Guardian Tank Rotation

[Master-Jerico]

Previously, we used Force Sweep to apply an armour debuff (Purifying sweep) which allowed us to damage up to five targets within range with Guardian Slash. Now the armour reduction has been removed, and Warding strike applies this buff which is also tied to our main focus builder and mitigation buffs (3% Damage Reduction + Warding Power in our Disciplines which increases shield absorption by 3%), how are people implementing it in to a rotation?

 

Previously I used a suggested rotation KBN posted some time ago which i adjusted depending on the fight. (Copy paste from another post I made 3.0)

 

1. Combat Focus

2. Force Leap

3. Force Sweep (applies Dust Storm debuff reducing accuracy by 5% for 20 secs. Purifying Sweep also applies armour reduction)

4. Guardian Slash (3% Damage Reduction)

5. Riposte

6. Taunt (depending)

7. Hilt Strike

7.1 Saber Reflect (depending)

8. Blade storm – (sometimes Sundering strike at this point)

9. Riposte

10. Master Strike

 

My concerns are that this feature of Guardian Slash that allows us to hit up to 7 targets must be applied by Warding strike, which if I added to this rotation, would add another GCD and an easy opportunity for DPS to pull. I've noticed on parsec that Guardian Slash threat is considerable (9k - 13.5k at level 57, per target if affected by WS buff), and I may be worrying over nothing. I've yet to do group content, so will need to test this. Has anyone found this an issue if you've done the new ops or group FP's?

 

Also, I've omitted Combat focus from that rotation .I have found I have excess amounts of focus with the reduction of focus from Riposte and Force Sweep, so it's no longer necessary.

 

Anyway - how have you guys implemented it for most effective use? What are you rotations now and will they differ for single target and AOE target?

[Cotlu-Hunlon]

Well for a single boss then there is no need to fit Aegis Assault / Warding Strike before that Crushing Blow / Guardian Strike, because it only adds the AoE dmg rather than a debuff of any kind. Furthermore, if you Saber Throw + Leap or Combat Focus + Leap then to use Aegis Assault so soon is wasting focus. But one also wants the defensive buffs given by using soon as possible.

 

Considering our resource overload right now, I have no issue in using Aegis Assault even while at max focus because it is so key, especially in AoE fights to have its buffs on you for Crushing Blow. Maybe once we are adjusted to have harder focus management then things will change but at the moment I can barely spend focus fast enough - the main reason I find for that is not being able to spend 1 focus for Retaliate off-the-GCD in combo with another move eg. Vicious Slash for 3 focus + Retaliate for 1 focus was a great dumper, now it can only be 1 focus.

[Silentcricket]

Ah, Warding Slash generates 7 focus instead of The 6 Combat Focus generates. So why don't you lead off with Force Leap, WS etc. seems like it would fix your GS. Besides, the AOE doesn't hurt you by using it. Edited December 6, 2014 by Silentcricket

[Whitelightr]

Here's the rotations I've been using:

 

Single Target (max threat) - Combat Focus>Leap>Reflect>Sweep>GS>Hilt>Riposte>Taunt>Blade Storm>Warding>Slashx2 to burn off excess focus until GS comes off CD. Then GS>Sweep>Riposte>Blade Storm>Taunt as they come off cooldown. No threat issues at all so far. You land on the boss with 7 Focus and Burn 3 (you gain 2 more) before the first taunt, 1-2 focus after then use Warding to get back up for a few slashes while waiting on cooldowns.

You do sacrifice some defensive bonuses in the first 10 seconds or so, but the healers should have no problem since the raid hasn't started taking any meaningful damage yet.

 

Trash/Adds/AoE - Leap>Sweep>Warding>GS>Cyclone spam. If you really want to make sure NOTHING gets away Reflect after leap, hit 1 Cyclone then AoE taunt and Cyclone spam using sweep/GS when they come off cooldown; throw a combat focus in when needed.

Edited December 6, 2014 by Whitelightr

[Marb]

No armor debuff to worry about, you can order your abilities by threat and then fall into keeping your Aegis Assault and Retaliation buffs up. With Retaliation on the gcd and our damage reduction buffs tied to our rage generator, you really have the watch your buffs, as they can easily drop off by pushing back aegis and ret with harder hitting abilities. This is going to mean you'll be constantly flooded with more rage than you can spend. Edited December 7, 2014 by Marb

[vennian]

Remember, retaliation/riposte does more daage than vicious slash/slash and sets up blade barricade

 

I have a an opener that goes something like this:

 

Saber throw->Leap->force sweep->warding strike->guardian slash->(cyclone sweep depending on mob size?)->blade storm->riposte

 

Slash is filler and focus dump, but Warding Strike buff should be kept up at all times. Saber reflect as situation demands

Edited December 7, 2014 by vennian

[Marb]

