Two Handed Warrior Tanking.

[Airwaves]

Hi, I rerolled at the start of f2p after having a break from rift and thought I would give 2 handed warrior tanking spec a go. I use void knight/warlord. This lets me block with a 2h. I have got nothing by prases and been told how good of a tank I was at the end of almost every 5man. I take so little damage I can pretty much solo 5mans and have before when dps/heals have died on bosses.

BUT! Here is the problem. I am level 52 and levelled almost all the way by tanking 5mans and in almost every single one i have been laughed at, told I was bad, told to leave, told I will do a shit job, asked what the hell I am doing in there with a 2hander and generally abused to the shit house before we have even started. Tanks are very rare and these people abuse the shit out of someone who is will to do the job for them and could do the job without there help by soloing it.

I have tanked in mmos for 10 fucking years now and people still abuse me for doing the roll before I even show them how good I am at it. It's those people that turn people away from tanking and why almost every single game has a shortage of tanks. Here are people who have obviously never tanked before and are abusing someone who is willing to do it for them because they are to ignorant to have a look into what type of tank specs there are in rift.

This is the kind of thing that turned me away from tanking (which I know I am amazing at) in wow and it's going to do the same thing in rift. I had heard about the major shortage of tanks in rift that is why I picked one. To do everyone a favour and help shorten the q's but this kind of stuff is making me want to go back to being a mindless dps.

The same people that abused me at the start are the same people who tell me I did such a job at the end but I have never got a sorry from them for judging me before we have even started.

[zito]

You lose a lot of Armour/resist without a shield. I don't think its optimal for progression but It's fine if you outgear the content or if it's just for 5 mans.

But it's just putting strain on yourself and group for no reason. But you look cool in the process.

---------- Post added 2013-06-26 at 01:15 AM ----------

Here:

http://www.riftscene.com/guides/clas...nk-hybrid-2-2/

Keep a 1h+shield with your 2h. If you are struggling switch to 1h+shield but you will pull decent DPS a long with tanking. If you are progressive raider I wouldn't do this spec. If you are on farm go nuts.

[Fencers]

Not possible for serious content.

Warlord is not a tank soul. It is a defensive soul, meant as a hybrid for PVP and PVE solo content per direct developer statement. Lead developer statement.

That being said, if you have enough gear to compensate for the loss of Armor and Endurance [what a shield grants in spades]-- tanking with a 2h weapon or dual wielding is super duper fun. I do it all the time.

People are jerks sometimes. If you can tank the dungeon just fine then do whatever you feel like. They need you more than you need them. Know that as a a tank, you are the center of their world for the next half hour to an hour.

[Pachycrocuta]

That kind of attitude is what made me drop my paladin in WoW in favor of my warlock. I have not picked up a tank or healer in Rift. Well, I did try out a cleric healer, but so far have abandoned him at level 11. Figured I would run a healer for IAs since you never see any (and sometimes you do need one), but dropped him when some douche defiant decided to call me crap, trash, and a virgin because it took me about 30 seconds to kill a faerie in Silverwood IA as warden/sentinel. If that's the kind of attitude I can expect from people now that it is free to play, I ain't being anything other than dps (and support on my rogue, as tactician/bard is too strong not to go with while leveling). It's also the reason I have not stepped foot into a dungeon except back in april 2012 when I was running with Gaiscioch on my mage.

Really starting to question even playing MMORPGs anymore, as this type of attitude is too damn prevalent anymore. Trying to remove the negativity in my life, which is damn near impossible with the playerbase of mmos nowadays. With my former guild basically quitting Rift in favor of GW2, I am reluctant to join another as I just know there will be people with the 4chan mindset/attitude in them, and I just can't put up with that shit anymore.

[Airwaves]

Oh I never plan on raiding with it. Its just a fun spec to level with. I never take damage in a 5man with it. The healer could afk for all i cared. Its the attitude that i get from other players before i can even prove that it works fine in 5mans that i have a problem with. The idea that its fine to abuse a tank before the run as even started that is pissing me off. People wonder why there is a shortage of tanks and this is one of many reasons.

