just really quick need ranked advice

[Sangrar]

So, I am in an Obroan/Brutalizer combo, going to be fully augmented for tomorrow, and got a few endurance stims that persist on death. I want to get at least 10 matches of ranked done before 3.0 to at least get something of the rewards.

 

I am going to be doing this on my tanking Juggernaut, I have been playing for weeks on him, and despite a partcular spell of bad luck this last week I feel confident enough that I might succeed. Does anyone have any advice for tanking in ranked or a video I could watch or something? Just some tactics and general do's and do nots of melee tanking in ranked

 

Also, what stats and secondary stats should I be focusing on for augments?

 

Lastly, I am on the Bastion server, what is the best time if any to queue for ranked solo? I know it takes like forever and even then I am partially at the mercy of whatever group I get, but still, if any time what would be best for ranked?

 

thanks in advance for any advice, I at least want to get some rating to get some rewards like the crystal and the stronghold trophy, but I also want to be useful to my team and get the highest rating I can get before the end of season 3.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Sangrar

[Z-ToXiN]

Well, watch for which faction the good players are all on and if there are any trolls/quitters/known bads on (might want to ask people you trust for info on the latter). Just do a quick /who and go through every type of arena.

 

Queue syncing is rampant on the Bastion, especially on republic.

 

Also be wary of queuing if there are particularly bad healers on your faction and especially if there are healers queuing on the other faction. Nothing takes your rating down fast like constantly getting terrible healers who get destroyed in 5 seconds of engaging in combat every round. I call this "the healer lottery" where often games are simply determined by who gets the better healer, if there is a noticeable difference in healer skill (think barely geared fresh 55 vs one of the top healers on server).

 

Theres a lot of luck involved tbh... yesterday I had 3 games in a row where a teamate DCed (one I suspect was intentional) so... good luck.

 

Aside from that, just do your best. Sometimes you get lucky or unlucky with teams and that's out of your control, so do your best and get the wins in games where you do have a good chance of winning.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Z-ToXiN

[funkiestj]

Well, watch for which faction the good players are all on and if there are any trolls/quitters/known bads on (might want to ask people you trust for info on the latter). Just do a quick /who and go through every type of arena.

 

Queue syncing is rampant on the Bastion, especially on republic.

 

Also be wary of queuing if there are particularly bad healers on your faction and especially if there are healers queuing on the other faction. Nothing takes your rating down fast like constantly getting terrible healers who get destroyed in 5 seconds of engaging in combat every round. I call this "the healer lottery" where often games are simply determined by who gets the better healer, if there is a noticeable difference in healer skill (think barely geared fresh 55 vs one of the top healers on server).

 

Theres a lot of luck involved tbh... yesterday I had 3 games in a row where a teamate DCed (one I suspect was intentional) so... good luck.

 

Aside from that, just do your best. Sometimes you get lucky or unlucky with teams and that's out of your control, so do your best and get the wins in games where you do have a good chance of winning.

 

It is sad that the above is very good advice such is life.

[Capt_Beers]

Tanking in ranked is very different than regs. Expect to lose a lot as the learning curve is steep is for tanks. Also don't expect to always have a healer. I would recommend going as Veng or Rage spec if you have the gear for it.

[foxmob]

Tanking in ranked is very different than regs. Expect to lose a lot as the learning curve is steep is for tanks. Also don't expect to always have a healer. I would recommend going as Veng or Rage spec if you have the gear for it.

 

it's also easier in a way. if you can't guard swap in the confined space of an arena with a maximum of 3 teammates to keep your eye on, then you have no business tanking in pvp.

 

jugg tank is the shizz. you have great survivability, the best control, and the best dmg reduction for your team. I will say, though, that it's cool to have a pull with a sin tank, cuz there's literally no way to prevent them from executing a successful pull (other than blind luck). but smuggle + VG is equally as effective.

 

I think tanking is the hardest role in the game, but I think I also lack the right mentality for it, it's not for everyone.

