Tanking build: order of spending points

[Steijn]

Hi guys,

 

For PvE tanking I was thinking of this build:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301G0GrdorogzZMsbZb.1

 

My question is: should I spend all of my first 31 points directly into the Shield Tech Tree? Or should I start with putting points in something like puncture, which will boost my threat and dps considerably.

 

Any advice on the order of spending points?

 

Thanks in advance!

[EzFlyer]

question - i'm still leaning all the tanking stuff for BH (my first day was yesterday, tanked black talon twice, that's it)

 

is the 2 pts in rocket punch really better than maybe.. "advanced tools" (reduction in cooldown of flamethrower/grapple) or even "hot iron" or something?

 

then again, i guess the punch is better for single target, maybe advanced tools for more ae tanking?

[midnitemonster]

question - i'm still leaning all the tanking stuff for BH (my first day was yesterday, tanked black talon twice, that's it)

 

is the 2 pts in rocket punch really better than maybe.. "advanced tools" (reduction in cooldown of flamethrower/grapple) or even "hot iron" or something?

 

then again, i guess the punch is better for single target, maybe advanced tools for more ae tanking?

 

Look at your tanking tree, and see how many talents are effected by Rocket Punch. Hot Iron only effects Flame Burst which does piss dmg compared to Rocket Punch and Retractable Blade which you don't get as a Shiedltech. You will have plenty of gear that adds to accuracy as you get farther in the game. From my experience Grapple does have some situational benefits in PvE. However I found that I mostly used it for PvP.

 

Stick with Iron Fist.

 

To the OP If you plan on running Flashpoints often, I would fill out the Shieldtech tree first. At least until you get Jet Charge. Remember, you are a tank first and tank second.

Edited December 16, 2011 by midnitemonster

[Kollbjorn]

Hi guys,

 

For PvE tanking I was thinking of this build:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301G0GrdorogzZMsbZb.1

 

My question is: should I spend all of my first 31 points directly into the Shield Tech Tree? Or should I start with putting points in something like puncture, which will boost my threat and dps considerably.

 

Any advice on the order of spending points?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

I went Shield Tech first. Talents like Ion Overload and Flame Shield are big DPS boosts and are very good to get quickly.

[Bunny_Bait]

I will never get why people playing tanks take talents that add DPS.

[Sloyo]

I will never get why people playing tanks take talents that add DPS.

 

Lol because dps=threat

[Methane]

Lol because dps=threat

 

Yup, all the Shieldtech talents that boost damage are keyed towards improved adaptability and a balance between burst initial treat gain and steady threat generation through flat % bonuses. Most of your mitigation will be coming from proper gear choices where threat will fall down the priority list. If there weren't percentage bonuses applied to threat in talents than a tanks aggro generation would not scale properly with gear levels. Makes it so that Bioware can distinguish 2 classes of gear, for instance one with high aim/endurance ratio for DPS, and one with low aim/endurance ratio for tanks.

[Steijn]

Thanks guys, guess I will put my first 31 in Shield Tech. Also because Heat Blast is a great way to dump heat. Cheers

[cdstephen]

Great build, one I plan on using if I plan on tanking. I'm still debating whether Cardio Package might be worth points....I'm not sure how much health you gain with that much of an endurance boost. Edited December 19, 2011 by cdstephen

[Methane]

Great build, one I plan on using if I plan on tanking. I'm still debating whether Cardio Package might be worth points....I'm not sure how much health you gain with that much of an endurance boost.

 

Kinda depends on the content and the group you end up with. If you find yourself dropping dead from damage yet you are holding aggro without any people pulling off ya, swap some points into Cardio. If you are having trouble holding aggro, and not due to rotation issues or overzealous dps, you should probably take a few more points in threat improvement talents. Mostly this will all depend on how your gear relates to the content and the other players.

[midnitemonster]

Great build, one I plan on using if I plan on tanking. I'm still debating whether Cardio Package might be worth points....I'm not sure how much health you gain with that much of an endurance boost.

 

The health you get from Cardio Package is so miniscule... Something like an extra 200-300 hitpoints if you have 4000 hp's at the time... If any tank feels they need that turd dropping of health to tank effectively they are sadly mistaken. Just take the dmg bonus to your most hard hitting and most used skill as a Shieldtech.

[xioix]

I will never get why people playing tanks take talents that add DPS.

 

i see you are new to tanking...

[RiVenoX]

I'm trying to build a spec for a pure tank build. My goal is not to do massive damage, but to maintain aggro and survivability in pve while DPS does its thing, and allow our healer to focus on me as much as possible.

 

I want to maintain mobility while cutting the enemies, and having as much shielding and damage reduction as possible.

 

This is what I came up with:

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301GoMrdRrRxzZbcbZ0c.1

 

I plan on keeping my focus on the shieldtech tree for a while, then grabbing the others as i can.

[midnitemonster]

I'm trying to build a spec for a pure tank build. My goal is not to do massive damage, but to maintain aggro and survivability in pve while DPS does its thing, and allow our healer to focus on me as much as possible.

 

I want to maintain mobility while cutting the enemies, and having as much shielding and damage reduction as possible.

 

This is what I came up with:

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301GoMrdRrRxzZbcbZ0c.1

 

I plan on keeping my focus on the shieldtech tree for a while, then grabbing the others as i can.

 

I'm under the assumption that you did not read the rest of this thread. Or any other tanking threads...

[RiVenoX]

good assumption, i'm dumb, ignore me. i was trying to post my own thread, but it wouldn't let me, then i tried posting the same content here to see what would happen, and it worked. oops.

 

i'm usually a healer or ranged dps in mmo's, not used to how tanking works. i thought it was "soak up damage, win forever"

[midnitemonster]

i thought it was "soak up damage, win forever"

 

It is not quite that simple, but let me clean up your build for a more focused tank build. Which is pretty much standard...

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301G0GrdorogzZMsbZb.1

 

As a Shieldtech your hardest hitting, and most used skill is going to be Rocket Punch. Naturally you want to pick up the talents that will enhance that ability.

 

Spending points on Jet Speed, No Escape, and Neural Overload are more of a situational/pvp skills. IMO not needed for straight tanking. Especially when you can be picking up Flame Surge and Steely Resolve.

 

Do not bother spending points on Protoype Electro Charge. 10 seconds shaved off the cooldown is not worth it when compared to 6% increase to crit chance on your second most used skills... Fire attacks.

 

Info on Integrated Cardio Package vs Iron Fist are on the previous page.

 

I understand that piling up damage talents as a tank seems silly. But its not, you need to do damage, and you need to build aggro. Both are one in the same. It is better to take straight increases than take situational talents.

[grevus]

curious as the thought process behind no one putting points in IMP Rail shots? I understand that you can only use the ability when there's a dot, but if the rest of the group is doing what they are supposed to be doing there should always be a dot up therefore this would be in your rotation.

 

Sorry if I seem noobish only played the BH for about 2 days and really love the class just trying to understand the thought process.

[Elicas]

The health you get from Cardio Package is so miniscule... Something like an extra 200-300 hitpoints if you have 4000 hp's at the time... If any tank feels they need that turd dropping of health to tank effectively they are sadly mistaken. Just take the dmg bonus to your most hard hitting and most used skill as a Shieldtech.

 

you get an extra 30 health for every 1000 health you have. 4000 health would give you 120 bonus health.

 

Work it out by ((Health / 100)*3) or ((4000/100)*3) = 120

 

curious as the thought process behind no one putting points in IMP Rail shots? I understand that you can only use the ability when there's a dot, but if the rest of the group is doing what they are supposed to be doing there should always be a dot up therefore this would be in your rotation.

 

Sorry if I seem noobish only played the BH for about 2 days and really love the class just trying to understand the thought process.

 

6% damage boost on an ability used every 15 seconds, isn't worth the 2 talent points.

Edited December 20, 2011 by Elicas

[Morzak]

It is not quite that simple, but let me clean up your build for a more focused tank build. Which is pretty much standard...

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301G0GrdorogzZMsbZb.1

 

As a Shieldtech your hardest hitting, and most used skill is going to be Rocket Punch. Naturally you want to pick up the talents that will enhance that ability.

 

Spending points on Jet Speed, No Escape, and Neural Overload are more of a situational/pvp skills. IMO not needed for straight tanking. Especially when you can be picking up Flame Surge and Steely Resolve.

 

Do not bother spending points on Protoype Electro Charge. 10 seconds shaved off the cooldown is not worth it when compared to 6% increase to crit chance on your second most used skills... Fire attacks.

 

Info on Integrated Cardio Package vs Iron Fist are on the previous page.

 

I understand that piling up damage talents as a tank seems silly. But its not, you need to do damage, and you need to build aggro. Both are one in the same. It is better to take straight increases than take situational talents.

 

Actually i'll probably make a Tank build with Jet Speed, No Escape and maybe Neural overload and try to make it work for PVE because i will spend a good amount of time in PVP and thos skills seem incredible in PVP.

[Methane]

I'm trying to build a spec for a pure tank build. My goal is not to do massive damage, but to maintain aggro and survivability in pve while DPS does its thing, and allow our healer to focus on me as much as possible.

 

I want to maintain mobility while cutting the enemies, and having as much shielding and damage reduction as possible.

 

This is what I came up with:

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301GoMrdRrRxzZbcbZ0c.1

 

I plan on keeping my focus on the shieldtech tree for a while, then grabbing the others as i can.

 

Neural Overload - Ion Gas Cylinder damage now lowers the movement speed of the target by 50% for 2 seconds.

-- PvP only, as of right now, there's not really anything you are tanking that will be trying to run away from you

 

No Escape - Grapple has a [50 / 100]% chance to immobilize the target for 3 seconds. In addition, your Stealth Scan has a [50 / 100]% chance to immobilize the targets it reveals for 3 seconds.

-- PvP only, Immobilize will only be worth while if they are trying to run away from you. Grapple already has high threat and doesn't work on bosses, only use for it right now is to save some aggro snagger on a bad pull of trash or boss with adds

-- Stealth scan is worthless in PvE

 

Jet Speed - Jet Charge has a [50 / 100]% chance to increase your movement speed by 30% for 4 seconds.

-- PvP mostly, only reason i could possibly see to need this is if you need to pick up a tanking target that is in a spot that you really don't want to be in, or if you want to close a gap to a second distant target after charging a first on a pull. Very conditional use and not worth the 2 points which could go elsewhere. The bulk of the time you use jet charge it's going to be the opening of a pull and right after you use it, you're gona be busy standing still and gathering aggro on your target.

 

[Prototype Burn Enhancers] Vs [Puncture]

-- puncture has a boost to Rail shot damage, but you are only using rail shot once every 15 seconds, and probably less than that. on top of that, 60% sounds like a big #, but that's 60% off of mitigation, and mitigation on a boss is probably only gona be on the order of 30%. overall, this is a minor boost to burst dependent damage

-- Burn enhancers on the other hand, improve the dps on all your flame effects, so Heat Blast, Flame Sweep, Flame Burst, and Flame Thrower. At the very least you should be casting both Flame (burst/sweep) and Heat blast every 15 seconds and sweep will probably be slightly more often in situations with more than 2 targets. So overall with this one you get both higher threat/second and at a smoother lest burst dependent pace.

 

Flame Surge - Increases the critical strike bonus damage of Rocket Punch and Flame Sweep by [ 15 / 30]%.

-- You've got a bunch of talents now where you've boosted the crit chance of punch and sweep, you might as well boost crit damage as well.

[badalchemist]

It is not quite that simple, but let me clean up your build for a more focused tank build. Which is pretty much standard...

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301G0GrdorogzZMsbZb.1

 

 

This is the same one I arrived at. Just a no-nonsense tanking build that cuts out the bad % modifiers and the PvP gimmicks.