What is it like to tank as a SW as opposed to an assassin?

[Vladearg]

Hello.

I just leveled an inquisitor to 12 and turned him into an assassin Because I love tanking and love the idea of using the force to tank. However, I didnt fully actualize that you could not respec from assassin to sorcerer, and I would like to have a sorcerer too. But I dont want to play the inquisitor story twice when there are so many other great stories out there. The warrior included.

 

So now im thinking of letting the SW be my tank and the inquisitor be my backup healer.

 

So.... What is in like to tank as a Juggernaut? are they more AOE or single target threat? Are the mechanics fun? challenging? boring?

How does force leap (or whatever its really called) change the game as far as a closer goes?

 

 

Also, for those of you who have played the Sorcerer at higher levels, what is that like? How fun is pvp? pve?

How is healing as a sorcerer? Is it similar to the whack a mole game in wow?

 

 

Does the SW endgame gear have the ability to look more mystic in incorporating cloaks and robes, or is it obvious to everyone your just a hulking rage machine?

 

Im new to SWTOR and, in the past, ive only been interested in tanks. But I am interested in having both a SW and an inquisitor for story and RP reasons. Im just not sure which one I want to be my tank.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Vladearg

[Elyx]

Hello.

I just leveled an inquisitor to 12 and turned him into an assassin Because I love tanking and love the idea of using the force to tank. However, I didnt fully actualize that you could not respec from assassin to sorcerer, and I would like to have a sorcerer too. But I dont want to play the inquisitor story twice when there are so many other great stories out there. The warrior included.

 

So now im thinking of letting the SW be my tank and the inquisitor be my backup healer.

 

So.... What is in like to tank as a Juggernaut? are they more AOE or single target threat? Are the mechanics fun? challenging? boring?

How does force leap (or whatever its really called) change the game as far as a closer goes?

 

it's amazingly awesome. It's by far my favorite gap closer in the game, aside from push (which resets your leap skill). the difference of course is that your smack dab in the middle of the pack of mobs. takes a bit of mob management and planning at times, but nothing any worse then planning who to CC with your sorc

 

Also, for those of you who have played the Sorcerer at higher levels, what is that like? How fun is pvp? pve?

How is healing as a sorcerer? Is it similar to the whack a mole game in wow?

 

only played sage (mirror) to low 30's. very EZ mode to me...actually puts me to sleep. high level play may be different. but I prefer the more engaging aspects of my Jugg.

 

Does the SW endgame gear have the ability to look more mystic in incorporating cloaks and robes, or is it obvious to everyone your just a hulking rage machine?

 

sort of. the stock warrior gear does tend to get more...juggernauty...as you gain levels. but there's enough different moddable gear selections that you can pretty much look like almost anything. And subbing in a piece of light or medium armor wont kill you...armor isn't as great as people think for damage reduction in this game, so 1 ot 2 pieces of lighter armor won't break the bank.

 

Im new to SWTOR and, in the past, ive only been interested in tanks. But I am interested in having both a SW and an inquisitor for story and RP reasons. Im just not sure which one I want to be my tank.

 

based on current performance, the Inq has an easier time tanking. but the Jugg can tank all endgame content atm. so don't let that hold you back. just keep in mind that Juggs have been verified by bio as being slightly behind other tanks in damage and mitigation. so the Jugg IMO tops the Inq in play, from DPS to tank, but you will have to work your jugg harder to get similar results from tanking.

 

DPS is not worry. Juggs slaughter. but its a playstyle that will require parctice to get down. But it is BY FAR my favorite class

 

Read my answers in yellow

[Vladearg]

Thank you.

And how many juggs are there in comparison to assassins?

[Heith]

its a pain in the butt. dont roll a juggernaut if you want to tank. please listen to reason and take it from someone that has played all the tank characters at high level. dont waste your time. Edited February 29, 2012 by Heith

[Werwers]

I haven't tried any of the other tank classes, but i really like my juggernaut and you can easily tank all endgame content. You will come to love Force Charge! You do have an AoE Taunt, but threat is mainly single target. People cry a lot on these forums, but i've never had a problem with threat in neither hard mode FPs or nightmare ops.

