How many slots in taunt?

[Shadewe]

Hello all,

 

I've read people's tanks and I've seen lots of options with 1, 3, or 6 slotted taunt. What's the strategy behind the different numbers? How many slots should I look at for my taunt and why? I'm trying to make a char that can keep the aggro on me as much as possible, and I don't PvP.

[Blastit]

IIRC, for optimal PvE functionality, you don't need to add a single slot to it. Just stick a recharge or taunt duration or w/e in there. Or nothing! Adding multiple slots is either for PvP work (where it doesn't auto-hit) or for throwing in IO sets that provide global bonuses. The former case isn't relevant here and the latter case is probably going to vary depending on the rest of your IO sets.

 

Maybe you'd throw in more recharge if you really want to taunt a lot but plain old attacking should be enough together with your armour set's aura. AoE attacks are a kind of taunt, after all.

[Profit]

6 if you have them, use mocking beratement.

[Heraclea]

Having more slots than you know what to do with is usually not a problem in tanker builds.  Taunt is one of the happy powers that needs no slots, freeing them up so that you can use them elsewhere. 

 

Since every attack in a tanker secondary and one or more powers in your primary take taunt enhancements, you don't need to add slots to Taunt to use those sets either.  You can get accuracy and recharge as well as taunt in the taunt sets, which may help when frankenslotting. 

 

There's a chance for disorient proc that you can put in it which is rather handy, and adds a bit of mitigation.  Forget the set name.  Other than that, one recharge is enough.  There is absolutely no need or point to slot it for accuracy. 

[Rylas]

There's a chance for disorient proc that you can put in it which is rather handy, and adds a bit of mitigation.  Forget the set name.  Other than that, one recharge is enough.  There is absolutely no need or point to slot it for accuracy.

 

And also one for Psi Damage in Perfect Zinger.

[NEW DAWN]

There is no wrong or right answer except someone giving you an exact answer. This is going to vary. There are reasons for 6 slots in PvE not just PvP. Some primaries vs some AVs, some secondaries vs pve groups, who you team with, what the average playing age of your typical PuG in experience looks like, where you are at in levels, in build and what your intentions are. 

 

[oldskool]

1 hour ago, NEW DAWN said:

There is no wrong or right answer except someone giving you an exact answer. This is going to vary. There are reasons for 6 slots in PvE not just PvP. Some primaries vs some AVs, some secondaries vs pve groups, who you team with, what the average playing age of your typical PuG in experience looks like, where you are at in levels, in build and what your intentions are. 

 

The best response.  Slotting Taunt can be a viable strategy for using the bonuses in sets like Mocking Beratement or Perfect Zinger.  No added slots, 4 slots (for some bonuses) or all 6 slots.  Any of these can be correct depending on what you're doing.

[NEW DAWN]

2 hours ago, oldskool said:

The best response.  Slotting Taunt can be a viable strategy for using the bonuses in sets like Mocking Beratement or Perfect Zinger.  No added slots, 4 slots (for some bonuses) or all 6 slots.  Any of these can be correct depending on what you're doing.

We never took taunt for slotting bonuses in the old days, I have had multiple tanks  with taunt and multiple scrappers with Confront,  some powersets like SR you get +rechg, some sets like stone tanks you get - rechg. Some AVs you lose attention quick  so then add duration. If  you are weak to the attacks no need to look for a particular defender, try range, range lowers the dps and kept damage off of the team, never cared who was in the team, never dressed up a team but whatever there was I just tanked whatever it was to suit whatever the team make up.

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by NEW DAWN

[VV]

Here's a surprising revelation, some tankers don't even take taunt at all, and still tank just fine.

[Rathulfr]

1 hour ago, VV said:

Here's a surprising revelation, some tankers don't even take taunt at all, and still tank just fine.

And some would argue that a tank without taunt isn't really a tanker.  😉

[BZRKR]

If I have the slots, I like to 2-slot Taunt and put in a Perfect Zinger: Chance for Psi and a Perfect Zinger Taunt/Rech/Range. The set bonus for 2-slots is a little bit of Toxic/Psi resist, which is nice, and the range helps a little when pulling herds into the bowl during Mothership  raids.

 

After the most recent round of Tanker changes, I think you'll find that having one or more taunt auras and throwing plenty of AoE attacks will keep the attention of enemies just fine.

