Game Guides Archive
Thread: An Idiot's Guide to Becoming the Perfect CURB Tank.
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Lildrummerboy
Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:48 am
#1
Foreword:
So I've been in the test server a lot the last few days, and I mastered brawler, then went and started on artisan, since we can't pick up elites yet. Since surveying can be afk'd, I figured I would study the branches for a little while and figure out my CURB template.
The following information is meant mostly for those desiring to become tanks. As we all know, in the melee profession, it's anticipated that swordsman will do the most damage, and that out of all the professions as a whole, ranged support will do the most damage of anyone. This is primarily for those that want to be able to take the damage, and still dish quite a bit of it too. I left out profession-specific stats, like unarmed speed, or polearm damage, etc., because they don't really apply here. This is also based on the information, as we understand it, that all the specials in each profession can be done with any weapon.... i.e. blind attack, a fencer skill can be used unarmed, etc. If you obtain new information that would affect the following faq, feel free to post it and throw meh a freakin' bone here... I hope you enjoy!
Melee as a whole:
After adding up the different branches and studying each elite profession carefully, I noticed that there's still quite a bit of order to them, although many certifications and special attacks and such are mitigated, in order to stacking a little tougher, or less desirable even. All the melee professions, once mastered have the same number of points in all general and profession-specidic fields. For example, every elite profession has 10 melee defense points at novice, then 60 mitigated in teh branches, and then the final bonus (can't remember how much it is, but they're all the same). Needless to say then, it's not so much a matter of which elites have more points, since they're all equal...it's the specials, and looking for any ways that despite the professional mitigation, the general melee and ranged defense can be stacked to create the ultimate tank.
Here's what I came up with:
Each profession has a branch specific to general melee speed, melee accuracy, range defense, and melee defense. Each profession has special attacks and such, EXCEPT for the TKA. They instead have something called "Innate Teras Kasi Armor", which basically just makes it so they don't have to wear armor....it's a natural toughness, so to speak, but if they put on armor, it goes away...much like jedi. The other three melee professions have something called "battle armor mitigation"...there's specific types of encumbrance that armor does now, and none of it has anything to do with your stat pools....it instead directly affects your performance in combat. i.e. it slows down your attack rate, and/or your movement speed, etc. There are different kinds of armor mitigation, which makes the armor not take so much out of you...I won't be going into those, because with this template, you shouldn't ever have to put on armor, except to dress up for show
Given that, it's obvious that I'm going to tell you the first part is to master TKM. The innate armor is split into two of the four branches, equaling innate tk armor +20...when you get master, it's a BIG bonus of an additional +20. Aside from that, tkm doesn't have many specials by himself, other than meditate, force of will, power boost, and the same recovery skills that all the melee professions have. Aside from TKM, the other profession that's gonna give you a HUGE bonus to defense when you master it is MASTER BRAWLER. You'll also get some pretty cool specials that I've enjoyed using in the TC and heaven only knows how hard I can hit with those specials with a Massassi knuckler! Alright, that outta the way, this is where it gets fun.
Master Brawler and TKM....Now you get 3 stacks!
You're gonna want to stack from each of the other 3 melee professions. I can tell you right now, that one of the branches that's a must-have, tank or no, if you're gonna be melee is Pikes, branch 3... You will get melee defense +50 and range defense +40, but the really cool part is that you get intimidate and warcry...as of right now, pikes are the only ones that get those. You're also going to want to take branch 3 from swords for +50 to melee defense, and +35 to range defense as well as advanced armor break, and fencer, branches 1 and 3 for melee defense +50 and range defense +30, as well as improved scatter hit, AND my fave, improved blind attack!
Your choice now...pick any two branches of those remaining and two FS branches....or....mix it up!
You now have all the melee branches that hold melee and ranged defense stat modifiers, congratulations! Now, you gotta decide what specials, and skill mods are most important to you...
The following are what I felt were the best options if you wanted to just pick up general melee speed and accuracy stat modifiers... Of course the other option is just master one of the other melee professions...
Here's my picks...you can decide which ones fit your needs the best...pick any two:
Pike, branch 1: melee speed +10, and advanced sweep attack (remember this special has a chance of KD)
Pike, branch 2: Improved spin attack, impale, and melee accuracy +40 (my pick...because it gives you an area attack)
Swords, branch 2: improved area taunt and melee speed +10 (a real must if you want to be a tank in all aspects of the word...swords is the only profession of the melee professions with an area taunt. Add this to TKM [aka the taunt king profession] and you'll be the ultimate "tank").
Fencer, branch 2: melee speed +10 and improved lunge and cripple attack. (this would be my last choice...just my opinion though.)
FINALLY!
With master brawler, TKM, and 6 branches from each of the other 3 melee professions, you have used up 242 points. You have 8 left to get 2 fs branches. If you wanna be more ferocious, then get melee speed and melee accuracy from combat prowess, or if you want to be ever tougher, then go with range defense and melee defence from enhanced reflexes, or mix it up.
There ya have it the perfect tank!
(can't wait to really try this in the TC)
"If I were not a physicist, I would have been a musician"
- Albert Einstein
So I've been in the test server a lot the last few days, and I mastered brawler, then went and started on artisan, since we can't pick up elites yet. Since surveying can be afk'd, I figured I would study the branches for a little while and figure out my CURB template.
The following information is meant mostly for those desiring to become tanks. As we all know, in the melee profession, it's anticipated that swordsman will do the most damage, and that out of all the professions as a whole, ranged support will do the most damage of anyone. This is primarily for those that want to be able to take the damage, and still dish quite a bit of it too. I left out profession-specific stats, like unarmed speed, or polearm damage, etc., because they don't really apply here. This is also based on the information, as we understand it, that all the specials in each profession can be done with any weapon.... i.e. blind attack, a fencer skill can be used unarmed, etc. If you obtain new information that would affect the following faq, feel free to post it and throw meh a freakin' bone here... I hope you enjoy!
Melee as a whole:
After adding up the different branches and studying each elite profession carefully, I noticed that there's still quite a bit of order to them, although many certifications and special attacks and such are mitigated, in order to stacking a little tougher, or less desirable even. All the melee professions, once mastered have the same number of points in all general and profession-specidic fields. For example, every elite profession has 10 melee defense points at novice, then 60 mitigated in teh branches, and then the final bonus (can't remember how much it is, but they're all the same). Needless to say then, it's not so much a matter of which elites have more points, since they're all equal...it's the specials, and looking for any ways that despite the professional mitigation, the general melee and ranged defense can be stacked to create the ultimate tank.
Here's what I came up with:
Each profession has a branch specific to general melee speed, melee accuracy, range defense, and melee defense. Each profession has special attacks and such, EXCEPT for the TKA. They instead have something called "Innate Teras Kasi Armor", which basically just makes it so they don't have to wear armor....it's a natural toughness, so to speak, but if they put on armor, it goes away...much like jedi. The other three melee professions have something called "battle armor mitigation"...there's specific types of encumbrance that armor does now, and none of it has anything to do with your stat pools....it instead directly affects your performance in combat. i.e. it slows down your attack rate, and/or your movement speed, etc. There are different kinds of armor mitigation, which makes the armor not take so much out of you...I won't be going into those, because with this template, you shouldn't ever have to put on armor, except to dress up for show
Given that, it's obvious that I'm going to tell you the first part is to master TKM. The innate armor is split into two of the four branches, equaling innate tk armor +20...when you get master, it's a BIG bonus of an additional +20. Aside from that, tkm doesn't have many specials by himself, other than meditate, force of will, power boost, and the same recovery skills that all the melee professions have. Aside from TKM, the other profession that's gonna give you a HUGE bonus to defense when you master it is MASTER BRAWLER. You'll also get some pretty cool specials that I've enjoyed using in the TC and heaven only knows how hard I can hit with those specials with a Massassi knuckler! Alright, that outta the way, this is where it gets fun.
Master Brawler and TKM....Now you get 3 stacks!
You're gonna want to stack from each of the other 3 melee professions. I can tell you right now, that one of the branches that's a must-have, tank or no, if you're gonna be melee is Pikes, branch 3... You will get melee defense +50 and range defense +40, but the really cool part is that you get intimidate and warcry...as of right now, pikes are the only ones that get those. You're also going to want to take branch 3 from swords for +50 to melee defense, and +35 to range defense as well as advanced armor break, and fencer, branches 1 and 3 for melee defense +50 and range defense +30, as well as improved scatter hit, AND my fave, improved blind attack!
Your choice now...pick any two branches of those remaining and two FS branches....or....mix it up!
You now have all the melee branches that hold melee and ranged defense stat modifiers, congratulations! Now, you gotta decide what specials, and skill mods are most important to you...
The following are what I felt were the best options if you wanted to just pick up general melee speed and accuracy stat modifiers... Of course the other option is just master one of the other melee professions...
Here's my picks...you can decide which ones fit your needs the best...pick any two:
Pike, branch 1: melee speed +10, and advanced sweep attack (remember this special has a chance of KD)
Pike, branch 2: Improved spin attack, impale, and melee accuracy +40 (my pick...because it gives you an area attack)
Swords, branch 2: improved area taunt and melee speed +10 (a real must if you want to be a tank in all aspects of the word...swords is the only profession of the melee professions with an area taunt. Add this to TKM [aka the taunt king profession] and you'll be the ultimate "tank").
Fencer, branch 2: melee speed +10 and improved lunge and cripple attack. (this would be my last choice...just my opinion though.)
FINALLY!
With master brawler, TKM, and 6 branches from each of the other 3 melee professions, you have used up 242 points. You have 8 left to get 2 fs branches. If you wanna be more ferocious, then get melee speed and melee accuracy from combat prowess, or if you want to be ever tougher, then go with range defense and melee defence from enhanced reflexes, or mix it up.
There ya have it the perfect tank!
(can't wait to really try this in the TC)
"If I were not a physicist, I would have been a musician"
- Albert Einstein
Kylrathin
Thu Apr 07, 2005 9:22 am
#2
Good information for an idiot like me! 
I just hope it's still valid when the CURB hits live...they keep saying nothing is set in stone, of course.
I just hope it's still valid when the CURB hits live...they keep saying nothing is set in stone, of course.
Israth
Thu Apr 07, 2005 4:58 pm
#3
Good, except you forget that every melee profession isn't meant to tank.
zRhyno
Tue Apr 12, 2005 6:01 pm
#5
mods from the professions no longer stack. Example, the melee def from swordsman and melee def from TKA wont stack on top of each other anymore.
A I M E S
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