2H Tanks: 9001th thread edition

[Jaycub]

I really like the aesthetic of 2H tanks, but after having played everyone one up to this point I feel like each tank class ends up having one spec that stands above the rest and that is usually s/b. The fact that there is a core shield skill (HtL) that is extremely powerful in a lot of situations... mainly mass scale ORvR, but no core 2H skill or any kind of mirror for tanks is probably the biggest reason. Next we have the terrible trade off of losing a shield for a measly DPS gain on the weapon and 10% BLOCK strikethrough. And lastly we have the terribly thought out mastery trees that always end up favoring one playstyle over another, or fail to create viable niche builds, or end up creating an imbalanced trade off between s/b and 2h.

Tanks in WAR will always be defined by the guard ability, I don't think 2H tanks should ever play a real DPS role in a group even if they are going to be inherently more DPS focused. But as it stands now the differences between what a 2H and s/b is very minimal and again usually one spec is better than the other for virtually any group comp you could imagine. 2H tanks should be bringing something different to the group, meaning they lose stuff from their shield spec but gain something different with a 2H thanks makes them good in different group compositions and valued for that.

If we look at knight, the obvious trade off seems to be you gain an AoE wounds debuff with the 2h, but lose access to dirty tricks... which already isn't looking that great. You also lose shield rush which is pretty much free 10% damage mitigation, HtL which is again huge mitigation for yourself and your team, and of course the imbalanced trade off between shield and 2h stat wise. When you looks at the knights tactics not a single one req or is even built around the 2h playstle while 2 require a shield to function, none of the defining tactics of the class require a 2h, and none of the tactics or abilities on this class that are offensively focused require any kind of weapon. Why on earth would any player go 2h on a class like knight?

And knight isn't the only class that suffers from this, virtually all tanks do and most of them end up leaning heavily to the shield side.

I know the balance forums are coming up, so i don't really want to go in depth or start the thread out with something that will get put on blast. But how do people feel about giving 2H tanks a core ability to mirror Hold the Line? Maybe something like reworking focused offense into a toggle ability that effects both you and your defensive target for like 15% increased damage at the cost of ~20% of the tanks armor and resistance, or just anything that defines the playstyle and creates a real trade off. I know creating new abilities isn't feasible at the moment, just throwing ideas out there and starting discussion again about 2H tanks since I really love them, but feel like playing them is gimp in comparison.

[TenTonHammer]

2h tanks basically trade surviveablity and ullity that comes with SnB for some kide of utlity, or specific specialization with access to a unique ability

The problem is that SnB tanks can basically do every thing that 2h tanks can and what ever the dont have access to by not going 2h path is not some major loss or is easily compensated for by the upsides of going SnB like access to other abilites, tactics and utlity that are just as good if not better

[Dreadspectre]

2h tanks basically trade surviveablity and ullity that comes with SnB for some kide of utlity, or specific specialization with access to a unique ability

The problem is that SnB tanks can basically do every thing that 2h tanks can and what ever the dont have access to by not going 2h path is not some major loss or is easily compensated for by the upsides of going SnB like access to other abilites, tactics and utlity that are just as good if not better

I think that's also the problem though.

2H tank build Viability hinges too hard on usually one utility playstyle. CH doing Crippling, BO's doing Big Swingin', etc etc.

You either do these specs or you're basically just kinda...meh.

[Penril]

Big Swing doesn't require a 2H.

[Shadowgurke]

Probably means Da Big 'Un

[Foxbeep]

^^ That signature though

[Tklees]

While getting the game completely up and running is most likely the Devs team goal, I agree with you in that if a tank goes two handed or an MDPS or some other type of off spec they lose their viability when compared to their intended role. Spec diversity is something I would love to see eventually worked on in the games balance, because tbh the games classes are not as far off from balanced as most people seem to think, again my opinion.
So some type of rework to trees and tactics would be awesome to encourage off specs and create diversity. Instead of the same old cookie cutter specs we will see come t4.

[Dreadspectre]

Whoops, yeah my bad.

That being said for BO anyway, going 2H isn't even needed in the Boss tree despite it having the only GW required skill tied to it. Kinda weird.

[Jaycub]

It's also a best plan ability that has terrible damage and it's utility as something to AoE proc bellows is overshadowed/covered already by big swing, not to mention BO has so many good abilities to use while in the best plan.

Meanwhile shield BO has acess to the morale gain on block which ends up being one of the strongest tactics in the game imo and changes your playstyle a bit.

Another problem is the fact that the stat steal bellow is far and away the best one they can use in a group, so putting points in the brawler tree is mandatory for scaling which I feel like is killing their spec diversity.

[GodlessCrom]

Are there even any tanks atm that benefit from a 2h spec over SnB at all? 2h Chosen has a niche with Oppressing Blows/Crippling Strikes + Rending Blade, but that will end with Destined for Victory at r39 (so I'm told). Haven't played any tanks besides Chosen, but honestly, my damage done with SnB isn't even that much less than with 2h. Main source of 2h damage anyways is the AoE from Rending Blade, which is rather diffuse and mostly serving to proc Crippling Strikes anyways.