[Sura]

I one slot usually, and with a Taunt/Rech/Range.  There are times when I don't want to do even that little bit of damage, just taunt, so I've left the damage proc out.

[SwitchFade]

No added slots. Tanks can always use it more effectively elsewhere 

[Psyonico]

I finally built a tank with Ron for a second slot in taunt.  SR/BA.  Usually I just one slot it with a Taunt/Rech enhancement and call it a day.

[KC4800]

One slot, I personally slot it for range. It improves its usefulness for me. Of couse, Im one of those old school tankers that still pulls on occasion.

 

[tidge]

On 4/15/2020 at 1:24 AM, VV said:

Here's a surprising revelation, some tankers don't even take taunt at all, and still tank just fine.

Pardon me while I .....WAAAUGH!

 

I know that people believe this, but I was on a Positron TF (1 ?) and a 'veteran player' was 'teaching' a new player how to 'tank', and the tank proudly didn't have taunt.= "because he didn't need it"... instead the tank was running auras... and the teammates were dropping like flies. That was not 'tanking'.

 

 

Now about those slots:

 

While leveling up, I usually multi-slot Taunt because its the sole non-temp, non-P2W 'ranged attack' option for my tanks. The progression of Perfect Zinger set bonuses 'feels better' (to me, YMMV) as a tank is leveling up, but Mocking Beratement bonuses usually look better in a finished build (again, YMMV). My Inv/EM tanker didn't have any obvious need for those slots from Taunt in the build: He's 6-slotted in Taunt w/ 5 from Mocking Beratement and the Perfect Zinger proc. I suppose I could eek out a little more Endurance or Recovery with those slots...back to the builder...

[Carnifax]

1 hour ago, tidge said:

Pardon me while I .....WAAAUGH!

 

I know that people believe this, but I was on a Positron TF (1 ?) and a 'veteran player' was 'teaching' a new player how to 'tank', and the tank proudly didn't have taunt.= "because he didn't need it"... instead the tank was running auras... and the teammates were dropping like flies. That was not 'tanking'.

My Tank while in his mid-20s team joined a Tips team dealing with Nemmies where people were dying so I starting taunt-pulling groups closer 1st to avoid a 2nd group with Snipers spotting us and lobbing in death. Was told "You don't need to do that. You don't need Taunt any more really". 

 

I was like "but the 75% range debuff is awesome". My Bio/Spines doesn't need Taunt to keep things close to me. It's to persuade the other ones across the room who are mauling the squishies to come join the party. It's basically the only ranged 'attack' I have.

 

Or if we're rolling well it's to persuade the next spawn to come join their buddies in the massive debuff / AOE death cloud my teammates are dropping. Why would I waste this lovely Freezing Rain / Sleet / Tarpatch / Rain of Death patch on one spawn when that 2nd is hanging just there looking sad and bored. Come join the party guys. The water is freezing and full of death. 

[VV]

16 hours ago, tidge said:

Pardon me while I .....WAAAUGH!

 

I know that people believe this, but I was on a Positron TF (1 ?) and a 'veteran player' was 'teaching' a new player how to 'tank', and the tank proudly didn't have taunt.= "because he didn't need it"... instead the tank was running auras... and the teammates were dropping like flies. That was not 'tanking'.

This is what we in the business call a "bad tank." I take taunt merely to assuage the feelings of all the players who have been on teams with "bad tanks" like the one you persuade. I use it so rarely that it is a wasted power slot, but I rarely need that extra slot for anything, so I just toss taunt in there with it's single-slot and move on.

 

14 hours ago, Carnifax said:

It's basically the only ranged 'attack' I have.

And this is why I said, "SOME tankers don't even take taunt at all". My tank has 3 built-in ranged attacks. My Brute has 4, I think. But, a tank without any ranged definitely needs a way to reach out.

14 hours ago, Carnifax said:

I was like "but the 75% range debuff is awesome".

This is true, and the only time I actually use taunt is to get an obstinate gunner to move closer because I am too lazy to run over there, and none of the ranged members of the team are doing their job of picking of stragglers. Come to think of it, I use it more solo to save me the run time to stragglers.

 

14 hours ago, Carnifax said:

Was told "You don't need to do that. You don't need Taunt any more really". 

This has been true for ages, well back into Live.  

 

The funny thing is the exact opposite experiences you both have. That's why I carry it, but don't use it.

Edited April 22, 2020 by VV