Turn off Exp to Balance AA? - Be a better Guard leveling up?

Korgin · 06-11-2009, 10:24 AM

Hi guys

I'm currently lv 32 with 23 AA, to ensure I have adequate AA as I level up, should I be turning off combat/quest exp until I have 32 AA to match my level? . I'm concerned that as I understand how important AA are...that as i level if i dont have enough I become a poorer tank due to low AA.

Whats your thoughts guys?

Davngr · 06-11-2009, 11:20 AM

i personaly always level my toons and worrie about AA after im 80 since i find the end game content the funnest.

yes if you turn off exp and only level with quest you will be more powerfull then some tank that just screams thru the levels but he will be tanking T8 and you will still be in ferrot.

either way works it's really up to you and how much you enjoy the lower tier content.

Titanite · 06-11-2009, 11:49 AM

I think there is an arguement that if you want to get to 80 and be a competent tank then its not a bad idea to level lock and see some of the content on the way up. A lot of people will get the idea that they can powerlevel their way up and when they get to 80 they are so fucking fresh that they understand 0 about their class and end up being regarded as a complete fuck-tard.

Parr · 06-11-2009, 12:59 PM

It's so easy to level that you could use this as a viable option.

I have three active accounts so once I zip passed some content I just go back, mentor down to another toon on another account and go back in to finish quests etc.

When leveling my dirge I did this a bunch. I was level 78 with 100AA before I had even stepped into Kunark. I had skipped all of the DoF quest lines as well and maybe completed a dozen quests in the entire EoF expansion.

Now the dirge is 80/139 AA
Raid zones? Nothing except for SoH which I did last night...well, the dirge was boxed following around my inquis. but still got the disco/named kills
TSO instances/Moors quests? None
Kunark quest lines? Jarsath Waste hasn't even been started yet
Kunark Instances? Only CoA done
Chardock/Seb./KC? Nadda except the zone into seb for CoA

Obviously everyone does not have the option of three accounts but the concepts of stopping your exp lvling is an option.

Halbarad · 06-11-2009, 01:17 PM

I think it depends where you want to be when...

Learning to tank is not done by solo questing. You need heroic instances/zones with a fairly balanced group setup to experience the strengths and weaknesses of your class and learn how to deal with them. Who to moderate, why Warlock hate transfer doesn't keep them alive etc.

Depending on your server it will be hard to find groups for heroic zones and instances before T8. Once you are there you can start tanking for groups and learn what to do when.

Starting with the original RoK instances it shouldn't really matter whether you have 140 or 170 AA's. And remember you can always return to older content and do grey quests for the same amount of AA exp.

I would solo quest to 80, start lfg for RoK instances (Crypt of Agony and Vault of Eternal Sleep are good starters, Deep Forge and Scion of Ice in TSO as well), do grey quests while being LFG or while you organize your own group (don't enter without decent hate buffs (increase or transfer)), do your fabled epic...

I think you earn more experience (player skill wise) as a Tank while you tank. Having 10-15 AA more doesn't really matter that much when you start tanking for groups in easy zones where you should learn the basics

daw4888 · 06-11-2009, 03:22 PM

after gu52 it will be better to just go to 80, then work on AA, since you will gain AA at an increased rate from killing mobs once you are 80. Also the addition of another 80 quests in RoK, which you will be 70+ for, will make getting AA a a lot easier

eq2rc · 06-12-2009, 10:28 AM

I agree with Halbarad.

I did it the wrong way in my opinion. I raced my ass up fast as I could to 80 on my Guard. I did it for the most part solo or duo'd with a healer. I hit 80 with around 110 aa.

Mistake was, I didn't really learn to 'tank' duoing. I made up the aa in a short time (I'm now 166) once I started to pay vastly more attention to my class and it's role. I found a guild who at the time was willing to take a second guard on raids as an OT (lucky ass me) for a while to learn the zones - that helped. I also volunteer alot to be the tank for those in my guild working on getting their epics.
Morale of that story? I quickly shifted my mentality from solo/duo to group/raid. I readily admit to having been one of the suck tanks to being at least competent if not pretty good.

If I was to do it again (and I am with a Bruiser - I love tanks) I would avoid solo'ing a Guard like I was dodging the clap... you can't learn to be any good to others and ultimately yourself that way.

serum321 · 06-12-2009, 11:51 AM

The most important thing is kill any and all nameds you can, quests can be complete much quicker when they are grey.