My Guardians Aggro Problem

Backin · 06-07-2007, 08:43 PM

Ok let me first say that my guardian is not my main, nor will it ever probably be. However it was the first Character I created long ago and stopped playing him due to the class being so dependent on others players to get things done.

Just recently I grinded him to lvl 70 and he currently has 61 AA"s (50 in KOS tree). I am still working on getting his AA"s done but I have a HUGE problem with my guards.

I won't say he is poorly equipped cause that wouldn't be true but he is not well equipped yet either. He has all Masters and Adept 3's

Taunts are Vindictive Strike (M1), Protection (M2), Confront (Adp3), Goading Assault (Adp3), Rescue (M1), Reinforcement (Adp3), Inflaming Defense (Adp3)

He went STR 4 4 4 9 AGI 4 4 8 8 INT 4 1 (Soon to get rid of the INT line. the extra haste I didn't find very useful).

I am unable to kick aggro in some situations for some reason, mainly large and multiple encounter pulls. Is there some trick that I am missing to playing a guardian to control aggro better? STA line is not an option for me one bit. I have a decent weapon but not a good one. I have Zek's Fist from Nizara atm. It is hte best weapon I have found atm.

Keep in mind that I am very familar with tanking and am in no way, shape or form new to it. When I form to do something on my Main (Swash) the group is usually formed around him tanking what we are going after. I keep aggro better on my swash then I do on my guardian. That is just not right. My guardian should be able to keep aggro a hell of a lot easier then what he is currently.

I use moderate on the appropriate person in the groups I am in to try and ensure that that person will not cause aggro issues.

Call me a newb or what you want but I am completely clueless as to what I am missing regarding holding aggro. I rarely lose aggro ON my swash but I lose it frequently on my Guardian. Oh and yes I use DPS combat arts not just my taunts as damage help hold aggro.

Any advice? Any questions to clarify something?
Please no question about why i tank on my swash.

P.S. I just want 1 of each archtype lvl 70 and he was my highest lvl fighter. I just feel it isn't right to have and play a class at your disposal if they can't do what you want them to do.

Ishbu · 06-07-2007, 10:39 PM

Get the agility line instead of the intelilgence line would be my suggestion. The 24% hurricane thing is great for helping to hold aggro on multiple encounters/mobs.

Backin · 06-07-2007, 11:10 PM

I got that already capped. first thing i capped once i got hate gain capped.

Vaux · 06-08-2007, 12:49 AM

Quote:

STA line is not an option for me one bit

Is your problem.

You're listing taunts and their quality like they're worth a damn. The way you hold aggro is to beat the shit out of the mobs.

The only time you spec a tower shield is when you're full fabled, fully mastered and run in a raid guild that can give the support buffs to make aggro a non-issue. And even then you only do it if you're focussed on tanking endgame stuff and are happy to sacrifice faster trash clearing on the remaining 97% of raid content and all heroic stuff. If you're getting the crap beaten out of you against heroics then you still can pull a tower shield with a buckler spec but not before you tell the healer to come back from afk.

Str 4 4 8 is worth more than Str 4 4 4 9. 8 points in +defense are also of little value if you're mostly tanking heroics. The tried and tested spec for aggro is str 4 4 8 sta 4 4 8 agi 4 4 8. As far as tricks go Plant + Reinforcement + Besiege + Dragoon Spin + Goading Assault is pretty reliable.

Grevious · 06-08-2007, 01:02 AM

Like vaux said that if you want aggro and only on herioc crap str, agi and sta is the way to go that maxes out the hate the most. I went fully down agi and down str minus final. I love that spec but always have dirge and hate transfer with me. If you get even one of those while grouping aggro should also never be a issue just then moderate the top aggro whore and you are gtg.

Epitaphe · 06-08-2007, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backin

He went STR 4 4 4 9 AGI 4 4 8 8 INT 4 1 (Soon to get rid of the INT

HACK!!!

if stam isnt an option for you then i d say max out the crit in str line, use macro to use the str axe ca for 1 guarantee crit, use the agi line maxing cyclone like ishbu adviced..

obelisk79 · 06-08-2007, 11:05 AM

I think you're selling yourself short by not considering STA. More dps = faster killing.

Kia · 06-08-2007, 01:51 PM

I guess the question would be, when are you losing agro?
All the time?
Only to certain classes?
Group encounters?
Single targets?

If it's group encounters, and it's the mob you're not currently on, it's likely an AE'er pulling agro. This is common for guardians.

If it's on single targets, who's pulling the agro from you? If it's just anyone.... you need to be daunting more, hitting harder, and using reinforcement + plant.

If it's an over-nuking wizzie/necro/whatever, just giggle as they die. ;)

~Kia

Backin · 06-08-2007, 06:04 PM

Singles

If we are fighting just one heroic mob then, the only time I lose aggro is on rare occassion from something like (manaburn etc). No big deal.

Single target epics in labs, which is the only zone my guard has tanked thus far would be peeled from him on a regular basis from both brigands and SK's (without there group hate thing). Usually around 20% of the mobs health on average I would lose it but not ever time. This is with an Assassin and a Dirge (not a good one but I had the buffs I should have minus Luck of the Dirge. I think he/she only had adp 1 of hate gain also)

Groups

On herioc groups ranging from 2 to whatever SOE decides it varies a bit depending on the classes a little bit as it should. I usually am able to keep aggro on the one we are focusing on but tend to lose it on the rest of the enc. Depends on how fast they die, recast of my spells and waht not.

On epic groups it is completely the opposite. Labs is the only example I have atm. When fighting hte group of 2-4 I was able to keep aggro on the ones we were not focusing on but lost aggro more often then I should on the one we were focusing on.

On a side note I have noticed this also pertaiing Herioc content. This has happened on my Swash, Guard, and my 44 bruiser. I first noticed this problem in CT and was able to find out what caused it. When the first 2 mobs in any enc of 3 or moe in CT die the rest of the enc goes after someone other then the tank(me). No pattern to who it went after I don't know if this was ever fixed or not. Grinding my guardian in SoS through most of his 60's the same type of ting was happening but it wasn't completely predictable like in CT. It would have only sometimes and even on groups of 2. I am unable to figure out what is causing this. IT does not seem normal. It happens accross all T7 zone instanced or not like it does in SoS.

I use the Reinforce, Plant, Beseige trick and what not. It help but I still have lose aggro during those fights on rare occassion.

Again everything I have said concerning Herioc content, It has been with all different types of hate gains (Coercer, Dirge, Ass, Swash). Sometimes even both.

On another side note. Is having toooooo much avoid a bad thing as a guardian because of our taunt stance?

Kia · 06-08-2007, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backin

I use the Reinforce, Plant, Beseige trick and what not. It help but I still have lose aggro during those fights on rare occassion.

You have to look at who's pulling the agro, If it's DPS, they are not watching their agro. If it's a healer, it's likely you. Burn rescue if it's a healer. (This is from my personal experience.. I can almost always pull agro off the healer, but it's harder with an over-zealous DPS'er).

Another thing to consider, are you moving around? If you're moving and move to fast, you'll step out of agro range and the mob will turn on the next person.

FYI: when I said "daunting more", I meant taunting.