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Taugrim's "Iron Fist" 25/14/2 PVP Tank Spec [Video]


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These are my thoughts after using the build from level 40-50.

 

General Thoughts:

  • Do Not attempt this build until you can spec into Storm, Gut, and Frontline Defense. Before then you will feel very ineffective in both damage and defense. IMO Frontline Defense is THE BEST "mitigation" talent this build has. Frontline Defense makes it possible to 1v2 some people, and will make you live a lot longer in most 1v1 situations.
  • This build is very successful as a "PvP Tank" and should be considered that more than anything else.

 

Pros:

  • It is a really durable build. You should have no problems getting top 3 in damage in most warzones based on how long you live, rather than the sheer output of damage.
  • Mobility/Control is great with roots on Grapple and Stealth Scan, plus Storm, Cryo Grenade, and Neural Surge.
  • Great node/door defender. With your added survivability, and a relatively inexpensive DoT with Gut, you can hold a door by yourself long enough for any reinforcements to arrive (warning: PUGs will still be PUGs so YMMV).
  • Decent damage output to help with "assist trains."

 

Cons:

  • While overall damage is good, burst is low. In 1v1 fights you are really just "out lasting" people (which isn't a bad thing).
  • Cell management is lacking compared to 18 Assault builds. If you try to dish out a lot of damage in a short amount of time, you will need to burn your resource cooldowns or be in a resource hole for a while.
  • *General Tanking Issue* -- You will still feel squishy against a lot of classes without a pocket healer.

 

How to get the most enjoyment out of this build:

  • Roll with a healer. This is true for everybody in PvP, but you really NEED a healer.
  • Play more defensively by protecting your healers and countering people who charge into your line. Beat on those people until they start to run away and keep your DoT going. DO NOT overextend yourself. Your Gut and other ranged peopel on your team will finish off anyone trying to run away. Remember, while you are pretty tough, you will still get blown up by 2 Sorcs and a Merc spamming TMs very fast.

Edited by Kryptorchid
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I'm using it and it works for me. It's not a DPS spec, it's a crowd control and tanking spec with enough burst damage to finish people, and enough over time damage to wear people down and prevent captures, and enough AOEs to really piss off groups.

 

I couldn't make any improvements really. The ammo management is a bit rough, but it works out OK.

 

High points of the spec for me:

-riot striking all the time

-immobilizing harpoons and stealth scans

-2500k stock strike crits

-(voidstar) popping a group with a sticky grenade -> mortar volley -> sonic round and then charging someone and throwing down the force lightning, recharging, and gutting/stock striking all the survivors (or situationally spamming the pulse like a nooblar).

Edited by Pokken
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Thanks Orsian!

 

It's always good to hear from a fellow WAR Swordmaster :)

 

While Iron Fist is more rangy than an SM, the spec gives me the offensive capability that I enjoyed on my SM, so I can play aggressively and get in the grill of opponents, which is exactly what I did on my SM.

 

I was never the 'Greatsword' SM that you were, my playstyle, especially back then was to stick close to healers and take oppurtunity kills or harass mdps and prevent them from killing healers.

 

However, after playing Bounty Hunter as a powertech, I'm having much more fun getting into the mix and making a difference. The survivability and low-range burst dps we can do in my lowby mix of Iron Fist is quite adequate. The fun factor of doing one rocket punch, then another and a rail shot is a bit like juggling someone in Street Fighter with Ken or Ryu doing the dragon punch thing.

 

In Rift I saw your M*A*S*H guild quite a bit in war fronts and while we didn't win much, it was usually a good fight.

 

I'm actually rerolling Republic for more battleground warfare, I love the instapop que time!

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Great thread and another nice explaniation Taur but I have one quick question as someone newer to the Vanguard. Would it be worth switching out 6% aim for the 16% armour increase from "rebraced armour"?

 

Short answer: Rebraced Armor doesn't provide the value a player might expect in PVP.

