Defensive Guardian Spec Leveling

[TyboJames]

Is the dps difference between Defense and the other trees major enough to warrant not leveling as defense?

 

I used to love leveling as tank in other games simply because of the high survivability.

[Slivovidze]

It is huge difference, but you will be able to carry a DPS companion with you who can deal a lot of damage, so the difference is not that huge. Those who level up as DPS usually use healer companions who pretty much don't deal any damage at all.

[-Holmes]

It is huge difference, but you will be able to carry a DPS companion with you who can deal a lot of damage, so the difference is not that huge. Those who level up as DPS usually use healer companions who pretty much don't deal any damage at all.

 

On the contrary, I get annoyed when I don't get to use dispatch cause my healer was like *f*ck healing, I'm killing that sorry sob*

[NoFishing]

It is very significant. But you can always switch to your tank stance for tougher fights, which will cost you some DPS, but still vastly beats full defense spec.

 

For leveling, tanks in my guild just equip a shield and their tank stance for running FPs, but stay in DPS spec, without any issues at all. That doesn't work well for 55 HMs and operations, but I is fine for leveling.

[Woebearer]

Leveling in Tankspecc was the best i could do.

I had absolutely no problems during the way to 50. With each bossmob, i read about beeing this and that hard, i had to ask myself if the others play with broken hands. Leveling as tank seems to me to be kind of "Easy-Mode" compared to a marauder.

 

Except 2 bossfights, they all fell at first strike.

The two exeptions were Tatooine (2v1) and DaBigBossHimself ( i slept and didn´t interrupt)

 

As companion i used Kira (DD) most of the time, pulling Doc only for elite mobs some lvl ahead.

Edited June 3, 2013 by Woebearer

[Righness]

Is the dps difference between Defense and the other trees major enough to warrant not leveling as defense?

 

I used to love leveling as tank in other games simply because of the high survivability.

 

I am currently leveling as a guardian defense and I have had no problems as of yet. I am lvl 28 and herei shte build thus far http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#500hMRrdbM.3 I am not saying it is the best build but this is where I am going with it http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#500hMRrddrRrzGzZcMMZc.3 the 3 i place in the focus tree are the last and really the only ones that are my attempt at just finding a good place for them. I am not suggesting this is the end all be all but for me it looks good and as I said up until the fourth tier it is as I currently have it and have had no problems and fun during it.

[Elyx]

On the contrary, I get annoyed when I don't get to use dispatch cause my healer was like *f*ck healing, I'm killing that sorry sob*

 

glad im not the only one

 

on that note...I've had my healers solo silvers before, and tank golds until could get to them. it's slower then my DPS or tank comps, but then again their job isn't to do damage, but to keep me alive so i can do damage.

 

to the OP: the greatest benefit of leveling defense is flexibility. you can choose your companion, your situation...it allows you to make more choices then if you were a DPS spec. after leveling multiple Juggernauts (the mirror class to the knight), a DPS spec with healing com is the fastest overall....but thats pretty much all you'll be doing. with the Defense tree, you can bring in a DPS comp to kill faster, or a tank comp to help you hold other mobs, or a healing comp for really tough fights. and it also allows you to not have to worry about multiple gear sets as you level...you gear up as a tank and your set.

 

not to put you off of leveling as a DPS spec...it's still my preferred approach, but Defense is definitely viable. if you like its feel, go for it. especially with the Knight...you don't get your healer comp till mid 30's, so that's not an early option anyways.

 

though i have used my ship droid as a healer on my newest guard lasted all the way up to balmorra (where it started to show it's limitations...) but not bad at all.

 

EDIT: something I will point out ahead of time OP. Tanks in this game are highly dependent upon assistance via healing and crowd control. it's part of design...so don't be too put off if your uber tank feels a bit squishy. I've seen peeps from other games complain about how the tanks in this game don't feel so "tanky". but I didn't have any issues.

Edited June 5, 2013 by Elyx

[Righness]

glad im not the only one

 

on that note...I've had my healers solo silvers before, and tank golds until could get to them. it's slower then my DPS or tank comps, but then again their job isn't to do damage, but to keep me alive so i can do damage.

 

to the OP: the greatest benefit of leveling defense is flexibility. you can choose your companion, your situation...it allows you to make more choices then if you were a DPS spec. after leveling multiple Juggernauts (the mirror class to the knight), a DPS spec with healing com is the fastest overall....but thats pretty much all you'll be doing. with the Defense tree, you can bring in a DPS comp to kill faster, or a tank comp to help you hold other mobs, or a healing comp for really tough fights. and it also allows you to not have to worry about multiple gear sets as you level...you gear up as a tank and your set.

 

not to put you off of leveling as a DPS spec...it's still my preferred approach, but Defense is definitely viable. if you like its feel, go for it. especially with the Knight...you don't get your healer comp till mid 30's, so that's not an early option anyways.

 

though i have used my ship droid as a healer on my newest guard lasted all the way up to balmorra (where it started to show it's limitations...) but not bad at all.

