New to MMOs, Tanking questions.

[CharleyDanger]

Im new to MMOs and just learning the lingo has been crazy lol. I have read more than a few tanking guides, but I still have a few questions. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

1) In multi mob situations who should I target first to set off the pull? Always the strongest not CCed? (I know to pull the pat if the pat will not pull the mob/mobs)

 

2) Does my highest damaged attack give me the most aggro? Will any of my attacks = my taunt as far as drawing aggro? Is there a way to tell by looking at attack stats what the aggro effect will be?

 

3) Once the mobs are pulled who takes priority? Weak, Standard, Strong, Elite, Champion? I know a DPS would go weak to Champion, but should I not go Champion to Weak as a Tank?

 

4) Im a BH powertech, and it seems that all my high damage attacks have AoE. I find my self knocking off the CC a lot. What is the best way to keep aggro (assuming high damage = high aggro) and not off set the CC? I really hate it because the AoE lets me draw aggro from most of the mobs at one time.

 

5) I have read that in a single target instances a tank should Pull with highest aggro attack, then use attacks that buff self and party, then attacks that debuff the mob, and disrupting mob attacks take priority when necessary. Does this stand true in Swtor? Most of what I read came from WOW guides. Also. how do I know if a mob is about to do a stun or heal?

 

 

I know thats a lot of questions for one thread, any help would be greatly appreciated. If you know of a Swtor tanking guide in the forum let me know. I checked in the search and found nothing. Also throw in any other tips if you like.

[Fercil]

1) In multi mob situations who should I target first to set off the pull? Always the strongest not CCed? (I know to pull the pat if the pat will not pull the mob/mobs)

Depends but the main goal is to get as many mobs as possible on you instead of others. If there's single dangerous mob away from a group it might be worth slapping the single first with ranged attack while going for the group. Generally though make sure the stronger mobs are concentrated on you, dps can often handle the regular type mobs just by themselves if the pull is big.

 

2) Does my highest damaged attack give me the most aggro? Will any of my attacks = my taunt as far as drawing aggro? Is there a way to tell by looking at attack stats what the aggro effect will be?

Unless the attack has a mention of it generating extra threat on its description then the one with most damage yes. Remember that taunt without damage ability by itself does not generate threat, it just puts you on the level of threat highest player had on that target.

 

3) Once the mobs are pulled who takes priority? Weak, Standard, Strong, Elite, Champion? I know a DPS would go weak to Champion, but should I not go Champion to Weak as a Tank?

This is somewhat circumstacial. With a lot of weak mobs you need to put some attention on them. With a group having several strong/elite ones and say 2 normals just leave the normals to dps to kill first and make sure the more dangerous ones stay on you. You'll get the feeling on this by practice and on new places you just have to make a guess. If stuff dies before it can do meaningful harm to group you're doing it right. Usually it's best idea to kill the mobs from weaker to stronger as for example strong ones often do same damage as elite ones while having considerably less health.

 

5) I have read that in a single target instances a tank should Pull with highest aggro attack, then use attacks that buff self and party, then attacks that debuff the mob, and disrupting mob attacks take priority when necessary. Does this stand true in Swtor? Most of what I read came from WOW guides. Also. how do I know if a mob is about to do a stun or heal?

Sounds pretty working for swtor as well. For interrupts, the mobs have casting bar above their portrait for some of their skills, these can be stuns or heals or just damaging abilities, and those generally can be interrupted. It they're instant you can't do much about them, for stuns you can use your ability that frees you from cc, unless it's on cooldown naturally. Which ones to interrupt and which to ignore is encounter spesific. Note that interrupting isn't just tanks responsibility, it's just as important, if not more so, that dps handles it too. Healer is usually excused from it

[Baelish]

1) In multi mob situations who should I target first to set off the pull? Always the strongest not CCed? (I know to pull the pat if the pat will not pull the mob/mobs)

Most of the time in SWTOR, you need to keep control of the Strong, Elite and Champion mobs (Silver, Gold and Sliver-and-Gold). The normals and weak (chaff) are a nuisance that your DPS can tidy up in a few seconds. It's good to keep the chaff off your healer, but your AE should suffice for that purpose. So you want to concentrate on the strongs and better, and you should have a second or two to spray some threat over them if there are any chaff the DPS have to tidy up first.

