So your new to game and or have played the guard class and can't figure it out. You go to raids or 6 mans and don't hold aggro. Dps dies, and your wondering how on earth other guards are holding it off of you.
Here is what you need to know.
The guard class does NOT need the best gear to hold amazing aggro. The gear really only makes the biggest difference for surviving. Yes, gear at some point does make a difference, but don't get it twisted. The F2P content isn't going to require you have the best of the best.
A basic build:
http://is.gd/ZxpL6V
Above is a build that gives you all that is necessary for really strong aggro, and also really good defense. No changes needed!
Now you need gear. The gear in the game for the old world content is all you have available. T1 conent gives you the best possable gear for your situation. Yet that takes time, you need gear now.
A couple things you can do.
1. Get ahold of me in game "nph" and collect the resources as I list them to you. I will craft you all the gear you want for free. Just the mats required. "Schou" is my in game name. A list of alts you may get ahold of me on are as follows.
Schoujr, Mycroch, Kenfast, Crazyassin, Daggerdik, Sonofcronus, Enslaveu, Meballs, Scorchnburn, Touchofdeath.
Hit me up anytime!
2. You can do old world zones and get the gear required. A really good and fun place to go to is called Xibaluku. It's gear has strong stats that you can use for quite a while. Even has protection within the full plate set's giving you a much needed protection mitigation for some T2 and T3 raids. "Assuming you purchase the game sooner or later."
3. Buy the generic full plate sets on the trader. The most affordable and the easiest to obtain.
Now you just need a rotation to get started. Lets go over the basics.
Combo's for AGGRO
Shield slam
Guard Destroyer
Over Reach 5
Over Reach 4
Titanic Smash
Dulling blow "maybe"
The above are combos you use for aggro generation. They are what you need to do at all times in order to keep the attention of the mob.
The FIRST combo is always to be SHIELD SLAM
The SECOND combo is always to be GUARD DESTROYER
NOTE: Guard destroyer is important because, it gives your over reaches, dulling blows, a 30% crit chance. This combined with Powerhouse will give you a 35% crit chance and then your over reaches have a passive 10%. So 45% crit chance total, ALSO while powerhouse is applied, every crit you push out ups your CRIT BONUS DAMAGE. When this CRIT BONUS DAMAGE is increased, your titanic smash will high insanely hard. This is why you have the option for the 4th-5th combo's to be either or. You can still stack your crits using a 2nd over reach, and have an even higher crit bonus damage for the use of the 5th combo "Titanic Smash".
The THIRD combo should be OVER REACH 5
The FOURTH combo should be OVER REACH 4
OR
You can use TITANIC SMASH in place for your 4th combo.
The FIFTH combo should be SHIELD SLAM again.
This is the basic rotation of your guard. Over and over again, of course their is more to the guard than just doing these 5 combo's in recession. But this is where it all starts.
Abilities "All temporary buffs"
Volcanic Rage 30% weapon increase
Powerhouse 50% weapon increase, 183 Crit Rating,
NOTE: POWERHOUSE gives you extra crit chance as stated above, ALSO for every critical hit you receive you stack your CRITICAL BONUS damage as well. If you use your POWERHOUSE ability in conjunction with your 1st OVERREACH combo, your titanic smash will hit harder if you crit during the 1st over reach. And since your Guard Destroyer gives your over reaches a +30% crit chance, odds are in your favor.
Battle Cry 42% weapon increase
Hateful Strikes 20% Hate increase
Call To Arms 10% Hate increase
NOTE: Call to Arms also gives your group a 40% weapon increase.
TAUNTS:
Cry of Havoc "15 second cool down, instant cast" Decay's the slowest, Best to start off with this taunt, spike it with irritate in-between cool downs.
Irritate "20 second cool down, instant cast" Decays the fastest meaning it won't last long.
Goad "1 min 30 second cool down" ONLY TO BE USED IN OH **** SITUATIONS!, This is not a normal taunt, and should NEVER be used as such.
Now you have all your combo's, a rotation and all the abilities listed off. You have to merge these two things together in order to get the best possible aggro though. The following will be how you do this to the T. Follow closely!