 

Here is NoGoal's awesome comment about it on my blog:

http://taugrim.com/2012/01/27/iron-fist-25-14-2-pvp-tank-spec-for-swtor-powertech-vanguard/#comment-7211

 

First, armor only works against kinetic and energy damage. It doesn’t work against elemental and internal damage.

 

Second, classes that use strong attacks mitigated by armor usually have debuffs.

 

Third, the % is based on your base armor, not base+60% from your tanking ´stance´.

 

Last, maths! Let’s say you have 5000 armor rating @ L50.

- 5000 armor rating = 31.65% damage reduction [5000 / ( 5000 + 200 * 50 + 800 ) * 100]

- 8000 with tanking stance (+60%) = 42.55%

- 8800 [5000+(5000*0.6)+(5000*0.16)] with the talent = 44.90% (+2.35%)

 

Most will have the -60% talent to boost Rail Shot (HIB) so:

- 2000 (5000-60%) armor rating = 16.62%

- 3200 = 22.86%

- 3520 = 24.58% (+1.72%)

 

It’s obviously not bad but, in your template, you lost 25% chance to vent 8 heat when struck, 1% shield chance and 3% damage on Flame Burst (Ion Pulse) and RB (Gut) for it.

 

If you want to keep the armor talent, I’d take the (25%) chance to vent heat and drop Oil Slick (Smoke Grenade). It’s great on void star as people are usually packed but everywhere else it won’t affect many targets (not sure of the range. is it 10m?). It shines when people have Defense on their armor (and enemies don’t have accuracy) but they’ll rather want offensive stats. It costs 8 heat (1 ammo), 60s cd..

 

3% damage is a small loss but I find it more useful than -5s on Grapple (Harpoon).

 

Some players incorrectly assume that 16% more Armor means 16% more mitigation, or that the Armor buff from the tanking stance stacks with the Rebraced Armor.

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Assault Spec with Ion Cell still works better in my opinion.

 

I find the versatility in both melee and ranged damage better, in addition, i lose very little damage and gain alot of survivability as an AS with Ion Cell.

+ I am able to dps properly in PvE by just switching to Plasma Cell.

Edited by Slowmojo
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Assault Spec with Ion Cell still works better in my opinion.

 

If you prefer the BULLDOG spec, more power to you.

 

I find the versatility in both melee and ranged damage better, in addition, i lose very little damage and gain alot of survivability as an AS with Ion Cell.

 

You actually lose a lot of survivability with BULLDOG compared to Iron Fist.

 

The extra 4% mitigation that you gain with Iron Fist makes more than a 4% difference in terms of damage taken.

 

As I've documented on my blog:

Talents such as Power Armor are not affected by diminishing returns, and mitigation becomes more valuable the more you have.

 

Without points in the two 2% mitigation talents, my mitigation against Energy and Kinetic attacks is 45.5% from Armor and the tanking stance, so I suffer 54.5 points of damage out of every 100.

 

With Iron Fist, the mitigation increases to 49.5%, so I suffer 50.5 points of damage out of every 100.

 

Which means that a non-IF tank spec is going to take 7.9% (4 / 50.5) more damage than an IF build. The difference is significant and very noticeable in PVP.

 

By the same token, the damage that a non-IF spec takes from Elemental and Internal damage compared to an IF spec is > 4%.

 

I.e. non-IF in tank stance has 5% mitigation against those damage types, and IF has 9%. So 95 damage taken vs 91 damage taken, or an increase of 4.4%.

 

When you factor in the +10% mitigation buff from Sorcs / Sages, the gap between non-IF and IF tank specs widens to 4.9% (4 / 81).

 

And the above percentages again increase when you factor in our 4% damage debuff.

 

Each build has its merits, but the belief that you are not losing a significant amount of mitigation with BULLDOG is not grounded on the actual game mechanics.

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Short answer: Rebraced Armor doesn't provide the value a player might expect in PVP.

