Flashpoints - A Guide for New Players

[spoe]

I Have to say, this guide is absolutely brilliant for the first time MMO'er or an armature alike, I have played a couple of MMO's where I basically soloed exclusively without grouping except where absolutely needed, the reason being was the elitist attitude of some gamers out there, true you do need a tough skin sometimes but how will a newcomer become adequate without support from the veterans?

 

As SWTOR is new I thought it would be a good place to start and grow into the grouping/flashpoints/raids as the game grew with my character but I have already gotten the dreaded "n00b" insult without an explanation as to what I was doing wrong and what should be happening!

 

I will continue soloing for the time being but will also try and join some groups for Flashpoints and group quests and I can honestly say, the only reason I will now is because of this guide and the subsequent posts within

 

Thank you!

 

Great stuff! I am glad you found some useful information here. Unfortunately, a lot of players forget that new people play MMOs; they also forget that there was a time when they didn't know much about group mechanics either.

 

My best advice to you -- because I really want you and all those new to MMO games to experience group content, particularly FPs and raids -- is to get into a guild. Ask in /guild chat if there are veteran MMO players who don't mind, even if only one day a week, to help teach the newer players how Flashpoint mechanics work.

 

If you limit yourself early on to PUGs (Pick Up Groups, which consist of random players who are looking for a group), the experience can be pretty harrowing, especially with the standard of ugliness that comes with nerd rages. Guild players who know you are new to grouping will be more patient; they will help give you advice along the way

[spoe]

Hi, everyone. I made a fairly significant update to the information in the original post, so those who have not read it recently should go back and take another look. Here is an example of one significant update I made:

 

What to do when DPS isn't following the kill order -- If you have explained to the player and honestly tried your best to get him to follow the rules, but he continue to be reckless, stop healing him. Don't spend resources on DPS who insist on doing their own thing or who think they are tanks. If they are new players, inform them. Tell them how it works. Refer them to this guide. If they still refuse to listen. Kick them from the group. As a healer trying to keep a tank alive on a boss fight, you won't often have the resources to heal reckless players who cannot, for whatever reason, practice good strategy.

 

DPS will pull aggro from the tank from time to time; these things happen, and there is no sense getting in a fuss over it. If it happens a lot by the same person, he is a liability to your group and should be kicked if he isn't willing to take advice on how to improve his game. The best teacher is to (1) tell him what he is doing wrong and (2) just let him die. A lot.

 

Players should keep always in mind that the kill order exists to ensure the tank is always the one taking damage. If a player deviates from the kill order, he will likely cause whatever mob he damages to direct his attacks toward that player, thus causing unnecessary stress on the healer (who will likely stop healing that player if such behaviors continue).

 

Tanks and DPS perform opposite roles: tanks take damage; DPS deals damage. Tanks are tough characters whose talents focus on avoiding and mitigating incoming damage; DPS are squishy characters whose talents focus on increasing the damage they do -- they are not designed to take large amounts of damage like a tank is. If the DPS follows the kill order and the tank builds threat appropriately on mobs according to the kill order, the DPS will be able to unload on the target without having to worry about taking damage from the mob (barring any special fight mechanics that cause unavoidable damage to the entire group), thus ensuring a dead boss and the loot that follows.

Edited January 5, 2012 by spoe

[ProKsnNwk]

Hi. Thanks for the Guide, this guide really makes "life easier".

Also, I'm new to MMO games, so I still want to know something, about DPS.

I choose a Jedi Shadow, will make him, probably an DPS character.

I understood a DPS character is an damage dealer, and when fighting in a group, it should be in this order:

1. Wait for the TANK

2. Wait until he takes enough attention from the Mob's or Boss.

3. Kill according to the kill order. Don't use AoE.

4. Don't generate to much threat, if you do.

Don't run away from the Tank, and stop your attacks.

So that Tank will get attention of the Mob or the Boss back to him.

5. If the Tank dies, there's no hope. If the Healer dies, let's hope that the Tank will be the next target, lol.

6. Dodge, dodge'able attacks.

7. Don't be an "purse thief". If your group loot a thing, which is not for your class. Then give the priority to the guys who need it.

 

Yet again, thanks for the guide, and

 

May The Force Be With You

Edited January 6, 2012 by ProKsnNwk

[spoe]

Hi. Thanks for the Guide, this guide really makes "life easier".

