The titled question was asked in regards to the PT answers, and I think it's just as desirable to ask it here.

 

Currently there's 1 (or 2, I can't remember), hybrid specs that some people use in PVP that incorporates some of the darkness spec. Even I play as a full tank but with DPS gear.

 

So how would you answer the question, if it does indeed need asking.

 

Personally, for myself, neglecting numbers and other hard data, I'd simply make crit damage act like white damage as well. I'm sure that would open a can of worms, but that's what this post is for, a discussion!

 

EDIT: Also, missed KBN's post http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=7312702

Edited March 25, 2014 by MasterFeign

How would making crits be white damage help anyone with anything aside from completely breaking PvP?

How would making crits be white damage help anyone with anything aside from completely breaking PvP?

 

Without having any effect on PvE, since bosses cannot crit. :-)

How would making crits be white damage help anyone with anything aside from completely breaking PvP?

 

Well it would at least make tanks more survivable. You wouldn't have to change the type of attack (from yellow to white), just make all the other types of damage mitigatable as well.

 

I'm not a math person however, so as I admitted in my first post, I'm unsure of the larger extent that these sort of changes would make, hopefully aside from making it so that tanks are more survivable.

It's a bad idea. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Heh, fair enough. Though other ideas would be great too.

 

I realise people complain when a tank guards a healer, and both become nearly unkillable, but I wouldn't think that that means that having a guarded healer is a determinate factor for playing a tank class though...

Best way it seems to me would likely be the DP stacks, make em last a second or two longer. This is more of an issue in PVP than it is in PVE.

The best way to make tanks more useful in PvP would be to extend the range and affects of taunts when used in PvP environments.

 

As is, a proper taunting can help massively in content where the teams stay close enough together for AOE taunts to do things - however, in larger maps (Novarre Coast and the snow/grass/mid one whose name escapes me somehow) taunts just don't have the AOE to affect enough people.

 

 

They could also give 'high threat' abilities a special benefit in PVP - if I use Force Crush as a Shadow, make them have triple the accuracy penalty against anyone but me, or make them have penalties to damage as a mini-taunt, or something..

 

 

If an ability has a focus that doesn't work due to PvE vs PvP mechanics, add something that balances it for PvP. I can't use mind control to force an opponent to attack me, but they only do half damage to anyone who isn't me. That's a good change. Now do it to other threat-gaining abilities!

The problem is tanking stats are next to worthless, ESPECIALLY for sin tank when you've got over 40% of the incoming damage that completely ignores ALL tanking stats. It devalues those stats so tremendously you're better off just getting dps gear with fortitude augs because you're going to be nearly as effective as a health sponge but with slightly less laughable damage.

 

Jugs are still very desirable because of intercede, an additional 20% flat damage reduction that lasts for 6 seconds every 20s that can be staggered with taunts for extremely high protection uptimes coupled with aoe shield from taunt. As a pure tank there is zero reason to ever bring a sin over a jug or pt. Armor mitigates 88~90% of all damage in warzones and that is by far assassin's weakest area.

 

Our heals used to offset that by allowing us to sustain through engagements, although we were still more vulnerable to spike. To be more useful as an actual tank however we we would need either more sustain again, or less unmitigated damage taken... as well as one other useful "defensive" utility, lots of ideas there, wouldn't be huge, just one more thing to bring to the defensive table as it were. I was kind of toying with the idea of being able to clone our current stacks of DP to our new target upon guard switch. I also feel like PTs and Sins both should get the aoe shield on taunt. I have all 3 tanks that I play in PVP every day and I can tell you first hand, it's -way- easier to rack up protection points on jug. 350k is a good match on my Sin, 450~500k is par for the course on my jug, who is significantly less geared than my min/maxed obroan sin.

 

Anyway, it's definitely in a sad place post 2.5, and all tanks are forced to waste a significant allocation of stats with such a large portion of damage ignoring actual tanking stats. Being able to shield crit damage would be a significant step towards improving this dilemma. It's already a crit, it's already getting surge bonus, it doesn't need to bypass our defensive stat that ONLY we, as tanks are relying upon. In essence, tanks are penalized for being hit with a crit harder than any other class. It has been and still is a huge problem for pvp tanking in general.

Edited March 26, 2014 by Guiken