How is tanking in swtor ?

[ZeroEdgeir]

I had ran a Trooper Vanguard to level 25 during beta, found the ranged-tanking (well, from 10M out for many of the Vanguard skills), was fun.

Now, I am trying out the Jedi Shadow, and OMG...

Shadow/Assassin: Stealth, Sap, Backstab, Stance to boost armor by 150% (You still use Light) and proc a small self heal on roughly every other hit, Shield Block on a 12 sec CD (it gives 8 charges of +20% shield chance, lasting 20 sec)... it's just freakin crazy!

[Bearshield]

It's hard. Compared to WoW:

500% threat vs 60% threat
Multiple short CD AoE skills vs 2 long CD aoe skills
Threat meter vs no threat meter

Compared to WoW, tanking is difficult.

You forgot to mention no target of target, which imo also adds to the difficulty.

I'm leveling a Jedi Guardian and for the first couple fp's, it wasn't too bad but last night doing the Mandalorian one was a nightmare. At level 25 I have 1 aoe ability on a 15 sec cd, 1 single target taunt, and zero high threat abilities. I imagine watching a video of me tanking that would look something like watching pingpong, as I often was running back and forth between mobs trying to get a couple hits in before having to turn and do that with another one. Doesn't help that there's no target of target, so my guildies all just do their own thing while I'm frantically trying to get things under control. Single target threat, however, is just as easy as in WoW. The next dungeon we did with my husband tanking on his dps spec Vanguard and he didn't have anywhere near the trouble I did holding aggro.

I imagine it will get better as I level and increase my toolbox but for now, yeah anything more than two is annoying. As far as defensive ability, I have 2 cd's, my aoe is talented to decrease the mobs hit chance, and one of my attacks procs a defense buff so at least survival wise I'm doin ok.

[StationaryHawk]

The lack of target of target, added with how vague what player some mobs are attacking can be, makes it difficult all in itself. Single target is just as simple as any other game, but when there are multiple ranged targets and each member of your group finds it necessary to attack a different target, it can get a bit more hectic.

That said, I'm enjoying it. It'll probably get better as I level.

[Yoshimiko]

Whether or not they support addons, they will exist. Look at FFXI - the tried to deny the players addons, literally hundreds of addons came because of it. Can't stop the addon/modding community, don't even try :P.

[Deleted]

If the combat log records threat in any way, shape or form there'll be a threat meter sooner rather than later. Count on that.

There is no combat log.

[mace16]

It is certainly a lot tougher than WoW. I can see lvl 50 heroics needing kill targets because AoE tanking doesn't cut it and you can lose aggro fast if you're not on a mob being targeted by a dps.

Also the lack of target of target makes this somewhat more difficult.

[Buckwald]

I can tell you right now, as a JK:GD tank, single target tanking is easy (talent into Lunge and Blade Barricade and spam Riposte when possible) but AOE tanking is a pain. When trying to tank a pack of mobs, I normally do the same thing:

Force Leap -> Force Sweep -> Rotate through the mobs.

We do have some AOE cool downs, you just have to use them at the right time.

Example:
The last boss in Athiss spawns 4 adds that come from a door. I tanked him with my back towards the door, I had to use my AOE slow plus my 1 AOE attack to get them to stack on me. Luckily they were standard mobs and melted when the 2 DPS hit them. But, if I missed 1 CD they were all over the map.

[Arlan]

I have to say that I enjoy this different approach. I´ve got a Sith Inquisitor, mostly a healer. When a group of republic troopers spawn from a close door I don´t increase the healing on the jugg by my side to keep him up, but instead I intercept them, CC, stun and damage them, having some eventually killed, while keeping an eye on my "tank´s" health. Far more fun that a simpler key-smash healing process

[JustintimeSS]

I've tanked for pugs and guild run flashpoints now (sith warrior) and all I can say is, it reminds me of vanilla wow tanking to an extent.

