Darkness Tanking Compendium

[theonepanda]

What about the "3 Red Shards" assembled matrix cube?

 

"3 Red Shards = Matrix Cube +50 Endurance / +58 Willpower / +24 Crit"

 

Sure it is not THE tank-ish relic, but it beats other stuff out there. I use this, plus a Relic from the Dark Side Vendor that gives +40 or so Endurance and increases Force on use.

 

The willpower might be worth it, its up to you.

 

That is definitely a dps relic though, and the crit is nigh useless for us.

 

Also why would you get a power relic? Get a defense or shield/absorb relic, and get 10-20% more DR, and what is essentially another tank cd.

[theonepanda]

Thank you for the answers. A few more points of clarification:

 

1) So basically to craft a piece with all 4 mod slots, I need to find a recipe for a fully moddable blue, and eventually get an epic version of it? I don't think there are any moddable crafting recipes from the trainer.

 

2) moddable wrist/belt will always be better than a crafted epic with an augment?

 

Sorry for all the questions. I min/max too much for my own good.

 

1. I have nooooo idea. The RE thread in crew skills has some answers but no definitive ones. If it turns out there cannot be any 4 augment slot armors, then I don't know. Noone has come forth with alternatives or anything, nor is there an actually good list of what synthweaving can create. I'm in the dark here, so if you know anything, or have any experience, please share!

 

2. Not sure here either. I would say they will actually likely be the same, if you can get all defensive stats on your crafted epic. Not sure here as well.

 

EDIT: also I don't want to triple post, but to answer a poster above, I chose skirmish because it had 34 of a defensive rating, it didn't seem like anything else had more total rating.

 

If it turns out there actually is one, please let me know!

Edited January 13, 2012 by theonepanda

[Maestrodomus]

A synthweaver can make Rakata Survivor Wrists and Belt with the biometric alloy you can loot from hard modes. The stats are much better than a fully epic mod orange belt or wrist; something like 85/40/30 (def). I made them both for myself.

 

They can also make nice boots, hands, wrists, and belts by RE'ing level 49 blue recipes into purples. I've done it for most of my 49 blue recipes until I got "Redoubt" versions (+def) of the absorption crafted stuff. I think it's Enigma, so they're called Advanced Redoubt Enigma ______. I can make all of those but eventually full 50 purp epic modded oranges and the loot that drops in HM are better with the exception of the Rakata pieces I talked about first.

[Maestrodomus]

Right now I'm using immunity. For defense and absorb.

 

Is it the ear, and implant pieces that make Skirimish better?

 

I'm a pretty new 50 and was wondering if you could tell me how my stats compare and if I'm ready for hard modes?

 

My current stats are

HP 15940

Armor 6092, 38.07% reduction

Defense 274

Shield 126

Absorb 104

 

Do I just add them up to get 504 and that's my rating? Not sure as it looks from your chart on the first post that the 500 rating i have too much shield and not enough defense.

 

That's about where I was. Now start getting all of epic mods on the trader, with dailys, or through friends. And pvp for the bags and whatever drops you get there like implants and relics.

[Makk]

A couple of questions of mine that got lost in the shuffle (by the way - awesome thtread!)

 

1) Something I was wondering was if there was any value, if doing the hybrid (while leveling), to fill in the madness skills first before doing the darkness?

 

2) I've read about tank specs for PvP.. what does tanking on PvP entail? (I know what the function of a tank on PvE is, but its hard for me to picture what tanking on PvP is)

Edited January 13, 2012 by Makk

[Davesurfer]

This confuses me:

 

Advanced Skirmish Enhancement 22 over Advanced Immunity Enhancement 22

[theonepanda]

A couple of questions of mine that got lost in the shuffle (by the way - awesome thtread!)

 

1) Something I was wondering was if there was any value, if doing the hybrid (while leveling), to fill in the madness skills first before doing the darkness?

 

2) I've read about tank specs for PvP.. what does tanking on PvP entail? (I know what the function of a tank on PvE is, but its hard for me to picture what tanking on PvP is)

 

1. I would start as madness, until lvl 20 (energize), then respec into darkness until you flesh out the tree (until you get Eye of the Storm and Electrify, optionally force pull), then go into madness until Raze, then spend your remaining 2 points how you choose.

 

At that point you can either stay darkness/madness or go full darkness for tanking.

 

2. I don't really know, but you can play darkness assassin as a support, with your myriad of interrupts and stuns, knockbacks, etc. You can also taunt enemies so that they do less damage to everyone but you, and carry the ball in huttball, etc. Basically be hard to kill, try to get them to focus you, and do everything you can to interrupt/stun and basically make their lives miserable.

