ok
...What's that menu you're using to activate your toggles?
@macskull, @Not Mac | XBL: macskull | Steam: macskull | Skype: macskull
"One day we all may see each other elsewhere. In Tyria, in Azeroth. We may pass each other and never know it. And that's sad. But if nothing else, we'll still have Rhode Island."
"One day we all may see each other elsewhere. In Tyria, in Azeroth. We may pass each other and never know it. And that's sad. But if nothing else, we'll still have Rhode Island."
I've just ran a dark armor/dark melee up to 28, started about 4-5 days ago, and I work full time. I just got off a level 30 team running +3 and +4. Granted, it can be challenging, there is the difficulty in enhancing correctly. There is little room for error using SOs. There is the difficulty in timing. When to hit your major heal....too late, you are dead, too early, you are wasting too much. There is the difficulty that almost all good stuff is reliant on being accurate (both heals/fear toggle/stunning toggle). But I am pretty happy with the build so far. I did put in a Karma KB prot. Bought a level 11 for 20 mil. Was not used to running a tank/brute susceptible to that. Other than that I am all SOs right now, but am already starting to look at other procs. I will take this build to 50. Once I/O'd I expect it will tank better than my will/str tank, but not as good as my Invul/Str tank. I may be wrong. If I can get the right mix of I/Os it is possible the build will be stronger. You almost have to I/O the build, it has so much potential out of the box, but will never realize it with SOs. Invul has almost no potential for growth. Softcap it (or get as close as possible) and walk away. The dark armor (in my opinion) is well suited to traditional tanking. It actually has control powers (2 AoEs!!!) built right into it. I have long argued that tankers are really controllers with one tool (taunt) and a build (armors/health)designed to maximize that style of play. That, again, is just an opinion. With a properly buffed dark armor tank you get just about the maximum ability for this style of play offered.
Now, if you want an easy to run tank, take Invulnerability. Or Willpower for super easy, but a little more fragile (even there you get the rez, easy mistake corr).
If you want a scranker, fuggedaboutit. Take the dark melee, pair it with will or shield, depending if you want easy (will) or maximize damage but working harder (shield)
Also, never never never take dark armor for a brute. Those 2 controller toggles kill agro. Dark armor is a little squishy (thats what the best heals in the game are for), and brutes are more fragile than tanks, and that combo aint good.
Or, we could leave it at "dark armor is worthless". lol. I hope you enjoy the tank/brute/scranker you do go with.
i tried playing a dark/energy melee tank before. its hard to tank with it at lower levels. then again i couldve been using it wrong and i couldve enhanced wrong. it definetly takes skill to play a dark tank
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Originally Posted by macskull
...What's that menu you're using to activate your toggles?
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And I didn't see dark armor I saw orange armor. No one as far as I know ever doubted orange armor.
I never understood the hatred for Dark Armor. I started a DA/Fire tank when it was first ported to tanks, and ran it up to 50. Most of that was tanking for full teams. I had very few issues along the way. Endurance consumption was problematic, but was corrected through IO's. Recharge debuffs were the only major hurdle I ever encountered. (Damn you, Ice Mistral! 
) However, while the set was very sturdy against large groups of critters, when facing single tough opponents like AV's & GM's the heal from Dark Regen tended to fall behind.
I would not pair dark armor with anything besides dark melee. Dark Melee has a punch/heal attack (you need this), and a AoE attack/End Recharge (wow do you need this). I think Electric Melee has some end management help, but I seriously would not try dark armor with anything besides dark melee.
Oh, Dark Melee is really good to pair with Invul. It really makes that armor shine, tanking about as tough as it can get.
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Why would DA need the weak heal from Siphon Life, when it already has the strongest heal in the game with Dark Regeneration? DR can heal from 1 to full health every 10-15 seconds, depending on slotting and global recharge.|
Originally Posted by Blue_Centurion
I would not pair dark armor with anything besides dark melee. Dark Melee has a punch/heal attack (you need this)
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| and a AoE attack/End Recharge (wow do you need this). I think Electric Melee has some end management help, but I seriously would not try dark armor with anything besides dark melee. |
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That is the magic of the popmenu command.|
Originally Posted by macskull
...What's that menu you're using to activate your toggles?
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Originally Posted by theduke24
it definetly takes skill to play a dark tank
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Originally Posted by Blue_Centurion
I would not pair dark armor with anything besides dark melee.
