Juggernaut Tanking Guide: From Beginner to Master

[Jethsidi]

Backhand is in my opener, and DPS is definitely not being nice to me, I came up with this rotation because they kept pulling off of me. I'll see about adding the Saber Reflect trick for Draxus, as he is pummeling me in the opener.

[Marb]

Backhand is in my opener, and DPS is definitely not being nice to me, I came up with this rotation because they kept pulling off of me. I'll see about adding the Saber Reflect trick for Draxus, as he is pummeling me in the opener.

 

I meant that the damage based threat generated by a full opener from a NiM calibre dps can rival the raw threat you can generate with a standard opener. That's why taunt placement is critical, and is mentioned in tank openers. Your dps could probably burst a lot harder at the start, but if you're dropping bosses I don't think it's anything to loose sleep over.

 

Sorry, I did miss the backhand in your opener.

Edited October 18, 2014 by Marb

[Ryuku-sama]

Great guide, excellent help for people unfamiliar with Jugg tanking or simply looking to get better at it.

My one beef is with the opening rotation: [shortened it a bit]

"The optimal opener I go for is as follows (use Retaliation on cooldown as it is available):

Pre-cast Enrage about 5 seconds before you start - Force Charge (or Saber Throw) - Smash - Crushing Blow + Retaliation - Taunt - Ravage - Force Scream - Backhand - AoE taunt - Force Choke - Vicious Slash (or Smash if you really want to be careful about holding aggro)

Sundering Assault

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Taunt (one more time as soon this becomes available)"

 

Totally agree on clipping abilities with Retaliation to get 2 hits in 1 GCD, but:

EVERY Juggernaut tanking guide I have looked at has taunts in the opener and I fail to understand why.

I run Jugg for my NiM team (Currently 9/10 NiM - on Council) and this is the opener I use:

 

Enrage

Jump

Crushing Blow + Retaliation

Smash

Backhand

Scream + Retaliation

Ravage

 

You should go Smash > Crushing Blow + Ret for the armor piercing accuracy debuff smash apply smash applies. Other than that, it seems pretty good. The taunt in the opener are there when you have high burst classes like PyroTech, Carnage and the like that pulls 6-7k DPS in their opener.

[Vaidinah]

Great guide, excellent help for people unfamiliar with Jugg tanking or simply looking to get better at it.

My one beef is with the opening rotation: [shortened it a bit]

"The optimal opener I go for is as follows (use Retaliation on cooldown as it is available):

Pre-cast Enrage about 5 seconds before you start - Force Charge (or Saber Throw) - Smash - Crushing Blow + Retaliation - Taunt - Ravage - Force Scream - Backhand - AoE taunt - Force Choke - Vicious Slash (or Smash if you really want to be careful about holding aggro)

Sundering Assault

----------

Taunt (one more time as soon this becomes available)"

 

Totally agree on clipping abilities with Retaliation to get 2 hits in 1 GCD, but:

EVERY Juggernaut tanking guide I have looked at has taunts in the opener and I fail to understand why.

I run Jugg for my NiM team (Currently 9/10 NiM - on Council) and this is the opener I use:

 

Enrage

Jump

Crushing Blow + Retaliation

Smash

Backhand

Scream + Retaliation

Ravage

 

The ONLY exception to that is Draxus, where I will Taunt and Choke before Ravage.

 

Never had problems with aggro and my DPS is Sin/Mara/Snipe x2 that pull 4K + on Bestia and 3K + on Draxus.

 

Final note on mitigation stats (this may be specific to 180 gear and above) don't stack Shield in anything, you get enough of it from your enhancements alone to put you into the 43rd percentile.

 

ME: Shield/Def Enhancements, Absorb Mods, Def Augments with 3 Absorb Augments

Most fights Shield Amp/Fort Redoubt

Tyrans-Shield Amp/Shrouded Crusader

Draxus-Fort Redoubt/Imperil Serenity

 

Thanks for the comments. As for using taunts in the opener, it's basically necessary for all tanks if your DPS go all-out right from the beginning (bloodthirst + adrenals + any other cooldowns). There are certain specs as others have mentioned that will simply out-burst your initial threat, especially if you ever miss an attack. You have a significant chance (6-8% depending on how you spec) of missing an attack and if it happens on your high threat attacks like Crushing Blow, it's going to be a problem. The only exceptions to these cases is if you put Accuracy in your gear (which I definitely don't recommend) or use an Accuracy adrenal in your opener (again, I don't recommend).

 

The other major reason for using taunts in your opener is because you don't lose anything for doing so. Just about every fight in the game allows you to use at least one taunt in your opener (usually have time for all 3) while still having your next taunt available for the next time you actually need it. Therefore, you might as well just use it since it's off the GCD and it essentially guarantees that your DPS won't steal aggro. If your DPS are not taking aggro from you without your use of taunts or Saber Reflect, it seems likely to me that they aren't going all-out in the beginning.

 

I should mention as well for anyone that my recommended optimal opener is a very general one. I customize my opener to be different on many fights depending on the strategy used for that fight and various other factors. For example, on Calphayus, I actually go Saber Throw --> Force Scream--> Taunt --> Smash --> Crushing Blow and so on as I tank him right next to his throne so I'm using my non-melee skills so that I can hit him while I get myself situated for the knockback (Inevitability) .

 

As for Retaliation, I'm unsure what you mean by clipping other skills. The only skill you can clip is Ravage around the 2.7-2.8 mark (the last strike hits then). With Retaliation, I just delay Crushing Blow if my Retaliation is procced, but is unable to be used due to its 4.5 second internal cooldown and then I do so if I know I can use Retaliation in the next 1-2 GCDs. I think this is what you are talking about here.