 

The endgame PvE tier set currently makes you look more like a robot than a sith lord, but we'll see what happens after patch 1.2 when orange gear might become best in slot.

[Battilea]

So.... What is in like to tank as a Juggernaut? are they more AOE or single target threat? Are the mechanics fun? challenging? boring?

How does force leap (or whatever its really called) change the game as far as a closer goes?

 

Compared to an Assassin, the Juggernaut just feels a bit slower, plus takes a bit more effort. With my Assassin, it is usually overload (PB AoE knockback) to position some mobs, then AoEs to snag aggro on most things, and then single target stuff on whatever, simple, easy. With my Jugg, it is a mix of leap, force push, throwing the saber, and carefully positioning myself to insure the pushed mob goes where I want it, that I hit as much as possible with Smash, etc. The slower feel holds true with single target stuff as well, I'm using attacks to build up rage so I can then use my rage attacks. So just feels like I'm spending time setting up to do things, waiting on some overly long cooldowns, while the assassin is more go-Go-GO, although, to be honest, I do spend time using the basic attack, waiting for force to regen.

 

I also find my Jugg suffers a bit more in certain fights, when bosses refuse to beat on my Jugg. With the assassin, force generation is a constant. Doesn't matter if the boss attacks me or not, it is the same. With my Jugg, well, for example, did BP today, and there's a boss there that spends a decent chunk of time charging up, then picking a random target, then doing a special move and, after all hat, attacking that target a few more times while being untauntable. That leaves me with a lot less rage than if stuff was swinging at me the entire time.

 

The Jugg gets the job done though, just in different ways, and has its own perks. Chucking the ol' saber, for example, actually does some decent damage, unlike with my assassin, where I'm using my 4s stun at that range or taunt. The faster cooldown on AoE taunt is also handy. Smash takes wussy mobs out of the fight for a bit and, once talented up, hits pretty hard. I debuff the mob's armor values, so stuff dies faster, an important thing as, assuming you are a decent tank, odds are the majority of your deaths on bosses will come from DPS fail, due to the enrage timer.

 

Threatwise, I find my assassin superior to my Jugg, but my assassin has better gear than my Jugg, so I'm not making a fair comparison. But I think even with equal gear, the assassin will be superior at AoE, due to the larger areas its AoEs cover, but that's why the Jugg gets that damage dealing saber toss and a shorter cooldown on AoE taunt. Good DPS also start by eliminating everything you aren't tanking, so it isn't that big of a deal. Your job is to hold aggro on the right few things, plus a few extras, not on everything. For single target, probably about equal, though the Jugg's might appear worse due to boosting the DPS's damage by debuffing the armor value. But again, the taunt mechanics and faster AoE taunt recharge make it pretty much a non-issue.

 

Overall, and in far fewer words, the classes play differently, they do have different strengths and weakness, but the player matters more than the class.

 

Im new to SWTOR and, in the past, ive only been interested in tanks. But I am interested in having both a SW and an inquisitor for story and RP reasons. Im just not sure which one I want to be my tank.

 

Well, there are two other things you can consider.

 

First, there's lightside versus darkside choices. Overall, it doesn't really change much, but it does a pretty good job of giving you the illusion that it does. Seeing how the darkside choices turn out compared to the lightside ones adds some replay value.

 

And second, there's republic versus empire. Essentially the same classes, but whole new storylines. Though, if you're like me, you'd rather just play on one side

Edited February 29, 2012 by Battilea

[Godzillamax]

its a pain in the butt. dont roll a juggernaut if you want to tank. please listen to reason and take it from someone that has played all the tank characters at high level. dont waste your time.

 

Although I cannot comment on how a Jugg compares to the other two tanks (Assassin and Powertech) because I have not played as those classes, as a Jugg MT for a guild running the Ops on a weekly basis (only 8 man, not doing any nightmare stuff) I am having a blast. I tanked in WoW for many years as a warrior then druid and, after tanking in ToR, don't think I could ever go back to WoW style 1 button tanking (of course I'm being somewhat facetious since tanking in WoW took more than one button (two if memory serves me )).

 

What I love about tanking as a Jugg is exactly what others have stated they hate, the complexity of it. If you want the definition of a boring class, try playing a Merc healer. You basically spam 2-3 abilities (heals) over and over and over and...you get the picture. On my Jugg tank I have to virtually use all of my abilities. Some people consider that "a pain in the butt," but I consider it a fun challenge that keeps me on my toes.

 

I think too many people roll a jugg tank expecting to grab aggro, pitch a tent and start smacking the mob with one or two threat building attacks, and then take a nap while your group DPSes the mob. Sorry to burst your bubble, but to be a good Jugg tank and get the most enjoyment out of the class you need to use all your abilities and work really hard at being competent. Situational awareness, knowing what abilities to use and when, knowing your cooldowns and when to use them, etc. are all integral to being a good Jugg tank.

 

One of the biggest complaints you will hear about Jugg tanks is difficulty holding aggro on multi-pack mob pulls. This is a valid argument to some extent. But, my personal opinion is that this can be mitigated via either using CC, or, rotation of your AE taunt and Intimidating Roar to lock the mobs down long enough for your group to kill them. In an Op if your guild runs with an OT just have the MT AE taunt, then when it wears off you can have your OT AE taunt. Personally, I've not found Jugg lack of good AE threat abilities to be that much of a problem. Also, if Jugg tanks also had exceptional AE threat capabilities, why even bother playing a Powertech or Assassin tank? Jugg tank would just do it all.

 

My personal opinion is that the tank needs to be his/her best (specced, geared, etc.) for the boss fights, not the trash pulls. Boss fights are where it matters. Trash mobs are just what game developers put in to make the instance "feel" longer than it really is. If you want easy mode tanking that doesn't require many of those neurons in your brain to fire, then don't roll a Jugg tank.

 

Just my $2 credits

Edited February 29, 2012 by Godzillamax

[Elyx]

 

What I love about tanking as a Jugg is exactly what others have stated they hate, the complexity of it. If you want the definition of a boring class, try playing a Merc healer. You basically spam 2-3 abilities (heals) over and over and over and...you get the picture. On my Jugg tank I have to virtually use all of my abilities. Some people consider that "a pain in the butt," but I consider it a fun challenge that keeps me on my toes.

 

Just my $2 credits

 

Couldn't have said it better myself. I've actually rolled another jugg because the other classes just don't feel as engaging anymore. Every time im on my SC or Inq or BH, I keep thinking (man...wish I had leap at this point....could really use a quick attack like force scream...keep reaching for my push)

 

I was playing my BH last night, and while they certainly do good damage, They just feel slower in executing that damage compared to my Vengeance Jugg. so many of my Jugg's abilities are instant, fast execution skills. Really enjoy the class.

 

Note: Forgot to mention in my original reply, that Bio also stated they are working on improving the Jugg/Guard's threat and mitigation. No news yet, but hoping its just enough to bring them up to par, without ruining the feel of the class.

[lordofdamornin]

Hello.

I just leveled an inquisitor to 12 and turned him into an assassin Because I love tanking and love the idea of using the force to tank. However, I didnt fully actualize that you could not respec from assassin to sorcerer, and I would like to have a sorcerer too. But I dont want to play the inquisitor story twice when there are so many other great stories out there. The warrior included.

 

So now im thinking of letting the SW be my tank and the inquisitor be my backup healer.

 

So.... What is in like to tank as a Juggernaut? are they more AOE or single target threat? Are the mechanics fun? challenging? boring?

How does force leap (or whatever its really called) change the game as far as a closer goes?

 

 

Also, for those of you who have played the Sorcerer at higher levels, what is that like? How fun is pvp? pve?

How is healing as a sorcerer? Is it similar to the whack a mole game in wow?

 

 

Does the SW endgame gear have the ability to look more mystic in incorporating cloaks and robes, or is it obvious to everyone your just a hulking rage machine?