Also, I'm new to MMO games, so I still want to know something, about DPS.

I choose a Jedi Shadow, will make him, probably an DPS character.

I understood a DPS character is an damage dealer, and when fighting in a group, it should be in this order:

1. Wait for the TANK

2. Wait until he takes enough attention from the Mob's or Boss.

3. Kill according to the kill order. Don't use AoE.

4. Don't generate to much treath, if you do.

Don't run away from the Tank, and stop your attacks.

So that Tank will get attention of the Mob or the Boss back to him.

5. If the Tank dies, there's no hope. If the Healer dies, let's hope that the Tank will take the damage, lol.

6. Dodge, dodge'able attacks.

7. Don't be an "purse thief". If your group loot a thing, which is not for your class. Then give the priority to the guys who need it.

 

Yet again, thanks for the guide, and

 

May The Force Be With You

 

 

Sounds to me like you have the general idea. I laughed at the "There's no hope" comment you made. It's funny because it's true! haha

 

One advantage to being ranged DPS is that you can stand back a comfortable distance and really get a bird's eye view of the battlefield and what's going on -- this is very advantageous to ranged DPS, particularly because most melee DPS and tanks are right up near the boss, which gives them, most of the time, a view of some giant mob's kneecap. They have a very difficult time sometimes seeing what is going on around them.

 

One thing you will certainly want to do as DPS is stay up to date on the best damage spec (I'm talking about your talent tree) for your class. Information will really start coming in on what the "optimal spec" is once guilds start getting into the high-end content.

 

The research they post will be extremely valuable to you if you want to be the best at what you do. Take time every now and again to read what the raiders post, particularly that information relating to your class and your abilities and how those abilities work together to create a solid damage rotation. The SWTOR forums will be a great place to look for this information in the coming days. There will be other websites that will likely pop up as well that will contain valuable information about your class.

 

Like I said, there won't be a lot out there right now, but there will be soon. Doing the most DPS you can depends really on three things: how well you can manage your different ability cooldowns (this will be addressed when people start experimenting with ability rotations, so check for that often), how cognizant you are of the combat environment (like being proactive when bosses are getting ready to do something special instead of reactive), and how smoothly you can adjust to the many contingencies that pop up all the time.

 

If that sounds like a lot, don't worry: it will all fall into place with a bit of reading and some practice in flashpoints It sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't. Being a "good" player doesn't take a lot of effort -- just the foresight to learn a little about your class and how best to use your abilities for maximum yield.

[StarDaimyo]

Thanks for a nice guide.

 

I have raided in several MMORPGs before, but still liked this as an easy to read and easy to understand reminder.

 

I also understand the guy, (sorry don't remember his name right now), who was going back and forth with you about the specifics of flashpoints in SWTOR, and will be keeping an eye out for posts/threads about this as well.

 

Great work, and thanks.

 

Daimyo

------------------------------

Jedi Shadow, Rogue Moon

[AMulls]

Me again. Just wanted to say again how helpful this guide has been. Even for just soloing with your companion. I was running through Taris last night with my Sage and Qyzen. Used many of the strategies listed: CC the main enemy (force lift is a Godsend) and attack the weaker ones first, make sure Qyzen, as tank, is the one taking the damage, use appropriate heals for Qyzen when necessary.

 

It's pretty much night and day from how I had been playing. Easily went through the 2+ Heroic with the Mandalorians with just Qyzen and my Sage. Looking forward to playing with groups and working even more on my new found competency.

 

Are there any sites that have guild listings that are looking for new, inexperienced (but promising) MMO players?

[Spyderwraith]

Thanks for this guide. As a general rule I stayed away from any MMO game figuring it'd be just like high school full of rage and hate (if you didn't do anything well) and that still holds true in some cases. but this is star wars and I couldn't resist

 

I spec'd as a TANK which according to this guide isn't something an MMO newb should have done for his first one but the others just didn't appeal to me. I like using heavy armour and bashing things haha.

 

I'm starting to find now that with the more levelled heroics and FP's I'm struggling with group because I get flustered when five guys start attacking and I can't keep track of everything at once. Do I keep attacking the big guys cuz i deal massive damage or look to keep healer healthy etc. Seems the tank has to do both at once.

