Curse

scratchdude · Jan 12, 2011, 11:33 PM // 23:33

So, I was wondering if it was still possible to tank as a dervish, using some kind of obsidian flesh build (I looked on Wiki, but it seems it is outdated). I often see GLF TANK in party search, and I thought it would be nice to be able to fill this role. Thanx for any insight!

chuckles79 · Jan 13, 2011, 01:03 AM // 01:03

You kinda just answered the question within the question. Go D/E, use Obby Flesh for Spell Blocking and other Earth Magic for xtra armor. Put points also into Earth Prayers and bring Mystic Regen. The PvP skill "I am Unstoppable" would help for areas with knockdown as well.

That being said, I've only once seen a Derv who can tank appropriately.

Cuilan · Jan 13, 2011, 01:36 AM // 01:36

Groups that look for a tank often mean melee that can do tanking tactics, not a worthless build that don't do anything. When you ping them your damage build...make it clear to them that tanks don't do anything, especially with Ebon Assassins, minions, and spirits.

LifeInfusion · Jan 13, 2011, 02:00 AM // 02:00

Spec 6 in Conviction, run "I am unstoppable!"+ 14 scythe+Zealous Vow + Mystic sweep+ Eremite's attack + Save Yourselves!. If you need any more than that, you're usually overaggroing or you can just tell your monk to not suck so bad and slap prot spirit + SoA/Seed of life on you. I've seen Avatar of Balthazar + Eternal Aura stuff, but if you need to spec mysticism for something that only gives +40 armor you're wasting your time (you can spec 7+ Earth Magic for armor of earth and not waste your elite slot, provided there are no enchant strips).

Don't run Obsidian Flesh, it's garbage on a Dervish. Your max Obsidian Flesh (at 12 Eearth Magic) is 21 seconds with an enchanting mod, Glyph of swiftness reduces 25% =22.5 seconds recharge. You're better off on an Elementalist, which can pump Armor of Earth to +62 instead of +53 and run Stoneflesh aura and stone striker with Geomancer's and Mantra of Earth, which makes up for +25 armor on a Dervish anyway (60+20+9 vs 70+20).
i.e. Glyph of Swiftness, Obsidian Flesh, Stoneflesh Aura, Armor of Earth, Mantra of Earth, Stone Striker, Grasping Earth, Sliver armor.
http://www.gwpvx.com/Build:E/Me_Gene...n_Flesh_Farmer

As a monk /facepalm whenever I see a defy pain warrior or obsidian flesh dervish. If you want to tank run a Shadow form assassin. Then you can blame your crap damage on Shadow form's damage cap :p

EDIT:
Think about it from a team standpoint. Do you want 2 characters with save yourselves, giving +100 armor to everyone that are also pumping out damage and other useful things (shouts, conditions, what have you)? Or do you want a character that sits there and takes damage and does nothing else? Even only one character with Save Yourselves, all your monk needs to do is keep an eye on the person unprotted (i.e. the person using SY!).

The closest thing to tanking:
12+1+1=14 Scythe
6+1=7 Earth Prayers
11+1=12 wind prayers

1 Zealous Vow
2 Mystic Sweep
3 Eremite's Attack
4 Aura of Holy Might
5 Conviction
6 "I am unstoppable!" (unlike other boosts this stacks beyond +25) see http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Effect_stacking
7 Armor of Sanctity
8 "Save Yourselves!"

A bad idea: Balth
8+1 Mysticism
12+1+1 Scythe
10 Protection Prayers (breakpoint for SoA)

1 Avatar of Balthazar (Waste of elite slot since 70+40+20=130 armor, an axe warrior with I am unstoppable has 120 base and 140 vs physical)
2 I am unstoppable!
3 Eremite's attack
4 Mystic Sweep
5 Balthazar's Spirit
6 Protective Spirit
7 Shield of Absorption
8 Eternal Aura

see:
http://www.gwpvx.com/Build:D/Mo_130hp_Dervish_Farmer
http://www.gwpvx.com/Build:D/Me_Balthazar_UW_Farmer
http://www.gwpvx.com/Build:D/any_Balthazar_FoW_Farmer
http://www.gwpvx.com/Build:D/any_Balthazar_UW_Farmer

You don't want to run 130HP in a party. If you get stripped you're out of luck, it's more or less instagib. Mystic Regen isn't all that useful either when you have high HP.