Aegis Assault putting up the damage reduction buff is all kinds of wrong. You get cornered into situations where you're rage capped and have to use it just to refresh the buff, which feels incredibly wasteful. A rage generator should just be there to generate rage, being dependant on it to refresh a rolling damage reduction buff defeats the purpose of it being an on demand rage generator. Edited December 7, 2014 by Marb

[OrinVlado]

The way GS works now is beyond annoying. Wish they would change it back to to the way it was or at least make it refresh instantly after using warding strike. Anyway now that I've gotten that out of my system, what i've figured out for a good opening rotation for a good sized mob is Leap->Force Sweep->Warding Strike->Guardian Slash->Riposte->Cyclone Slash->Blade Storm (something like that).

 

By the time you reach blade storm you should be able to start with force sweep again

Saber throw can be used in the beginning, but it will end up wasting focus, so it can be used to grab strays as needed

Combat Focus can be used for emergency focus, but other than that you don't use it.

Use Saber Reflect as needed, or can be placed before Force Sweep to grab the baddies that are beyond the range of Force Sweep

And you can use Slash to burn focus when needed

Edited December 9, 2014 by OrinVlado

[Master-Jerico]

The way GS works now is beyond annoying. Wish they would change it back to to the way it was or at least make it refresh instantly after using warding strike. Anyway now that I've gotten that out of my system, what i've figured out for a good opening rotation for a good sized mob is Leap->Force Sweep->Warding Strike->Guardian Slash->Riposte->Cyclone Slash->Blade Storm (something like that).

 

By the time you reach blade storm you should be able to start with force sweep again

Saber throw can be used in the beginning, but it will end up wasting focus, so it can be used to grab strays as needed

Combat Focus can be used for emergency focus, but other than that you don't use it.

Use Saber Reflect as needed, or can be placed before Force Sweep to grab the baddies that are beyond the range of Force Sweep

And you can use Slash to burn focus when needed

 

I'm using pretty much this rotation at the moment for mobs. It seems to be working effectively.

 

I've also notice that Saber Reflect, when used in the first instance, had it's original threat cut by about half. Pre 3,0, I never use to rely on it to hold threat if I could help it, but it was nice in a pinch and would generate something like 8500 threat. I looked at a few examples recently where it is only about 4200 Threat.

 

I have the utility point in Heroic to increase threat on it as well (Daunting Presence).

 

Occasionally I will see it at about the 8k margin again, but more often then not, it's about 4k threat. Is this an error? Does anyone know?

[Silentcricket]

Lvl 32 so I don't have all the abilities. This rotation seems to work for me, like to see a high lvl try it and obviously add to it.

 

Force Leap, Cyclone, (Riposte), Warding Strike, Guardian Slash, Saber Ward, Force Sweep, then I go into a single target attack. Slash, Riposte, Blade Storm, Master Strike.

 

(Riposte) = if up. You should be able to string those together and even get another AoE rotation in without Force Leap. Haven't been in a fight that required another single target rotation yet.

 

I think I'd do Force Leap, Freezing force, cyclone, (riposte) , warding strike, guardian slash, saber ward, force sweep, slash, riposte, blade storm, master strike, hilt strike , stasis, force push, saber reflect.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Silentcricket

[CrixusBoR]

After playing with it for a week I can say the new rotation is functional but the fun has been sucked out of what made this tank and play style great for me.

 

Pre 3.0 I used to to enjoy the challenge this class offered in managing focus, keeping threat and maximizing dps. Essentially this came down to delaying Sundering Strike for a long as possible and squeezing in Strike when the big signature abilities were on cool down (Focus permitting). Managing Riposte off the global also made for fun, fast paced action and added a variety to each engagement.

 

Now, having Warding Strike (a focus builder) to provide damage mitigation as well as allowing Guardian Slash to realize its full potential makes this low threat/ low dps ability annoying to use when swimming in focus, if essential.

 

My hope for an future update would be for Riposte to be made available off the Global for the Defense tree and re work Warding Strike so that i don't feel forced to use a low threat ability so early on in a rotation/ and when i have a surplus of Focus.

Edited December 9, 2014 by CrixusBoR

[Silentcricket]

i think Riposte should be changed. I don't think it should be free since its our attack. Shien should get free riposte when they miss to continue to press the attack but we use it every time it's up for buff. We have plenty of focus to burn. Edited December 9, 2014 by Silentcricket

[mynameisbugged]

yea i think making riposte not free for tanks and off gcd would be great. Im resorting to use cyclone slash cos ive run out of moves..

[Silentcricket]

I'm ok with it being on the GCD. It's our spam attack with a buff. Just don't see why it needs to be free. We aren't focus deprived. Once you start using attacks For dmg purpose / zero benefits you're getting away from tanking and into dps.