Hello, everyone,

 

I just wondered how I might learn tanking with low-level characters.

People begin to say that tanking is fruitless or rather senseless in Story / Veteran Mode right now ...

But regarding tanking on Master Modes ... How do I learn tanking with a low level character ? I mean, Master Modes are not available for level 20, right ?

And if ... wouldn't I get kicked out if I was trying to tank with my low-level character ? Not to mention the sheer difficulty for example in Blood Hunt ?

 

My goal is to try out all tank classes .. beginning with my first tank Jedi (Guardian), then my second tank Jedi (Shadow), and probable (but I'm not sure about that right now) my Vanguard ...

 

Normally, I feel highly uneasy with close combat classes - and it's even worse for me that ALL tanking classes are close combat ... I mean, why didn't Bioware invent a ranged tanking class ? ( I vaguely remember one Consular companion had been such a "ranged tanking" role ... )

 

So, what would you say about learning to tank in lower levels ? Because I just don't want to wait until my characters are at level 70 ...

 

Alrik

 

P.S. : I'm more DD oriented these days, but I've been playing Healers, too.

For lowbies new to tanking there really isn't a "good" option any more. If you tank without a healer you will most likely find yourself performing both roles as people expect the person taking damage to also run kolto. There are 2 reasons I quit running GF vet fp. Primarily, I got booted twice for being a tank. Secondarily I was basically being kolto and tank and getting yelled at for losing aggro as my level 25 dude is running around in a group of 70s dps and I'm the only one who can click kolto!

 

Ok horror stories aside, legit advice: if you know a healer buddy you guys can queue vet mode (preferably the easier ones) together. Otherwise I'd recommend waiting until 50 when you can queue for MM and then queue for just the easier ones (hammer station, athiss, etc). At 50 you can also start SM ops which are doable mostly below level and are good exp to boot.

 

Both methods work better if you have friends or a guild willing to cooperate.

Basically what Kendra said (although in my experience, seeing a level 50 tank in a MM queue is usually an insta-decline by someone...) and I think having an understanding of how threat and taunts work in this game helps a lot, also knowing what moves do what as a tank (if it's single target, aoe etc.) Also know the mechanics well if doing harder content, since as a tank you'll be taking most/all of the direct boss damage) If doing veteran FPs, since most adds die in a blink of an eye, your best bet to learning is just probably to gather adds so they can die faster via AOEs, and get aggro on as many adds as possible so your group takes less damage, and in boss fights, try to keep aggro for as long as possible. And yes low-level tanks can definitely be quite squishy since you won't have some of your passives and even some DCDs yet.

Basically what Kendra said (although in my experience, seeing a level 50 tank in a MM queue is usually an insta-decline by someone...) and I think having an understanding of how threat and taunts work in this game helps a lot, also knowing what moves do what as a tank (if it's single target, aoe etc.) Also know the mechanics well if doing harder content, since as a tank you'll be taking most/all of the direct boss damage) If doing veteran FPs, since most adds die in a blink of an eye, your best bet to learning is just probably to gather adds so they can die faster via AOEs, and get aggro on as many adds as possible so your group takes less damage, and in boss fights, try to keep aggro for as long as possible. And yes low-level tanks can definitely be quite squishy since you won't have some of your passives and even some DCDs yet.

 

This is why I recommended restricting the queue to the easy ones. I have no issue with lowbies in hammer station. Now battle of rishi, lost island, blood hunt, and co? Different story lol

I'd also recommend running The Eternal Championship after you complete chapter 9 of Zakuul. It's a good way to get a feel of how to hold the adds' attention and manage your DCDs, there are a lot of guides out there for gear and rotations so be sure to check them out. I'd also recommend running the later story chapters from KOTFE and KOTET in Veteran as it the battles not end in a second because of your companion and you killing everything almost instantly... unfortunately story these days is too easy with the exception of the late expansions. Best of luck to you.

This is why I recommended restricting the queue to the easy ones. I have no issue with lowbies in hammer station. Now battle of rishi, lost island, blood hunt, and co? Different story lol

 

I meant if they don't have a full group to queue together, someone else who randomly queues won't see they only queued for the easy ones and decline the pop.

At low levels you cannot learn tanking: you do not have the skills, passives ,gear or utilities to even get a ball park view of how your discipline will fair. The best you can do is:

 

1. Reads your discipline - Follow the discpline path and read what each skill and each passive will give you. This will help you to understand how to manage your DCD's and what abilities will proc a Passive DCD.
   
2. Go to Dufly. com and read up on your role. The guides are not up-to-date but they are stil lrelevant and still give a fair representation of each class.
   
3. Watch a Tanking guide on youtude - These guides are narrated and covers gearing, rotation and aggro management.
   
4. Know the Content - The best way to become and effective tank is to know the content. For example, it is easier to Line-of-sight (LOS) mobs on the first pull in Hammer Station than to just charge in.
   
5. Play a DPS and A healer first - If you cna see things from the perspective of a DPS and a Healer, you will be a more effective tank.
   

This is why I recommended restricting the queue to the easy ones. I have no issue with lowbies in hammer station. Now battle of rishi, lost island, blood hunt, and co? Different story lol

 

I noticed that as well. I never understood why these FPs were given out for Lowbies as well, especially Blood Hunt.

 

Thanks for all answers.

 

It seems that I'm a several years too late with trying to learn it at lower levels ...

Edited January 14, 2018 by AlrikFassbauer

get a guild, or a friend, and get them to help is best way

 

or a sympathetic healer - if you're on Imp i can help

 

also, do some PVP . it can be brutal, but if you want TANK practise, rather than "learning the FP mechanics for tanking" it will teach you to watch 'aggro'. guard swap, etc and be more aware of your surroundings than trying to dps people

also, do some PVP . it can be brutal, but if you want TANK practise, rather than "learning the FP mechanics for tanking" it will teach you to watch 'aggro'. guard swap, etc and be more aware of your surroundings than trying to dps people

 

PvP is fantastic for improving one's situational awareness and ability to react to problems, but its really not going to teach him much about PvE tanking. Players do not at all follow aggro mechanics, guard swap is not a thing in PvE, its just a totally different ballgame.

PvP is fantastic for improving one's situational awareness and ability to react to problems, but its really not going to teach him much about PvE tanking. Players do not at all follow aggro mechanics, guard swap is not a thing in PvE, its just a totally different ballgame.

 

Players dont necessarily follow aggro mechanics but taunting works the exact same way (range for AoE taunt, and the same idea for single taunt where the most damaging opponent needs to be taunted) but with slightly different mechanics where any player not attacking you will do significantly less damage.

 

I genuinely find PvE very easy after PvP, as you learn how to use your DCDs very well (healers always comment on how much easier it is to play with me tanking)

Edited February 18, 2018 by RACATW