[DarthOvertone]

If I were you, I would spec DPS and equip what DPS gear you have. As a Tank, you may run into matchmaking issues because there is a dearth of Tanks queuing for Yolo most of the time and you won't get a pop if there isn't another one.

[Z-ToXiN]

It is sad that the above is very good advice such is life.

 

Indeed. That I have to give advice about tactical queueing rather than how to actually play and be good at the game...

[Sangrar]

well I do not really have any DPS gear, all my gear is tanking gear with tanking stats and I have no experience with vengeance or rage, so I do not have a lot of options in terms of switching specs and getting geared in time.

[madtycoon]

Its easier than tanking regulars. You only have to deal with protecting three targets and everything is normally grouped up.

 

More of a meaty post.

 

My limited experience.

 

Most games you probably won't have a healer. I try to chain my taunts and intercede. Things tend to attack different targets in solo queue. If things are splitting, I use my taunts and CC to protect my teammates I don't have guard on. Try to keep everything snared if someone is kiting. Single target taunting probably has the highest skill ceiling to reward for any one ability.

 

A guardian tank can last for a long time. Because of this I don't like stacking my defensives. Its good to use a damage reduction cooldown early, but you have to judge. The fight usually lasts long enough to get off at least two enures. So depending its better to enure early so you don't have to blow a defensive and just heal yourself with intercede. Other times its better to self heal first. Unless you are really getting focused I wouldn't stack enure and self heal. Medpack and intercede during enure is like an extra health bar. If I'm getting focused by white damage, I try and time the first seconds of saber ward to eat that white damage.

 

Don't be afraid to kite and take off guard if you are being attacked. Most of your defensives come up relatively quickly. Kiting around and pillaring until intercede comes back up might keep you alive long enough for self heal to return. That's saved me plenty of times. Saber reflect also is a short cooldown. I try to pop it on parts of the rotation where its useful. Don't use it on things like master strike lol. Don't waste defensives if you are playing with a healer and no one is taking damage, unless you are trying to create pressure with saber reflect.

 

If you're a full tank, doing damage comes last just like in regulars. I find it best to pool focus as long as I keep my rotational defensives up and then dump everything into a target to try and get a kill. If you run with a power or main stat relic, wait until the proc comes up to unload. Don't dump your focus into someone with a major cooldown active unless you for sure are going to get a kill. Sometimes i'll switch out gear or relics to help me do more damage. Depending.

 

You will be queued against another tank. Your knockback is probably the best thing in the game to separate guard. I try not to waste it on a dps or healer. Forcing another jug/guardian's break then knocking that jug back away from the fight. Then root grenading him and then leap rooting him, fearing him, etc. You can keep an enemy tank out of the fight and still protect teammates for a long time. You just have to know when its safe to leave your guarded target. So like most anything, awareness is key. Roots will not really work against the other two tanks.

 

Ranged dps. I try to throw ranged dps that aren't being killed on focus. Try and taunt during their burst windows. If they are near enough to the fight, I try and leap their casts and interrupt them. But don't do this if your teammates are in trouble, out of guard range, etc. Focus leap rooting melee is also good, if your teammates are kiting.

 

Go in understanding that if both tanks are guard swapping, you will probably be cancelled out no matter how badly or how well you play. You rely on teammates a lot as a tank. You yourself can only really set-up and help with kills. You cannot kill anything.

 

When dealing with healers. Double fear on a healer and tank will help your team get pressure or even get kills. If the healer is playing from a distance, you can knock the tank back into the healer and double CC them. But again any kind of set-up window you create is based on whether or not your dps is paying attention. If you just awe the tank, the healer can cleanse it, so try and cover the cleanse with a stun on the healer. This goes for anyone with a cleanse.

 

If my team isn't under pressure. I throw the enemy healer on focus. Try and keep him interrupted and CCed with stuns or get his casts with leaps. Rotating your focus target for any class with a taunt is important. If my taunt is coming off cooldown, I'll sometimes pre-focus a dps just to taunt him later, then change focus to a caster to get his next cast easier.