 

2) Does my highest damaged attack give me the most aggro? Will any of my attacks = my taunt as far as drawing aggro? Is there a way to tell by looking at attack stats what the aggro effect will be?

Damage = threat. So the most damage does the most threat. Unless the attack's tooltip says "causes a high amount of threat" or somesuch. At the moment with no parseable combat logs, it's hard to say quite where the 'threat moves' sit. Your taunt will draw aggro, but AFAIK it doesn't actually add any threat (unlike some other games, where it moves you to equal top of the threat table for the mob). All it does is make them focus on you for 6 seconds, and you have to pour the threat in to get back to the top of the threat table for that mob before the taunt wears off. So your taunt is always best for aggro but might not help, directly, with threat at all. [To be clear, "Aggro" generally refers to who the mob is actually attacking, where "Threat" is the process of getting the mob's attention - Ed]

 

3) Once the mobs are pulled who takes priority? Weak, Standard, Strong, Elite, Champion? I know a DPS would go weak to Champion, but should I not go Champion to Weak as a Tank?

As a Tank, your damage is incidental. It might be significant, but your job is generating threat and holding aggro. Since you want to increase threat on the Champions the most, your sequence is probably valid most of the time (unless there's healers about), but it's a consequence of threat-generation priorities, rather than damage-causing priority.

 

4) Im a BH powertech, and it seems that all my high damage attacks have AoE. I find my self knocking off the CC a lot. What is the best way to keep aggro (assuming high damage = high aggro) and not off set the CC? I really hate it because the AoE lets me draw aggro from most of the mobs at one time.

An eternal problem to be solved, this one. First thing to consider is the timing and placement of your CC, and, if you have the tools available, controlling the physical location of the mobs and where you'll find 'em. A classic tool for this is the "Corner pull" (aka LOS pull). Once the CC is in, if you and the CCers all back off (Run away! Run away!) round a corner, the un-CCed mobs will come at least to the corner in order to get at you again. This should move them away from the mobs you've CCed and let you AoE to your heart's content. It can, if you stop just round the corner, also bring all the mobs into close proximity (any melee mobs will stop near you, and the ranged ones will stop near the corner, and if you're near the corner, that's near you too) making the use of AoE effects much more straightforward and efficient.

 

5) I have read that in a single target instances a tank should Pull with highest aggro attack, then use attacks that buff self and party, then attacks that debuff the mob, and disrupting mob attacks take priority when necessary. Does this stand true in Swtor? Most of what I read came from WOW guides. Also.

A lot of what was true in WoW is true in SWTOR (not just in Tanking). There are enough differences to trip you up (like the different effect of Taunts), but in general, that's a good sequence to go in.

 

How do I know if a mob is about to do a stun or heal?

Sometimes you can't tell. If it's an instant effect with no cast-time, there's nothing you can do. If it has a cast time, there will be a cast bar next to the mob's portrait, and under its nameplate if you have those turned on for mobs. Similarly, if it's a channelled effect (which also often merit interrupting), there will be a 'channel bar' that empties/fills the other way to a cast bar.

 

Other tips? Get friendly with the target marks and let your team mates know what you want them to do.

[Lheim]

I'll do my best .

 

Im new to MMOs and just learning the lingo has been crazy lol. I have read more than a few tanking guides, but I still have a few questions. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

1) In multi mob situations who should I target first to set off the pull? Always the strongest not CCed? (I know to pull the pat if the pat will not pull the mob/mobs)

 

Not sure it matters so much, so long as you gather up the non-cc'ed mobs somewhat away from the cc'ed ones if possible, and use your aoe attacks or space your attacks out between targets to keep them all glued on you.

 

It's more important to set up a kill order beforehand, really, than to worry overmuch about which mob to target in the pull.

 

 

2) Does my highest damaged attack give me the most aggro? Will any of my attacks = my taunt as far as drawing aggro? Is there a way to tell by looking at attack stats what the aggro effect will be?

 

Some abilities will have the phrase 'does high threat' in their descriptions. In addition, any AC capable of tanking will get something - a lightsaber form, a special ammo cell, etc, that will be your tanking 'stance' - it increases your armor and threat generation. You want to make sure you're using that. Only super familiar with tanking on a vanguard, so for that class, it'd be ion cell, for instance .

 

 

3) Once the mobs are pulled who takes priority? Weak, Standard, Strong, Elite, Champion? I know a DPS would go weak to Champion, but should I not go Champion to Weak as a Tank?

 

It's generally nicer to take out the weaker mobs first. They're capable of dealing major damage to you, but you can kill them a lot faster - with them gone quickly, you take far less damage overall. An exception would be any mob that heals others - those have to be interrupted, killed, ASAP.

 

4) Im a BH powertech, and it seems that all my high damage attacks have AoE. I find my self knocking off the CC a lot. What is the best way to keep aggro (assuming high damage = high aggro) and not off set the CC? I really hate it because the AoE lets me draw aggro from most of the mobs at one time.

 

There are tricks to move mobs, even the ranged ones that like to sit there and fire at you from their little spots. You have a kind of grapple shot, and then there's the always favorite MMO staple - the LoS pull. LoS is short for 'line of sight' - and it simply means pulling monsters, and running behind some obstacle that'll force them to run right up to you to hit you at all. It's cheap and extremely effective.

 

That said - yeah, sometimes you just have to kick your aoe attacks in the head. You have single-target attacks. Your priority isn't to kill things as a tank, it's to keep threat - so tab target around and use your single target attacks spaced about the different mobs if you must .

 

5) I have read that in a single target instances a tank should Pull with highest aggro attack, then use attacks that buff self and party, then attacks that debuff the mob, and disrupting mob attacks take priority when necessary. Does this stand true in Swtor? Most of what I read came from WOW guides. Also. how do I know if a mob is about to do a stun or heal?

 

It is generally true, yes. Though.. SWTOR doesn't have so many group-buffing skills as WoW does; you won't have that attack that makes everybody in your party do X amount more damage to a mob. As far as which mobs cast specials spells or heals, you can only learn that by experience. But you *CAN* see a little bar under their name plate that shows them casting a spell. Generally, a green spell icon means a heal.

 

If you can, set up with another player you trust to trade interrupts with them on a tough mob. Hard-hitting nightmares can become pussycats if they're reliably interrupted.

 

I know thats a lot of questions for one thread, any help would be greatly appreciated. If you know of a Swtor tanking guide in the forum let me know. I checked in the search and found nothing. Also throw in any other tips if you like.

 

Definitely take a peek at the class forums - I know the Vanguard forum has a good tanking guide. It's focused to troopers, but perfectly applicable to powertechs, too, if the powertech forum doesn't have one..

Edited February 2, 2012 by Lheim

[CharleyDanger]

If an instance has 2 Elites and 3 Strong, then a single attack each will gain all the aggro needed from the 2 Elites (because no one attacked them but me) Then all my focus should then turn to the Strongs. Still keeping a watchful eye on the Elites for casting and accidental aggro generated by my party. Do the Elites take into account what is being done to there buddies, or just what damage they are taking on? I thought Modern Warfare was hectic lol.

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer those questions in you last post. I never new the only difference between strong and elite was HP most of the time.

[Lheim]

If an instance has 2 Elites and 3 Strong, then a single attack each will gain all the aggro needed from the 2 Elites (because no one attacked them but me) Then all my focus should then turn to the Strongs. Still keeping a watchful eye on the Elites for casting and accidental aggro generated by my party. Do the Elites take into account what is being done to there buddies, or just what damage they are taking on? I thought Modern Warfare was hectic lol.

