SM Solo Roam

[BluIzLucky]

I run solo a lot of the time and run a variation on this...

Great list, and is mostly my experience too.
Except for..
Magus, which generally only win if you engage them at full range with stacks (which I try not to) or running without disrupt, though my sample is quite low.
And..
r/m SH which I only win against if I attack them first and they don't know what they are doing or are under geared. Any gear/spec/rotation advice to win +50% of match up?

[detrap]

I run solo a lot of the time and run a variation on this https://builder.returnofreckoning.com/c ... ,2888,2890 a lot in a Sov/Invader armor combo.

Generally speaking it works out as follows:
Chosen - usually win
Marauder - usually win but highly geared can be troublesome
Magus - kick my butt more often than I want to admit
Zealot - move on
Sorc - If in melee freenown. If they are at range, maneuver under cover or they can eat you even through WoDS
WE - problematic. 50/50 fight if you do everything right. Worse if you don't.
DoK - Healer version move on. DPS version can beat but hard.
BG - usually win
Shaman - move on
SH - usually not a problem if you can catch.
Choppa - usually a win but some setups can be problematic at higher gear levels
BO - usually a win


Personally I think SM works best as a duo. Cross-guarded 2h SMs are very scary for example.

I don't think you can usually win against the classes mentioned, if they are geared as well as you. If we can't out burst a melee class, the only counter is dotting, cc'ing and kitting. So SM is more of a harder (if not the hardest) tank class to solo roam with. IB has better dots and burst, knight has better morales and reflect damage.

Also calming winds with wods should destroy any sorc.

[Aethilmar]

I run solo a lot of the time and run a variation on this...

Great list, and is mostly my experience too.
Except for..
Magus, which generally only win if you engage them at full range with stacks (which I try not to) or running without disrupt, though my sample is quite low.
And..
r/m SH which I only win against if I attack them first and they don't know what they are doing or are under geared. Any gear/spec/rotation advice to win +50% of match up?

Yeah. It may just be an approach thing or it may be a gear gap thing but I'm not afraid of SH. Sometimes they win but most of the time I am able to kill them, drive them off or walk away. Since you know they are going to kite you don't generally go after them unless you are pretty sure you can ride up onto them or pull them into a place where you can box them in a little bit. SH like Yamchaa require extra caution but generally speaking for SH you just need to get up on them for one snare and it is over. You snare, they punt away, you Wings of Heaven onto them, knockdown and they die. If you need to reset you can usually WoDS your way to some kind of safety. Ofc mSH you just hit them until they are dead.

Similarly, for Magi I don't know why they kill me so often (I even have a 7x one myself so I know the tricks) but they do. Feels like I ought to be able to burst them down before their dots get me but it doesn't work that way in practice with my setups. I still go after them mind you b/c nothing ventured nothing gained.

[Aethilmar]

I run solo a lot of the time and run a variation on this https://builder.returnofreckoning.com/c ... ,2888,2890 a lot in a Sov/Invader armor combo.

Generally speaking it works out as follows:
Chosen - usually win
Marauder - usually win but highly geared can be troublesome
Magus - kick my butt more often than I want to admit
Zealot - move on
Sorc - If in melee freenown. If they are at range, maneuver under cover or they can eat you even through WoDS
WE - problematic. 50/50 fight if you do everything right. Worse if you don't.
DoK - Healer version move on. DPS version can beat but hard.
BG - usually win
Shaman - move on
SH - usually not a problem if you can catch.
Choppa - usually a win but some setups can be problematic at higher gear levels
BO - usually a win


Personally I think SM works best as a duo. Cross-guarded 2h SMs are very scary for example.

I don't think you can usually win against the classes mentioned, if they are geared as well as you. If we can't out burst a melee class, the only counter is dotting, cc'ing and kitting. So SM is more of a harder (if not the hardest) tank class to solo roam with. IB has better dots and burst, knight has better morales and reflect damage.

Also calming winds with wods should destroy any sorc.

Fair enough and I agree that SM is a hard tank with which to roam (hard from the POV they will die more than the tanks you mentioned) and honestly could use some QoL changes in general that would also help for roaming.

However, this is my practical experience and I don't go check everyone's RR/gear afterwards so it is very likely that "on average" I am running into people who are not in top gear and I my impressions are skewed by gear gap. And there are lots of other variables like specific specs, positioning, other random folks jumping in (either way) and all that.

But, generally speaking, I stand by my list as a representation of targets to engage and targets to avoid. Engage any tank at will. Walk away from healers. MDPS it depends but WE still seem the most problematic to me and Choppas generally are not that hard to take out.

[CytheX]

I agree that We is the worst mdps to fight against, magus that goes for 1v1 build usually tank ur dmg, rng squig now have to many tools to escape from u even if u mo1 on theme, avoid healers specially shaman, vs melee dok, sorc, choppa, and mara(the cheesy pic) u should be ok. Vs tanks if they go for hp regen is pointless. Cherry on top due to the skill kit chosen should win

[facundo7777]

can U tell us what talis, rr points and stats overall we aiming for solo sm build?

[Hazak]

Solo roam with SM is one of my fav playstyles and I've had some great success with it.
This is my setup :
RoR.builders - Sword Master
and for RP https://builder.returnofreckoning.com/r ... ;2;3;0;0;0

Gear is :
- 5pc sov (off)
- 2pc Victorious (shoulders & belt)
- 2pc Sentinel (gloves & ring)

All STR talis. +54 melee power on sent ring.

[ivoma11]

can someone recomenda the general idea and spec i should follow while leveling? mainly doing sc

[BluIzLucky]

Spoiler:

Solo roam with SM is one of my fav playstyles and I've had some great success with it.
This is my setup :
RoR.builders - Sword Master
and for RP https://builder.returnofreckoning.com/r ... ;2;3;0;0;0

Gear is :
- 5pc sov (off)
- 2pc Victorious (shoulders & belt)
- 2pc Sentinel (gloves & ring)

All STR talis. +54 melee power on sent ring.

Yeah, going quite offensive is good counter to all the self heal (at this point I'm wondering why Ether Dance doesn't heal for a 100% of the dmg done).
I would drop 1 mastery point or PW for Calming Winds.
also drop 1 FS for max DD https://builder.returnofreckoning.com/r ... ;4;2;0;0;0

And have a triple/max wounds sets ready to switch into against rdps (invader helm + 2 other, 3 off sov, 3 sent/triumphant or 2 bloodlord) with fortress weapon or Crimsonwind.

Assuming of course you run into fair share of sorc,sh,magus and shamies.

can someone recomenda the general idea and spec i should follow while leveling? mainly doing sc

Run right tree getting PoH,CW, WW, this will be the core of your orvr/wb play later on.
Then once you can grab PoH and from left tree ED,GWM and maybe BA, you can put on offensive gear and try 2H, make sure to max parry renown in 2h.

[ivoma11]

Spoiler:

can someone recomenda the general idea and spec i should follow while leveling? mainly doing sc

Run right tree getting PoH,CW, WW, this will be the core of your orvr/wb play later on.
Then once you can grab PoH and from left tree ED,GWM and maybe BA, you can put on offensive gear and try 2H, make sure to max parry renown in 2h.

So let me see if i understood, i should only go ED when i have points for ED and PoH? untill then i follow the right tree?