Hi, i am really wanting to roll a vanguard, since i feel like they'd fit my playstyle greatly, but i am not sure what to level as, i want to be DPS. But which tree is better for leveling as DPS, Tactics or Assault?

Assault is the highest potential DPS tree for Vanguard.

I leveled as assault, but you can do fine with either dps tree. The one thing I can tell you is don't level as tank spec. Idiots level as tanks, toss guard on their Dorne and still nearly die while trying to take twice as long to kill the same mob, I on assault spec, just murdered.

 

For you pro's leveling as would be tanks, you want to know what can out hate Dorne's heals? Any dps spec. Or a taunt.

I leveled as assault, but you can do fine with either dps tree. The one thing I can tell you is don't level as tank spec. Idiots level as tanks, toss guard on their Dorne and still nearly die while trying to take twice as long to kill the same mob, I on assault spec, just murdered.

 

For you pro's leveling as would be tanks, you want to know what can out hate Dorne's heals? Any dps spec. Or a taunt.

Why do you say idiots go tank spec aren't tanks good at surviving?

Thanks

I leveled as assault, but you can do fine with either dps tree. The one thing I can tell you is don't level as tank spec. Idiots level as tanks, toss guard on their Dorne and still nearly die while trying to take twice as long to kill the same mob, I on assault spec, just murdered.

 

For you pro's leveling as would be tanks, you want to know what can out hate Dorne's heals? Any dps spec. Or a taunt.

 

Being a powertech I have no idea who Dorne is, but you should level with the spec you intend to play at 50. It is REALLY noticeable when someone has leveled as DPS and then switch to tank when they reach max level, the lack of practice with the role and spec while leveling makes a massive difference.

Assuming Dorne is your healer though, bring a DPS companion instead to speed it up.

Why do you say idiots go tank spec aren't tanks good at surviving?

Thanks

 

Not agreeing with the "idiot" part.

 

Just want to comment on what was trying to be conveyed. Tanks (any tank) will take 2-3 times longer to kill a single mob compared to a DPS. That is why many think that it is faster to level as a DPS.

 

I don't agree.

 

A Tank (any tank) will live 2-3 times longer against a hard hitting mob compared to a DPS and against normal mobs you take almost no damage compared to a DPS. You can level just as fast as a DPS (some would argue, faster than a DPS). You just have to play to your strength as a Tank.

 

When levelling as a Tank you have to take into account your main strength: SURVIVABILITY. So, instead of fighting one mob at a time and taking forever to do it, fight groups of mobs at the same time and use your Area of Effect (AoE) attacks to kill them. As a Tank you can take on 5-6 mobs at the same time and kill them all in roughly the same time it would take you to kill 1 mob.

 

Not only does this let you level just as fast as a DPS, but it actually "trains" you to be a better tank. With so many mobs on you, you HAVE TO:

• use your defensive cooldowns (which makes using your defensive cooldowns second nature when you get into group content)
  
• damage every single mob as often as you can with every attack you can (which means that you will get into the habit of positioning mobs so that you can hit them all with your attacks, which means that when you get into group content you will have no problems gathering all the mobs to you and having them attack you (in other words: holding aggro))
  
• play as zoomed out as you can (so you can view the "battlefield" properly to pick up strays, to better position mobs, and when in a group setting it means that you will often be the first to see the patrol heading your way and be ready for it even when others aren't)
  
• you become very aware of just how "fragile" you are (just how much damage you can take, how long you (and your healer) need to recover from a fight, when to "charge in", when to "go slow", etc...)
  

 

If you really want to level as a tank you can do so and do so quite well. It is stressfull but it is also very rewarding. It is great to hear from a total stranger "great tanking!".

I actually have a Van tank and I am by far no "idiot". As the previous poster stated, you learn your limits and press to better yourself. I PVP as a tank too. True I'm a new 50 but I know my mechanics and I hold my own nicely even with limited high end gear. I've actually been shopping around for a fresh take as I wouldn't mind checking out DPS but as for tanking, I got it down just fine. I wish BW would hurry up and give us a dual spec set up so folks can play around with other builds or give us back the hybrid tank/dps everyone cried was so overpowered to get nerfed.

Leveling my alt Vanguard... now 26, as a tank.

 

ZeroPlus knows what's up. I would only add that grouping for Heroics is really easy too when you're using the tank tree. DPS are easy to find. In a pinch you can even 3-man it with 2 dps and Dorne as your companion healer. Did a 4 man heroic like that last night. Just use those CDs, keep aggro, and make nice little clusters of enemies with harpoon.

