I am using Campaign relic of the Shrouded Crusader.

+57 endurance, +41 power, clicky +190 shield & absorb for 30 sec.

 

Strangely, the Dread Guard relic of the Shrouded Crusader goes:

+97 endurance, clicky +205 shield & absorb for 20 sec.

 

First: Is the Dread Guard actually better? More endurance, but no power, clicky is a bit stronger but 10 sec shorter.

Second: Is it some kind of a bug? Torhead says that the Dread Guard one has 60 end, 44 pow and 205 clicky for 30 sec.

 

What does that all mean?

First: Is the Dread Guard actually better?

 

Sadly enough, not, it's not. Personally, I was rather incensed that they removed the Power from the DG tank relics and replaced it with Endurance, which I consider to be something of a worthless stat, but they also reduced the duration without appropriately buffing the effect or shortening the CD. As such, you're actually better off sticking with the Campaign use relic as a tank.

I thought so, so you kinda answered my second question too, this state of DG relics is actually after an update?

Power over Endurance is only better in an optimal tanking scenario, where everyone is doing exactly what they need to be (including Heals/DPS), and the extra power makes your healers job slightly easier because you build a bit better threat, do a bit more damage and your blade barrier absorbs a bit more.

 

However, most tanking scenarios are not optimal, if they were you wouldn't need to worry about min/maxing your stats in the first place. And in situations where a healer is otherwise preoccupied momentarily, extra HP will benefit you more than extra power would.

 

I think how one gears is ultimately up to them, and while I do generally lean towards mitigation, in a question of power or main stat vs endurance, I'll take endurance as a tank usually. Taunts are far more powerful than any threat you build with your actual attacks, and the extra HP can most certainly make the difference when things don't go as planned, which unfortunately is bound to happen because people are human.

 

There's also the additional benefit as a Guardian of Enure adding an even greater temporary total to your HP. For example, a Guardian with 28k HP would get 8.4k extra HP during Kephess' final burn phase in HM TFB when he pops Enure, as opposed to a 24k HP Guardian getting 7.2k extra HP, and since your healers can't really effectively get casts off at that time, the extra HP can make a huge difference.

 

All that being said, the clicky relic only lasting 20 seconds compared to 30 for the Campaign one is definitely in the Campaign relics favor and likely an oversight. Personally tho, I go with 1 War Hero Defense relic and one Dread Guard Absorb proc relic.

Edited November 21, 2012 by wadecounty

more power for a tank means more blade barrier absorb.. right?

more power for a tank means more blade barrier absorb.. right?

 

Yes, although IIRC someone posted the numbers on here one time and the amount you add to it through Power/Strength is so negligible it will never really matter. I would like to see the hard numbers again if anyone has them though.

Regarding the 20 vs 30 second duration....in practical use, I don't think it matters all that much. Most of the times when you would want to use a click relic (i.e. to get through a frenzy), 20 seconds is plenty. If you're taking high volume damage for longer than 20 seconds, you're probably better off using the proc relic anyway.

 

Point being, the Dread gives greater numbers in comparison to the Campaign except for the duration, which in most practical situations would be "wasted" time anyway.