[Deleted]

*snip*

Somehow what you've told reminds me of ppl for removing me from the LFG group for playing a spec that doesn't deal "good" dmg. Reminds me of some several situations: ppl asking me why the hell I play a frost mage in a 5 man dungeon and then kick me after 1 pull. Tank is laughing at me for playing a failspec, sith assassin dps and vote kick me straight away and I got removed instantly.

I think ppl aren't abusing you, but misjudging you. I believe it's when ppl see you are playing a "failspec", a spec that can't work/perform well, they will laugh at you, scold you at you, remove you from the group, etc. Also I think there is a group of impatient ppl that want to do dungeons in a short amount of time possible for the rewards. So if you are playing a spec that might slow down the group they will do the same thing too, ask you to leave or you receive an instant removal.

For serious progression content I can understand some specs can't work well. Sometimes it hurts me to see again and again ppl just judging you purely based on the spec you are playing and not looking at the content we play. I ask myself again and again, why can't I play the spec I like? And what if I don't play the spec that deals the most dmg? I outgeared the content or it's a dungeon, the spec doesn't matter as long as we can finish the content... Then again I will go like: "Oh yeah, it's LFG, just ignore it. Oh damn, I was in the queue for 1 hour and just got removed... terrific... /sigh"

[Recondition]

Somehow what you've told reminds me of ppl for removing me from the LFG group for playing a spec that doesn't deal "good" dmg. Reminds me of some several situations: ppl asking me why the hell I play a frost mage in a 5 man dungeon and then kick me after 1 pull. Tank is laughing at me for playing a failspec, sith assassin dps and vote kick me straight away and I got removed instantly.

I think ppl aren't abusing you, but misjudging you. I believe it's when ppl see you are playing a "failspec", a spec that can't work/perform well, they will laugh at you, scold you at you, remove you from the group, etc. Also I think there is a group of impatient ppl that want to do dungeons in a short amount of time possible for the rewards. So if you are playing a spec that might slow down the group they will do the same thing too, ask you to leave or you receive an instant removal.

For serious progression content I can understand some specs can't work well. Sometimes it hurts me to see again and again ppl just judging you purely based on the spec you are playing and not looking at the content we play. I ask myself again and again, why can't I play the spec I like? And what if I don't play the spec that deals the most dmg? I outgeared the content or it's a dungeon, the spec doesn't matter as long as we can finish the content... Then again I will go like: "Oh yeah, it's LFG, just ignore it. Oh damn, I was in the queue for 1 hour and just got removed... terrific... /sigh"

There's a difference between playing a nonoptimal dps spec (which I'd only kick if it was a serious problem--the spec couldn't give the dps we need to progress or it's just too slow) and a tank purposely gimping themselves for aesthetics. Especially since I primarily heal dungeons--I'm just in there to get my points and get out and hopefully enjoy the experience, I don't want to have to work extra hard because someone else wants to use a 2 hander instead of a shield for example.

[Vespian]

Tanking with a twohander, with specs/classes that are not designed for it. Why. For gods sake why. Because you look cool? Because trust me, you're the only one thinking that. The rest of the party just silently hopes you're not both acting cool and a complete idiot.They hope you're only the first. They're silently facepalming behind their desks. They're rolling their eyes because they have to endure another yolo kid.

P.S. You are not a tank, so don't pretend people abuse you. You don't represent tanks. You're a minority within a minority, of which the latter considers your minority as a disgrace to their own.

[Aydinx2]

Since the amount of dungeons at a given level during progression isn't that big, most of the time I end up running the same dungeon multiple times in a row for the gear or xp.
If I see somebody tank with anything other than a shield, it's a kick for them or a leave for me.
I don't feel like spending the extra time just because a person wants to look cool.

[Stormcall]

Tanking with a twohander, with specs/classes that are not designed for it.

