Return of Reckoning

I like IBs a lot and tried BG on PTR on live servers,
but lets talk about theyr usefullnes for group or warband play.

I have played IB a lot so I think I know theyr good and bad sides.

IB tank can be verry tough, but the Kotbs and SM can do also.

The difference is, that IB can self buff + buff 1 oath friend, while Kotbs and SM buff whole party, while those 2 tanks also debuffs the enemies at same time. Thats what IB cant do AOE and verry limited to single target.

While speced Kotbs increase strenght, toughnes, rezists, heal on defend,he also debuffing those stats to enemy. He also can give all affected enemies +10% chance to be crited(its like giving all allies around DPS 10% cri chance), he can debuff enemy heals by 25%.

SM can buff random stat on attacking to whole party, while debuffing that stats from enemy at same time. He also can heal the party(dont know how much).

IB can self and oathfriend buff: strenght, toughnes, armor, willpover, corporal rezists,10% crit chance+ strenght(if speced), 25% parry + initiate(if speced), self buff weapon sklil and spec for magic dmg absorb bubble same as strong self heal.
His debuffs are verry limited to armor debuff, dot on walk single target, aoe snare and single target 50% outgoing heal debuff tactic(if speced).
For some premades who run melee train he is great to get, but not that great for mixed or ranged dmg parties.

So whats better? Less buffs for whole party while debuffing whole enemy around, or strong self and single target buffs?

Lets discuss and put Your expirience here please.

Most 6 mans have 2 tanks, some run only 1 and that will almost always be a chosen/knight if they are trying hard.

I think the question that needs be asked is in a 2 tank party why would you choose IB over SM or BG over BO.

IB + kotbs were usually the backbone of any 6 man.

aoe snare, armor buff/debuff + 25% parry and especially outgoing heal debuff dok cannot cleanse

even with mixed grp (rdps + mdps) armor debuff is nice addition, aoe snare too.

IB is pretty strong and work great in "combo" with alpha tank - kotbs.
SM are utter crap most of the times when u compare their grp support skills compared to any other tank (yep. even compared to BO)

i love my ib. while he has lower group-utility than the kotbs, he has strong buffs for his oathfriend plus several great debuffs like cooldown-increase, healdebuff and crit-debuff and aoe-snare/root. we usually run as a two-tank-grp with a kotbs for generall buffs and an ib to buff the main-dps.

ib can also deal some neat dmg, even with a 1h-spec.

On live I expirienced hard time to find party for PvE instances. I was told that kotbs and SM are far better than IBs. The same happend to find rvr 1 tank parties. 2 tank premades was OK especialy with mele dpsers.
Still I have enjoyed IB far better than Kotbs or SM. Few months before game shut down, I was amazed by planned SM/BO buffs, which made me to roll SM from scratch. Sad that I didnt make it farer than early T3 to enjoy its true potential.

my ib was always main-tank and sometimes even the only tank for tovl and lv. PvE-tanking as an ib is pretty easy.

Bg is a amazing tank that is extremely versatile and is a great 2nd tank is any 6 man and running 2 chosens is redundant and ineffective.

Bg + 1 mdps can pretty much wreck any thing b/c all the debuffs and buffs the class can put out and dps bg is so fun and the sheer amount of butthurt you can make ordo healers and casters get, even melee get mad at how they have to go through your huge parry and block rate... simply delicious

Logest KD in the game, the synergy between all the disrupt tactics, super punting ordo off cliffs this class can do real work, new player might get over whelmed at how many viable abilities this class has, not like other class where like one entire tree is utter **** or like a majority of the abilities are kinda useless; no bg has a lot of useful / viable abilities.


Ib's buffs and debuffs are stronger than bg's but that's fair b/c hate builds faster than grudge

IMHO I feel 1 kobs + 1 ib are better than x2 kobs espically if your running 2 slayers for mdps


All in all 2 very strong classes that have never been op, always been useful at pretty every stage of the game and are very good mirrors.

Nevermind.

I don't play BG anymore.

Libra wrote:I expected in the creator post to be something regarding BG... Since you stated it in the title.

Its alright me and you, well spread the truth of how amazing BG is

From my perspective, playing MDPS in 6-mans on both order and destro. I love nothing more then having a IB/BG with offensive spec and 2-hander assisting me. Bg/Marauder, IB/Slayer is extremly strong together. Wont go into listing things, but they are very compatible together.

It all comes down to what setup in terms of dps you want to run, i would avoid taking IB for solo tanking as KOTBS just adds way more control and stability by himself to the whole group. Triple snare, DT, Enouraged Aim for MDPS, stagger(even if nerfed to oblivion), way better punt that IB imo, longer air time.

TenTonHammer wrote great stuff about BG, i only disagree with that IB/BG have never been OP, after RR pack they have easily been high tier class depending on the user.