 

Here is NoGoal's awesome comment about it on my blog:

http://taugrim.com/2012/01/27/iron-fist-25-14-2-pvp-tank-spec-for-swtor-powertech-vanguard/#comment-7211

 

 

 

Some players incorrectly assume that 16% more Armor means 16% more mitigation, or that the Armor buff from the tanking stance stacks with the Rebraced Armor.

 

Thanks for the reply....

 

However, i'm not an all out pvp'er which I realise your spec is set up for BUT the extra 6% AIM isn't 6% more damage either. Yes the armour buff will only increase ARMOUR RATING not hard mitigation percentage. Most attacks in pvp don't use kinetic or energy but there are still quite a few that do. Stockstrike/rocket punch for instance, our bread and butter skill. I'd be curious to see someone run the numbers on the actual damage increase of the extra 6% AIM vs the mititgation increase from the 16% armour buff.

 

To be honest i'm still tempted by the armour increase as I do like my mit tanks to have all the mit they can find.

Edited by Simoon
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Watch the video:
| on my blog

 

Copy of the description for the video provided below.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This video covers my “Iron Fist” 25/14/2 PVP tank spec.

 

I designed the spec after discerning the limitations of the Defense (avoidance) and Shield (block) mechanics for tanks in PVP. Mitigation is king in SWTOR PVP. The two 2% mitigation talents and 5% mitigation from the tanking stance stack additively to provide 9% mitigation against all damage types (i.e. Elemental, Energy, Internal, and Kinetic) - you can see this by mousing over Damage Reduction on your Character window.

 

The 4-pc Tech set bonus, Static Shield talent, and Static Surge talent synergize to generate a high frequency of high-damage Stockstrike crits.

 

Here is the spec used in the video:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#801GRGozRroMZMcrroZb.1

 

The “Iron Fist” spec has been very effective for me in PVP, both group play and solo. It’s designed to support aggressive close-quarters combat gameplay: you can tank and burn down MDPS and pressure and shutdown casters and healers, while retaining Guard, charge, and debuff capability.

 

For more information about Vanguard PVP, please refer to my free in-depth Guide.

 

I queued solo for the Huttball match shown in the video.

 

Comments / Errata:

  1. I had an incorrect Relic bound on my Quickslot bar. The point made in the video still stands: the level 50 Crit buff stacks with a Relic

UPDATE (2012/01/29): to clarify why mitigation matters and how it stacks, consider the following:

Talents such as Power Armor are not affected by diminishing returns, and mitigation becomes more valuable the more you have.

 

Without points in the two 2% mitigation talents, my mitigation against Energy and Kinetic attacks is 45.5% from Armor and the tanking stance, so I suffer 54.5 points of damage out of every 100.

 

With Iron Fist, the mitigation increases to 49.5%, so I suffer 50.5 points of damage out of every 100.

 

Which means that a non-IF tank spec is going to take 7.9% (4 / 50.5) more damage than an IF build. The difference is significant and very noticeable in PVP.

 

By the same token, the damage that a non-IF spec takes from Elemental and Internal damage compared to an IF spec is > 4%.

 

I.e. non-IF in tank stance has 5% mitigation against those damage types, and IF has 9%. So 95 damage taken vs 91 damage taken, or an increase of 4.4%.

 

When you factor in the +10% mitigation buff from Sages/Sorcs (I think it’s theirs), the gap between non-IF and IF tank specs widens to 4.9% (4 / 81).

 

And the above percentages again increase when you factor in the 4% damage debuff we apply to opponents.

 

UPDATE (2012/2/2): people have been asking about gear for this spec. Here's what you want to get:

  • Supercommando Shield offhand: to leverage the free +15% Shield Chance buff you get from the tanking stance. While I don't believe the Shield Chance stat is worth stacking for PVP, the +15% benefit is worth leveraging
  • Combat Tech 4-pc set: for the awesome +15% Crit Chance to Rocket Punch (Stockstrike). Alternatively, if you prefer the Supercommando set bonuses, you can go 4-pc Supercommando and swap out the mods for DPS ones
  • Go for DPS stats for the remaining slots: this means Eliminator, Combat Tech, and in some cases Combat Medic. The priority for the stats is what I documented in the Stats and Gear section of my Powertech / Vanguard Guide

To see me PVP’ing live, check out my TwitchTV channel. My stream features real-time commentary – and to the extent possible interaction with the Chat Room.