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer those questions in you last post. I never new the only difference between strong and elite was HP most of the time.

 

Tanking in an MMO can be super intimidating - but if you're the type who can handle the stress, it's extraordinarily rewarding. You get to be the lynchpin of the whole group.

 

Just.. take a deep breath, do your best to trust your groupmates while keeping your camera zoomed WAY out to see what the heck they're doing, and don't worry too much about mistakes. A single one won't necessarily kill you; it's how you recover from it.

Edited February 2, 2012 by Lheim

[Fercil]

If an instance has 2 Elites and 3 Strong, then a single attack each will gain all the aggro needed from the 2 Elites (because no one attacked them but me) Then all my focus should then turn to the Strongs. Still keeping a watchful eye on the Elites for casting and accidental aggro generated by my party. Do the Elites take into account what is being done to there buddies, or just what damage they are taking on? I thought Modern Warfare was hectic lol.

They don't care what happens to their buddies, just themselves. There are some boss(es) that might go nuts if you kill their companions but those are rare occassions. Like some post said before, agree on killing order with your team and focus on the one that's either currently being killed or next to be killed. To make things slightly harder though, you need to do more than just initial damage to rest also since healing generates threat and unless you hold the mobs they will go straight for the healer even though he has not done any damage to them. Usually aoe abilities can handle this very well though, the threat generated by healer is nothing like dps player attacking a mob. Unhandled mobs will though tear the healer to pieces and as a result getting anyone else needing heals getting killed.

 

There's a saying: "if tank dies it's healers fault. If healer dies it's tanks fault. If dps dies it's their own fault." Though of course not always the simple truth it has a lot of wisdom behind.

Edited February 2, 2012 by Fercil

[liamf]

My suggestions are pretty similar to the ones posted but here goes anyway

1) In multi mob situations who should I target first to set off the pull? Always the strongest not CCed? (I know to pull the pat if the pat will not pull the mob/mobs)

On a close group where none are cc'd I recommend opening with a massive aoe like Death from Above, this will give you plenty of threat on everything then focus on what the DPS should be attacking this would be the silver level mobs. Any non-elites can be left for dps to handle.

On a group with cc attack the hardest enemy a couple of times then switch to the lower ones using aoe to keep threat on everything. You and the dps should be attacking the same target or they risk taking aggro from you.

 

2) Does my highest damaged attack give me the most aggro? Will any of my attacks = my taunt as far as drawing aggro? Is there a way to tell by looking at attack stats what the aggro effect will be?

First let me explain the difference between Aggro and Threat.

 

Everyone has threat:

Threat is something you build up by using abilities. Each ability aswell as causing X amount of damage/healing generates Z amount of threat.

 

Only one person can have Aggro:

You have aggro when the target is attacking you. You get Aggro by having more threat than anyone else.

 

You will have some attacks that generate high threat, I think Rocket Punch was your best single target threat generator.

As some one explained a taunt doesn't generate threat like a normal attack it simply gives you the same amount of threat as who ever has the most. If you already have aggro it does nothing.

 

4) Im a BH powertech, and it seems that all my high damage attacks have AoE. I find my self knocking off the CC a lot. What is the best way to keep aggro (assuming high damage = high aggro) and not off set the CC? I really hate it because the AoE lets me draw aggro from most of the mobs at one time.

BH's have the ability Grapple that generates high threat and pulls the mob to them this can be used to bring ranged mobs away from a cc to allow for aoe.

Also Line of Sight (LoS) is very helpful when possible. Just hide around a corner/behind a pillar and they will come to you. Make sure your party do the same and hold off attacking or they'll get aggro pretty quickly.

[liamf]

Do the Elites take into account what is being done to there buddies, or just what damage they are taking on?

 

They couldn't care less about their "Buddies" only damage done to them builds threat on them.

Healing also generates threat. All heal spells generate threat on every enemy in combat.

Edited February 2, 2012 by liamf

[CharleyDanger]

Thanks to everyone for the answering those questions. Huge help!