So I've been going through and theorycrafting a helluvalot for my nightblade tank. The build I'm looking at right now is a hybrid build, lots of recovery, and I want to have some utility in there. I'll have max resistances after minor and major ward and resolve, good crit resistance for when I venture into PVP, and I plan on having a good amount of utility for overland exploration (which basically amounts to cloak and rapid maneuver), although I plan on mainly using the build for PVP dungeons. We'll see about trials, but I doubt it because 1. nightblade tank and 2. so far it's very selfish, and to that end not as specialized as a trials tank normally should be. I've pretty much decided the weapons to run are going to be one-handed and shield, and frost staff.
So anyway, I'm trying to set up my front and back bars. I have the abilities I think will best give me the utility I want, but since I kinda worked this from scratch I feel like I might be missing something. I also want to check on a few specifics, and balance out things to make me as survivable as possible. Which is the endgame - die as little as humanly (or khajiitly) possible.
So, I know I want Pierce armor for a 1H+Shield taunt and major fracture and breach, Shielded Assault for a leap-to-target and a damage shield, and Mirage for the minor resolve and ward and dodge change. I want Retreating Maneuver and Dark Cloak for utility and just running around overworld without getting caught up in the adds, and I can use cloak as a defensive pull when s*** goes down (judge me all you want, I can retaunt easily and it's saved a team wipe more than once before). I plan on using Reviving Barrier and Pack Leader to alternate stamina and magicka regen boosts, since I regen both quite quickly already, and barrier works well with all my damage shield buffs and quick ult regeneration so it's up quite often. I then have Elemental Blockade for enchant procs and an AOE slow, plus to grab aggro at the start of fights.
My problem lies with that I only have four more slots but several extra abilities that would help. Spiked Boneshield doubles up on my damage shields, but I'm not sure if it's worth it compared to some other abilities. Same thing with Absorb Magic, except it buffs my blocking instead of giving me damage shields. I like Immovable Brute, but I don't know whether I could switch it with Refreshing Path, which gives me 13 seconds less on major resolve and ward, but gives healing, does AOE damage, and gives a small in-combat movement speed buff. Swallow Soul and Structured Entropy would both give me some healing besides just damage shields, and would help generally with getting healed by a group healer, and Ring of Preservation seems great with minor protection, but I'm not sure if that would stack with other damage resists.
Anyway, all advice welcome.
So anyway, I'm trying to set up my front and back bars. I have the abilities I think will best give me the utility I want, but since I kinda worked this from scratch I feel like I might be missing something. I also want to check on a few specifics, and balance out things to make me as survivable as possible. Which is the endgame - die as little as humanly (or khajiitly) possible.
So, I know I want Pierce armor for a 1H+Shield taunt and major fracture and breach, Shielded Assault for a leap-to-target and a damage shield, and Mirage for the minor resolve and ward and dodge change. I want Retreating Maneuver and Dark Cloak for utility and just running around overworld without getting caught up in the adds, and I can use cloak as a defensive pull when s*** goes down (judge me all you want, I can retaunt easily and it's saved a team wipe more than once before). I plan on using Reviving Barrier and Pack Leader to alternate stamina and magicka regen boosts, since I regen both quite quickly already, and barrier works well with all my damage shield buffs and quick ult regeneration so it's up quite often. I then have Elemental Blockade for enchant procs and an AOE slow, plus to grab aggro at the start of fights.
My problem lies with that I only have four more slots but several extra abilities that would help. Spiked Boneshield doubles up on my damage shields, but I'm not sure if it's worth it compared to some other abilities. Same thing with Absorb Magic, except it buffs my blocking instead of giving me damage shields. I like Immovable Brute, but I don't know whether I could switch it with Refreshing Path, which gives me 13 seconds less on major resolve and ward, but gives healing, does AOE damage, and gives a small in-combat movement speed buff. Swallow Soul and Structured Entropy would both give me some healing besides just damage shields, and would help generally with getting healed by a group healer, and Ring of Preservation seems great with minor protection, but I'm not sure if that would stack with other damage resists.
Anyway, all advice welcome.
