quick question about character builds...

[newguy]

When you originally create a character, you obviously are forced to take the first skill in your secondary.  My question is...later on when you respec,...or maybe when you finalize your build at 50...is it possible to spec OUT OF that first skill?   (I'm considering building a tank, and would really rather NOT have that first attack in my final build.)

[EdgeOfDreams]

No, you're stuck with the first power in your secondary power set, even when you respec.

 

Generally, if that power isn't worth using, people will simply not put any slots into it or use it as a set bonus mule.

[newguy]

Thanks for the quick answer, Edge, ...but man, that's disappointing.  

[newguy]

Follow up question then....if you were building a tanker and felt that you had to decide between taking "Maneuvers" or "Taunt"...which would you take?

[ScrewlooseCohh]

If you want to fill the team role of Tank then you should take and use Taunt.

 

If you are talking about the Maneuvers power from the Leadership pool then to me that seems like a poor choice, not much return for your power choice or End cost.  

 

Hard to say much more on the info provided.

 

regards, Screwloose.

"I am not young enough to know everything."

 

 

[newguy]

Thanks Screw.    Yes, I was referring to Maneuvers from the Leadership pool.   It just seems like almost every build I see uses Maneuvers...so I just wasn't sure.

[CrudeVileTerror]

Maneuvers is one of those Powers which isn't great solo, but in Teams and Leagues it REALLY pays dividends . . . up until -everyone- has it, and everyone is soft-capped for Defense.

Mainly it's a good Power to pop a Luck of the Gambler in to if you need one.

 

But Taunt is generally more helpful to a Tank who wants to draw aggro.   Assuming anything survives long enough for you to grab its aggro.

[Six-Six]

Screw and Vile are spot on. and yes, totally depends on how you play your toon. Some of my toons never take Leadership Maneuvers as the end cost seems too steep for the benefit gained. (I do almost always take Assault and Tactics). Some of my toons double dip on Maneuvers (Soldiers of Arachnos and Widows/Forts) because they can and that's how they are played: just showing up in a team is contribution enough, any damage I do is just gravy on top.

I haven't played tanks yet, but on my brutes and scrappers, I find that their armour is usually tough enough not to need manuevers. As for taunt, I usually skip it and take Presence: Provoke instead. Same basic power, but it opens up Unrelenting for me.

Incidentally, I think slotting the full set of Gaussian in Tactics is way better than taking Maneuvers. When I do take Maneuvers, my priority is to minimise its end consumption rather than build for defence. Once that has been addressed, I look into set bonus or muling possibilities. 

[CrudeVileTerror]

It's worth noting that Maneuvers is stronger on a Tanker than it is on a Scrapper, and the other Leadership Toggles than a Brute's.

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/23762-best-melee-at-to-take-support-pools/?tab=comments#comment-286778

[Myrmidon]

Maneuvers is good on a Tanker if you want to soft cap defense on the cheap. Switching from Maneuvers to Fold Space on most of my melee just took a different IO slotting path, however, virtually every other character that I have takes it.

[Carnifax]

2 hours ago, Myrmidon said:

Maneuvers is good on a Tanker if you want to soft cap defense on the cheap. Switching from Maneuvers to Fold Space on most of my melee just took a different IO slotting path, however, virtually every other character that I have takes it.

May try this on my spiny tank. Was running missions last night and our excellent Warshade was using it really well. My Grav/ta loved the fact they were closely bunched around him.

 

As you head towards softcap every Def point becomes more valuable which is why my Tank took Maneuvers. But teams will probably take me over anyway, and I'm Bio so Def is just the 1st layer of defenses. Being an aggro magnet is much more important, so fold space onto my double aggro auras would make more sense.

[Aeroprism]

Taunt however allows you to 6 slot Mocking Beratement which cheap and awesome.