How important is taunt?

[Redlynne]

Telling other Players "I could have been a better aggro magnet but figured why bother?" is a poor excuse WHEN the issue comes up.

[Infinitum]

20 minutes ago, Redlynne said:

Telling other Players "I could have been a better aggro magnet but figured why bother?" is a poor excuse WHEN the issue comes up.

Ok with the agro cap being what it is, the illegitimate offspring of Helen Keller and Forrest Gump could tank any group without taunt.

 

Need more than one group add another tank.

 

Most blasters or trollers defenders corruptors etc worth their salt should be able to handle a breakaway.  And even if they can't I'm not far behind after that same breakaway to punch it it the face.

[Nemu]

7 hours ago, SwitchFade said:

まちがています。

 

Tank with no taunt lose aggro to brute, blaster, stalker, scrapper...

 

Sad tank.

 

Sad panda.

I'm not saying taunt is useless first of all. I have it on my tank and I do use it and there are situations where it is really helpful (i.e. battle maiden fight in apex, as long as the controllers/dominators don't root her).

 

People tend to think in absolutes when debating. In reality tanks don't need to have 100% aggro, This is one of those quality vs quantity issues. Tanks need to have aggro on the right targets. If the rest of the team can't handle a low threat mob or two then the rest of the team has bigger issues that they, not the tank, needs to sort out.

 

So going back to my example, stationary tank punching away at a lower threat mob while the high threat ones are outside of the taunt aura/punchvoke radius, yeah they need taunt. Tanks that have better threat assessment, knows how to move and thus can be where they need to be when they need to be there need taunt less.

 

I'm a huge advocate of jousting and it works the same on tanks as it does on blasters or any other AT. See a mob that's about to aggro the group because someone isn't paying attention to their aggro radius? Hop over and joust a footstomp and be back in the middle of the original mob you were keeping busy, some time later hop over and joust a handclap to keep those mobs interested and on their butts. If you have taunt you can add that to your arsenal to manage two groups despite hitting your aggro cap. Tanks that play like that are still be in a better place than those that stay in one place and rely on taunt in those situations.

 

I also see tanks use taunt badly, like using it while standing with the team to initiate combat against AoE heavy mobs, "Hey why are all my teammates taking so much damage, silly squishies I protec U, taunt some more."

 

Every tool has it's place, taunt, punchvoke, taunt auras, etc... knowing how to use them effectively and adopting to different situations with the tools you have is a better exercise of one's energies than wasting time on this debate talking about absolutes.

 

 

[tidge]

A tank without taunt thinks he is this

 

 

But really is this

 

 

[Pleonast]

I’m not a tank expert, but my main is a Willpower/Kinetic Tanker. I don’t have Taunt. Instead, I have Repulsing Torrent (ranged cone attack) and Focused Burst (ranged attack) 6-slotted with taunt IO sets*. I haven’t run the numbers; it feels good enough. So I get damage and taunting ability, but of course not every Tanker has ranged attacks to enhance. 
 

In any case CoH is fun to play with quirky builds. 
 

*The sixth slots gives me global recharge boosts, which is nice. 

[Infinitum]

17 hours ago, tidge said:

A tank without taunt thinks he is this

 

 

But really is this

 

 

Total shame to get humiliated by a dancing rainbow afro horse tank without taunt isnt it?  😄  just like in the matrix, there is no taunt.  only tank. 

 

I could teach ya....

 

if ya like.

[Caulderone]

My tank brings all the mobs to the yard...

12 hours ago, Infinitum said:

I could teach ya....

But I have to charge.

[Infinitum]

Just now, Caulderone said:

My tank brings all the mobs to the yard...

But I have to charge.

For a modest fee.

[Caulderone]

Spoiler

 

 

[Infinitum]

12 minutes ago, Caulderone said:

  Hide contents

 

 

Hehe

 

I'm trying to think of something equally witty but thats just too good I think.  Kudos.