Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Returning guardian need advice

  1. #1

    Default Returning guardian need advice

    Hello! I have not been playing my guardian for a couple of years now and have noticed some changes for the class. I have always been playing polearm guardian and have always been able to tank in the past. I have a t1/t2 mix gear and a protection crafted set and would like to conquer Khitai HMs and Unchained dungeons. Should I switch to S&S now when there have been so many improvements to this playstyle? How does a good feat build for S&S and polearm tanking look like these days? How do you rotate your skills and combos? Any other thing I should know? I am very grateful for all advice you can give.

  2. #2

    Default

    My advice is to go s&s or Polearm, not mix them, is easier...
    and i would say go S&s, since is better holding aggro, otherwise, Dts and conqs will take it from you easily
    you could keep a polearm build but try to max your +hate...
    meh...

  3. #3

    Default

    When it comes to tanking, polearm is severely outperformed by S&S now, both in terms of survival and aggro.
    Tanking with polearm is still viable though, just nowhere near optimal.

    So for tanking, S&S all the way.
    Polearm is for PvP, that did not change.
    {Circle of Eternity}
    Mellaus
    Lachdanann dt | Aldebarrand guard | Ataraxes demo | Tangorogrim tos | Aranruth barb | Demether pom | Errant ranger | Diluvien sin | Hekatomb necro | Haemmer bs | Nyarlathotep tos

  4. #4

    Default

    It's settled. I'll go for sword and shield. When it comes to build I was thinking about this one: http://goo.gl/v3Vaku

    Any opinions and suggestions? What is a good skill and combo rotation for sword and shield guards?

  5. #5

    Default

    I would take brutal blows for the +10% crit on overreach and hateful strikes from general tree. You don't really need improved defensive stance for most of the content, so you can take the points from there to get that extra aggro/dps, not that you'll need that extra aggro as juggernaut anyway, but i for one will always run with as much aggressivity as possible. Judgement call maybe.

    As for the combos, there are different options.
    I like to start with shield slam, then guard destroyer for the ruin and the +30% crit on main combos, then counterweight if you have it (1 point is enough) or overreach. After that it'll mostly be those combos plus titanic smash when shields favor it.
    There's also counterstrike that some people use now, but i tend not to myself.
    If shields are stacked against your overreach / counterweight andshield slam / titanic smash are on cooldown, switching weapons to use the polearm version of counterweight or a 2 steps flashing arc is a viable choice too to fill your rotation.
    {Circle of Eternity}
    Mellaus
    Lachdanann dt | Aldebarrand guard | Ataraxes demo | Tangorogrim tos | Aranruth barb | Demether pom | Errant ranger | Diluvien sin | Hekatomb necro | Haemmer bs | Nyarlathotep tos

  6. #6

    Default

    In decent gear (few khitai epics) You can join hms and most uc's in pole specc and still hold alright aggro. Don't be afraid to try it!
    Boyscout bearshaman

  7. #7

    Default

    Hi. This is my pole tanking spec. http://goo.gl/PMAeRn Works in dungeon and raids. Aggro is very good. You need to gear up in Last Legion and Wolves of the Steppes and Yellow Priests of Yun. Legion - head,legs,chest,shoulders from Malice. Wolves of the Steppes - boots and belt from flame and T1 wrists and hands with agro will be good on start. Polearm from Yellow Priests of Yun - polearm with aggro. Accessories with DPS and cloack with aggro or combat rating from Vile Nativity. Rotation - Storm strike( with reckoning ) - Riposte - Flashing Arc IV - Flashing Arc VIII( if reckoning available use it), sometimes Guard V to get armor buff and Hateful strikes, volcanig rage and dissarming aggression if available. If on start you will use Stall of Advance from AA with Hateful Strikes and starting combination Storm Strike you will make huge aggro. On start this gear will be good. I have 22.6 % aggro and 350+ DPS ( in fight with self stacks) sometimes more with group i got 400-500 but i need to check this.
    Last edited by Paput; 8th December 2014 at 21:00.

  8. #8

    Default

    Thanks for all responses. Is Riposte really worth it? Isn't it very situational since you need to evade before the combo?

    I'm thinking I try polearm after I got my hands on some Khitai epics.

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Matram View Post
    Thanks for all responses. Is Riposte really worth it? Isn't it very situational since you need to evade before the combo?

    I'm thinking I try polearm after I got my hands on some Khitai epics.
    Use this all time when you dont have cooldown on it. You need rotation, faster rotation. Faster attack = faster agro build. I tested this combo with evade buff but DMG wasn't really high.
    Last edited by Paput; 13th December 2014 at 12:24.

  10. #10

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Paput View Post
    Use this all time when you dont have cooldown on it. You need rotation, faster rotation. Faster attack = faster agro build. I tested this combo with evade buff but DMG wasn't really high.
    I got curious about Riposte so me and Yoelrey did some tests

    Me and another guard were there without critrating to make it less random. Also hitting unshielded sides on all hits.

    I started out simply doing the combo, then he whitehitted [up-direction] from his back untill he got the aggro.

    Riposte took him 4 hits before he got it.

    Flashing Arc VIII took him 32 hits before he got it. (inc combosteps)

    Riposte takes 2 seconds to finish

    Flashing arc VIII (inc combosteps) takes a littlebit less then 5 seconds to finish.



    Short conclusion
    So, in this test Flashing Arc VIII had 8x times the aggro with just 2.5x the time. PS: This test was done without Crits(Flashing arc have 10%+ crit modifier from feats) and without Reckoning, which would have made Flashing Arc even more superior. Dps is very situational ofcourse but all in all, I definitly trow this in the trashcan without looking back

    One thing about Ripposte was pretty interesting tho, if you evade a hit and use it, the hits required increased from 4 to 22! 5.5x increase, while the damage was barely doubled, which should mean that its not only DPS that grows, innate hate also seems to do it. This makes it alot better, but the amount of evades in highertier content is way too low to rely on that sadly.
    Last edited by magnum92; 13th December 2014 at 22:25.
    Moriala - The Ivory Tower

    [Youtube Channel]

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •