[BlackGuard]Worth leveling?

[Zealote]

*You swap out disrupt tactics for the parry depending on opponent.
* If you're fighting against DPS AMs/BWS/Engis then use Malekith's Bulwark, Disrupt tactic, and the tactic that increases your speed when you disrupt.

Just as sort of an FYI: obviously the disrupt tactics won't help against engis, but, less obviously, MB doesn't work on engis atm either afaik (since their abilities don't scale with int, and so aren't classed as magic on RoR). I'm pretty sure that's the case but I'm not 100%, so you should test it yourself to confirm; you'd obv be better off using a diff tactic in duels though if it is true (and same vs. SMs)

[peterthepan3]

Ryan told me MB doesn't work vs SMs, but didn't know it doesn't work against engis =o Cheers.

[Telperien]

I think its a bit different skill set. SM use melee physical dmg skills that are using magic dmg (which u cant silence but can disarm), but engi`s grenadier tree got magic dmg skills (which u can silence but cant disarm). But I may be wrong:)

On topic,
Since i`m having fun rolling BG through t2 and just entered t3, can you suggest melee support build lets say for rank 30? Of course snb build. Which armor to choose, talis, I guess RA simple as block and crit... Thank you for help in advance.

[Luicetarro]

Since you're new to WAR and only played tanks 'till lvl 9, you really didn't unlock their potential to the slightest. Especially with random PUGs in T1.
Your role as tank in general wasn't even really touched.

I'm maining a tank (kotbs party-specced). I did choose to go full-Tank with party-utility, since I can play a role in any given situation. Random SC, attacking a keep, defending a keep, close to the enemy, far away from the enemy, close to my healer, close to my mdps, close to my rdps...
My damage is poor, since I didn't spec str-stuff, but from my own experience once you're able to deal damage as tank, the situation is one-sided anyways.
Most of the time I'm defending my mdps, watching my backline, switching from offence-support to defence-support if needed, punting enemies from my weaker mates, or tanks off their guarded target, KDing key-player for a quick assault, slowing melees to make them arrive too late to help their mates.
At least from my own point of view, if I'm really able to use my highest damage-skills (that won't have party-support, nor valuable debuffs), the fight would have ended to the favor of my party anyways.

I really hope you're finding the role you're aiming for. Just keep in mind you hardly did see anything, since you weren't able to see what a tank is like. In T1 I used a 2h, mauling enemies while guarding a random target, while feeling almost immortal. That's nothing compared to what I have to do now to keep my party safe.
Get your BG to a high lvl and hopefully he will turn out to be what might be your all-time mainchar.

[mistlegaming]

Hmm, you are right , im willing to level my bg to max level . Idk if ill enjoy support tank role , time will show

[peterthepan3]

I think its a bit different skill set. SM use melee physical dmg skills that are using magic dmg (which u cant silence but can disarm), but engi`s grenadier tree got magic dmg skills (which u can silence but cant disarm). But I may be wrong:)

On topic,
Since i`m having fun rolling BG through t2 and just entered t3, can you suggest melee support build lets say for rank 30? Of course snb build. Which armor to choose, talis, I guess RA simple as block and crit... Thank you for help in advance.

Could be the case actually.

regarding build at r30:
http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=bg; ... :;0:0:0:0:

* Use the heal debuff when needed/doing scenarios with a group - works very well;
* The disrupt tactic very good in RvR/against ranged comps;
* Just try and stack block for now while making sure you have RD1. more block = more chance of getting your 5 sec KD when you need it.

just make sure to put mind killer on any healers within your reach = profit.

[Shutyergob]

The Effin BGs are awesome, man. 'Stayin' alive, stayin' alive, HA HA HA HA stayin' alive, stayin' alive... LOL... That's what its all about, man ...

[th3gatekeeper]

Honestly... BG is probably the worst tank, not because of the BG themselves but because Marauders are maybe the best class in the game and provide all the same benefits, but better, than the BG. So generally if a Mara is in a party, a BO or Chosen are much better. On the comparison, the IB is an amazing tank and the BG counterpart but as far as I know, the IB doesn't overlap with other classes as it provides self and party buffs, while BG is mostly devices that don't stack...

I have a KOBS,Chosen and SM and by far, Chosen is my favorite. BO can be very good to. As much as BG is fun, tanky, and is a good class. The overlap with mAra makes it less appealing to groups.

If you like tanking, Chosen are very good 2h party tanks. BOs are good 2h for damage but SnB is awesome for group play!

[Zealote]

I think its a bit different skill set. SM use melee physical dmg skills that are using magic dmg (which u cant silence but can disarm), but engi`s grenadier tree got magic dmg skills (which u can silence but cant disarm). But I may be wrong:)
[...]

You might be right, but as I understood Azarael's explanation: "Affirm, RoR implementation does not use a magical flag on damage - anything that scales with Intelligence is considered magic." (from https://github.com/WarEmu/WarBugs/issues/1430), engis shouldn't currently be affected by things like Malekith's Bulwark either, since their abilities scale with BS and not int.

It's easy to test though; I've got an engi and BG if anyone wants to (engi's only in t2 though).

[EasymodeX]

Personally I would recommend one of two general loadouts on a BG:

1. High STR high WSK 0 toughness sword + shield build that uses block and shield abilities.

2. High Toughness build with a 2h.

Note: these builds are focused on scenario-scale or smaller.

Blackguards using the toughness tactic can reduce enemy damage a ridiculous amount. Problem is that it neuters your damage output. In addition, block/parry become worthless, because when a well-geared Witch Hunter backstabs you (100% armor penetration) for 120 damage (because your toughness not only erases their Str, but also eats into their *base* damage after that), what the **** do you care about block and parry? Also, it's kind of meh for guarding, since guard damage ignores your toughness. You are also mildly vulnerable to spells since you have no block -- your toughness will nullify most of their damage, but you're still getting hit, whereas a SnB setup will straight up block a ton of their ****.

That said, being able to use a 2h makes up a lot for the lack of damage, and it allows you to use the 2h masteries, giving you a different set of utility options.


BGs using SnB can inherently get very tanky from block and other abilities alone, and their telegraphed "HEY I HAVE A SHIELD" silouhette will have many enemies attacking your other party members anyways. BGs are notorious for getting very tanky and having no damage -- enemies will invariably try to attack not-you.

So what do you do? Unload solid damage and chunk down their glass cannons or their backline (depends on team comps) while spamming all your utility / debuffs / CC. The only downside is that when you're training down enemies, your backside is exposed so you lose some of the block/parry effectiveness. With decent positioning this is not too much of a problem though.

Sidenote: all of this is in context of live. I don't have a T4 char on RoR nor do I have a good read on how the much lower gear caps in RoR affect the specs.



Naturally, you could always go high TOU SnB -- you can become just short of unkillable. I've seen high RR BGs with this spec tank groups of enemies for minutes straight. Problem is that they are 100% ignorable. If you want to be the last-man-standing to stop a cap ... well you can't beat this build, but that means your entire team has already died.