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Originally Posted by Frosticus
And I didn't see dark armor I saw orange armor. No one as far as I know ever doubted orange armor.
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Where to now?
Check out all my guides and fiction pieces on my blog.
The MFing Warshade | The Last Rule of Tanking | The Got Dam Mastermind
Everything Dark Armor | The Softcap
don'T attempt to read tHis mEssaGe, And believe Me, it is not a codE.
Nice video Dechs. And an excellent choice of soundtrack (especially "Just Like You" - haven't heard that since I was a kid!).
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dark/stone is among the toughest tanks you can make and can out control some trollers too. Endurance though...
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Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison
Bah, no. I don't need more healing and I've got my endurance well under control. I do wish I'd have taken something with more mitigation though, instead of fire's straight damage. But fire fit the theme.
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Sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake rolling an EM/DA brute. Then I play the game.|
Originally Posted by Blue_Centurion
Also, never never never take dark armor for a brute. Those 2 controller toggles kill agro.
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Edited to add: On topic, the video does a good job of highlighting some of DA's strengths: notably, the endurance drain resistance. I see that you're not using the control auras; my brute uses OG, but she also has the Mu AoE immob which keeps things cooking in the damage aura while stunned.
@SPTrashcan
Avatar by Toxic_Shia
Why MA ratings should be changed from stars to "like" or "dislike"
A better algorithm for ordering MA arcs
Good stuff. I'm still working on my Dark/BA tanker, somewhere in the teens right now. Knockdown is good to have, and I'm particularly interested in seeing how Whirling Axe works as a precursor to Dark Regen.
Unfortunately it's slow going as I have about 6 great new characters and 1 old one that are vying for my (rather short-lived) attention.
They ALL float down here. When you're down here with us, you'll float too!
@Starflier
Dechs character looked good to me. It reminded me of the Sandman and I thought that would be interesting to play. Dark Armour and Earth Mastery would go well together but I am not sure about the Secondary. I suppose for the look it would be Dark Melee to get the same sand colour and sandlike moving effects.
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
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So very much this. Any combo can work, and fun is the real goal here. It's a game.|
Originally Posted by SpittingTrashcan
Sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake rolling an EM/DA brute. Then I play the game.
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Originally Posted by SpittingTrashcan
Edited to add: On topic, the video does a good job of highlighting some of DA's strengths: notably, the endurance drain resistance. I see that you're not using the control auras; my brute uses OG, but she also has the Mu AoE immob which keeps things cooking in the damage aura while stunned.
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The control auras? One: I didn't have room for them. Two: I built this as a main tank and I didn't want to worry about losing aggro if they stumbled away or stayed behind in fear.
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Originally Posted by dave_p
Is that your S/L/E/N def capped tank, Dechs? Nice job.
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*Grumble grumble* Silly scrappers getting killed on my Mo's.
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Originally Posted by Starflier
Good stuff. I'm still working on my Dark/BA tanker, somewhere in the teens right now. Knockdown is good to have, and I'm particularly interested in seeing how Whirling Axe works as a precursor to Dark Regen.
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Originally Posted by New Dawn
Dechs character looked good to me. It reminded me of the Sandman and I thought that would be interesting to play. Dark Armour and Earth Mastery would go well together but I am not sure about the Secondary. I suppose for the look it would be Dark Melee to get the same sand colour and sandlike moving effects.
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Where to now?
Check out all my guides and fiction pieces on my blog.
The MFing Warshade | The Last Rule of Tanking | The Got Dam Mastermind
Everything Dark Armor | The Softcap
don'T attempt to read tHis mEssaGe, And believe Me, it is not a codE.
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I'd like to also bring up the fun IO things that you can do with dark armor's unusual control auras:|
Originally Posted by SpittingTrashcan
Sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake rolling an EM/DA brute. Then I play the game.
Edited to add: On topic, the video does a good job of highlighting some of DA's strengths: notably, the endurance drain resistance. I see that you're not using the control auras; my brute uses OG, but she also has the Mu AoE immob which keeps things cooking in the damage aura while stunned. |
Cloak of fear:
Glimpse of the Abyss: Chance for Psionic Damage
20% chance every 10 seconds is not bad. Many dislike CoF, but I find the semi-holds it gives are handy. A bit of psy damage on top? Yes please!
Deflated Ego: Chance for Recovery Debuff- not sure if this is helpful, but it's an option.
Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage- if more darkity damage was your thing.
