TERA: The Exiled Realm of Arborea
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Date: 2012-05-21 01:48:50 Views:
Introduction
Though there are two somewhat-equal healing classes in Tera, this doesn’t not necessarily mean that both tanking options too are on equal footing. Yes, warriors are classified as a DPS/Tank hybrid, but there are only certain cases where warriors, when similarly geared, can compete in effectiveness with a Lancer.
What I mean by this is that lancers were built for nothing but tanking; their abilities focus around this specific aspect, and nothing else. They take less damage due to plate gear, mitigate most direct forms of damage with block, have great aggro generation, a strong defense decreasing debuff, various taunts and stuns…the list goes on.
So what do Warriors bring to the table? Dodging abilities on short-medium cooldowns, abilities that allow them to take less damage/lower chances of being knocked down, solid agro generation, a few higher level interrupts and the ability to debuff enemy defenses as well.
On paper, they seem to be on equal footing, but this is simply not the case. Warriors take more damage from bosses. Period. Yes, they can have more endurance than lancers at times. But there are many downsides that make warrior tanking difficult. They generally have less health, though in Tera this is subjective. If their cooldowns are popped, they are easily comboed to death if knocked down by certain bosses (even trash monsters). Healers have a harder time dealing with a tank that can often be found at half health, thus making it harder to heal the party. DPS sometimes find themselves facing the boss when a warrior rolls into them, bringing the bosses face towards them. These issues make warrior tanks less accepted, since they often make party experiences more difficult when not played to the best of their ability. In short, if you perform poorly as a Warrior tank, you will be making life hard on yourself and others.
But do not fret. Warrior tanks can be quite impressive when played correctly. They bring a very strong defense lowering debuff for party play, provide more DPS than Lancers, and can almost mitigate damage as well as a Lancer, just with far more movement and awareness. Plus, being able to tank can relieve the pressure off Lancer tanks, since right now, there is large demand for Lancers. Plus it means you can grab parties quickly! More loot! More experience! Woot!
So how do you do this? How do you become a respectable Warrior tank? Let me at least introduce you to the concept of tanking in Tera so you understand the basics.
