Ironbreaker vs. Blackguard

[witc0m]

Thanks for the replies so far. I don't care much about city content. It represents maybe ~5% of the game for me (I have a 60 WL currently). I more enjoy the oRvR roaming in small and large groups, occasionally playing scenarios as needed.

How is the IB as an offensive tank? I see several comments about BG buffing themselves and IB buffing allies. IB is probably strong in that small-scale environment then, but are THEY themselves strong too, or is it just about making your allies strong and you're a buff bot?

Btw, I tried Knight but hate it. Not enough to do on the class, basic tanking abilities, and passive auras are not a mechanic that's enjoyable. Tried SM too but don't enjoy the stance-dance aspect to the class. IB/BG are really the only tanks I'm considering.

[CountTalabecland]

IB is good due to the lack of tanks on Order generally. You don't really have a specific purpose in a warband or city grp.

You will make one MDPS really strong and otherwise Challenge and HTL. Essentially unless you are intending on making a 2h roam/scen tank, you may want to go Knight for WB/City play.

[Foofmonger]

IB is good due to the lack of tanks on Order generally. You don't really have a specific purpose in a warband or city grp.

You will make one MDPS really strong and otherwise Challenge and HTL. Essentially unless you are intending on making a 2h roam/scen tank, you may want to go Knight for WB/City play.

This is pretty accurate. Your role as an IB is to make a slayer buddy, and pretend like you guys are joined at the hip, assisting down the same targets while you boost their damage and protect them.

Now, is this stronger than what a KOTBS or SM can bring to the table? No. Is it worthless? No. As Count mentioned, this strategy is pretty good in smaller scale engagements, but generally speaking when talking about large scale content, it's all about AoE, and you don't bring much to the table there.

[Ostabenny]

Hell you never not take a good tank on Order in particular. I can only imagine maybe the LbLs full on bomb squad not taking a good IB and focusing on KotBSs and one or two SMs.

We (LBL) usually have 1 IB in WB to match up with a SL or WL. We’ve been running more mdps centric and so there’s kinda more slots for IB, but mostly because its hard to get good tanks that can challenge, taunt to interrupt and bellow on time. But yeah, don’t roll an IB to be in high end organised rvr.

I’m full 2/3 sov sets, can probably chime in.

I usually run SnB, and focus on buffing 1-2 dps to the brim and apply heal debuffs, armor/crit debuff when appropriate, snares, and knockdowns. When I do it right I feel useful in wb play.

In small scale with 2H, IB can be very good. You don’t quite put out the damage other tanks will, but you’ve got a ton of utility that would normally get overwritten in a organised wb, and if you’ve got a dps buddy you’ll delete stuff together. I find I only win 1v1s about 50% of the time, but that might be because I don’t do it enough and the people i run into are experienced gankers.

There’s always tons to do in a small scale fight as IB. punt guards away from squishies, snares and knockdowns, applying the right buffs/debuffs. If your in a 6 man switching guards and oathfriend (willpower buff for healers if they are in range is nice). Oathfriend isn’t on GCD so its fun to switch in between and spread the love.

I love my IB. It needs some Developer attention for WB play because I still wouldn’t take myself if building a wb, but if your focused on scens and small man groups you’ll have fun.

[Lime]

I played quite a bit of Ironbreaker and it is a bit of a one trick pony in that the class really needs to be guarding a mdps like geared slayer/wh in an organized melee train for the class to feel good. It also shines in longer fights and less in roaming situations as you need some time to build up grudges and get your combat buffs going.

It has serious shortcomings in that knight and SM are two very strong tank classes that bring very good group utility that everyone loves and they are better for roaming with no grudge mechanics while IB synergizes mostly with 2-3 classes in longer fights but it does so with those classes amazingly.

The class is should probably be renamed slayer babysitter because that's what it does amazingly. The 25% parry buff they give out is one of the strongest defensive buffs in the game. They are 1 of the only meta classes on order with a non proc armor debuff and the 25% parry buff for themselves and oathfriend is extremely powerful. Add in aoe snare and outgoing heal debuff and the class complements a slayer, extremely well.

That being said they have alot less synergy with the other classes like BW, WL, making them last pick in many non slayer group/wb compositions where knight/SM is stronger. These compositions simply want auras and Whispering/group bubble utilities.