Where best to place the Trak Shield? MT? OT?

Rayche · 06-26-2009, 04:36 PM

I have a question that I need some Tanks (And other knowledgable peoples) input on regarding the Trak shield. LootDB.com | EverQuest II Item Database - Stormbringer Bulwark of the Unstoppable

We're on the verge of knocking Trakanon down for our first time (Got him to 32% last run.) and I'm trying to make the best decision for where to put the shield to best benefit our raid force. (I don't really know how often he drops the shield either.)

We have a fairly well geared SK as our Main Tank (Even before they became awesome we were believers!) and we have a decently geared Berzerker as an Offtank. (I also hear Zerkers generate a large amount of their hate by GETTING hit, so if they lose aggro it's tough to get back?)

Survivability isn't really much of an issue for our SK Main tank, but more is always better right? He also doesn't usually suffer aggro problems, but again, more is always better right?

We have however run into issues with things like Phara Dar when the SK gets the debuff that causes Phara to heal every time we heal the tank. If our SK's feign is down, he litterally STANDS there doing nothing the entire time without getting healed while our Zerker hammers away at Phara without ripping aggro back. (Assuming all snaps are burned already.)

Another scenario is for the Strange Stalker. We have our SK fight the blob on one side of the room and our Zerker OT fights the Troll Guard off near the other side. If our Zerker enters the same zipcode as our SK then the SK is tanking both the Stalker AND the Troll Guard almost the entire time. The zerker can't get it back without snaps. (We still usually win like this, but it's cause for concern.)

I also hear that past the Stalker and past the Snake (Where we'll be going after Trak) there are considerably more multi-tank fights where this will become a greater issue.

So where do you suggest we put this shield? (And how does the effect really work?)

1: On the SK Main Tank for even more Uberosity and DPSage without ripping?
2: Or on the Zerker Off Tank to supplement what appears to be an imbalance in hate generation between tanks?

Thanks for your insights!

Orochan · 06-26-2009, 04:39 PM

Just farm trak until both tanks have the shield.

Banditman · 06-26-2009, 05:00 PM

You're gonna need more tanks anyway, so get a Guardian. Recapture is a mostly useless spell, but in spots like Phara Dar and Xebnok, it can actually be used effectively.

I would put the Trak shield on the tank who needs the hate. And it's not exactly common. The cloaks are common. The patterns are common. The other stuff is not at all common.

Rayche · 06-26-2009, 05:25 PM

We've got a Bruiser as a third tank. (Hoping that's good enough, otherwise dang... that's a lotta tankage...)

The goal of course would BE to put that shield on all our tanks, but it's always possible that we could see a 3 month gap between the times he drops it again.. in which time we'll be fighting more through TSO, and hoping to get the best use from it.

Jokael · 06-26-2009, 06:04 PM

Is your OT group specd for tanking? Does he have a dirge,coercer and either a assasin/swash for hate generations? If he does then maybe your OT should look into his casting orders, I have never seen a well played zerker not be able to get a mob back if he wanted to.

If you want to progress into TSO 3 plate tanks should be used.
1-guard
1-SK
1- Pally/Zerker

and then a brawler.

There are alot of future fights that will depend on managing many mobs, and having 3 plate tanks helps immensely.

Rayche · 06-27-2009, 03:08 AM

Yeah, he's usually got a dirge and swash for hate (used to have a coercer, but we've only got 1 atm... looking for another if anybody knows a good one!)

We can explore casting orders later. I've heard it can be tough for zerkers from a few zerker friends, so it's worth exploring for sure.

Holy crap, I just clicked this whole post out on my PSP from bed! That's either sick or awesome, I'm not sure which...

Aerofae · 06-27-2009, 07:50 PM

As Sk and MT i would say the only difference that shield makes is less pre heal aggro, and slightly easier to build aggro.. In my guild our Pally OT got the shield before me and i think was better choice to give him first.

So i would say give the zerker the shield first since they don't have as good aggro as sk's anyway.

Rayche · 06-29-2009, 01:30 PM

Thanks for the input!

Ok, last question.

Playing devil's advocate. Let's assume they changed the effect on the shield and replaced it with something really important like out of combat runspeed. How much better is this shield than the Savage Wall? (I hear defense-wise it's the best shield outside something that drops from Ykesha himself?)

Argyuile · 06-29-2009, 03:06 PM

Give it to the tank that shows up to the most raids imo.

Rayche · 06-29-2009, 06:24 PM

They're roughly equal in attendance.