I have to -
tab target and spread sundering assault and other attacks around
use retaliation when it procs
save backhand for that useful stun
use force choke on that caster mob who didn't come to me
^^ except change to force scream
save smash for grouping/knowing something will spawn
use force push smartly
save taunt
kite with my chilling scream to get force charge again
mark targets for kill order
know the boss/mob abilities
manage CD's
use stims

I had the unpleasant time spent with ONE bad dps out of the 50 or some Ive grouped with so far. He was a marauder and had the awesome idea that he should force charge everything (including bosses) when he felt like it - aka not wait for me. Just want to point out, I go pretty fast, watch resource/health levels and know what I'm doing. This guy just HAD to always go first, even after I told him to stop. After the 3rd time he died he started bitching at the healer. Other than him, I have had no issues with pug dps killing marked targets first or just being super cool.

My biggest complaint is that all my abilities are similar colored. When an ability comes off of CD or a proc is up, I have to literally be staring at my bar (not the combat area which I want to look at) to see it. I want proc watch or power aura or a shine/glow on a proc/ability ending it's CD. I hate staring at my bars but I can't miss a retaliate or miss the second sundering assault comes off of CD.

[chaddd]

Are there such this as NOT turning your back to a boss in this game because he will hit you/crit you? Tanking now I know not to do this but if I am being that mobile running around in swtor do I have to be concerned about this?

[Hellfury]

I'm leveling a Jedi Guardian and for the first couple fp's, it wasn't too bad but last night doing the Mandalorian one was a nightmare. At level 25 I have 1 aoe ability on a 15 sec cd, 1 single target taunt, and zero high threat abilities. I imagine watching a video of me tanking that would look something like watching pingpong, as I often was running back and forth between mobs trying to get a couple hits in before having to turn and do that with another one. Doesn't help that there's no target of target, so my guildies all just do their own thing while I'm frantically trying to get things under control. Single target threat, however, is just as easy as in WoW. The next dungeon we did with my husband tanking on his dps spec Vanguard and he didn't have anywhere near the trouble I did holding aggro.

Also leveled a JK guardian in beta up to 20 and from my understanding with the Guard buff on trash packs you can just give to some high DPS, and on AOe trash packs you just focus on the silver or gold mobs and let the DPS finish the lower ones thats what I did on hammer and Athiss and healer was happy


Diferent color for tanked mobs in nameplates and ToT would be a huuuge help for tanks

[Deleted]

I can tell you one thing, Better then WoW.

[Kurllkrum]

Necro-ing this thread as I gave up on wow after final tier of cata (killing Deathwing), especially as difficulty was going down down down every week, guildies CBA to run hardmodes and risk a few wipes learning mechanic changes, and tanking on my warrior was reduced to heroic leap>rend>thunderclap>AFK in dungeons and LFR, and raid fights got boring spamming same rotation and waiting for "the event" when I had to move a bit or pop a cool down...or didn't by the time I called it quits and went to D3.
Just got started leveling a Sith Juggernaut in SWTOR, was intending to play for free until I found AH use and zero bank slots available, so I suscribed.

Love the feel of tanking so far (at level 20 now). Actually requiring some thought again in pulling, rotating between mobs, and awareness...everything wow was lacking for me. Does feel somewhat of a wow clone abilities wise, Smash=Thunder Clap, Sundering Assault=Sunder, Guard=Vigilance etc. etc. but the game play responding to mobs actions rather than the threat meter is a bonus. I'd turned my Omen off in Cata, it's not like I ever lost threat! I turned it back on occasionally just to see which LFR huntard was the one pull/feigning! I loved those guys...nothing like picking up a messy pull to make it enjoyable!