 

Target focus target's target and Target Target's target are probably the fastest way to swap guard. I highly recommend binding these two things.

 

Understand also that a pure jug tank will lose to most classes 1 vs 1. This is important, because you'll end up in 2v2 scenarios where you can either peel for a teammate and have them maybe live or chase someone low. Keeping someone alive most the time is going to be the correct choice. From my experience. Tanks aren't really about playing hero. It's all about team.

 

I'm sure there are a lot of things I missed.

[foxmob]

Its easier than tanking regulars. You only have to deal with protecting three targets and everything is normally grouped up.

 

.

 

agreed. the fundamentals are easier. however, the competition is much better. and if you jump right in, you'll create what's called "tank roulette," where the team that has you is guaranteed a loss because the difference between an experienced tank and an inexperienced tank is night and day.

 

if you want to tank, become an expert in reg WZs first. :2cents:

[Capt_Beers]

agreed. the fundamentals are easier. however, the competition is much better. and if you jump right in, you'll create what's called "tank roulette," where the team that has you is guaranteed a loss because the difference between an experienced tank and an inexperienced tank is night and day.

 

if you want to tank, become an expert in reg WZs first. :2cents:

 

Agreed, I used to tank on my VG for a bit just to try it out. I was decent in WZ's, could keep people alive, got somewhat good at taunting people just before burst. I did my first arena (unranked) and it was night and day. I could feel myself dragging my team down. It wasn't ranked but the other team was good.

 

If you can get some group ranked going give that a shot so you can try and compensate by bringing a really good healer/DPS.

[Sangrar]

thanks everyone, you have given me a lot to think about.

 

 

I am still getting augments and such ready, I really want to get into the ranked game before 3.0 so I can have a chance at the rewards

 

 

also, any advice on augments would be appreciated

Edited November 27, 2014 by Sangrar

[Elusive_Thing]

thanks everyone, you have given me a lot to think about.

 

 

I am still getting augments and such ready, I really want to get into the ranked game before 3.0 so I can have a chance at the rewards

 

 

also, any advice on augments would be appreciated

I believe the consensus is to ignore all the Defense/Shield/Absorb augments.

[ScarlettDiablo]

Really, just spec mid tree! Augs: Strength-End (overkill). Rest: Strength>Power>surge.

That class+spec is almost guaranteed u will get to 1300 rating easy. I did it. Twice. No effort whatsoever.

U have a hard stun, aoe stun, force push (which is another crowd controller), those 3 alone are very useful in ranked.

Also, u have 2 taunts, force slow, u reduce opponents' armor, saber ward makes u practically immortal first 2 seconds u use it (great for last ravage-master strike hits on u). You heal urself to full, u have saber reflect. U can raise ur health 30% then use a medpac, which gives u more resistance to attacks (15% damage red. when Enure/Endure Pain is active),

u do master strike, 2 other abilities, master strike again, ur force jump gives u 4 secs immunity against stuns or whatever, your master strike inmobilizes enemies... Vicious throw can be uses sometimes on any enemy, no mattering their health.

 

Juggies/Guardians mid tree dps have the upper hand by far over any other class/spec.

[MusicRider]

So, I am in an Obroan/Brutalizer combo, going to be fully augmented for tomorrow, and got a few endurance stims that persist on death. I want to get at least 10 matches of ranked done before 3.0 to at least get something of the rewards.

 

Wrong reason to do ranked. Stick to normals. Your community will thank you for that.

Edited November 27, 2014 by MusicRider

[Sangrar]

Wrong reason to do ranked. Stick to normals. Your community will thank you for that.

 

dude, I think its a good reason. Because I want to get the best rewards possible. And therefore I have a lot more incentive to improve and be the best that I can be, do the best. And I have played normals forever, been doing better and better, at this point, why not?

Edited November 27, 2014 by Sangrar

[MusicRider]

dude, I think its a good reason. Because I want to get the best rewards possible. And therefore I have a lot more incentive to improve and be the best that I can be, do the best. And I have played normals forever, been doing better and better, at this point, why not?