SHIELD SLAM "At the end portion of this combo use your CRY OF HAVOC ability"
GUARD DESTROYER "At the end of this combo pop HATEFUL STRIKES, AND CALL TO ARMS"
OVER REACH 5 "Rite at the end of the finisher of the combo use POWERHOUSE, VOLCANIC RAGE, AND BATTLE CRY"
OVER REACH 4 "If you use this combo, use an IRRITATE"
TITANIC SMASH "If you use this combo, use an IRRITATE"
SHIELD SLAM "Repeat this combo over and over again, it and guard destroyer are the MOST IMPORTANT combos in your rotation" Also, TRY and use your CRY OF HAVOC ability with this combo as much as you can. Now, if the combo and the ability aren't lining up, don't just set back and not use your CRY OF HAVOC, use it with your OVER REACHES.
GUARD DESTROYER "Same as Shield Slam, it is the 2nd most and arguably the most important combo even over Shield Slam, They are actually about even in terms of importance. REPEAT THIS AS A SPAM COMBO!"
Things to note:
Your timed abilities listed above are just that. Timed! It makes sense to spread these timed abilities or buffs across as many combo's as you can. Thus, allowing you to get the best bang for your buck.
Cry of Havoc, and Irritate's should also be used at the end of the combo's. Your doing the most damage at the end of those combo's and it just makes more sense for you to taunt at the exact time as you are hitting the bad guy the hardest.
Now, Tanking isn't all about just holding aggro until you die. It's also about staying alive and if needed, swapping with other soldiers. What I showed you wasn't what you do when you have no health left, This is something you do at the beginning of a fight which allows the dps and healers to kill the boss and hit hard rite from the start.
If you are in the midst of tanking, AND NEED IT OFF OF YOU. You can simply either stop hitting for a second, and or not use your taunts for a rotation or two. The other tanks will pull from you, as long as they are exercising the same rotation's as you are.
Think of it like this. If all cars are going 100 mph "like you" you simply letting off of the throttle for a second will allow one to pass you. Now if you are going 100 mph and the others refuse too, then their isn't' much you can do either way.
DEFENSIVE BUFFS AND COMBOS
Ok, so here we are. We have aggro down pat. What do I do when I need to stay alive.
Well, you have a few thing sup your sleeve when it comes to staying alive on a guard.
JUGGERNAUT: "1 min 30 second cool down" , "Lasts for 20 Seconds"
Heals you instantly for % of your health. "My baby guard for 877, my big guard for 911 hp"
15% Bonus Protection
10% Bonus Armor
20% Resistance to Stun, Root, Fear, Snare
CUNNING DEFLECTION "30 Second cool down" Lasts for 20 seconds, or 1 hit, which ever comes first.
Takes 50% of the 1 hit and throws it out the window. "50% mitigation"
STRIKE AND GUARD "35 Second Cool down" Lasts for 8 seconds
Takes 24% of the damage and throws it out the window. "24% mitigation"
All of these buffs or combo's can stack with one another. Thus giving you 74% damage deflection for 1 hit, and then what ever is left to be computed by the gear you have. Juggernaut affects are a % of your armor, so the better armor you have the better mitigation differences you will see.
Obviously, use these abilities and or combo's to stay alive while you are fighting the boss. Again, I can't stress enough the fact that staying alive is a huge priority as you are the tank. If you die, the others will die as well. Holding aggro is just 1 part of tanking.
STANCES:
You have numerous stances within your class.
Defensive Stance 10% Damage Deflection, 5% hate modification, USED FOR TANKING
Frenzy Stance -50% damage mitigation "your really squishy" 25% Magic damage modifier, +50% Weapon Damage Melee, USED FOR DPS
"BTW, Guard dps sucks regardless of what you do, just stick with tanking"
TACTICS:
DEFENSIVE TACTIC : 5% damage mitigation "When aggro isn't an issue stay in this tactic"
PROVOKE TACTIC : 7% Hate Modifier "Use this when aggro is an issue, If you are getting your but smacked around though, swap back to Defensive Tactic"
ATTACK TACTIC : +15% Weapon Damage "Used primarily for soloing"
MANEUVERS
MENTAL BARRIER : +15% Bonus Protection "Use this against magic boss's"
NOTE: Poison damage is not Magic, It is registered as physical damage. Thus, More mitigation melee will help. "Ahazu in wing 2 for example"
WALL OF STEEL : +5% Evade Chance "Used for melee fights, not protection"
ELUSIV DARING : +10% resistance to Stun, Root, Snare "Used in pvp, or in specific situations"
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE LEARNED THE GUARDIAN CLASS!