Tanking Advice

[sullysmith]

I have made a Powertech alt and I have decided to roll the Tank Spec because the dps specs had very uninteresting rotations(Pyro) or had lackluster results(AP), plus tanks are in far higher demand for PvE. Problem is, I have never rolled a tank in an MMO ever, so I was looking for some advice on how to tank in PvE effectively. Any advice is appreciated but I mostly need things on rotation and keeping aggro on single and multiple targets.

 

Thanks in advance.

[CitizenFry]

#1 most important piece of tanking advice I can give you: go into interface editor and turn on Target of Target. If your target is the boss, your Target of Target should be you. If it's ever not, fire a taunt.

[TheronFett]

You'll figure it out.

 

Tanking in this game was never difficult, but now with the 100% threat boost to tanking stances, a blind monkey can do it. Check out the Roles - Tanking section of the forums, there's some good info in there.

[Cashcrop]

There are some bosses / mini-bosses / elites who randomly attack members of your group, regardless of your threat level. Eventually you'll figure out which encounters have these. Taunting these random-aggro bosses / min-bosses will typically switch their focus to you for 8 secs or so. It seems most groups are aware of this mechanic, as nobody has ever made any comments to me about losing aggro.

 

Use your charge as an opener, and if a dps drops an AoE near you, run the melee mobs into it and use your pull on a ranged mob outside of the AoE to help dps increase their efficiency.

 

Learn to love your interrupt (for trash mobs most useful on channeled abilities), and your healer will love you.

 

Deny yourself as much accuracy as you can.

 

EDIT: You and the healer are the equivalent of the bassist and drummer of a rock band (the backbone), embrace the role. Understand the resource mechanics of each of the healing ACs, and monitor them via the group / op window. Never start the next encounter if the healer's resouces aren't border-line optimal. If you can do that and move through the FP at a rate that is fast enough to prevent DPS from pulling, you are on the road to success.

Edited July 25, 2012 by Cashcrop

[thrakkemarn]

Hmm, random tanking advice:

 

My opening for bosses is Grapple > Jet Charge > Rocket Punch > Rail shot > Flame Burst + Heat Blast > FBx3 ... this builds tons of initial aggro and gets your Heat Screen up quickly.

 

When tanking trash, use your DFA to grab aggro on clustered enemies, jet charge + free flamebursts to hold it.

 

USE YOUR COOLDOWNS! These include your AOE and single target stuns, Oil Slick, Energy Shield, Kolto Overload, Medpacs, adrenals, click-relics. Use them BEFORE you are red-lining, especially when running with an unfamiliar healer.

 

Remember that Taunt takes aggro on a mob, multiplies it and gives it to you. Thus it is actually sub-optimal to use taunt to open fights. Instead, what until you've done your opening sequence or until an ally pulls aggro - then your taunt will give you MASSIVE aggro.

[darthkelpix]

1. Keep heat blast always on CD

2. Keep Oil slick always on CD

3. Rocket punch is our main dmg/threat ability so use it alot.

4. Tank strong, elites, champions. Don't worry too much about the weak mobs unless they are close to the others.

5. Target of target should never show your healer. EVER. Thats a time to taunt.

6. Save AOE taunt if possible in case something goes wrong and your single target taunt is on CD,

 

Think thats the basics.