EQZerker73

I just betrayed over from a Zerker this last Sun night, due to my guild's MT Guard quitting. We are in the process of raiding VP, and I need to learn as much about the Combat Art abilities, their rotation, timing, and function as possible. I have 165 AAs, and almost 14K HP self buffed.

My questions is do the guardians have a source of refrence for Comabat Art descriptions and their functions. I am suprised that this forum does not have a distinct Sticky for CA abilitites.

I am not new to tanking, but I am in the process of setting up a rotation of CA abilities. I can tell its going to change with the upcoming patch being tested on the test server, but if some of you can take the time and post some screen shots of your CA rotation lineup, or explain the CA rotation you all use and why.

For now, most times I start off with with an AoE taunt off the bat, then Decimate line, Accelerated Strikes from Int AA line, single target taunt, and then mash the rest out. MY DPS is horrible, but again I dont know my CA's well as of yet.

My next question when is the best time to cast reinforcement, at the start of the fight, mid way, when you lose agro (which is not pretty), or when ever?

In terms of the situtational spellls like Sentry Watch and Sentinel Sphere, Are they even worth using and focusing on them. What is the ideal time and situation to use them. I have not used these CAs yet.

When you lose agro, and all the snap agro tools are down, what can you all suggest that I cast to support the raid or group. I know that we have an AoE type shielding spell for the group I can cast, a single target shielding for 1 hit, intercede... but The spell I am most confused about, and I cant remember its name, but you can cast it on a group member, its on a timer, but its spell descrition says that if the target dies, one of the effects is that it casts reinforecement. By reading the spell descrition I dont understand the purpose or function of this spell as of yet.

For those of you that are willing to contribute to this post I thank you.

Ixer

As far as casting order, I start with Acceleration strike, then Executioners Fury, then Lay waste, but I also time my auto attacks, with enough double attack most of your DPS between 50-65% should be auto attack. if your rocking your epic and running with a dirge/coercer/templar/defiler MT group you can just pause a moment between each CA and let your auto attack go off, Sentry watch, I use it once in a while; if my dirge or coercer are about to die. Sentinel sphere I use it every chance I get, with the small range of 10 meters most of the rest of your group will be out of range. When I loose aggro, depending on range and the target I drop intercede and recover; If I have nothing up I call to my OT to pick it up until I can recover it; usually they have rescue or some other recovery up. The spell your are talking about is your group death prevent, will prevent 1 death and increase your threat position by 1. But timing your auto attacks, use your epic/mythical which ever you have and TIME if you dont your DpS will be crap.

Chumann

Couple points:

1) Almost 14k HP is a little low. I understand that you haven't cleared VP yet, but with the newer gear out and the AAs that you have, you should be able to hit 15k selfbuffed.

2) Don't use Sentinel Sphere as a group protection thing in a raid. Use it as a way to chance proc stoneskins on yourself. Read the description again and you'll notice that when it's cast anytime anyone in the group takes damage (including you) a stoneskin is cast on you, the guard, to absorb the next hit.

In theory, it's used to protect the group by intercepting damage they would normally take and stoneskining some of that damage. In practice though, it's basically just a chance to proc six stoneskins on yourself when you're MTing.

3) I've found reinforcement is best used before you lose aggro. I usually use it once the mob is set to guarantee a hold throughout the duration of the fight.

4) Sentry Watch is ok, but if you have to use it often, then the MT group really isn't doing their job.

5) If you lose aggro and all your snap tools are down, use Intercede or just focus on DPS and big hitters to get it back. This is no different than any tank class really.

6) For CA order, I cast Acceleration Strike, Decimate, Exec. Wrath, Mar, Exact Strike, Debuffs/DoTs, Whatever is remaining. Keep your DoTs running for maximum sustained damage output.

More important than your CAs though is timing your autoattacks. 55% or more of a guard's dps should be from their auto attack.


**MOST OF THIS WILL CHANGE WITH LU51!!!!!!!**

Anap KaSplat

Use Sentry Watch to save your group members when stuff seems to be going wrong... maybe like on the pull for hard mobs when it's likely (for me anyway) for everything you throw at the mob to either miss or get resisted and the mobs wants to go eat your MT shaman.

Sentinel Sphere... I wish this had a faster recast, I use it all the time. It doesn't stay waiting on my hotbar for long, that's for sure. Use it for the stoneskin triggers, the damage intercept is a pile of shit anyway.

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Maybe EQ2 just isn't your game. I know! Let's have a spelling contest!

Anap KaSplat

Fixed. I don't see how reinforcement will guarantee you to hold the mon throughout the duration of the fight. The hate positional effect of reinforcement is where it's at. The threat proced from reinforcement is crap. In your case, you're using it when your already #1 on the hate list and therefore not gaining *much* hate overall from it - which doesn't make any sense to me.

__________________

Maybe EQ2 just isn't your game. I know! Let's have a spelling contest!

Throbbin

I use reinforcement when I have to go piss!

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EQZerker73

Thank you for everyone who responded.

Davngr

another good time to use reinforce is when dispatch is called and people start leaning into the mob. think this was what chumann was talking about.

ps. frankly cant see why you would betray to guard right now with how strong zerks are on AE content but either way it's probly a good time to do it. since all tanks will basicly be re-learning how to hold agro after LU51(if it goes thru)

EQZerker73

What date is LU51 intended to be patched live?

Falken

Was confused by this part, surely you just read the attacks themselves?

but yeah there is actually a few threads on CA order.