 

(I'm curious as i only have one taunt right now I saw a second one not sure what it is called that makes every enemy in the area attack me, but I'm afraid if I use it will it attact the nuetral mobs who havent engaged us also or does it stick to the ones you've currently engaged)

 

I get flamed quite often due to my newbness. (I don't even know how to "mark" a target haha

 

However I will save this thread and go back to it regularily so that I may endeavour to be a better player so the others don't see me and say

 

"oh it's THAT guy"

 

My thanks

 

*EDIT* they should really put a search function on this forum as i havent found anything of that nature so i can easily find a good "tank specific guide"

Edited January 6, 2012 by Spyderwraith

[bigtdog]

I have a question concerning the 5 second rule and DPS role. Im playing as a Sentinel so when the fight starts and the tank begins to build aggro do I just stand about and wait for 5 seconds then force leap in to attack the first target? Or do I jump in when the tank does and just use my weaker powers and dot powers to avoid pulling mobs?

 

Thanks.

[RyuuHakumei]

brilliant guide, was just reading it out of interest, because even the best players can find something to learn from reading the basics laid out in a clear concise format.

 

i think you should mention that groups made mostly of more experienced players will forgo a kill order in preference to assuming that the dps, especially in a game like this can coordinate (or in some cases like my BH have amazing burst damage, who therefore pick a separate, but lower hp target which can often be taken out long before the mob has time to reach you, let alone deal any significant damage.) on the mobs without targets, meaning they won't be assigned and perhaps the best advice in these situations would be to observe the order the other dps is taking or if in doubt request. also, in this case targets may be assigned for only the hardest encounters, being explained before each time they are used (as number of mobs in these situations may vary)

 

Build -- a character's talent-point distribution. Believe it or not, there is a science to this. Those who just haphazardly assign talent points gimp themselves pretty badly. As of now, since the game is still new, I'm sure there isn't an "optimal" build out for any class just yet, but there will be. In general, 31-32 total points in one tree is plenty. Look the talent tree over very carefully and try to select talents that maximize / optimize the tree's potential. Don't worry if you don't get it right the first time. You'll get it in time.

 

i dislike this comment, as, as a more experienced player i often find creating my own build is more effective than using an "optimal" build, as these builds often assume perfect reflexes etc. and have often got gyp in "that other mmo" (most of my mmo experience comes from wow, and is the place i found players most willing to be asses for someone not playing exactly as they expected) for using a "sub-optimal" spec, that soon showed that my dps was leaps and bounds ahead of a higher level, better geared player who had an "optimal" spec (in one case i even took over tanking at one point when the tank went down and healing at one point when the healer dced, all in the same spec. (meh holy paladins levelling in cata, whatcha gonna do?)). often the best advice i can give for specs is, instead of going online and finding an optimal spec, ask more experienced friends or guild-mates who you play with, who often have a better understanding of how the talents work, while being aware of how you play allowing for a more optimal build for YOU. (this is especially apt in situations where say a spec has threat reduction, i may recommend that talent to a friend who has issues with threat, while another friend who manages it better would be steered away from choosing it.

 

just my 2 cents

[spoe]

Me again. Just wanted to say again how helpful this guide has been. Even for just soloing with your companion. I was running through Taris last night with my Sage and Qyzen. Used many of the strategies listed: CC the main enemy (force lift is a Godsend) and attack the weaker ones first, make sure Qyzen, as tank, is the one taking the damage, use appropriate heals for Qyzen when necessary.

 

It's pretty much night and day from how I had been playing. Easily went through the 2+ Heroic with the Mandalorians with just Qyzen and my Sage. Looking forward to playing with groups and working even more on my new found competency.

 

Are there any sites that have guild listings that are looking for new, inexperienced (but promising) MMO players?

 

Well done, sir! I'm glad this is paying off for you! I wish I could put together something that covered all the different things that will likely happen in flashpoints that are not covered by this guide, but experience will be a key teacher in those kinds of things. Just keep on trucking, and it'll all fall into place for you

[spoe]

Thanks for this guide. As a general rule I stayed away from any MMO game figuring it'd be just like high school full of rage and hate (if you didn't do anything well) and that still holds true in some cases. but this is star wars and I couldn't resist

 

I spec'd as a TANK which according to this guide isn't something an MMO newb should have done for his first one but the others just didn't appeal to me. I like using heavy armour and bashing things haha.

