MisterPedroH Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 Hi guys, I'm fairly new to the game and I just hitted level 17. I'm currently a Jedi Guardian with Defense specialization. So far it's been pretty easy, but considering I'm early on it shouldn't be too hard anyway. I've noticed that my damage output is solid (I can easily defeat my enemies). I was wondering if I made the right choice and/or if this is a good class for begginers. Also, does my damage output falls flat later on into the game? Does it get harder or easier for me (considering I'll get tankier as well)? Thanks for everything and may the Force be with you.
SirUrza Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 It's going to fall flat, that doesn't mean it's going to get harder, it just means fights will take longer. When you get the companions play with their roles, see what works for you and what doesn't. Give them gifts that they like and you should be ok.
-Wes- Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 Well, here's the problem: It's difficult for any beginner to gauge whether they're getting "good" at their class in solo content these days. So, you can do very well in solo and have no problems at all, but you won't know how well you're really doing until you face challenging content, which means you're probably grouping for an op or warzone, and then suddenly people are going to have little empathy for your newness. Find a guild, enjoy playing with a nuclear group, and take their suggestions to improve your play. You can also review guides on how to play various classes and specializations here (in the class forums) and on Dulfy.net.
MisterPedroH Posted December 2, 2015 Author Posted December 2, 2015 Thanks for the suggestions. I'm probably going to play through the entire story and reach level cap before I start getting worried whether or not I'm doing "good".
DocDAM Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 Being a tank is good in one aspect: flashpoint queues will pop faster for you. But with that, people will expect you to be able to tank. Which means generally be the lead, know the boss mechanics, know how to keep aggro, etc. Read up on that (if you plan to group). Also, let them know you are new and you'll get pointers ... and some forgiveness. As to solo play... It's all easy these days. Seems each update makes it easier. I personally always play a DPS. But tank is plenty viable. Just have your companion be a DPS (faster) or healer. And learn to manage aggro. Again, for solo, not a big deal as it is easy mode these days. Now Guardians were, IMO, the second toughest class to level (Sentinel being toughest). Melee, no heals, poor AOE = tougher. Most of solo leveling is wading through tons of mobs. Much faster with a high-DPS AOE attack like what gunslingers, commandos and sages have. But again, 4.0 lets you choose whatever companion role you want, and has made gearing easier. So you shouldn't have a problem. Just you'll be slower to clear all the mobs. BTW, Knight is generally considered to be best Pub class story. So good choice there!
Trobon Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 Now Guardians were, IMO, the second toughest class to level (Sentinel being toughest). Melee, no heals, poor AOE = tougher. Most of solo leveling is wading through tons of mobs. Much faster with a high-DPS AOE attack like what gunslingers, commandos and sages have. But again, 4.0 lets you choose whatever companion role you want, and has made gearing easier. So you shouldn't have a problem. Just you'll be slower to clear all the mobs. I don't think it is a tough class to level. It is a slower and more tedious class to level at times, but not tougher. Defense Guardians are probably the most survivable class in the game and it should be a fairly easy class to level. It just won't be fast. Also Defense Guardians at least (I don't remember about other guards) get a self heal.
Erevan_Kindelar Posted December 3, 2015 Posted December 3, 2015 For me, the issue with the Guardian (and the Sith Jugg, its Imperial mirror class) and the other "tank" classes as a first character is that for content where you need a group of tank plus heals plus DPS - World Bosses and some of the more challenging flashpoints, for example - the tank is not just there to bash away at the enemies and run an efficient rotation. That is the DPSers role The tank is there to, as far as possible, see to it that nobody else in the group takes damage. The adjunct to that is that the healer is there to keep the tank alive. DPSers are there to make sure that things die as quickly as possible. There will be times when the DPSers or the healer starts taking damage. Sometimes, depending on the fight, this will be damage from smaller/weaker enemies and the tank should concentrate on what they are already doing - taking the majority of damage by forcing the biggest enemy to attack the tank. In these cases, it is typically the job of the DPSers to clear up the trash that is not attacking the tank. Sometimes, however, the enemies attacking the DPSers or healer need to be picked up by the tank so that the tank is taking the damage, leaving the DPSers to do what they do best - kill stuff quickly. What it amounts to is that the tank is the role in which you want someone who knows the fight and has a good understanding of their class and how to use it. So usually, the tank has a job to do, plus if a situation goes wrong they need to know whether they need to react to that or not. In other words, the tank needs to know what they are doing. DPS can usually just spam their high damage shots, because their role is to kill stuff quick. The healer also has to be able to react to a change in circumstances, but for them it is usually easier than for the tank. Usually, if your tank or your healer are somewhere between "incompetent" and "a little below average", the group will die repeatedly and there will be toys thrown out of the pram, shouting, tantrums, tears and nasty words. If the DPS are somewhere between "incompetent" and "a little below average", the fights just take a little longer. So for a harmonious life in SWTOR, the tank needs to know what they are doing My advice, which has come up in this thread already, is to get a guild. If the guild are any good, they will be able to give advice on things to work on and run content with you tanking, to help you practice. If I have not put you off tanking, good! Welcome to the madhouse
Halinalle Posted December 3, 2015 Posted December 3, 2015 (edited) The tank is there to, as far as possible, see to it that nobody else in the group takes damage. If healer or dps stands in red circles there's nothing tank can do. Sometimes, however, the enemies attacking the DPSers or healer need to be picked up by the tank so that the tank is taking the damage, leaving the DPSers to do what they do best - kill stuff quickly. So, basically you're saying that tank should hold aggro on everything. If damage dealers are attacking strongest enemy then it's not tank's fault. Both taunts have cooldown. Damage dealers have abilities to reduce damage taken and some of the advanced classes have very powerful abilities like Focused Defense/Enraged Defense. I have this mind set always: as damage dealer if I don't get attacked by standard/weak enemy at any point I'm doing it wrong if tank isn't directly attacking that enemy. Now with tacticals everywhere I'm usually the one doing the suicide move to save everyone else. Pyro/Plasma are very good at this. Sometimes I survive sometimes I don't. Edited December 3, 2015 by Halinalle
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