Huttball.

 

This isn't WoW however either (and I saw you played DAOC which gave yah some points in my book ). A Shadow is able to burst in this spec whenever they want as long as they have a Power Relic and Stalker gear (something we agree on based on diminishing returns). Burst isn't king however when you can harass and CC to prevent classes from performing their desired roles.

 

There are different roles a Shadow Tank can play in PvP. Running on the assist melee train is just one. There burst may work best to your advantage but that's hardly all the Shadow can do to aid teamplay. Locking down the Healers or Big DPS is another role. Defending points is another.

 

BTW why did you report me lol?

 

yeah, DAoC vet here, played in Bedlam

 

I didn't report you, it was a joke we used to use in DAoC:)

 

You may think you have some better theory on roles for a tank, but I assure you... I do all of those things regardless in a WZ.

 

I WILL lock down their best player while harrassing healers, peeling, and assisting on the train. It's why shadow is so damn *********** good

 

I'm pretty sure the clip of the center base in alderaan shows just that

Edited January 24, 2012 by Powerr

[Zintair]

yeah, DAoC vet here, played in Bedlam

 

I didn't report you, it was a joke we used to use in DAoC:)

 

You may think you have some better theory on roles for a tank, but I assure you... I do all of those things regardless in a WZ.

 

I WILL lock down their best player while harrassing healers, peeling, and assisting on the train. It's why shadow is so damn *********** good

 

I'm pretty sure the clip of the center base in alderaan shows just that

 

Ill check the video out when I get home.

 

I was on Guinevere Mid Shadowblade R7L3

 

 

Yeah I am confident that you do those things I want to make sure that OTHER Shadows are doing these things haha. Republic on my server isn't so talented and sometimes stating the obvious is required.

[Powerr]

Ill check the video out when I get home.

 

I was on Guinevere Mid Shadowblade R7L3

 

 

Yeah I am confident that you do those things I want to make sure that OTHER Shadows are doing these things haha. Republic on my server isn't so talented and sometimes stating the obvious is required.

 

cool cool. I never did the stealth game in DAoC, was an 8v8'r myself. R11 Sorc, R11 Cleric, R10 Eld, R8 Druid, R9 Warden, R10 Shaman

[Zintair]

cool cool. I never did the stealth game in DAoC, was an 8v8'r myself. R11 Sorc, R11 Cleric, R10 Eld, R8 Druid, R9 Warden, R10 Shaman

 

Oh man, didnt mean to ninja your thread either haha I get so jacked up talkiing about DAOC. I also had a RR8 Paladin and RR5 Animist/Eldritch.

 

Although the stealther wars I used to have were quite fun. 8v8 Mid SBs and Hunters vs Alb Infs and Scouts was epic when new frontiers came out.

[Powerr]

Oh man, didnt mean to ninja your thread either haha I get so jacked up talkiing about DAOC. I also had a RR8 Paladin and RR5 Animist/Eldritch.

 

Although the stealther wars I used to have were quite fun. 8v8 Mid SBs and Hunters vs Alb Infs and Scouts was epic when new frontiers came out.

 

I hated stealth groups lol, Whenever i would run solo just get owned by 5 scouts

[omgwru]

Ohhh DAoC. Never thought I'd play a class that can actually stealth after that game. HATE assassins or eating an arrow from a mile away to insta-die. LOL. Such good times.

[Powerr]

Ohhh DAoC. Never thought I'd play a class that can actually stealth after that game. HATE assassins or eating an arrow from a mile away to insta-die. LOL. Such good times.

 

best. game. ever. made.

[Zintair]

best. game. ever. made.

 

My question is why wasn't this duplicated?!?!?!

 

Best game EVER. For...ev...ver

[Powerr]

My question is why wasn't this duplicated?!?!?!

 

Best game EVER. For...ev...ver

 

many have asked that

[Zintair]

many have asked that

 

3 factions / player crafted gear / completely player driven end content revolving around Relics / Keeps etc.

 

Even the BGs were painfully fun. I had characters that ONLY played for them as well. Never cared about gear outside of endgame class quest gear and weapons aside from crafted.

 

Granted it will never be main stream. But there has to be a development company who wants to innovate and step outside the box again.

 

Mythic dropped the ball with Warhammer bad.

 

Too bad the business of MMOs has ruined it for us niche gamers (and even never satisfied mainstreamers)

[Grapenut]

Tried this spec coming from 0/32/8 infiltration build. The survive ability is night and day from infiltration.

 

The only problem I have is mapping keybinds and getting used to the rotation. It's nice to see a Sith inquisitor go *** when you don't die.

[Powerr]

Tried this spec coming from 0/32/8 infiltration build. The survive ability is night and day from infiltration.

 

The only problem I have is mapping keybinds and getting used to the rotation. It's nice to see a Sith inquisitor go *** when you don't die.

 

Lol yeah. its nice:P

[PunkROC]

Id rather Save Resilience for Sorcerers and BHs who are smart and CC off the bat. This puts their CC on cooldown and they are now vulnerable to everything in my arsenal to keep them from doing anything. Assassins don't have that many Tech or Force Attacks. Your wasting one of the best cooldowns in the game on a class that won't even really be effected by it.

I use my resilience all the tine against other Shadows/Assassin to negate their combos. All the big hitting attacks for Shadows/Assassins are Force Damage. Project/Force Breach for Shadows and Shock/Discharge for Assassins. I do the same thing against Focus/Rage spec Knights/Warriors. They get all 4 Singularity Stacks, Leap, and then try and 8k Force Sweep, you pop Resilience and all that damage is negated.

 

My response to Zintair...

[Powerr]

My response to Zintair...

 

good response

[Redderic]

Shadow tanking is lacking somewhat in the AOE stages and you weaken it further by focusing on single target dps rather than the AOE aspect.

instead of END +3% which is not much at all, increase your techinque with Expertise.

you make it even worse by only throwing 1 point in techinque mastery which gives us +9% internal and elemental resistance which is low without it.

2 more seconds on resolve is pointless really its a fast enough CD and really is moreso used in pvp when either

1. trying to run away

2. someone is about to hit you with a big attack

3. you really dont want to be CC'd but expect it to happen (getting the ball in huttball)

 

in pve swap out your DS for WB unless its a boss fight.

[Hero]

Powerr are you liking this spec better than the bursty 2/31/8? Which do you prefer?

[Powerr]

Powerr are you liking this spec better than the bursty 2/31/8? Which do you prefer?

 

umm, I like the bursty spec a bit more just because of my own playstyle and mentality. I've always been a "killer" not a tank

[Zintair]

My response to Zintair...

 

Thats a terrible response because those players are terrible.

 

Any Assassin or Warrior who attacks you as a tank shadow is a NOOB.

 

I tear them apart without even having to burn Resilience most of the time. Why would MDPS go for a tank to begin with?

 

No not a good response unless your playing Huttball

[Powerr]

vid 'Matchless 1.0' rendering then uploading, check back in a few hours

[Powerr]

here it is