 

I'm starting to find now that with the more levelled heroics and FP's I'm struggling with group because I get flustered when five guys start attacking and I can't keep track of everything at once. Do I keep attacking the big guys cuz i deal massive damage or look to keep healer healthy etc. Seems the tank has to do both at once.

 

(I'm curious as i only have one taunt right now I saw a second one not sure what it is called that makes every enemy in the area attack me, but I'm afraid if I use it will it attact the nuetral mobs who havent engaged us also or does it stick to the ones you've currently engaged)

 

I get flamed quite often due to my newbness. (I don't even know how to "mark" a target haha

 

However I will save this thread and go back to it regularily so that I may endeavour to be a better player so the others don't see me and say

 

"oh it's THAT guy"

 

My thanks

 

*EDIT* they should really put a search function on this forum as i havent found anything of that nature so i can easily find a good "tank specific guide"

 

Thanks for taking time to post.

 

First off, there won't be a lot you can do as tank if the other players in the group are tackling the flashpoint like they would a typical quest. All you can do is try to communicate with them what your intentions are.

 

To mark those targets, look on the right edge of your user interface when you target a mob. You should be able to right-click the mob's portrait and then select from the drop down menu various marks you can use to paint some or all of the targets in the pull. I think that's the procedure; I don't have the game open right now to verify, but I'm almost certain that's it. If not, it's in that general area.

 

Discuss with the players how you would like to handle the kill order. Let them know you will be building threat on, for example, the flame first, the crosshairs next, the lightsaber third. If you want to assign a controller to CC a target, let him know when his assigned mark shows up to please use his CC on it.

 

If you aren't sure what CCs are available in your group, ask who has a long-term CC, one that lasts, say, 60 seconds according to the tooltip.

 

Second, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't exactly say that a new player should never roll tank. I meant primarily that Tanking is generally a tougher job than others and can be pretty daunting on new players. That doesn't mean that a new player can't do it; I would never discourage someone from playing a tank. If you want to play tank, then by all means, do it

 

The job will be easier, however, if you communicate with the group prior to the first pull what your threat procedure will be. If they have no interest in making a plan for the encounter, there isn't much you can do except try to find a different group.

 

In response to your thoughts about being frustrated when things are really chaotic with the DPS in the group, if you have laid out your kill order, you can't do much else except follow that order. Keep your healer alive the best you can; look regularly at his health bar to see if he is taking hits so you can intervene.

 

It seems to me that the safe thing to do in a group that isn't interested in following some kind of stategy, your best bet might be to find a different group. You may get the flashpoint cleared with that group, but the smart money is with a group willing to adhere to some kind of plan.

 

You don't really need much of a plan in the early flashpoints, but in the later ones, I don't feel you will have optimal chances for success if no one is willing to help you develop some kind of plan for success. That would be like a team of normal guys with no training and no coach trying to take on last year's Superbowl winner. You MIGHT win, but chances are you won't. For me, I like to play the odds: having a plan is better than not having one. Others may feel differently.

 

Concerning your taunt, I do not know if the AoE taunt in this game affects neutral mobs. What I would suggest is to try and move your pull (using Line of Sight, for example) to a safe place away from ANY other mobs that might potentially become part of the pull. I do not recommend taking a chance of aggroing anything that isn't part of the plan for that particular pull.

 

And finally, concerning your reputation as a tank, don't worry about being a new player. You can always let your group know that you are a relatively new player and that you would welcome any suggestions to help your game from any veteran players in the group. It's also perfectly acceptable to ask if there are any veteran players who would not mind taking the reins for assigning kill orders or issuing commands. You'll get patient players in groups from time to time who don't mind helping out fellow gamers like you, especially ones who are so obviously concerned about improving their game.

 

 

PS: try to keep an eye out on the forums for tanking guides; they are bound to pop up sooner or later in the days to come They will help you out a lot as well.

[spoe]

I have a question concerning the 5 second rule and DPS role. Im playing as a Sentinel so when the fight starts and the tank begins to build aggro do I just stand about and wait for 5 seconds then force leap in to attack the first target? Or do I jump in when the tank does and just use my weaker powers and dot powers to avoid pulling mobs?

 

Thanks.