[Deleted]

I enjoy tanking on my Juggernaut, I don't do high end ops but the HM FPs and story mode Ops I have tanked I enjoyed. It took me a while to get used to not pulling every mob in a group, I spent my first half a dozen flashpoints running around like a headless chicken trying to get agro from all of the spread out ranged mobs before I realised that any semi competent DPSers and healer can take out a couple of strong mobs while I hold agro on the goldies.
I especially like tanking in PvP, the guard abliity and taunt mechanism give you a real feel that you are contributing to the team keeping people alive that little bit longer. Nothing better in game than standing with a good healer holding a door in VS against nearly the whole opposing team while your mates respawn.

[notorious98]

Necro-ing this thread as I gave up on wow after final tier of cata (killing Deathwing), especially as difficulty was going down down down every week, guildies CBA to run hardmodes and risk a few wipes learning mechanic changes, and tanking on my warrior was reduced to heroic leap>rend>thunderclap>AFK in dungeons and LFR, and raid fights got boring spamming same rotation and waiting for "the event" when I had to move a bit or pop a cool down...or didn't by the time I called it quits and went to D3.
Just got started leveling a Sith Juggernaut in SWTOR, was intending to play for free until I found AH use and zero bank slots available, so I suscribed.

Love the feel of tanking so far (at level 20 now). Actually requiring some thought again in pulling, rotating between mobs, and awareness...everything wow was lacking for me. Does feel somewhat of a wow clone abilities wise, Smash=Thunder Clap, Sundering Assault=Sunder, Guard=Vigilance etc. etc. but the game play responding to mobs actions rather than the threat meter is a bonus. I'd turned my Omen off in Cata, it's not like I ever lost threat! I turned it back on occasionally just to see which LFR huntard was the one pull/feigning! I loved those guys...nothing like picking up a messy pull to make it enjoyable!

The single biggest difference in tanking in this game as opposed to WoW is that your taunt isn't just a "use it when you lose threat" ability. You actually can, and should, use it in your rotation as it will become your single biggest threat producer. Of course you'll want to make sure it's not on CD whenever you have to tank swap, but when you don't, use it. Basically (in case you don't know) it takes the current person pulling the most threat and throws 10% more threat on top of it. It's definitely worth using a GCD for.

[Vankrys]

i have to say, although swtor has issues gameplay wise, we all know it, tanking in that game fun.

It felt i was back in TBC. I really have to be on the ball to hold aggro. They tuned it so (at least at the start of the fight), you really have to compete with dps for the aggro. You can really see the good tank and the bad tank.

Of course, holding aggro is not all that a tank has to worry about, he must worry about it's own survivability, using med pack or cooldown, positioning of himself and the boss, have a good situational awareness, but in this game, on top of that, he mustn't screz up his rotation or he might lose aggro.

I find it fun personally. I was getting bored in wow.

[anyaka21]

I dont get it, why does a futuristic game with lasersables, high tech guns and bloody robots need a healer and a tank?

by the same token why does a fantasy mmo need a tank? Would you really be interested in fighting something that does little to no damage vs 15 other people that are blasting away with fireballs? All because he says "you big f@#%@fking dumarse, fight me!!!" Or would you be more interested in killing off the people that are healing everyone and keeping them alive?

[notorious98]

by the same token why does a fantasy mmo need a tank? Would you really be interested in fighting something that does little to no damage vs 15 other people that are blasting away with fireballs? All because he says "you big f@#%@fking dumarse, fight me!!!" Or would you be more interested in killing off the people that are healing everyone and keeping them alive?

I'm just going to throw this out there, but the person you're responding to didn't post in this thread in over a year. Someone necro'd it.

[anyaka21]

I'm just going to throw this out there, but the person you're responding to didn't post in this thread in over a year. Someone necro'd it.

haha, didn't even realize this was a necroed thread

[Gereorth666]

(I guess lack of target-of-target contributes to this)

There is an option to turn ToT on. So that's not the problem. Most people at low level don't honestly think it would matter that much. And when you start with Black Talon, chances are you don't even have your tanking stance.

EDIT: Shit.. Didn't realise this thread was brought back from the dead..