Your opinion; Shard armor and Tank/DPS

dakster · 07-07-2009, 02:03 PM

Im looking for some real world advice and opinion here, from bruisers who successfully DPS and Tank TSO INSTANCES, since this is the level im currently at.

My biggest question that im iffy on is how to gear up with the shard armor for tanking. For DPS obviously I will use AA mirror, and the wilderness warrior set is good for that. But for tanking, im hearing that a problem most tanks fall into is gearing and speccing too defensive, then not being able to do anywhere near enough damage resulting in aggro bouncing clusterfuck that no one wants to group in.

So, whats optimal? Would the optimal tanking shard armor setup be 3 wilderness and 3 jin drake pieces? With GU52 im assuming the Wilderness warrior shoulders are not must haves anymore? or 4 jin drake and 2 wilderness warriors pieces? And which ever piece coordination is the best, which slots of those pieces are the most efficient to pick while filling "3 dps pieces from wilderness" or "3 tank pieces from jin drake"? For tanking, Surely the best is not all jin drake, because of all the STR and DPS stats you lose, correct?

Im looking for any info, opinions, and experiences from successful TSO instance Bruiser tanks, and I appreciate it. Thanks.

Blanka · 07-07-2009, 03:08 PM

I am not a bruiser but go with the WW ones, shit dying faster means you get hit less.

Crabbok · 07-07-2009, 03:13 PM

The only piece of T2 i've ever got was shoulders. One thing to keep in mind, is that if you get a full set of the wilderness gear, it makes it easier on you when going for the T3 set, because you'll be able to get any pieces that drop, instead of say... having only shoulders gloves and helm.... and that T3 set boots drop.

dakster · 07-07-2009, 05:41 PM

would you say that going all WW (which would save me a shit ton of time and shards since i only need 2 pieces to finish the set) for tanking, I could then get a way with speccing a little more defensive in my aa?

Harowen · 07-08-2009, 02:52 AM

For my bruiser I carry around a bag full of gear ranging from max defensive to max offensive. I had a 5 set t2 brawler set, and 3 set ww, I had those 5 shard full defensive jewelry items, and I had gung ho dps items.

It depends more on your group makeup than anything. When I'm not grouping with the usual crowd, I start out in my mixed dps / survival set and in combo stance. I then push towards dps as much as I can go and still live. If I'm spiking during a fight I go defensive. Or I may alter my gear to go a little more defensive. I'll swap in some pieces before a named fight, etc.

You'll be at your best zoning if you're optimizing on the fly for what your group allows for you to accomplish. Sometimes that means sucking it up and telling your group that you must be more defensive in order to live and so would the dps please wait to lay in on shit. Sometimes that means you can wear full offensive gear and tank in offensive stance.

My main's a coercer and so luckily there was jack shit to spend shards on for him. I didn't gray any shards but still had 290 when my bruiser hit 80, so I could spend with impunity and try crap out.

Lobstar · 07-09-2009, 05:29 AM

I have both T2 sets and imo the brawler set (jin drake) smokes the wilderness set in terms of tanking. The extra riposte chance helps proc retribution of stone and the dps stats are really not all bad. Group makeup of course makes a huge difference, but you should be able to hold aggro well enough if you have at least all expert abilities and maybe a master taunt or two. The jin drakes 3 piece set bonus is also a decent taunt proc, though AA will make a far bigger difference for aggro than either sets' bonuses. If you're going to be doing the WoE X2 a lot you may also want to just gear around the particular pattern drops that come your way, you can always mix 3 T2 3 T3 or just mix the 3 pieces from either set.

Insayn · 07-09-2009, 12:41 PM

I recently changed my tank spec for altuism. Its really nice to have if someone in your grp keeps ripping aggro from you.

Crabbok · 07-09-2009, 12:47 PM

if they keep ripping it then you should just let them die. That'll show em!

Gosta Dirk · 07-09-2009, 01:03 PM

If you are going to be both tanking and sometimes dps and only want to spend shards on 1 set, I'd go with 3 from WW set and 4 from Jin set..

Wildernes, I'd take Shoulders, Forearms and Gloves
Jin rest..
That should give you the best overall stats for both in 1 armor set

salsithier · 07-09-2009, 01:50 PM

I also have a couple of the wildneress set and 3 pieces of the Elemental Infused T3 pieces, I figured since noone ever wants those patterns I might give it a try. So far I dont spike incredible bad when tanking and seem to do about 4-5k average on the parse. In raid mode 6-7k depending on group set up.