questions about WP/SS

I just hit 26 with my WP/SS tanker and I've noticed a couple things I wanted to get clarification on.

From the guides I've read the WP taunt aura is subsantially weaker in terms of holding aggro so to compensate I've got two taunt IOs in it which seems to help a bit. However, at times when playing with an overzealous blaster or scrapper it doesn't seem to matter as much so I taunt as often as possible and notice that even then at times I may lose aggro to a small group of mobs if we're taking on every mob in a large room so I wonder if it's worth slotting a couple recharge reduction IOs in taunt?

Also, a lot of people seem to dislike Hand Clap, I've not taken it yet but it seems to me that it would be a good power since it disorients and essentially taunts in an AoE so I assume that while knockback is a pain for scrappers would this not be good for holding aggro since in theory after the disorient effect wears off the mobs are going to run back to me?

Ultimately I really enjoy tanking but there are times where no matter what I do I can't seem to hold aggro and while it's usually due to someone not really letting me "establish" it first I still feel like I'm doing something wrong.

Well, I'll try to answer what I can:

Because the WP/ Taunt aura is so weak, Taunt is very useful. However, if somebody is vastly outdamaging you, especially in an AoE, you can lose aggro. Taunt should counteract that, because the duration on it is so long, but remember that it only hits five enemies at a time, so any Mob that hasn't been hit by Taunt yet can peel away from your aggro aura. Putting a Recharge in Taunt can definitely help with that.

Hand Clap is pretty horrible for a Tanker. Yes, it has a Taunt component to it, but the Disorient + KB effects pretty much cancel that out. The enemies are KBed, and then wander around drunk when they get back up, meaning that they are running out the Taunt, and they aren't in your Taunt aura to keep getting taunt effects reapplied. Unless used well, this can cause a mass scattering of the mobs, and if your team has put down some AoE damage on the spawn, once the enemies are done being stunned, they can turn on anyone, unless you've gotten their aggro back.

I think a lot of the problems you'll see with WP's Taunt aura are indeed from people not allowing you to establish aggro before charging in. Very few people in-game actually understand how Taunt works (and that's not really a bad thing). In fact, I'd say that not all that many people on the forums, unless they peruse the Brute, Scrapper, and maybe Tanker forums, really know how it works, and how it is determined.

Most people don't understand that allowing you to have a second or two to get the spawn on top of you is a good thing, because it allows your Taunt aura to tic a few times, and hopefully hit the whole spawn. You can only hold aggro on what you've applied Taunt, or a taunt-like effect, to, and some people just aren't patient enough for that to happen.

WP is a bit weaker in the Taunt area, and so a few slots spent on the Taunt power are never wasted, if you are taking Taunt. Heraclea has done a great WP guide and I would strongly recommend reading it.

As far as Hand Clap goes, I had it on my WP/SS build, but respecced out of it for the main/teaming build. The scatter that it causes makes your weaker taunt aura have even higher problems, as it can (and will) kick some of the mobs out of the range of your taunt aura. One blaster hitting off an AoE while they aren't in that aura, and you are going to have your hands full. The mobs will not automatically "run back to you" so use it with caution. That said, on my 2nd build, which is my solo build, I love Hand Clap. A bit of a breather when you get overwhelmed, and properly used can really help you get the group where you want it.

Thanks for the input! I may try Hand Clap just because while situational it seems like it could come in handy (and I have to imagine it's fun to use). I'll def see about a recharge reduction in taunt too.

Thanks Sarrate, I'm hoping to hit 27 tonight so I know where my slots are going. The lack of AoE is another reason I was considering hand clap I guess just to have for the rare situations that it would come in handy until I get foot stomp.

I'll also have to try running ahead too... I know the group I was in last night could not have handled that... I was a sliver away from dying too many times to leave the group behind and charge into a pack by myself that's for sure lol.

Here's a link to Heraclea's guide to WP aggro:

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=127125

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarrate Another tactic to put into your toolbox: making time to establish aggro. What do I mean? Well, instead of sticking around to the end of every fight, start leaving early and get to the spawn before the group does. When the spawn is mostly defeated, the group can (usually) take the punishment of a few stragglers. (Besides, while you're traveling to the next spawn, several of them could be taunted to you anyways.) By leaving at that point and heading to the next spawn, you've bought yourself a 5-10s buffer to establish aggro, regardless of what the team does.

This is the way to go. It doesn't take 8 heroes to defeat the last critter in a spawn, and any hero should be able to solo the standard 3 critter spawn, so don't feel bad about leaving the team with 1 - 5 critters. Besides, everyone will have spammed every AoE available, so anything left shouldn't have much health remaining anyway.

Keep the map open; unhook it from the Menu window and move it off to the side. Now you can keep track of where your team is while you run around. By watching how quickly your team defeats the first spawn or two, you can start to predict how soon you can leave for the next spawn.

And with the map open, you can watch the critters you're herding/gathering/grouping and where your team is, and perhaps even get a good corner-pull where they can spam their freshly-recharged AoEs.

It's amazing how much faster the mission goes when the tanks do this.

You'll just have to keep an eye on the team's endurance or health, depending on which buffs are available to keep the steamroller going.