Cuilan · Jan 13, 2011, 02:05 AM // 02:05

Use this if you must. Conviction and Armor of Sanctity don't have any stacking conflicts and you get to spread weakness to lessen damage for other players as well to some extent.

Kunder · Jan 13, 2011, 04:38 AM // 04:38

Tanking is bad. You have at least 2x the damage output of the caster classes, use it. If you ever need more defense than Conviction + Armor of Sanctity (Save Yourselves is also awesome, but thats because it turns everyone ELSE into tanks) then the problem is that the rest of your team sucks horribly and there is no magic build you can bring to make them suck less.

byteme! · Jan 13, 2011, 04:46 AM // 04:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kunder

Tanking is bad. You have at least 2x the damage output of the caster classes, use it. If you ever need more defense than Conviction + Armor of Sanctity (Save Yourselves is also awesome, but thats because it turns everyone ELSE into tanks) then the problem is that the rest of your team sucks horribly and there is no magic build you can bring to make them suck less.

I was gonna write some epic post but I think many of us have visited this before so I'll just agree with what he said.

Tanking aka a build setup to specifically soak up damage and nothing else....SUCKS!

Gabs88 · Jan 30, 2011, 09:01 PM // 21:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by byteme!

I was gonna write some epic post but I think many of us have visited this before so I'll just agree with what he said.

Tanking aka a build setup to specifically soak up damage and nothing else....SUCKS!

A good tank aka someone to take the initial spell wave off in HM, is worth his weight in gold. Though, theyre practically nonexistant. And if anyone's gonna do it, let it be a warr.. Atleast he wont be wasting half his slots to do so

Bandwagon · Jan 30, 2011, 10:45 PM // 22:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabs88

A good tank aka someone to take the initial spell wave off in HM, is worth his weight in gold. Though, theyre practically nonexistant. And if anyone's gonna do it, let it be a warr.. Atleast he wont be wasting half his slots to do so

Tanks only exist in Speed Clears, where they gather and ball up large mounds of enemies so AOE can kill them in a fraction of the time that it takes to visit and kill each group.
General tank and spank in GW is a waste, bring damage, your backline can keep you up (unless you like to frenzy and overextend like a chump). If initial pulls are troubling, bring midline support or pre-prot the puller.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scratchdude

I often see GLF TANK in party search, and I thought it would be nice to be able to fill this role.

Some groups form and don't have any physicals or Minion Masters in the party, if this occurs, usually any frontline, regardless of build or prof is welcome as a potential bodyblocker (nevermind the fact that physicals in GW will almost always out-damage armor sensitive midliners in HM. If the team is looking for a fully devoted tank, they are either Speed Clearing (you'll probably need a specific build and primary prof in that case) or incredibly ignorant in the practicality of a meat shield.

For a potent self defense, a dervish can invest 6 points in Earth Prayers and grab Conviction. Combined with an enchantment, conviction grants +24 armor and 50% block chance with 100% up time, add in blessed/wind-walker insignias and your practically a warrior with 4 pips of energy regen.

Vazze · Feb 02, 2011, 07:19 PM // 19:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bandwagon

Tanks only exist in Speed Clears, where they gather and ball up large mounds of enemies so AOE can kill them in a fraction of the time that it takes to visit and kill each group.

They exist wherever there is something valuable to farm. Holding agro with a tank is infinitely easier than keeping your team above the water with a backline. GW pve high end was DESIGNED to be played with tankspank, that is why everybody is trying to do it: they think that tankspank is the top of gw BECAUSE it owns everything.

FoxBat · Feb 02, 2011, 07:59 PM // 19:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vazze

Holding agro with a tank is infinitely easier than keeping your team above the water with a backline.

The main advantage is that with a real tank (shadowform/obs flesh), you need fewer to zero backline, and can therefore push more damage characters. Your tank replaces a monk and can do triple duty of balling in AoE, absorbing all hits, and sometimes dishing them out as well. That however has little to do with "balanced physical" type teams.