 

 

This confuses me:

 

Advanced Skirmish Enhancement 22 over Advanced Immunity Enhancement 22

 

 

Because item dbs suck and i didn't see that in my first list. Obviously that is more useful, so take that instead, and then pad augments with shield rather than defense (diminishing returns).

Edited January 14, 2012 by theonepanda

[erlanger]

Hey guys, i was wondering if anyone could give me some help with my stats.

 

right now i am sitting on:

 

19k health

6379 armor

250 defense rating

339 shield rating

325 absorption rating

 

I feel like my defense rating is low, is it? what should i lower in order to raise it?

 

thanks a lot for any help, i got my first raid tonight so i want to be the best i can be before then.

Edited January 14, 2012 by erlanger

[theonepanda]

Hey guys, i was wondering if anyone could give me some help with my stats.

 

right now i am sitting on:

 

19k health

6379 armor

250 defense rating

339 shield rating

325 absorption rating

 

I feel like my defense rating is low, is it? what should i lower in order to raise it.

 

thanks alot for any help, i got my first raid tonight so i want to be the best i can be before then.

 

You want to drop about 140 shield.

 

Get about 115 more def, and about 25 more absorb.

[erlanger]

You want to drop about 140 shield.

 

Get about 115 more def, and about 25 more absorb.

 

 

thanks for the quick response, but yeah unfortunately there's no way for me to raise defense without losing absorb

 

edit* i wish there was a enhancement out there with defense rating and absorb rating on it. that would fix my problems

 

but i don't think they exist. hopefully i can make do with what i have

Edited January 14, 2012 by erlanger

[punman]

You want to drop about 140 shield.

 

Get about 115 more def, and about 25 more absorb.

 

Panda, I'm curious if you're taking the +104 end, +43 def flask into account. Tanks will be using these in HM's and Ops unless they have the biochem one, in which case they'll be adding even more +def. (+136/+56 I think)

[Sentient_Six]

Because item dbs suck and i didn't see that in my first list. Obviously that is more useful, so take that instead, and then pad augments with shield rather than defense (diminishing returns).

 

Heh, was just about to ask your reasoning behind stacking crit.

 

Personally I like a mixture of Accuracy/Defence, and Shield/Absorb enhancements.

[theonepanda]

Heh, was just about to ask your reasoning behind stacking crit.

 

Personally I like a mixture of Accuracy/Defence, and Shield/Absorb enhancements.

 

Accuracy is a wild card right now. I really don't know how much you need or if anyone has noticed boss dodges.

 

Right now the only skill that can just "miss" is your saber strike, which isn't terribly important anyway.

 

I actually forgot about the flask, though I have my biochem one on constantly.

 

The end is just end, the 48 more def means you drop 1-2 more defense augments for 1-2 more shield augments.

 

I don't know about putting it on the list; on the one hand, yes you can buy them, but on the other, you generally won't be seeing too many people flasking right now. They're fairly expensive to make (the blue actual "flask" ones at least).

[The_Pro]

I don't think that custom items with an augment exist. The DE thread says they've seen weapons with an augment slot (I think the only custom crafted double bladed lightsaber costs 3 "frozen orbs"), but no one has seen moddable armor with an augment.

 

Also, any idea where I can pick up moddable bracers/belt? Ive checked the GTN multiple times a day for a few days now..

And you said they had 2 mod slots? Which 2?

[theonepanda]

I don't think that custom items with an augment exist. The DE thread says they've seen weapons with an augment slot (I think the only custom crafted double bladed lightsaber costs 3 "frozen orbs"), but no one has seen moddable armor with an augment.

 

Also, any idea where I can pick up moddable bracers/belt? Ive checked the GTN multiple times a day for a few days now..

And you said they had 2 mod slots? Which 2?

 

You might be right on that. I have yet to see any crafted ones with augments.

 

That said, orange bracers belt do exist, they seem to either

 

1. be random world drops

2. be random flashpoint chest drops

3. be very very rare drops in certain zones.

 

I have no idea where those zones are, but I have seen orange belts/bracers.

 

They have armoring and mod slots. They do NOT have enhancement slots.

 

They -may- have augment slots, but like armor augments, they may just be a myth.

 

I am compiling a hopefully up to date BiS that disregards augment slots, with the caveat that if you have any, you can probably figure out what to buy by consulting the defense rating table.

Edited January 15, 2012 by theonepanda

[Jonesywonesy]

I dont see the BiS list, could you link it to me PLZ!!!!

[TRAKX]

You want to drop about 140 shield.

 

Get about 115 more def, and about 25 more absorb.

 

How do you know exactly how to get these numbers? Just wondering so I myself can know how to gear properly

[TRAKX]

I mean atm I got 342 def / 241 shield / 94 absorb, what should I do to make this better and why?