 

Great question! Ideally, you should be patient, like any good Jedi should

 

1) Let your tank get the mobs into position. I would never engage a mob just as a tank does even if I only plan to use lesser abilities. Other players might prefer more risk than that, but in the long-term, such behaviors are just not the safest way to do things. In flashpoints, you will likely need to exercise more caution than you do in open-world missions, though, so you can play with your gaming style a little on those issues.

 

2) Start your count once the tank starts into his rotational threat-building groove. If you are using Ventrilo, you can ask your tank to let you know when he feels comfortable letting the DPS get involved. He won't wait long at all, especially on bosses that have an enrage timer (bosses that have to be killed in a certain amount of time before they turn into a kryptonite-infused killing machine from which no one will survive).

 

3) Once you count to five, leap in, get behind the mob, and bash the ever-loving crap out of it (keep in mind, however, that if you start critting the bejeebus out of it, you should back off a bit so you don't out-race the threat the tank is building). Remember not to use any AOE abilities if there are CC'd mobs nearby!!

 

4) If you have an ability that lowers threat on the mob, use it starting at about the twenty second or so mark, and then save it for if you actually do pull aggro (you will pull aggro sometimes, so keep that threat-reduction ability handy for those times).

 

In short, you risk much if you start attacking before the tank has a solid threat lead on a mob, so do your best to play it safe. The more you run with a particular tank (like the ones in your guild), the better you will "feel" the best time to jump in and do your thing

Edited January 6, 2012 by spoe

[spoe]

brilliant guide, was just reading it out of interest, because even the best players can find something to learn from reading the basics laid out in a clear concise format.

 

i think you should mention that groups made mostly of more experienced players will forgo a kill order in preference to assuming that the dps, especially in a game like this can coordinate (or in some cases like my BH have amazing burst damage, who therefore pick a separate, but lower hp target which can often be taken out long before the mob has time to reach you, let alone deal any significant damage.) on the mobs without targets, meaning they won't be assigned and perhaps the best advice in these situations would be to observe the order the other dps is taking or if in doubt request. also, in this case targets may be assigned for only the hardest encounters, being explained before each time they are used (as number of mobs in these situations may vary)

 

i dislike this comment, as, as a more experienced player i often find creating my own build is more effective than using an "optimal" build, as these builds often assume perfect reflexes etc. and have often got gyp in "that other mmo" (most of my mmo experience comes from wow, and is the place i found players most willing to be asses for someone not playing exactly as they expected) for using a "sub-optimal" spec, that soon showed that my dps was leaps and bounds ahead of a higher level, better geared player who had an "optimal" spec (in one case i even took over tanking at one point when the tank went down and healing at one point when the healer dced, all in the same spec. (meh holy paladins levelling in cata, whatcha gonna do?)). often the best advice i can give for specs is, instead of going online and finding an optimal spec, ask more experienced friends or guild-mates who you play with, who often have a better understanding of how the talents work, while being aware of how you play allowing for a more optimal build for YOU. (this is especially apt in situations where say a spec has threat reduction, i may recommend that talent to a friend who has issues with threat, while another friend who manages it better would be steered away from choosing it.

 

just my 2 cents

 

You make many good points. And yes, groups with experienced players are almost certain to find this information a bit too cautious for their tastes, but they have the experience that the target audience for this guide likely does not. There are, of course, many options available to experienced players, but this guide wasn't designed for them.

 

I put this guide together for those players who have no starting point at all, whether that is group mechanics, talent builds, or other game aspects they may be new to. That's why my suggestions might seem a bit simplistic to those who have been around MMOs for a while.

 

The newer players, once they gain some experience, will start to experiment more and more in flashpoints and with how they build their characters, but in the early stages, I think a concise, basics-only type guide is a good place to start

 

Many of the points you mentioned, like your thoughts on talent distribution, will be discovered by the newer players as they progress in the game. It wasn't my intention to suggest that everyone should always follow the theorycrafters' ideas on spec (I've always taken those suggestions with a grain of salt, just as you do), but for a player who is new to talents, I thought a starting point was a prudent addition here.

 

Happy gaming!

[NimueA]

This a a great guide! Thank you very much for sharing this with us.

As with many others I never been interested MMO's until now. It's Star Wars after all!

 

I'm playing as a DPS and have done a few heroics (no Flashpoints yet), which I thought went well (haven't died too many times or been flamed as a newbie) but never really understood my role in the group.

