Guardian Tanking Rotation

[Beckwith]

I need some help here. I have a guildie on my Progression raiding team that is pulling over 3k DPS. He does wait a few seconds for me to get agro and does use his agro drop, but he still pulls off me. Can someone help me with a good rotation to keep him from pulling agro off me?

 

Edit: Also he does it on purpose.

 

Another Edit: He is also Guarded already. He is Sentinel DPS too, Combat spec.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Beckwith

[Riivan]

Opener.

 

Throw, Leap, Sweep, Guardian Slash, Riposte, Hilt Strike, Taunt, Blade Storm, whatever else until Taunt's 6 second debuff goes off then use your AoE taunt if you can. Once your AoE taunt is about halfway through its cooldown use taunt again. Then just keep going and you should never lose aggro.

 

Otherwise talk to him, find out when he does his burst. About halfway through his burst taunt, he'll threat drop soon after and you shouldn't have an issue.

[Kaos_KidSWTOR]

Typical Rotation would be

 

Saber Throw > Force Leap > Sundering Assault > Guardian Slash > Riposte > Saber Reflect (if the boss has Ranged Attacks or Force attacks [basically anything non Melee in nature]) > AoE Taunt (this will almost solidify you having aggro) > Free Focus Regenerator (Cant remember name) > Blade Storm > Force Sweep

 

After your opener priority goes like this

 

1. Sunder effect

2. Blade Storm with 3 Stack of Courage

3. Guardian Slash

4. Riposte

5. Force Sweep with 3 Stack of Courage

 

Use Saber Reflect + AoE Taunt if anyone pulls aggro from you. and try to AoE taunt near as many of your raid as possible because with the Guardianship talent you generate a free bubble on anyone in the 15 Meter radius of your AoE taunt.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Kaos_KidSWTOR

[Beckwith]

Thanks for the help guys, gonna try this.

[Riivan]

Typical Rotation would be

 

Saber Throw > Force Leap > Sundering Assault > Guardian Slash > Riposte > Saber Reflect (if the boss has Ranged Attacks or Force attacks [basically anything non Melee in nature]) > AoE Taunt (this will almost solidify you having aggro) > Free Focus Regenerator (Cant remember name) > Blade Storm > Force Sweep

 

Your opener is ok, but you want to swap Sundering Assault for Sweep. Both do the same thing, but Sweep applies the accuracy debuff as well which you want to do asap.

 

I was doing mine from memory at work but now that I am sitting in front I'd do.

 

Throw, Leap, Combat Focus in air, Sweep, Guardian, Hilt, Riposte, Taunt, Blade Storm, Sundering and then go into the priority list. You may need to adjust where you put Taunt. You might be able to taunt after blade storm. Just depends on the dps. If you don't have Combat Focus you may need to do a sunder, taunt, then riposte, and blade storm. But yeah. That's about what I use on just about everything save the ops bosses that require a little more taunting finesse.

 

You also want to use your single target taunt before the AoE. That way you have 3 taunts to use vs 2 in an opening.

[Marb]

Combat Focus is used if needed on demand. Always let the use of combat focus "float" because sometimes courage stacks will carry you through the opener with no need to use combat focus. Standard opener which has been mentioned here:

 

Saber Throw > Leap+Saber Reflect > Sweep > Guardian Strike+Riposte (single taunt goes here).

 

 

You can then go straight into master strike, or put up your blade barrier from blade storm. If you go for blade storm, use a filler move after it so riposte comes off cooldown again before launching into Master Strike. This ensures you're not wasting a riposte when using Master Strike:

 

Blade Storm > Hilt Strike > Riposte+Master Strike > Filler (aoe taunt goes here).

 

 

You will now be in a situation where all of your major abilities are on cooldown. Fill this deadzone in with force push or force stasis. Use sunder for the last gcd before sweep comes off cooldown. All of your major abilities will now be synced to your sunder, which (should) ensure you always have the focus to use them. If you favor putting up your blade barrier early in your opener, delaying sweep to put 6 seconds between it and blade storm's cooldown is optimal for focus management. This maximizes the use of courage stacks, resulting in extra slashes to burn off the spare focus. And don't forget to use riposte if the button is lit up, no matter what you are doing (it's off the gcd, and wont interfere with your abilities unless you are channeling master strike).