[theonepanda]

the list is at the very bottom of the first post >.<

 

How do you know exactly how to get these numbers? Just wondering so I myself can know how to gear properly

 

I use a simulator program I wrote. For those interested, you can easily post it as a applet if you uh, know java I guess. So if someone wants to host it, just let me know. Its pretty bad unoptimized speghetti code, but who cares, its really simple brute force calculations XD

 

You can just add up your total rating (which is 677), figure out which listing it is closest too (which is 700) and then try to get your ratings as close to the suggested as possible (which is 400 def, 50 shield, 250 absorb).

Edited January 16, 2012 by theonepanda

[Makk]

Hi - I have been following the thread because while I enjoy my DPS build (currently madness level 30) as I level up.. I realize my survivability as I solo and level may get tougher, and also I see so many LFMs asking for tanks and nothing else... so while I historically have preferred DPS, I am considering switching to tank. That said, on my questions below, please keep in mind I am a total newb at tanking so please pardon some fairly ignorant questions:

 

1) Earlier on you mention the hybrid build isn't really viable for end game tanking. Could you expand somewhat why that is? Reason I ask is that build seems like (would it work ok for tanking) it may be a good one to 'switch' between tank and DPS mode depending on needs via some gear swap?

 

2) Have you found yourself at times using the 31/0/10 build on a 'DPS mode' (there's already another tank), where you can perhaps throw on some DPS gear.. if so, do you find it does an acceptable job at that and also, any recommended rotation? Reason I ask is that I dont think I'll have an alt for a while - and I'd love to have a build that could be fairly 'flexible' depending on need and wondering if one of these may be that.

 

3) This question comes from my newbness at not just tanking, but MMOs (my only experience with MMOs so far was DDO where I had melee DPS and there's wasnt all that much to click). I've read some posts people mention macros (I guess using programmable keyboards/mice?). Is that something that's recommended, or even allowed (or is it against the TOS or frowned upon)? If it's something that's ok, any guides or recommendations as to how to set those up?

 

Thanks much

[Davesurfer]

I still need help understanding why the guild says to use Advanced Skirmish Enhancement 22, wouldn't Advanced Immunity Enhancement 22 be better? Why would you take crit over defense?

[punman]

I still need help understanding why the guild says to use Advanced Skirmish Enhancement 22, wouldn't Advanced Immunity Enhancement 22 be better? Why would you take crit over defense?

 

I believe your understanding will come in the OP's response to your question posted earlier in this thread. He said he made a mistake and missed the Immunity Enhancements in the list.

[TRAKX]

Um get the best possible end game gear, what do i need? Synthweaving? But thats just 2 augments, belt and bracers, if i got rakata gear there is no augment, so end game im just using 2 augment, 5 mod, 5 enhancements?

[Kethryweryn]

@OP : why swelling shadows over haunted dreams in the hybrid spec? Haunted dreams will give you a 8 sec uninterruptible instant cc (the tooltip is lying, it doesn't break at all on damage and in fact does what the old darkness talent did in beta, ie non breaking but reduced damage on target).

 

Seems much better than 15% more chance to get a small heal amount, especially considering our problems with multitanking.

Edited January 18, 2012 by Kethryweryn

[theonepanda]

@OP : why swelling shadows over haunted dreams in the hybrid spec? Haunted dreams will give you a 8 sec uninterruptible instant cc (the tooltip is lying, it doesn't break at all on damage and in fact does what the old darkness talent did in beta, ie non breaking but reduced damage on target).

 

Seems much better than 15% more chance to get a small heal amount, especially considering our problems with multitanking.

 

I fleshed it out the way I do for pure mitigation.

 

As far as I'm concerned though, once you pick up the core 23/0/0, you can do whatever you like with the rest of the points. In an earlier version of the guide, I had only gotten the "core" talents for both hybrid and pure, and people were confused why my guide had 2 less points than total.

 

So I fleshed it out the way I would. You can certainly go another way if you want for utility, as long as the core defensive talents are there.

 

Um get the best possible end game gear, what do i need? Synthweaving? But thats just 2 augments, belt and bracers, if i got rakata gear there is no augment, so end game im just using 2 augment, 5 mod, 5 enhancements?

 

I really, really don't know. There are whole argument threads on whether raid gear is better (the mods in them, I mean) or if you should dump them for better itemized but lower ilvl crafted epics, or what professions you should take, or whatever.

 

We don't have enough information, and if you're lucky enough to be already doing nightmare junk and getting rakata gear, then you shouldn't need my help gearing.

 

The list I provide is for people needing to get started tanking operations and hm flashpoints.

Edited January 18, 2012 by theonepanda