[IB] Are they that difficult to play?

[JusticeJDX]

I’m a new player and I really love the role of the tank in this game and prefer to play smaller scale/SCs with occasional RvR. I started during the double XP week and have a swordmaster at 40/43 but I find that most of the proper tank skills are just not available for the SM I.e. the AOE punt is useless 98% of the time and just gives the enemy free CC immunity.

I’ve leveled an IB to 15 so far and I’m loving the bigger toolbox of skills but everyone on /advice says that IB is hard mode and almost impossible to play well. I haven’t found this to be the case so far but was hoping some of the higher level IBs might be able to let me know whether that’s true.

[Ysaran]

the AOE punt is useless 98% of the time and just gives the enemy free CC immunity.

first i want to congratulate with you, there are ppl playng this game since 10 years that didn't get it already and you took only two week to understand it, i'm really touched.

everyone on /advice says that IB is hard mode and almost impossible to play well

don't listen to them, they are noobs.

ok, joke apart. IB have lots of button to press but that's all. there are no other difficulties. IB is perfect for small scale, lots of utilities, good damage, good survivability and good mobility. it's the most balanced tank, sm is more dps oriented and kotbs is more defensive/utility oriented (speaking from a coordinated group point of view), IB is a mixture of the latters two. you will have a lot of fun playng it.

[M0rw47h]

Every tank is hard to be played properly, majority of tanks can't even float their guard and when they pick one person to guard they are usualy too far away for guard to work.

[Gottschalt]

the AOE punt is useless 98% of the time and just gives the enemy free CC immunity.

first i want to congratulate with you, there are ppl playng this game since 10 years that didn't get it already and you took only two week to understand it, i'm really touched.

The AoE punt is useful, but like all CC, not something you mindlessly spam. It can knock a melee train off a healer just enough for the healer to get a breather and return to duties. After all, the punt has a snare so it will give few precious seconds before the melee train recommences hitting. It's also great for forcing way through a chokehold.
Just because it's not superb BG to-the-moon punt or Knight's almost to the moon punt, doesn't mean it's useless. A lot of IBs just probably see the "100% Armor ignore?! MUST SPAM!". But yeah, if you are using REA just for aoe damage.. Take out the punt tactic.

Heck, there are worse contenders for free CC immunity and that is mindless AoE staggers from knights.


Anywho, IB is moderately hard. After all, you are required to keep track of the buffs you do and while managing guard, you also manage oathfriend to keep the grudge meter high. It's superfun though.

[Ysaran]

the AOE punt is useless 98% of the time and just gives the enemy free CC immunity.

first i want to congratulate with you, there are ppl playng this game since 10 years that didn't get it already and you took only two week to understand it, i'm really touched.

The AoE punt is useful, but like all CC, not something you mindlessly spam. It can knock a melee train off a healer just enough for the healer to get a breather and return to duties. After all, the punt has a snare so it will give few precious seconds before the melee train recommences hitting. It's also great for forcing way through a chokehold.
Just because it's not superb BG to-the-moon punt or Knight's almost to the moon punt, doesn't mean it's useless. A lot of IBs just probably see the "100% Armor ignore?! MUST SPAM!". But yeah, if you are using REA just for aoe damage.. Take out the punt tactic.

Heck, there are worse contenders for free CC immunity and that is mindless AoE staggers from knights.

i was just joking, aoe punt is highly valueable in specific situation. ST punt is just more versatile

[Gottschalt]

first i want to congratulate with you, there are ppl playng this game since 10 years that didn't get it already and you took only two week to understand it, i'm really touched.

The AoE punt is useful, but like all CC, not something you mindlessly spam. It can knock a melee train off a healer just enough for the healer to get a breather and return to duties. After all, the punt has a snare so it will give few precious seconds before the melee train recommences hitting. It's also great for forcing way through a chokehold.
Just because it's not superb BG to-the-moon punt or Knight's almost to the moon punt, doesn't mean it's useless. A lot of IBs just probably see the "100% Armor ignore?! MUST SPAM!". But yeah, if you are using REA just for aoe damage.. Take out the punt tactic.

Heck, there are worse contenders for free CC immunity and that is mindless AoE staggers from knights.

i was just joking, aoe punt is highly valueable in specific situation. ST punt is just more versatile

OH, joking! Sorry, my bad for being all "ACTY LEE" here. A lot of people type stuff like that seriously around here. I do agree, ST punt is always more versatile, if anything, easier to aim

[Alaric83]

Is it possible to play Ironbreakers with less buttons, though ?

Leveling one now, as I want to play Dwarves and love the heavy armored esthetics (Engineer is a second choice), but I am a quite chill player and hate having 20 buttons to push in a specific orders.

I'll never play competitively, but will I really be trash if I try to limit my tooltip to 5-10 buttons in combat, at the maximum ?

Yes, I'm a filthy casual, but I'd like to have some fun joining the RvR buses

[istvar]

The theory there is there is a lot of options available for abilities to use on IB, in practical terms u don’t have to use all of them most of the time, there is no set rotation of 10+ abilities to use. Most are situational and if u use the right ability at the right time you are golden