Hello guys,

 

For end game content nightmare, do you think that tanks must have hybrid dps/tank build?

 

I mean, the damage that they can with hybrid builds can be usefull for NIM contents, or is it marginal?

 

If yes/no, why?

 

Ty.

I will assume you are talking about Guardian tanks, since Shadows and Vanguards will definitely want to go all the way up their tank trees.

 

There is no question that Guardians have better mitigation with a hybrid build. Go up your tank tree until you get 2 points in Blade Barrier and one point in Courage, then go up the middle tree until you get Overhead Slash and 2 points in Commanding Awe.

 

You get better passive damage reduction, plus the lower cooldown on Blade Storm gives you more frequent Blade Barrier. Blade Barrier is an essential component of Guardian tanking - it's like a self heal that never overheals. Overhead Slash gives you better long term single target damage and threat. Your main disadvantages are Area Threat, generating high threat quickly at the beginning of a fight, and resource management.

 

Conversely, the full tank tree will have a little bit worse mitigation and damage/long term threat. But you can build high threat more quickly at the beginning of a fight, which means less risk of the dps getting aggro. AoE threat is a little easier to manage, along with resources. The full tank build also makes it easier to establish your armor reduction stacks more quickly and on more targets.

 

To be honest, I switch back and forth depending on my mood, or depending on what I think I will have the most trouble doing (surviving vs keeping aggro) based on my group.

I have no problem tanking this on my juggernaut with 31 points in immortal.

 

I will stick to the immortal tree, especially because it will be a lot better in 2.0

The incoming damage (especially on 16) is so high that you want your tanks to be as defensively sound as possible. So unless you're a Guardian, no to hybrids.

Don't forget that hybrid Jugg/Guardian tanking is most likely off the table in 2.0. They have tied some of the key abilities that you do the hybrid for to your form. When in Soresu the abilities will not work as the trees stand in 2.0 right now.

how far will we go in the middle tree with 5 more points to give due to levelling to 55?

how far will we go in the middle tree with 5 more points to give due to levelling to 55?

 

I believe that with 55 they're adding more abilities, making it harder to go hybrid if you want certain top-level abilities in one tree.

Don't forget that hybrid Jugg/Guardian tanking is most likely off the table in 2.0. They have tied some of the key abilities that you do the hybrid for to your form. When in Soresu the abilities will not work as the trees stand in 2.0 right now.

 

True. I'm really looking forward to tanking full defense in 2.0 (though not looking forward to being stunned and knocked back by every trash pack that I leap into).

 

how far will we go in the middle tree with 5 more points to give due to levelling to 55?

 

Since there is a new tier of skills in each tree, 31 pt abilities are now 36 pt abilities. So if you want the top talent in a tree (and you will for 2.0 Defense), you won't be able to get any higher in a second tree than you can right now.