Being new to the game, what IS Warlord designed for then? They are labeled as a defensive soul(like all the tanking souls are), they have a talent in the tree that specifically allows them to block with a 2 hander, along with several talents and abilities that either directly reduce damage taken or reduce damage taken via increasing armor/resists(Defensive Posture, Defensive Surge), plus they have a little self healing via Recovery Posture/Battlefield Medic, plus several abilities that taunt...this is all tankish stuff, so if they aren't designed for tanking, what, exactly, is their purpose? Are they like an off-tank spec or something?

[Fencers]

Being new to the game, what IS Warlord designed for then?

Daglar said it was meant to be more a solo & pvp soul.

Essentially, a hybrid soul that allows some survival and offense. Something a solo warrior could mix in with Paladin or Champion equally. They also introduced DPS shields for Warriors in SL. Also to achieve the same effect; a solid defensive option without being a full tank.

2h weapon blocking was originally a PVP only talent. When Trion removed the PVP souls, 2h weapon blocking was moved over to a warlord [the pvp/solo hybrid soul] perk.

[Stormcall]

Daglar said it was meant to be more a solo & pvp soul.

Okay, that sorta explains it, but...why taunts, then? If you're solo, either the mobs are only gonna be going for you anyway, or you're doing a rift event or something, why would you want to take more damage than you have to? Near as I can tell in this game, Taunts are mainly something for tanks in dungeon/raid content. Is it just a holdover from a prior build or something?

[Fencers]

Well, the taunts are useful for several reasons to the solo;

A. Warlord can be used in combination with other souls. Such as Paladin, which has great synergy with WL due to all the reactive abilities that are triggered on block.

B. In events and Rifts, it's highly useful to pull in a mob(s) into range of AOE attacks [WL aoe is also reactive] or cannons. Especially if the mobs are dead set on hitting the sourcewell cannons or another player out of reach of your aoe.

C. The WL taunts are both a pull-in as well as a taunt.

D. WL can drop their threat if need be, to maintain the utility of the pull-in without the taunt.

E. Some souls such as Champion, Paladin or Paragon can use reactives that are both offensive and defensive. Such as predictable movements or healing back up via chains of life [Champ].

F. Having a multiple mob grabbing tools is SUPER useful when AOE grinding.

For example, I often charge [Into The Breech] one mob, tab to a second [Bull Rush], range hit a third [Shock Pulse] and lastly taunt/pull-in a ranged mob into my AOE. When all grouped up I unload with Killing Field/Wave of Steel/Cornered Beast/Bladefury. And I am still standing there at 90% HP as the amount of AOE I unload in 2-3 seconds heals me to full while proccing any number of trinkets & passives I have open.

One is not always in dire straights by having a taunt open to them as a Warrior.

Trion could have made the WL taunts just straight up pull-ins. But that limits the utility Orders brings to the tank specs. It's much more flexible to have a taunt/pull-in open to many souls then the other way around.

Lastly, taking damage is only one aspect of tanking. The essences of the role is control.

[Stormcall]

Well, the taunts are useful for several reasons to the solo;

A. Warlord can be used in combination with other souls. Such as Paladin, which has great synergy with WL due to all the reactive abilities that are triggered on block.

B. In events and Rifts, it's highly useful to pull in a mob(s) into range of AOE attacks [WL aoe is also reactive] or cannons. Especially if the mobs are dead set on hitting the sourcewell cannons or another player out of reach of your aoe.

C. The WL taunts are both a pull-in as well as a taunt.

D. WL can drop their threat if need be, to maintain the utility of the pull-in without the taunt.

E. Some souls such as Champion, Paladin or Paragon can use reactives that are both offensive and defensive. Such as predictable movements or healing back up via chains of life [Champ].

F. Having a multiple mob grabbing tools is SUPER useful when AOE grinding.

For example, I often charge [Into The Breech] one mob, tab to a second [Bull Rush], range hit a third [Shock Pulse] and lastly taunt/pull-in a ranged mob into my AOE. When all grouped up I unload with Killing Field/Wave of Steel/Cornered Beast/Bladefury. And I am still standing there at 90% HP as the amount of AOE I unload in 2-3 seconds heals me to full while proccing any number of trinkets & passives I have open.