 

EDIT: something I will point out ahead of time OP. Tanks in this game are highly dependent upon assistance via healing and crowd control. it's part of design...so don't be too put off if your uber tank feels a bit squishy. I've seen peeps from other games complain about how the tanks in this game don't feel so "tanky". but I didn't have any issues.

 

Very good points. I personally prefer tanking as I seem to get destroyed way to fast in DPS builds, honestly I haven't tried it with Guard but my Sent was arduous at best. I like the idea of DPS but for my playstyle I refer to have someone who can take more so tanking, I have found over time, is where my preference lies. My being a soloist 99.9% of the time makes it more interesting but I like the fact that this game has the companions setup. As you noted it is hard in the knight category because of the late healer comp but having Kira as a Defense build for myself has worked a lot better. I am going to try another sent now that i know the game a little better so we'll see if it is viable for me. Thanks for the points, always good to feed off of other peoples knowledge.

[TyboJames]

So far I'm 24 levels through Guardian Defense and it couldn't be easier.

[Taythan]

I've leveled a Sith Warrior Annihilation Marauder, an Imp Agent Concealment Operative and a Trooper Assault Specialist Vanguard through the class stories to 50. My Defense Guardian marched through mobs and took out elites far easier than any of them. I've yet to find a spec that has the interrupts to match the Defense Guardian. My Annihilation Marauder has as many buffs but he can't take the damage as my heavy armored beast of a Defense Guardian, and he still packs a decent punch and I can use any of my companions. Except for Lord Scourge who is the worst companion. You look at his hit points and think he'd be able to take a hit but he dies faster than any of the companions from any of the above mentioned classes. I was expecting a Tanno Vic with a lightsaber, boy was I disappointed. Moral of the story; Jedi Knight Defense Guardian for leveling for the win.

[Syrlex]

I just completed Chapter 2 as Defense spec (in Soresu stance -- I think that is the name -- the full-on tank spec if I got it right) and I have to say ... I thought the major fights were a bit easy and rather anti-climactic. I have used Doc almost exclusively since he joined my rag-tag band of misfits (my point: very low DPS mode). The fights are on the slow side, of course, but I never seem to get below 80% health unless I mess up and aggro more than 1 group of mobs.

 

I have regularly (i.e. almost-daily) tanked FPs (Emerging Conflicts 1, 2 and now 3) since about level 20-ish, and I have kept my customizable gear (6 pieces currently) up-to-date with world comms and crafting (I am leveling Artifce as I play, for the Enhancement pieces). With the exception of my customizable pieces, I use prototype gear exclusively (i.e. blues).

 

Last 2 points: my Doc has only green "quest-reward" gear and I completed Chapter 2 at lvl 40, so I have not been running the content in over-level mode.

 

I am not some über-skilled tank player, so if I can do all of the above, without much pain, then anyone else can do it also.

 

Summary: Leveling as Defense spec is not very hard at all, provided you are sensible in your gearing.

Edited June 11, 2013 by Syrlex

[Elyxin]

Here's a few additional tips for those leveling as a Defense spec (or immortal if your a Jugg browsing)

 

Just because your a tank doesn't mean you have to hold "all" the mobs. let your comp pull a weka mob or two, and you control the rest. this is great training for Flashpoints, btw....in most FP's you will only hold about 60-80% of the mobs. This is beneficial from a damage perspective as well as a control perspective.

 

When you split the mobs up, then you have 2 toons getting hit...which means the damage is spread out. both of you will be regenerating health, so you tend to end up with less health lost overall. An easy way to do this is to send you comp in first. leap at your primary target, sunder another, bash a thirds....take a step back and sweep out of range of yoru comps targets. you'll prob have a few weaks down by that time, and solid threat on only the mobs you want.

 

use your crow controls (when you get them) on silvers or elites while you finish off weaks fast. weaks come first....they will usually die in one or two hits...but many of them do as much damage as a silver. so the more weaks you have up, the more damage you take. kill order should be weak - normal - silver - elite.

[JouerTue]

on my second and third tanks levelled full tank tree and dps companion i think i never wiped in solo gameplay...

[MandFlurry]

I am currently leveling as a guardian defense and I have had no problems as of yet. I am lvl 28 and herei shte build thus far http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#500hMRrdbM.3 I am not saying it is the best build but this is where I am going with it http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#500hMRrddrRrzGzZcMMZc.3 the 3 i place in the focus tree are the last and really the only ones that are my attempt at just finding a good place for them. I am not suggesting this is the end all be all but for me it looks good and as I said up until the fourth tier it is as I currently have it and have had no problems and fun during it.

 

I saw what ur Template looks like, and it looks pretty good to me. So I will use the same or about the same for me if u don't mind.

 

I would have loved to have seen other Jedi Guardian Templates/Skill sets to. I am actually a bit bummed out that a lot of ppl didn't post their Skill sets, as it would help Newcomers like me, and ppl would'n't have to always ask what a good Template of skills would be good for them. Thank u very much for posting yours, or i would've asked for ppl to give there Temps.