I'm about to roll another tank because I like them. I just finished my VG, fun, but I'm an altoholic when it comes to tanks. I like having them all and any given day switch my tanking style to how I feel.

 

I keeping hearing from my Tanking partner (Guardian) that AoE tanking is a bit more difficult than the Shadow or VG. So I asked him if grenades from Cybertech would help a bit? He said he didn't know but didn't want to give up Biochem for it.

 

So my question to more experienced tanks, would cybertech help much in AoE tanking for a Guardian? Would it help enough to justify choosing Cybertech over Biochem? Last question, how big a deal is Biochem for a tank, like it you had a VG with it and a VG without biochem stims, how much a difference does it make?

 

Thanks much.

So my question to more experienced tanks, would cybertech help much in AoE tanking for a Guardian?

 

Since the grenades can only be used once every 3 minutes and are on the GCD, they're not really going to help much. You'll get some help on one pull every 3 minutes, assuming they're clustered but, beyond that, it's not really going to do much.

 

Last question, how big a deal is Biochem for a tank, like it you had a VG with it and a VG without biochem stims, how much a difference does it make?

 

Biochem isn't a vastly necessary as it used to be, but it's definitely one of the more useful from a gameplay standpoint: when you're not doing progression content , the fact that you've always got your Rakata stim and you can never run out of your medpac or adrenals, which is always nice to have. It's going to save you a *lot* of money in the long term and probably be the most useful when doing dailies, but, honestly, all of the crew skills are a wash for progression since nothing is really better than what you're bringing in already.

I don't think it would help much, the best burst grenade is the sludge applicator that does about 1500 damage to 5 targets on a 3 minute cooldown. That's not to say cybertech is a bad choice, it's really useful in raids when an earpiece drops that no one can use, or if there's a piece that absolutely no one needs and you want to RE for mats. I just don't think 1500 damage on a long cooldown will help a guardian tank with AOE threat. 180 seconds is 4 AOE taunts, to put it in perspective. Edited December 29, 2012 by MantorokTwelve

Oh ok I didn't realize how long the CD was on those grenades, I see you point. I was also looking for an alternative for my 3rd tan other than Biochem lol. Biochem a 3rd time for stims .... sigh. Would anyone suggest anything else other than Biochem? I have Biochemx2, Armormech, and Artifice'er. So I guess it's really Armstech, Cybertech or Sytheweave is the only things I haven't done.

So I guess it's really Armstech, Cybertech or Sytheweave is the only things I haven't done.

 

Cybertech is nice to have, if only because it allows you to RE ears, armorings, and mods. Combined with a piece of legacy gear and an Artificer, you can RE the entirety of any piece of fully moddable gear. The only thing you wouldn't be able to RE would be Implants and Relics (unless you get them on your Artifice).

If you have 2 biochems already, you should be able to supply your third tank with plenty of exotech stims.

 

I'd say cybertech, either that or maybe go full profiteering and take 3 out of underworld trading, bioanal, scavenging, and slicing.

Yeah, maybe I'll do that. Haven't tried full profiteering. I just like having crew skills or tradeskills in other games that help give me an edge in my the role I'm playing.

Imho,

i'd go with Biochem. Purple Rakata thingies justify this enough. I craft Seizmic grenades for PvP on other character and if there is bad situation in PvE - like double pull or something, i just use them in PvE too. It gives 4 sec of CCed (flat on ground) mobs to a healer to cast some big heal and save the day

Imho,

i'd go with Biochem. Purple Rakata thingies justify this enough. I craft Seizmic grenades for PvP on other character and if there is bad situation in PvE - like double pull or something, i just use them in PvE too. It gives 4 sec of CCed (flat on ground) mobs to a healer to cast some big heal and save the day

 

While I see how it could be useful. After reading this, like you said, you almost can't justify Cybertech over Biochem. Maybe I'll just do Sytheweaving. While probably the other two are more useful, I'm still not sure I can stomach going Biochem for a 3rd time. I can't make my toon till tomorrow since it's when I get home finally, but we'll see.

Honestly, I'd take Bio on the Guardian tank and swap the others to Cybertech (VG) and Artifice (Shadow).

 

Guardian tanks benefit from being able to swap between Might and Fortitude stims mid fight. I open with a Might stim on and then swap to Fortitude later when threat is less of an issue whereas my PT and Assassin tanks both just use Fortitude stims the whole time.

 

The only skills that are worth using on raiding toons are:

- Cybertech to RE Ears, Armourings, Mods and for grenades (<3 my 2nd AoE mezz on my Scoundrel)

- Biochem for reusable adrenals/stims/medpacks and the RE implants

- Artifice to RE Hilts, Relics and Enhancements

- Armstech to RE Barrels

 

Of those, only the Ear, Implant, Relic and Hilt can't be taxied between toons using legacy gear. Low level grenades stun just as well as high level ones and Exotech stims/adrenals are better than reusable Rakata ones.

 

EDIT: Of course, our raiding style is to RE for mats and schematics before giving to companions and to RE non-BiS mods anyway. If your guild is interested in gearing companions through raiding those things are a lot less useful, but if you can convince them to RE instead of gearing companions you can get a whole slew of Molecular Stabilisers.

Edited December 30, 2012 by grallmate

Honestly, I'd take Bio on the Guardian tank and swap the others to Cybertech (VG) and Artifice (Shadow).

 

Guardian tanks benefit from being able to swap between Might and Fortitude stims mid fight. I open with a Might stim on and then swap to Fortitude later when threat is less of an issue whereas my PT and Assassin tanks both just use Fortitude stims the whole time.

 

The only skills that are worth using on raiding toons are:

- Cybertech to RE Ears, Armourings, Mods and for grenades (<3 my 2nd AoE mezz on my Scoundrel)

- Biochem for reusable adrenals/stims/medpacks and the RE implants

- Artifice to RE Hilts, Relics and Enhancements

- Armstech to RE Barrels

 

Of those, only the Ear, Implant, Relic and Hilt can't be taxied between toons using legacy gear. Low level grenades stun just as well as high level ones and Exotech stims/adrenals are better than reusable Rakata ones.

 

EDIT: Of course, our raiding style is to RE for mats and schematics before giving to companions and to RE non-BiS mods anyway. If your guild is interested in gearing companions through raiding those things are a lot less useful, but if you can convince them to RE instead of gearing companions you can get a whole slew of Molecular Stabilisers.

 

Great advice, thanks.

There's nothing more convenient than having a rakata stim, adrenal, and medpack. I'm probably going to eventually turn all my pub characters into crafters and make all my Imp raiders biochem. Yes exotechs are better, but I'm not really going to bother unless I'm doing cutting edge progression raiding and we're really having THAT much trouble.