 

I played a spec similiar to this as a fresh 50, and it does help with the survivability, however a couple points that I feel need to be stressed that I think are in error in your build.

 

1) The damage while mediocre is pretty sub par, any healer will be able to deal with this no problem that advantage you are bringing is the guard and mitigation for your team.

 

2) While you are correct on the order of crit over riding shield chance, by using combat tech gear (or enhancement/mod swapping) you are losing all shield chance from your gear, and taking no increases apart from a 1% to your shield chance. This means you are running around with only 21ish chance to shield. Now the issue is you are getting almost nothing out of this as you have very little absorbtion too maybe 26-27%? Not only that but 21% is bringing you no where near the point of fall off from crit chance, no one runs around with +70% crit chance, it just doesn't happen. Maybe 60% on certain (this build excluded as one ability has a high crit chance with tech bonus) abilities but unless you are hitting 40% shield chance you are still getting benefit.

 

3) The fact you are negating your own shield chance means you are proccing your stock strike much less often, which means you aren't getting the optimal burst out of this spec/build. With these issues in mind here a couple suggestions to fix this.

 

Fix #1: Consider a 28/11/2 build netting you a 8% shield chance increase, instead of a 1% this makes your stock strike proc more reliably.

 

Fix #2: Consider mixing and matching some mods and enhancements, utilize some absorb heavy enhancements in pieces of combat tech such as the chest or pieces that have no surge. While updating other pieces of gear as possible with power/surge enhancements to get the most out of your high crit stock strike. If you are building a tanky burst then itemize for it.

Edited by GrinNfool
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I played a spec similiar to this as a fresh 50, and it does help with the survivability, however a couple points that I feel need to be stressed that I think are in error in your build.

 

1) The damage while mediocre is pretty sub par, any healer will be able to deal with this no problem

 

Sounds like you didn't actually try the spec or are not playing it correctly.

 

I'm typically top-3 in damage in warzones despite not having any Battlemaster gear and only 10 pieces of Champ gear.

 

E.g. from my stream this morning, when running in a guild premade that had zero Battlemasters:

http://www.twitch.tv/taugrim/b/307848716

  1. Voidstar facing an Empire Battlemaster premade: #3 damage (300k), #2 kills
  2. Huttball: #1 damage, #1 kills, #1 killing blows
  3. Huttball: #2 damage, #2 kills
  4. Alderaan: #3 damage, #1 kills, #1 killing blows
  5. Voidstar facing an Empire Battlemaster premade: #3 damage, #5 kills

You state that the damage for Iron Fist is "mediocre" but that doesn't match my actual experience, and keep in mind that my gear is mediocre. Considering that I'm playing a tank spec, consistent top-3 damage and top-3 kills / killing blows is good enough for me.

 

The spec provides what it's designed it for: good damage, good durability, good mobility, and good CC. If that's not what you're looking for, try something else.

Edited by taugrimtaugrim
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Out of curiosity, how did you get your party windows to expand like that? I've been trying to make mine bigger but seem to be missing how to customize it. It would def help the guard swapping. ;)

 

You can change it in the options menu under preference -> User Interface.

At the bottom of the list is Operation Frames, with 2 sliders that allow you to change the width and lenght of the healthbars.

 

 

If you prefer the BULLDOG spec, more power to you.

 

You actually lose a lot of survivability with BULLDOG compared to Iron Fist.

 

The extra 4% mitigation that you gain with Iron Fist makes more than a 4% difference in terms of damage taken.

 

I was actually refering to using Plasma Cell as AS vs Ion Cell. I'm sure your Iron Fist spec provides more survivability as a whole.

But using Ion Cell as AS i find has very little impact on my damage while providing a reasonably good amount of additional durability in combat.

 

I've been many specs since i hit 50.