 

For more info:

Gralleh's Guide to Guardian Tanking

Guardian tanking 101 - Videos

Edited November 8, 2013 by Marb

[g_land]

Riposte shouldn't be part of a "rotation" it is off the gcd and needs to be used whenever it lights up, whether because you defended and attack or procced with guardian slash. Sometimes it procs as soon as you leap in and should be used immediately. Also makes for entertaining animations such as during execute phase when you use dispatch and then riposte while the lightsaber is still going through the flight motion.

 

Anyways...

Saber throw > Leap > Sweep > Guardian Slash > Single Taunt > Bladestorm > Master Strike > Hilt Strike

You want to use riposte immediately on proc as stated. If you get lucky and it procs from a boss attack during your sweep, then you should have it off cd as bladestorm gcd finishes, try to immediately use master strike as its fits neatly inside the cd of riposte. Also as other posters stated you want to use combat focus somewhere between sweep and bladestorm, also off the gcd. Following this you can use sundering strike and stasis to generate focus, and maybe depending on how well your dps use their aggro drop and the timing for a boss in the fight you can throw in a second single taunt as an extra cushion. Lastly, I am tired and maybe just hallucinating, but i believe taunts are off the gcd.

Edited November 9, 2013 by g_land

[Marb]

Riposte shouldn't be part of a "rotation" it is off the gcd and needs to be used whenever it lights up, whether because you defended and attack or procced with guardian slash. Sometimes it procs as soon as you leap in and should be used immediately. Also makes for entertaining animations such as during execute phase when you use dispatch and then riposte while the lightsaber is still going through the flight motion.

 

Anyways...

Saber throw > Leap > Sweep > Guardian Slash > Single Taunt > Bladestorm > Master Strike > Hilt Strike

You want to use riposte immediately on proc as stated. If you get lucky and it procs from a boss attack during your sweep, then you should have it off cd as bladestorm gcd finishes, try to immediately use master strike as its fits neatly inside the cd of riposte. Also as other posters stated you want to use combat focus somewhere between sweep and bladestorm, also off the gcd. Following this you can use sundering strike and stasis to generate focus, and maybe depending on how well your dps use their aggro drop and the timing for a boss in the fight you can throw in a second single taunt as an extra cushion. Lastly, I am tired and maybe just hallucinating, but i believe taunts are off the gcd.

 

Riposte is sometimes represented in openers because it can help new guardians understand how it interacts with other abilities, and shows how to use riposte so that it doesn't light up during a Master Strike. If riposte procs before guardian slash, you should skip the filler after blade storm. if it doesn't and you just get the proc from guardian slash, you should use a filler after blade storm.

Edited November 9, 2013 by Marb

[cavalca]

Try never use Taunt in rotation, save it for when somebody steal the agroo or when you need to change taunt with the other Tank.

 

Keep your Guard for DPS's not Healers.

 

Good look and have fun!

[Marb]

Try never use Taunt in rotation, save it for when somebody steal the agroo or when you need to change taunt with the other Tank.

 

Keep your Guard for DPS's not Healers.

 

Good look and have fun!

 

Rotational taunts, yea that's a bad idea.

 

But Dps who know what they're doing are going to necessitate the proper use of a taunt boost in the opener, there is no way around it.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Marb

[Ardarell_Solo]

BTW: Force Stasis also generates extra threat due to its stun effect. Stuns always create extra aggro, even if bosses are of course immune to it. So it helps incorporating Stasis early in the rotation (same as Hilt Strike).

 

And tell your Combat Sent to use his force Camouflage before his second Precision Strike Window.

If you're still having trouble, ask him not to combine Inspiration and Zen in the opener but delay Zen after Inspiration has run out for his second Burst window.

[valeita]

Try never use Taunt in rotation, save it for when somebody steal the agroo or when you need to change taunt with the other Tank.

 

Keep your Guard for DPS's not Healers.

 

Good look and have fun!

 

As a guardian you just can't not use taunt on your opening or you WILL 100% lose aggro.

[Riivan]

Yes. Naturally don't just taunt like crazy. But if you don't have to save your taunt for a swap, picking up adds or whatever then there is no reason not to boost.

[headtaker]

As a guardian you just can't not use taunt on your opening or you WILL 100% lose aggro.

