Returning player

[Ursus]

When I played live, many many years ago, I deeply enjoyed being a tank - specifically an SK. I took a great deal of pride in developing skills pulling, managing agro, and choosing my gear in a thoughtful way to improve my tank-ability.

But based on the reading here, it sounds like groups don't want anything to do with an SK tank, that they only want warriors.

Is that really the case?

[EQBallzz]

I think for dungeons and groups SKs are fine and nobody cares (that's my experience). Considering how hard it is to find an actual tank for PUGs I don't think most care so long as you can hold aggro and take a hit. If you plan to move on to raiding that is a different story. I don't have first-hand experience with the raiding scene so maybe someone else can comment on that but I'm guessing at this stage of the EQ timeline Warriors are used over hybrids. My only issue with SK tanks is they tend to "taunt" every mob with their dot and then I can't mez. :p

[utenan]

In all my years playing here I don't think I've ever seen class discrimination, of any kind, in a leveling group - maybe I've lucked out a bit - BUT the forums are not a super accurate representation of Norrath : )

[Pyrion]

For my groups i will always prefer a hybrid tank over a warrior. Problem is taunting. A warriors taunts are not as reliable as a hybrids. Thats the price the warrior pays for more durability and weapon damage. In normal group content a hybrid tank is sufficiently durable.

[kgallowaypa]

In all my years playing here I don't think I've ever seen class discrimination, of any kind, in a leveling group - maybe I've lucked out a bit - BUT the forums are not a super accurate representation of Norrath : )

Spoken like a champion; have fun in everquest, not forumquest.

[RDawg816]

Anyone can tank, if the group will allow it. I've had every class tank, actually. Sk and paladin are among the best at snap aggro. Warrior and monk can mitigate one they have aggro. Other classes require more creativity.

If you want to play an SK, do it. You won't get kicked out unless you just suck at it. :)

[captainswjr]

For my groups i will always prefer a hybrid tank over a warrior. Problem is taunting. A warriors taunts are not as reliable as a hybrids. Thats the price the warrior pays for more durability and weapon damage. In normal group content a hybrid tank is sufficiently durable.

^^This.

Any extra healing the warrior saves the cleric is balanced out by the enchanter or shaman getting smacked around. By the time it's safe to slow an exp mob being tanked by a warrior, it's not worth slowing them.

[maskedmelon]

Pal/sk are great for snap aggro and augmenting groups that suck. In an exceptional group, they are found lacking. Warriors are generally speaking always lacking. If I don't need a pal/sk's snap aggro, I'd just go with a monk for tank. If I don't need the pal/sk mitigation, but do need snap aggro, I'll go with a ranger. Bard works fabulously too. War tank is bottom barrel :/

[RDawg816]

Any extra healing the warrior saves the cleric is balanced out by the enchanter or shaman getting smacked around. By the time it's safe to slow an exp mob being tanked by a warrior, it's not worth slowing them.
That might be true for an enchanter, but on my shaman I slow exp mobs (and even some raid mobs) as early as possible.

[Ursus]

Thank you all. I've made my SK now and am happily leveling away :)

[unleashedd]

That might be true for an enchanter, but on my shaman I slow exp mobs (and even some raid mobs) as early as possible.

on my chanter, i tash n slow as soon as i have LOS. then lvl4 mez for that sweet memblur component. unless SK pulling, then memblur is pointless

[captainswjr]

That might be true for an enchanter, but on my shaman I slow exp mobs (and even some raid mobs) as early as possible.

Well.. shamans are much tougher than enchanters and can heal themselves.

With a SK I can Tash/clicky/slow on incoming mobs before they hit the group and it won't come for me. With a warrior I can wait till the mob is at 70%, cast tash, an be tanking. Tash is unholy aggro and enchanter slows are too expensive and slow casting to try to slow without tash. In my opinion. I'm not preaching the one true way to chant.

[EQBallzz]

I usually have a SK tank. I tash immediately and use kromzek surveyor scope to start casting slow immediately. Usually have mob slowed before it hits 80% if no resists. If monk tank or something I root first then proceed with tash/scope/slow. If the mobs don't resist much I just remove the tash step.

Use of that scope really cuts the time to get mobs tashed/slowed down a lot. Highly recommend using that.

[RDawg816]

Well.. shamans are much tougher than enchanters and can heal themselves
That was my point.

[Ursus]

I usually have a SK tank. I tash immediately and use kromzek surveyor scope to start casting slow immediately. Usually have mob slowed before it hits 80% if no resists. If monk tank or something I root first then proceed with tash/scope/slow. If the mobs don't resist much I just remove the tash step.

Use of that scope really cuts the time to get mobs tashed/slowed down a lot. Highly recommend using that.

I'm confused. How does a telescope clicky interact with slowing?

[RDawg816]

I'm confused. How does a telescope clicky interact with slowing?
Clickies reset the GCD and allow you to cast your spells faster.

Tash
Telescope
Slow
Telescope
Root

Another option is casting the same spell back to back.
Canni
Telescope
Canni
Telescope

Or

Heal
Telescope
Heal

In option 2, those spells need to be in slot 1.

[Ursus]

Huh, I did not know this. Why slot 1 specifically?

[RDawg816]

Huh, I did not know this. Why slot 1 specifically?
That's just how it works. It was a bug in classic.

[mickmoranis]

If you play an SK on red, you will be warmly welcomed into any guild, you will have far less competition on gear and youll find that playing an SK in PvP only gets more and more fun the more you learn and level.

Trust me, theres less ppl on it but its WAY more fun over there, especially for an SK.

Also everyone on blue is just as toxic as everyone on red who posts on forums, so dont let anyone tell you that ppl over there are toxic.

There's less players on red, so less toxic players, pras!

[Yaskin]

Slot 1 is special in that it will reset its cool down even if you just casted it. All other gems will not refresh immediately if you just casted that gem.

With the slot 1 trick, you are still at the mercy of the recast time of the spell.

Any insta cast item works for this... jboots, gobbie earring, scope, etc

Hope this helps!