Your Iron Fist spec was great for when my gear was still on the low side.

But after a long time of WZs i found that the majority of people ignored me as a Vanguard. So i went the "Bulldog" spec as you call it, wich works out significantly better in damage and overall pressure/burst departement. Even without improved Riot Strike and Storm i was easily taking out healers and those who turned to me were dead before i got in any real danger.

Reflexive Shield talent also allowed me for more reliable usage of my Reactive Shield, it was pretty much always off CD when i needed it.

 

And personally, i consider being able to use defensive CDs when i need them and always be ready for me far more reliable.

 

However, i do wish they did something about Tactics, i tried the spec, and i had a blast, but i was far to vulnerable.

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I was actually refering to using Plasma Cell as AS vs Ion Cell.

 

OK, in that case you're running one of the standard Assault Spec builds. I misunderstood what you were saying.

 

I'm sure your Iron Fist spec provides more survivability as a whole.

 

Correct, it is a very durable spec, due to the +9% mitigation, which as I've shown the math elsewhere, means someone not running this spec is taking more than 9% damage relative to Iron Fist.

 

But using Ion Cell as AS i find has very little impact on my damage while providing a reasonably good amount of additional durability in combat.

 

Yea if you are running AS you should use Plasma Cell, otherwise you are wasting points on talents and not leveraging the excellent 8 talent points in the first two tiers of the AS tree.

 

Your Iron Fist spec was great for when my gear was still on the low side.

 

People have told me this in-game and on Social Media.

 

My projection, given that I'm already consistently top-3 damage and kills in most warzones even without full Champion, is that it will perform well at Battlemaster.

 

But after a long time of WZs i found that the majority of people ignored me as a Vanguard.

 

The spec's playstyle is to pressure people, especially casters/healers/squishies, and they can't ignore you. If you're not doing that, you're not playing it correctly.

 

wich works out significantly better in damage and overall pressure/burst departement. Even without improved Riot Strike and Storm i was easily taking out healers and those who turned to me were dead before i got in any real danger.

Reflexive Shield talent also allowed me for more reliable usage of my Reactive Shield, it was pretty much always off CD when i needed it.

 

There will never be agreement on this forum re: the 6-sec interrupt vs the 8-sec interrupt. Some people believe the 2 sec difference is a waste of talent points. I strongly disagree, based on having tried full AS specs for dozens of matches before 50 and dozens after dinging 50.

 

If anything, as people gear up, my experience is shutting down casters and healers becomes more important.

 

With IF you can:

interrupt -> stun -> interrupt -> stun -> interrupt

 

That shuts downs a healer or cast-time nuker for that sequence.

 

AS is a fantastic offensive spec, don't get me wrong. I posted a video in a separate thread yesterday showing its strengths. But it has the least control / CC / interrupt capability of the viable endgame PVP specs.

Edited by taugrimtaugrim
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The spec's playstyle is to pressure people, especially casters/healers/squishies, and they can't ignore you. If you're not doing that, you're not playing it correctly.

 

If anything, as people gear up, my experience is shutting down casters and healers becomes more important.

 

With IF you can:

interrupt -> stun -> interrupt -> stun -> interrupt

 

That shuts downs a healer or cast-time nuker for that sequence.

 

Speaking of shutting down casters... This is something I absolutely suck at (Lvl 34 vangaurd following your build).

 

What I really don't have a good grasp on is the Vangaurds best interupt and stuns capabilities. I figure cryo and harpoon can account for the 2 stuns in teh rotation you mention. But what about interrupts? Unless I'm close range isn't the only interupt I have available nueral jolt? And does it cd that quickly I could use it three times in that rotation?

 

And are you using HS in that sequence? Or is this just meant to shut down a caster so a DPS can take them out?

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Speaking of shutting down casters... This is something I absolutely suck at (Lvl 34 vangaurd following your build).