 

Didn't understand how to use AoE, or that I needed to wait 5 sec before start shooting like crazy. As someone else posted, it feels a bit strange waiting passively for the tank to build aggro This guide helped to explain a lot of things!

 

Quick question if I may regarding level range on Flashpoints. As I said, never really bothered with them but now I would like to give it a try. As a lvl 24 I now would like to do The Esseles and Hammer Station. As I understand it they have a lower lvl range (marked grey in the mission log). Do I need to do them with others on my lvl, or can I do them with lower lvl players as well?

[spoe]

 

Quick question if I may regarding level range on Flashpoints. As I said, never really bothered with them but now I would like to give it a try. As a lvl 24 I now would like to do The Esseles and Hammer Station. As I understand it they have a lower lvl range (marked grey in the mission log). Do I need to do them with others on my lvl, or can I do them with lower lvl players as well?

 

I'm glad you found the guide useful!! Thanks for saying so. And yes, waiting a few seconds does feel a liittle strange, but in the long run (especially later on when the bosses get really tough), that little caution will pay off by increasing your chances for sucess (and a much lower repair bill!).

 

Concerning flashpoints, you can do them at any level starting at the minimal level suggested. The plus to doing them while you are in the level range, however, is that the gear you can get from them will be useful to you. You will, as you gain levels, get better gear from other locations.

 

When something turns gray in your mission log, the game considers you to be over the level requirement for the mission, thus you won't receive any experience points for engaging the content. You can still do the content, of course, you just won't get any experience rewards for doing so.

 

Also, if you do out-level the content and you decide to join a group of lower-level players to clear something, you will be at the disadvantage of doing way more damage than the tank does threat, meaning you will likely almost always out-pace his threat, but if you significantly out-level the place, that probably won't matter much anyway since the mobs won't really be doing that much damage to you anyway.

 

Also, keep in mind that what we call the "Five Second Rule" is just a guideline -- a safe, easy way to ensure a solid threat lead by the tank. As your game ability matures, you won't really need the rule to gauge when you should attack; it will become a "feel" thing more than anything.

Edited January 9, 2012 by spoe

[bpphantom]

Great guide. I'm a vet of several MMOs but it's always good to refresh and check if anything weird is being done. Covers all the essential points of "how to not get kicked".

[spooninmycereal]

When I click Play, it says "Was unable to launch the game." I don't know why because I installed it perfectly fine..It just won't launch. Help please?

[SCinos]

Thanks to people like you, MMO games are constantly getting new players involved to replace the players who left the game. Guides like this one make the MMO concept alive and growing each year. This guide is the seed that will create awesome players in the next months/years (and I want to be one of them ). Thank you so much.

 

I have a question about aggro. It's clear that Tank is not designed to do damage and DPS is designed to do damage. Then, why DPS is not getting the higest aggro everytime he attacks? I also wonder how threat is computed: it depends on the skill currently being used? It does on the full set of available skills? The damage dealt in the last few seconds? I would love if you can elaborate more about how threat is generated.

[spoe]

Thanks to people like you, MMO games are constantly getting new players involved to replace the players who left the game. Guides like this one make the MMO concept alive and growing each year. This guide is the seed that will create awesome players in the next months/years (and I want to be one of them ). Thank you so much.

 

I have a question about aggro. It's clear that Tank is not designed to do damage and DPS is designed to do damage. Then, why DPS is not getting the higest aggro everytime he attacks? I also wonder how threat is computed: it depends on the skill currently being used? It does on the full set of available skills? The damage dealt in the last few seconds? I would love if you can elaborate more about how threat is generated.

 

Thanks for the kind words!!

 

Tanks generate more threat than DPS due to innate or talented abilities that allow their attacks to do more threat than just through damage alone. DPS players will always generate more damage than tanks, but tanks have abilities to compensate for that.

 

For example, a Powertech Bounty Hunter using Ion Cylinder generates a large percentage of additional threat from his abilities; I'm not sure of the exact number, but I think it's about 50% or so, which means that the damage he does generates (damage + 50%) threat. DPS players generate threat based ONLY on their damage. I do not know the exact mathematical formula for threat generation.

 

Tanks always consider threat generation when formulating attack / ability rotations, as this is what ensures they will be able to keep a mob's attention, especially when you add high DPS from other players to the equation.

 

Ultimately, tanks want to prioritize abilities such that they load as much threat as possible as quickly as possible on any given mob, and they hope that their threat generation stays ahead of the DPS threat generation (you know it doesn't when a DPS pulls the threat from a tank because the mob drops the tank as its primary target and heads toward the new primary target -- mobs always focus on the player with the most threat).

 

Threat generation is mathematical in nature and depends largely on the abilities the tank uses and the abilities he has that generate additional threat (abilities that can include more than just the damage he does do), thus enabling him to output more threat than the actual damage he is doing.

 

That's a pretty simplified way of explaining it. If you want a more detailed response, there are numerous guides on the internet that explain threat mechanics in much more detail, though I do not know of one that relates specifically to this game. They are valuable nonetheless in explaining how threat mechanics work

[ZooCougar]

Wow, coming from the perspective of a complete novice to MMO's I've found this guide to be really helpful. Thanks for putting in the time writing it. Edited January 10, 2012 by ZooCougar

[Sjuvat]

very helpful! thanks for managing the person with all the criticism that seemed off track, with tact. seemed focused on the tree and not the forest.

[GySgt_Crusty]

Tank: "Why didn't you heal me?"

Me: "I can't heal without force."

Tank: "Oh sorry"

 

Three universally recognized characters that most tanks will pause for: "OOM". Force, heat, whatever the resource, they usually know what you are trying to say, "pause or don't get healed".

 

Reason for edit: quote correction

Edited January 10, 2012 by GySgt_Crusty

[RyuuHakumei]

Three universally recognized characters that most tanks will pause for: "OOM". Force, heat, whatever the resource, they usually know what you are trying to say, "pause or don't get healed".

 

Reason for edit: quote correction

 

the problem there comes is the lack of any chat bubbles or raid warning function, meaning the average tank who doesn't pay attention to your force also pays little attention to chat (real life example: 2 pulls before boss: "i don't know the tactics for this boss, can someone explain before he's pulled?" last mobs before boss go down: tank pulls boss. group wipes because healer isn't expecting boss' random target DOT and is on half health. healer gets blamed by tank. true story.")

[spoe]

the problem there comes is the lack of any chat bubbles or raid warning function, meaning the average tank who doesn't pay attention to your force also pays little attention to chat (real life example: 2 pulls before boss: "i don't know the tactics for this boss, can someone explain before he's pulled?" last mobs before boss go down: tank pulls boss. group wipes because healer isn't expecting boss' random target DOT and is on half health. healer gets blamed by tank. true story.")

 

Superb points. One reason people post boss strategies on the internet is so that folks can gain insight into others' experiences. These write-ups save tons of time and allow groups to be more prepared on fights. Youtube videos of boss fights are particularly useful because a group can get a visual representation of everything involved in the fight. Why reinvent the wheel, right?

 

All one really has to do is a good search for the flashpoint to get a decent idea of how fights work; these guides take only moments to read or watch and are well worth the effort in the end, if only for the time-saving factor.

 

Here is one website I found in which someone took the time to write a few notes about some of the boss encounters in different flashpoints. Very brief stuff, too. Easy to take notes on.

 

http://feature.mmosite.com/swtor/class_and_flashpoint_guides.shtml (seems to work a bit better with Firefox than IE)

 

Concerning the readiness factor you mentioned, yes, it would be nice to put up some kind of group warning system that allowed a few lines of chat to be splashed on the screen to help avoid impetuous pulls, which happen, of course. People get into a groove and sometimes forget that others in the group need to use their restorative abilities before a pull.

 

I do think, however, that with time, this problem will go away because of the experience people get when they die because a healer started a boss fight with only half his force.

[Gannacus]

First MMO thanks for the guide - have found it an excellent model to start from - putting it into practice with our group of middle aged newbies will be another story though, but should be good fun. Man we have taken some hidings so far.

 

Slowly picking up the terminology that comes with this style of game - however could you explain what gimp means ? I can't picture my Commando in a 1 piece leather Pulp Fiction outfit.

 

Lastly thanks for the enjoyment during the great debate with that Bowser character - very entertaining. I assume one of your crew skills is diplomacy..

 

My diplomacy skills are poor however - therfore I must ask is Flamer the right word for that goat ?

Edited January 11, 2012 by Gannacus