Siphon Insight: Chance for +ToHit- better accuracy, thanks to cloak of fear. Bwah? 10% chance, but if you hate missing, here's a fun addition to try!
Dark Watcher's Despair: Chance for Recharge Slow- that's right. Not only are effected enemies cut to a minimum of 5 seconds cowering, they attack slower. (20% chance for 25% recharge debuff)
Oppressive gloom:
Razzle Dazzle: Chance for Immobilize- 20% chance, every 10 seconds. No visuall cue, but handy.
Absolute Amazement: Chance for ToHit Debuff- purple, but handy. Your control is now a good debuff. Enjoy!
Stupefy: Chance for Knockback- I wouldn't, but some might for giggles.
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Depending on what you mean by lower levels, isn't everything? I find most start doing well at 22, some need their t8 or t9 power as well :/
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Originally Posted by theduke24
its hard to tank with it at lower levels.
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Dark isnt a bad set, if built right but thats like every other tanker.
You can have a stone or an invul die in two seconds if its a bad player running it.
I myself had a dark/fire last year on union, it was one of the most fun and challenging tanks I played and I played every one except elec now to 50. Leveling was a bit of a pain before i got aid self in, then it was just a case of 6 slotting dark regeneration and aid self, making sure to put an interupt duration IO in aid self and your pretty much sorted. With sets though Im pretty sure you wouldnt even need that much.
Dark has one of the best alround resists in the tanker primarys, possibly elec is a bit better but I havent checked the numbers, even so you dont get darks mitigation.
Apropos of nothing, if you dig on Cloak of Fear, on a brute, it's mag 3.
So if that tank is Defensive capped to smashing, lethal, energy, and such, how are you proving how good *dark armor* is? I am nowhere near that god capped or uncapped, just playing devil's advocate. You took a decent set for resistance and gave it massive defense.
As opposed to the shield showoffs who take a set already quite good for def, resistance, and bonus HP, and then push it a little further to get massive defence.
This video highlights strengths unique to dark armour - the end drain protection and the amazing heal, for example - and shows what you can do with Dark Armour if you choose to build it to these strengths.
On a tangent that has nothing to do with this tread, but is rather a remark from one SG mate to another...
...Echo Team still pwnd you.
That is all.
Virtue - @Carlin
If it's not on fire yet, you're not trying hard enough!
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While it doesn't go in the control auras, I'd like to bring up what I believe to be the single best IO for Dark Armor:|
Originally Posted by Seldom
I'd like to also bring up the fun IO things that you can do with dark armor's unusual control auras:
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Theft of Essence chance for +end.
I've seen Dark Regeneration fill both of my bars.
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Originally Posted by Psara
Depending on what you mean by lower levels, isn't everything? I find most start doing well at 22, some need their t8 or t9 power as well :/
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Originally Posted by Live_Wyre
So if that tank is Defensive capped to smashing, lethal, energy, and such, how are you proving how good *dark armor* is? I am nowhere near that god capped or uncapped, just playing devil's advocate. You took a decent set for resistance and gave it massive defense.
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What makes Dark Armor so good is the potential. It can be softcapped even though it is mostly a resistance set with the best heal in the game.
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Originally Posted by Talen_Lee
As opposed to the shield showoffs who take a set already quite good for def, resistance, and bonus HP, and then push it a little further to get massive defence.
This video highlights strengths unique to dark armour - the end drain protection and the amazing heal, for example - and shows what you can do with Dark Armour if you choose to build it to these strengths. |
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Originally Posted by Carlin_NA
...Echo Team still pwnd you.
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You built a group with every debuff in the game. At least my tank had endurance left after the first 5 seconds. And I managed to beat one full spawn at a time. The damned force bubble guys pushing me into the next group just wasn't fair.
Is that arc still up? Proving Grounds - Spawn of Satan Edition or something like that?
I need to practice. I'll get back to you on that.
Where to now?
Check out all my guides and fiction pieces on my blog.
The MFing Warshade | The Last Rule of Tanking | The Got Dam Mastermind
Everything Dark Armor | The Softcap
don'T attempt to read tHis mEssaGe, And believe Me, it is not a codE.
I beg to differ.
That is all.
Where to now?
Check out all my guides and fiction pieces on my blog.
The MFing Warshade | The Last Rule of Tanking | The Got Dam Mastermind
Everything Dark Armor | The Softcap
don'T attempt to read tHis mEssaGe, And believe Me, it is not a codE.