 

This is just totaly untrue

[Kaos_KidSWTOR]

After leveling my Guardian to 36, ive reached an epiphany.

 

Here's a good Rotation.

 

Saber Throw > Force Leap > Force Push > Cyclone Slash > Sundering Assault > Guardian Slash > Riposte > Force Sweep.

 

that's the opener, then after that.

 

1. Blade Storm with 3 Courage Stacks

2. Guardian Slash > Riposte

3. Force Sweep with 3 Courage Stacks

4. Master Strike on CD

5. Force Stasis on CD

6. Cyclone Slash spam

7. Hilt Strike on CD

 

for filler, spam Sweeping Slash for the AOE threat, and Sundering Assault for the Focus. Apply Combat Focus when extra focus Is needed. Slash becomes useless when you get the talent that increases threat on Cyclone Slash, and the damage on Cyclone Slash talent. Use dispatch on CD when boss is under 30%, and Force Push on CD for the extra damage plus free CD reset on leap.

[lordbadtamaru]

if you have a combat sent who knows what they are doing

 

They can put out 6k dps for the first 10 seconds.

 

If you do not taunt fluff, your aggro is screwed for any class.

 

Taunting is integral for ANY tanking rotation, if injected properly to multiply threat via taunt "Fluffing."

 

If a tank is 100 percent competent, they will be able to hold aggro off of any dps unless they miss something, which can happen, as tanks should not stack any accuracy, but competent tanks will not lose aggro for long periods of time.

[lordbadtamaru]

Frankly, the opener is integral in any tank's rotation. Imho all tanks need to learn to dps. You can't hold aggro without first learning to dps on your class. A tanking rotation is optimized around maximum threat generation while maintaining mitigation, while a DPS's rotation is to generate as much dps as possibly can.

 

If the tank loses threat, it is irrefutably the Tank's fault UNLESS the DPS charged in first, or if the boss has a threat drop mechanic, or if the mechanics require an EXTREMELY tight hold on aggro due to reasons related to mechanics, ie Grob thok's roar cleave.

[Mythurin]

Frankly, the opener is integral in any tank's rotation. Imho all tanks need to learn to dps. You can't hold aggro without first learning to dps on your class. A tanking rotation is optimized around maximum threat generation while maintaining mitigation..

 

...if the boss has a threat drop mechanic, or if the mechanics require an EXTREMELY tight hold on aggro due to reasons related to mechanics...

 

+1

 

You have to know your rotation as a Tank. You should know exactly which of your Attacks will cause the most Threat and keep them strung together. Taunt boosting is fine as long as you have that Taunt handy for the inevitable mechanic in each of the OP's mechanics from CC, being punted or swapping with the off-tank Even some of the FP's (Lvl55 HM Boss's and most of the Bonus as well) teach you in a rather harsh manner when to save the Taunt(s).

 

-J:cool:

[Riivan]

Frankly, the opener is integral in any tank's rotation. Imho all tanks need to learn to dps. You can't hold aggro without first learning to dps on your class. A tanking rotation is optimized around maximum threat generation while maintaining mitigation, while a DPS's rotation is to generate as much dps as possibly can.

 

If the tank loses threat, it is irrefutably the Tank's fault UNLESS the DPS charged in first, or if the boss has a threat drop mechanic, or if the mechanics require an EXTREMELY tight hold on aggro due to reasons related to mechanics, ie Grob thok's roar cleave.

 

At least for guards you don't really need to know how to dps. Your biggest threat generators are skills you don't have or won't use as DPS. After that initial phase tanking is less about threat generation and more about keeping your buffs and debuffs up.

[Kaos_KidSWTOR]

if you have a combat sent who knows what they are doing

 

They can put out 6k dps for the first 10 seconds.

 

If you do not taunt fluff, your aggro is screwed for any class.

 

Taunting is integral for ANY tanking rotation, if injected properly to multiply threat via taunt "Fluffing."

 

If a tank is 100 percent competent, they will be able to hold aggro off of any dps unless they miss something, which can happen, as tanks should not stack any accuracy, but competent tanks will not lose aggro for long periods of time.

 

Any Combat Sent with good gear can pull 6k DPS if RNG shines on them... So, it's a thing of using AOE taunt on CD when you aren't needed to use the Absorb Shield or the AOE taunt itself (A. for the taunt, and B. for the absorb shield)