Now that the NDA has been lifted we are free to discuss the game. This means its now time for the information and theorycrafting to begin.
Before I dive in I want to put a disclaimer up front. While I love to dig into every aspect of the characters I play I am NOT a hard core theorycrafter. The information I will provide in my articles will revolve around experience and in game knowledge. I will gladly take any feedback and try it out to see if it works in the real world, err. . virtual real world.
Ok, so lets get started. The Jedi Guardian as a tank:
The Build Link: Jedi Guardian 36/0/5
(WARNING: This is a WIP build. Right now it appears that the TORHead calculator is not saving properly. It is not linking the second part of the build, but I discuss it at the end. These trees are BETA and subject to change.)
PVE Tank Build
Defense Tree
Dust Storm: This talent is good for AOE tanking situations. It gives a chance for your Force Sweep (One of our best AOE attacks) to lower the accuracy of all the mobs hitting you. Your healer will love you if you take less damage when 4 to 5 mobs are pounding on you.
Victory Rush: I am currently on the fence if victory rush will be needed. In theory reducing focus cost means we will have more resources to use in an oh crap situation. But without getting to a higher level to test our resources its just hard to tell if its needed. We already build focus while being hit, will this be enough? Time will tell. (Feedback welcome on this talent.)
Lunge: Reduced the cost of Riposte, a skill that we will use often when up. It can not be parried, dodged or miss. Further up the tree Riposte will provide some additional defense.
Guard Stance: This one is a duh talent for tanks. Any time you can reduce damage taken is win!
Pacification: This is a nice damage increase tallent that affects three of your threat building skills.
Profound Resolution: This skill could be very useful in PVP as well as PVE. Do not overlook this for a pure PVE tank build however. You will come across many mobs/bosses that will CC you. Having Resolute off of cool down could mean the difference between a narrow win and a wipe.
Warding Call: This is your "OH CRAP" button. Think of it as shield wall for warriors in wow. You will also need this talent to get Hilt Strike later.
Blade Barricade: Increasing melee and ranged defense after using Riposte is frosting on the cake. You get to use an attack that builds threat and increases your survivability.
Command: Must have! Reduces your cooldown on Challenging Call and Force Push.
Courage: is another talent that will help reduce force cost for skills. You have a chance to gain courage when you parry, deflect, dodge or resist an attack.
Shield Specialization: Another great defensive talent. Right now however we are not to sure how well the shield generators are working so millage may very until we get a clearer picture.
Blade Barrier will trigger on a chance when using Blade Storm, one of our hard hitting skills. It will provide a very nice defensive buff. (Not sure if Blade Barrier and Blade Barricade stack yet. Still needs testing or feedback.)
Hilt Strike: This is a great threat building skill.
Cyclonic Sweep: Must Have! Helps build focus regeneration while in our tank stance (Soresu Form) It also gives a chance to reduce the cooldown on Combat Focus, our focus regen skill. Very useful if you find yourself low on focus and need to get the mobs back on you.
Inner Peace: First, Inner Peace reduces elemental and internal damage. It also increase how long our 30% health buff lasts from Enure.
Guardian Slash: Hard hitting skill that applies 3 stacks of armor reduction. It's on a 15 second cooldown but will be a great threat generator on boss fights.
Vigilance
(For some reason the vigilance tree points are not linking in the build link.)
Swelling Winds This talent will increase the damage of our Force Sweep. Great skill for AOE tanking trash.
Improved Sundering Strike: Gives a chance to place an additional stadck of Sundering Strike on the target.
It's All in Flux Right Now.
Again, this is a work in progress build. We do not know how many changes will happen to the talent trees between now launch so take these as a simple guide.
Please feel free to join us on Google+ to discuss SWTOR Tanking. I also would love to hear your feedback in the comments below on what you have found to work.
Vigilance
(For some reason the vigilance tree points are not linking in the build link.)
Swelling Winds This talent will increase the damage of our Force Sweep. Great skill for AOE tanking trash.
Improved Sundering Strike: Gives a chance to place an additional stadck of Sundering Strike on the target.
It's All in Flux Right Now.
Again, this is a work in progress build. We do not know how many changes will happen to the talent trees between now launch so take these as a simple guide.
Please feel free to join us on Google+ to discuss SWTOR Tanking. I also would love to hear your feedback in the comments below on what you have found to work.