One is not always in dire straights by having a taunt open to them as a Warrior.

Trion could have made the WL taunts just straight up pull-ins. But that limits the utility Orders brings to the tank specs. It's much more flexible to have a taunt/pull-in open to many souls then the other way around.

Lastly, taking damage is only one aspect of tanking. The essences of the role is control.

But everything with the mob grabbing and aoe pull ins and such can be done without the taunt...adding a taunt in a tree that is supposedly NOT a tanking soul seems a little odd...and from what I've seen, the only souls with taunts are the ones Trion considers tanking souls. So I was wondering why this tree is not a tanking soul(from what people are saying here) when everything I see, looking at it and looking at other souls, and going by Trion's labelling system, says that it is. If people are gonna jump down the guy's throat about being a bad tank or whatever, I'm just wondering why, so I don't potentially make the same mistakes in the future. Cause from what I see of the trees, he's playing a tank spec, using a talent the spec expressly gives him. And while I personally have no real desire to tank on my warrior, I might want to on another class, but I was wondering is there some way to know which souls to avoid and some way to identify which are tanks and which are not, since apparently, being classified as a "defensive soul" and having multiple tank-based talents is not actually an indicator of being a tank.

[meathead]

Armour in rift actually matters unlike wow.i play warlord myself but only pvp,if your ding well with a 2 hander in pve.try a 1 hander and shield and you will do all the better.

[Kelimbror]

Yeah no offense, as your point is that people are harsh...but you are showing up as a tank without a proper tank spec or gear. What you are able to do b/c you outgear content is irrelevant. It would be like a Warrior in (older) WoW showing up as Fury/Prot and dual wielding instead of using a shield. 'But guys, it's ok b/c I can heal with bloodthirst. Let's do this! Leeerroooy Jenkinnns.'

That's how you appear. It is unfortunate, as you sound both capable mentally and gear wise to accomplish how you want to play, but this just reminds me of the same silly types of threads about Moonkin/shaman being viable tanks in *insert expansion here*. You aren't playing the game how it is designed, which is fine for you, probably fine for your friends, but not fine for anyone who is taking what they are doing seriously.

I wouldn't insult you for it, but I would ask what you were doing and promptly leave if you refused to use proper gear/spec. It wouldn't matter how good you were at it, not worth dealing with it.

[zito]

Switching from reaver to warlord tank just to piss people off

[Fencers]

But everything with the mob grabbing and aoe pull ins and such can be done without the taunt.

I just explained situations in the post quoted where you need a taunt for to achieve a desired goal.

The utility of having a taunt as a zero point spec is part of Warlord. Tanking is not.

There are two options;
1. Have a pull-in, no taunt.
2. Have a pull-in with taunt.

The second is more flexible to more souls. That is why Orders functions as a taunt currently.

It's not that odd if you consider Warlord is meant as a splash soul, basically.

[Stormcall]

I just explained situations in the post quoted where you need a taunt for to achieve a desired goal.

The utility of having a taunt as a zero point spec is part of Warlord. Tanking is not.

There are two options;
1. Have a pull-in, no taunt.
2. Have a pull-in with taunt.

The second is more flexible to more souls. That is why Orders functions as a taunt currently.

It's not that odd if you consider Warlord is meant as a splash soul, basically.

Taunt isn't a 0 point spec, technically. To get the Taunt you have to be in Defensive/Recovery Posture, which is actually a 4 point spec. Not hard, but still, why is warlord the only "splash" soul with a taunt...and why don't other tank souls have their taunts lower in the tree? Plus General's Orders has a taunt too, and if you've spent 44 in Warlord...that's a primary soul not a splash soul.

[Sorrior]

I saw a warrior 2h tanking and TBH we went fast he never died not even close....No oen bicthed or moaned was awesome..So yeah at least in low level 5 mans it CAN work and be badass.