 

What I really don't have a good grasp on is the Vangaurds best interupt and stuns capabilities. I figure cryo and harpoon can account for the 2 stuns in teh rotation you mention. But what about interrupts? Unless I'm close range isn't the only interupt I have available nueral jolt? And does it cd that quickly I could use it three times in that rotation?

 

And are you using HS in that sequence? Or is this just meant to shut down a caster so a DPS can take them out?

 

Riot Strike

 

It is off the GCD so you can use it while using other skills, and with the build it is on a 6 second cooldown while locking the interrupted ability for 4 seconds. So between Riot Strike, Cryo Grenade, Riot Strike, Neural Surge, Riot Strike, you can potentially lock down a healer for a tremendous amount of time.

Edited by Kryptorchid
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Riot Strike

 

It is off the GCD so you can use it while using other skills, and with the build it is on a 6 second cooldown while locking the interrupted ability for 4 seconds. So between Riot Strike, Cryo Grenade, Riot Strike, Neural Jolt, Riot Strike, you can potentially lock down a healer for a tremendous amount of time.

 

^ exactly, but replace Neural Jolt (taunt) with Neural Surge (PBAoE stun)

Edited by taugrimtaugrim
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@Taugrim - I have been doing some checking and I think the 2 points in Rebraced Armor are worth the points.

 

I don't have super gear at the moment but I am around 4560 armor without Ion Cell with Rebraced Armor. This means that it is contributing approx. 625 armor. Now I tested this by removing a piece of armor and the difference in my mitigation went from 49% to 44%. We are looking at a 10% gain in mitigation. I'll admit this is against only 2 forms of damage but this is a big difference for those forms of damage. Most of this thread you were defending the fact that the more mitigation you have the more effect abilities that have absolute mitigation made like the 5% from Ion Cell and Power Armor.

 

I am not saying you should change your spec but from this thread I felt you were dismissing this talent a little to easily. If that is not the case I stand corrected.

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I don't have super gear at the moment but I am around 4560 armor without Ion Cell with Rebraced Armor. This means that it is contributing approx. 625 armor. Now I tested this by removing a piece of armor and the difference in my mitigation went from 49% to 44%. We are looking at a 10% gain in mitigation.

 

That isn't the correct test.

 

You are assuming that equipping/unequipping gear is the same as what Rebraced Armor gives.

 

If you are willing, try this:

1. take Rebraced Armor talent, use the tanking stance, and record the mitigation tooltip % for Energy/Kinetic attacks

2. respec, don't take Rebraced Armor talent, use the tanking stance, and record the mitigation %'s

 

Post the %'s you see, and we can talk about them.

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So between Riot Strike, Cryo Grenade, Riot Strike, Neural Jolt, Riot Strike, you can potentially lock down a healer for a tremendous amount of time.

 

Wait, have I been missing something? Neural Jolt interrupts? Someone please confirm!

 

Either way, the Vanguard has some good abilities for anti casters. Here's how I do it against one or two casters (while spec'd similar to Taugrims Iron Fist):

 

1. Spam HS until 9 meters so you can use our other abilities. (remember HS slows target while using Ion cell).

2. As soon as you see the cast bar, back out past 10 meters and use Storm or Harpoon. (don't need to use HS to slow as casting "roots" them)

3. Circle target while using your other abilities, when next casting happens, Riot Strike.

4. Spam HS and back out to 9ish meters, at next cast, repeat 2-4

 

Cycling the abilities roughly like this allows you to chain interrupts on one target while waiting your cooldowns. Of course you'll be mixing in your other abilities for the dps. You can use a variation of this on two targets. Three targets for me, and my "next target" key starts to fail me or my brain starts to fail it. Personally I use Cryo as an emergency backup or directly after the harpoon. You can also manipulate the targets direction by pulling or lunging to keep you fighting on a node or them away from a door.

 

TBH I wish more sub 50 players would use their interrupt more often in WZs. Although it by itself does not cause dps or protect. With concious players it can be the best defense for a group. So don't be afraid to interupt a caster who isn't targeting you.

 

Special thanks to Taugrim with all his posts vids and help.

Edited by dbmav
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