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[SM] 2h New player basic questions.
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:15 pm
by Blanch
Hi,
I'm gonna level a 2h SM offensive tank, currently just lvl 12, and i have some questions:
1. What's my stat priority. I´m focusing on str, wnds and crit.
2. What renown habilities should I train? I´m focusing on crit (should i focus on spell crit or melee, cause i see some of my attacks are spiritual dmg).
3. The best gear progression while lvling is the one from SC´s right? The rvr give me more tank gear, sc gives me more str.
4. What should be my rotation and buffs usually? I'm still a bit confuse, and sometimes i feel im just pressing buttons to do dmg.
Appreciate your help.
Re: [SM] 2h New player basic questions.
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 6:15 pm
by kayin
stats are fine, if you want crit your melee crit, scenarios are the dps sets them onslaught pq gear and beastlord gear when you hit 40, rotation varies pending build and levels. Feel free to hit me up in game for better explanation or in the ror discord. (Kaienzel for the SM)
Re: [SM] 2h New player basic questions.
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 6:50 pm
by Nekkma
For renown you should go for parry, futile strikes and dodge/disrupt. Even as 2h you are first and formost still a tank. with low parry and a high chance to be crit you will get blown up.
Re: [SM] 2h New player basic questions.
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 6:55 pm
by Mystry
Blanch wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:15 pm
Hi,
I'm gonna level a 2h SM offensive tank, currently just lvl 12, and i have some questions:
1. What's my stat priority. I´m focusing on str, wnds and crit.
2. What renown habilities should I train? I´m focusing on crit (should i focus on spell crit or melee, cause i see some of my attacks are spiritual dmg).
3. The best gear progression while lvling is the one from SC´s right? The rvr give me more tank gear, sc gives me more str.
4. What should be my rotation and buffs usually? I'm still a bit confuse, and sometimes i feel im just pressing buttons to do dmg.
Appreciate your help.
1. Your gear will -mostly- give you what stats you want; you can talisman for strength to augment that.
2. Since you're lower level, renown abilities won't matter too much for a while, but when you get higher, dump everything into Futile Blows until that's maxed. It lowers your chance to be critted. Also even though SM does a lot of spirit damage, it doesn't function off of spell crit or intelligence, so ignore those stats.
3. Yes, Scenarios give offensive gear.
4. Assuming you're going up the Khaine mastery tree, use Nature's Blade to steal stats. Later on you'll unlock Ether Dance which is SM's big move. Make sure the Wrath of Hoeth debuff is on the enemy (it nerfs spirit resistance, and Ether Dance deals spirit damage), and that your taunt is on the enemy for extra damage, along with Blurring Shock (more damage when anyone crits the target), and swing away. When ED is down, I find Dazzling Strike to be super useful against casters and healers. Later on you'll get enough points to unlock Crashing Wave from the Hoeth tree, which is SM's knockdown. It's good. Use it. As for your Improved Balance ability, unless you need to refresh Wrath of Hoeth, just use Eagle's Flight. The extra 25% parry is godlike.
Lastly, even though you're offensive, use Guard and Taunt/Challenge.
Re: [SM] 2h New player basic questions.
Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:13 pm
by Blanch
Thanks a lot for your answers guys, I found them very helpful.
Re: [SM] 2h New player basic questions.
Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2020 3:14 pm
by Mnemon
Mystry wrote: ↑Mon Mar 30, 2020 6:55 pm
Blanch wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:15 pm
Hi,
I'm gonna level a 2h SM offensive tank, currently just lvl 12, and i have some questions:
1. What's my stat priority. I´m focusing on str, wnds and crit.
2. What renown habilities should I train? I´m focusing on crit (should i focus on spell crit or melee, cause i see some of my attacks are spiritual dmg).
3. The best gear progression while lvling is the one from SC´s right? The rvr give me more tank gear, sc gives me more str.
4. What should be my rotation and buffs usually? I'm still a bit confuse, and sometimes i feel im just pressing buttons to do dmg.
Appreciate your help.
1. Your gear will -mostly- give you what stats you want; you can talisman for strength to augment that.
2. Since you're lower level, renown abilities won't matter too much for a while, but when you get higher, dump everything into Futile Blows until that's maxed. It lowers your chance to be critted. Also even though SM does a lot of spirit damage, it doesn't function off of spell crit or intelligence, so ignore those stats.
3. Yes, Scenarios give offensive gear.
4. Assuming you're going up the Khaine mastery tree, use Nature's Blade to steal stats. Later on you'll unlock Ether Dance which is SM's big move. Make sure the Wrath of Hoeth debuff is on the enemy (it nerfs spirit resistance, and Ether Dance deals spirit damage), and that your taunt is on the enemy for extra damage, along with Blurring Shock (more damage when anyone crits the target), and swing away. When ED is down, I find Dazzling Strike to be super useful against casters and healers. Later on you'll get enough points to unlock Crashing Wave from the Hoeth tree, which is SM's knockdown. It's good. Use it. As for your Improved Balance ability, unless you need to refresh Wrath of Hoeth, just use Eagle's Flight. The extra 25% parry is godlike.
Lastly, even though you're offensive, use Guard and Taunt/Challenge.
Great advice!
Re: [SM] 2h New player basic questions.
Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2020 6:58 pm
by Aethilmar
So, to save you pain, SM as "offensive" tank is mostly pointless and only makes sense as a vanity project. Yes you can do about 75% of the damage of a real MDPS (in equivalent gear) but you give up just about everything that makes you a "tank" to get there. A stiff breeze will kill you.
In the meantime, the main reason people seek out Swordmasters for groups is to be an actual tank (guard/challenge) while being a Whispering Wind bot. This is best accomplished as a Shieldmaster which has the advantage of an aoe interrupt and a reasonably good punt. Two handers bring literally nothing to the table except a little extra deeps and that only matters in some SCs.
It is the irony of the SM that the rework they did to make the shield spec viable basically makes them the least useful 2-hander tank. You can do it. You can make it work even. But nobody looks at a 2-hander SM and goes "Thank goodness they aren't in shield spec."