 

Im new to SWTOR and, in the past, ive only been interested in tanks. But I am interested in having both a SW and an inquisitor for story and RP reasons. Im just not sure which one I want to be my tank.

 

Hello, Vlad.

 

I do not have an Assassin, but I do have a Shadow, which is the mirror. I will attempt to answer a couple of your questions in a slightly different way than those above, because they have all given accurate portrayals of Juggernaut tanking.

 

When I'm on my Juggernaut, I actually feel like I'm tanking. It's up close, visceral, and rewarding when you do it well. Leap is my favorite ability in the game so far, hands down, both in form, and function.

 

When I'm on my Shadow, I feel like I'm planting a circular garden, and waving a (double-sided) magic wand. While throwing big rocks into people's faces is great, it just doesn't have the same visceral feeling, it's not as rewarding, and quite frankly - it's ezmode in comparison. Shadows and Assassins are great, don't get me wrong...but they pale in comparison to my Juggernaut.

 

As for Sorcerer healing - it's equivalent to Disc Priest healing in WoW. Shields, a HoT (I think), and cast time heals. If you played a priest in WoW, it will be like riding a bike.

 

Take that how you will, good sir.

 

Riôt

[_Zorth_]

Jugg tanking is bad, The talent tree we get for tanking hardly has anyhting that helps your threat out there. Vengeance has more tanking talents, So if you wanna tank and have two chars to choose from I'd say go with the Assassin.

 

Assassins have way better AoE threat and actually get a threat boost to their abilities in their tree, At the moment there is no benefit in going Jugg since our AoE threat, damage & abilities in general are weak compared to the PT or As.

[SeanofSF]

I hit 50 the other week on my Jug and have basically put my PT on ops only duty. I recently hit BM with him, so it is a little tough, but I really like the feel of the Jug. It's not perfect by any means, but over time I see the class getting fine tuned.

[Vladearg]

Would it be fair to say that, while juggs have trouble with large groups and setting up the ideal pull, They are excellent in "oh ****" moments?

 

It seems like a Jugg with charge and push might be better suited in unexpected situations like where there is an add spawn you werent expecting or something like that.

[Godzillamax]

Would it be fair to say that, while juggs have trouble with large groups and setting up the ideal pull, They are excellent in "oh ****" moments?

 

It seems like a Jugg with charge and push might be better suited in unexpected situations like where there is an add spawn you werent expecting or something like that.

 

One thing I like about having a single target knockback ability (force push) versus an AE knock back (like on my merc) is that I can be very precise with which target I wish to move, and where I want to move them to. I use this technique often in flashpoints and Ops and you can do some very creative and functional things with it.

[Vladearg]

One thing I like about having a single target knockback ability (force push) versus an AE knock back (like on my merc) is that I can be very precise with which target I wish to move, and where I want to move them to. I use this technique often in flashpoints and Ops and you can do some very creative and functional things with it.

 

 

I love the idea and feel of the inquisitor allot. Wise in the ways of darkness and power. In the realms of the metaphysical, the political, and the battlefeild.

 

However, Ive heard much about how lackluster the inquisitor story is, and im starting to see that for myself.

Already im starting to love the Sith Warrior story. So ill be leveling him up no matter what. And as I dont like DPS, he will be a Juggernaut.

 

But, I still do love the idea of having an assassin and a sorcerer for playstyle and RP reasons.....

I suppose ill be leveling all three. And having to go through the SI story twice kinda sucks...

 

I wish BW would let you sacrifice one LV 50 character for another.

As it is, you are kinda discouraged from having both types of one of the core classes. Even though the sorcerer and assassin play 100% differently.

 

So I wish I could level up the SI once as an assassin, then level up the imperial agent or something just for the story, and then trade in my Agent for a sorcerer so I dont have to go throught the same story twice....

 

Oh wells.

[wtfcharles]

If you're only making one inquisitor, make him a sorc. Sorcs are really strong and the most forgiving class to play.

 

Population wise, about 60-80% of your server is probably inquisitors. I run 16 man NM ops with 10-12 inquisitors every week, and barely 1 warrior. Most war zones I step into have at least 4 inquisitors.