 

If you're getting annoyed with the time it takes to kill things, just use one of your dps pets. I find that enemies die quickly.

 

Also, in a group don't Guard Dorne/Heals... Guard the best dps.

 

Then again, what do I know? I'm an idiot.

Tanks are slow to level? lol.

 

Just by BEING a tank I outlevel all my friends via Flashpoints. I level faster and I am better geared. Hell, my COMPANION healer is better equipped than most players I come across.

I like to level as tank because I find group play a bit stressful and you can solo more content as a tank. There are some fights I'd never be able to solo as dps.

I like to level as tank because I find group play a bit stressful and you can solo more content as a tank. There are some fights I'd never be able to solo as dps.

 

Once you get Elara as a companion, on Taris, it's pretty much smooth sailing as you level.

Tanks (any tank) will take 2-3 times longer to kill a single mob compared to a DPS. That is why many think that it is faster to level as a DPS.

 

I don't agree.

 

A Tank (any tank) will live 2-3 times longer against a hard hitting mob compared to a DPS and against normal mobs you take almost no damage compared to a DPS. You can level just as fast as a DPS (some would argue, faster than a DPS). You just have to play to your strength as a Tank.

 

When levelling as a Tank you have to take into account your main strength: SURVIVABILITY. So, instead of fighting one mob at a time and taking forever to do it, fight groups of mobs at the same time and use your Area of Effect (AoE) attacks to kill them. As a Tank you can take on 5-6 mobs at the same time and kill them all in roughly the same time it would take you to kill 1 mob.

 

I disagree with you on the fact that you can level as fast. I have leveled at JK Guardian as a tank and that was slow and a little boring until I specced into DPS.

 

I have been leveling my Vanguard as DPS and am powering through. Although that has to do with the PVP I am doing as well. Which I never did on my knight.

 

I can burn mobs faster on my vanguard as we have AoE too. 5 or 6 mobs are no sweat with my pocket healer tanking while I stand back and AoE. Really it's should always be slower as a tank simply because you will take longer to complete quests that require you to kill 30 of any mob. You get arguably more XP from completing quests than you do farming mobs.

 

It actually "trains" you to be a better tank.

 

If you really want to level as a tank you can do so and do so quite well. It is stressful but it is also very rewarding. It is great to hear from a total stranger "great tanking!".

 

This I think is a key point - you learn your roll and learn it well leveling as a particular spec. The quirks and failings not to mention having your fingers memorise the hot-keyed location of your skills - providing you don't keep changing it up.

I have leveled at JK Guardian as a tank and that was slow and a little boring until I specced into DPS.

 

There is a massive difference between leveling a Guardian as a tank and a VG as a tank. Guardians are crippled by a resource starving stance and knowingly terrible DPS, which is only exacerbated while leveling because you don't have the upper level talents that make playing a Guardian tank less terrible. VGs have the only tank stance without *any* negative side effects *and* amazing AoE attacks that they get virtually from the outset. Comparing leveling a Guardian tank with a VG tank is comparing apples and oranges, especially if the apples are growing on a tree in the desert and the oranges are growing on a tree in a lush, tended grove.

 

I've leveled a VG and a PT, the former as a tank and the latter as a DPS, and I can honestly say that the tank leveled up just as effectively, if not slightly more so: taking less damage and being able to solo virtually everything that exists without any effort more than made up for killing slightly slower (and it is *slightly* slower while leveling because 90% of leveling gear is DPS focused until you get into your 40s and you get all of the survivability you need out of pure armor rating as a tank).

The difference is marginally small in any tree while leveling.

 

I do warzones almost exclusively and zip through the main quests.

 

You may kill slower going tank but it's not that huge of a difference and you have better survivability with less downtime.

 

from 1-20 you are best to spread your spec out maximizing your damage in each of the trees. You can always respec as well and find what works best for you.

 

I personally switch it up, legacy perk depending on how im doing. To be 100% honest though, keep your gear up to date with mods and oranges, and do the same with your companion. since this is like my 5th alt and have a bit of extra cash, i just auto attack through everything.

As a Tactics Vanguard, I have been leveling extremely well. My primary companion is Dorne, and being that most enemies you face tend to attack within melee range, Tactics tends to fare pretty well when it comes to both PvP and PvE, provided that you are familiar with your mechanics.

To be honest, I tend to level too fast for my liking. I like to do all the quests to get the most out of the story but I'm finding myself out levelling the quests before too long.

 

I'm not really interested in the end game as it's the story I like the best. Once I hit 50 I'll probably just start on the next character!