 

Cause the drive for pvp is more about adrenaline and the joy of winning in challenging matches rather than rewards. If you want to get rewards and you are good enough, find 3 more good enough players and try your chances on team ranked or solo q sync.

[ScarlettDiablo]

dude, I think its a good reason. Because I want to get the best rewards possible. And therefore I have a lot more incentive to improve and be the best that I can be, do the best. And I have played normals forever, been doing better and better, at this point, why not?

 

Dude, just follow my tip, really, lol, mid tree! DPS! And don't listen to haters, solo q now before season ends.

Ranked pvp is for everyone (I read on the forums that even Eric Musco mentioned in a stream or something exactly that: It's for EVERYONE!).

 

I'd say to u, rather, I'd ask u kindly to get ur pvp and augs (all 14 pieces) so if u are at least a decent player, u have good

chances at winning so u don't hurt the team. But hey, if u end up playing 10 matches and lose them all, u get ur crystals!

[foxmob]

I'd say to u, rather, I'd ask u kindly to get ur pvp and augs (all 14 pieces) so if u are at least a decent player, u have good

chances at winning so u don't hurt the team. But hey, if u end up playing 10 matches and lose them all, u get ur crystals!

 

^this. douche bags who queue up and, even when asked nicely, won't augment or stim are the ones who truly ruin the game. "I just need 10 games. I don't need to win." or some asinine douchery like that so that everyone else on his team gets screwed over. ranked is not regs. ranked does mean something whether or not the disenchanted players on this board like to admit it or not -- grp or solo.

[Sangrar]

^this. douche bags who queue up and, even when asked nicely, won't augment or stim are the ones who truly ruin the game. "I just need 10 games. I don't need to win." or some asinine douchery like that so that everyone else on his team gets screwed over. ranked is not regs. ranked does mean something whether or not the disenchanted players on this board like to admit it or not -- grp or solo.

 

WHICH is precisely why I created this thread to ask for advice.

 

Besides wanting the best rewards possible, I don't want to screw over a bunch of people in the process, I have seen people like that and I hated them with a passion ( like this one sorcerer I ran into on reg arenas who just stopped, spammed consumption, and then used force barrier as we got slaughtered, after a really bad day already I just cursed him out in chat). I am already augmenting gear, basically I am taking all the old cartel junk that I never used all the way back from when the cartel market first was released, am selling it on the gtn for a surprisingly high profit, and using the proceeds for augments on top of crafting the kits myself ( am even running some tacticals on my alts so I can scavenge more crafting materials all the while making credits in the process instead of spending money to get my companions to do it, so I can directly just have them craft as materials come in). Also I am trying to push my limits more and more in warzones to try to see how much my jugg can take and do.

 

in short, if I am going to do this I want to do it good and while it will only be for the minimum 10 matches I still want to make sure I do competently enough to make a positive rather than negative impact. I am probably going to start on the 29th or 30th to give me a little extra time for practicing in regs and to finish getting augments.

 

 

I will consider switching to middle tree as some have suggested, but does tanking gear work well enough for that? I mean it might already be too late for me to switch given I am in war leader gear and using tanking relics

Edited November 27, 2014 by Sangrar

[ScarlettDiablo]

Nah, go tank then. Just think that u need to survive while the rest of the team globals one, so u get to be

4 vs 3 and from that point should be so much easier to win.

 

Coz if u die before any of their team, well, it's almost a sure thing u will lose the match. Look at it as a dps race.

[foxmob]

honestly, the best way to get 10 games in is to queue with a grp of guildies. the down side is that you have to have a server that can reliably queue ranked. a few servers still do. but that way, even if you're terrible, you aren't going to screw over other ppl. just your guildies who agree to roll with you.

 

anyway, I wasn't saying you're doing anything wrong, op. but it doesn't look good when you say you just want the participation crystals, cuz everyone in soloQ is already butthurt about ppl who really are just throwing matches or not trying.