White Dwarf compared to a Tank

[JasperStone]

Just looking for an honest comparison, not one is better than the other.

 

I have been running my PB through Ouro missions and exploring additional builds.

 

I have a TriForm that I am very happy with

My Human/Nova is quite fun and great for the lower levels

 

As I am now in the higher levels, I am experimenting with Human/ Dwarf and have been pleasantly surprised.

 

How does Dwarf stacked up against a Tank or Brute?

 

 

[SeraphimKensai]

Kheldians have a 85% resistance hard cap, whereas Tankers and Brutes can get an extra 5% above that. You have a self heal/taunt, your dps is a little lethargic but you can proc that out and you can build your io set bonuses to get most your resistances reasonably high or add in extra defense for a more layered approach. So there's options.

 

On a traditional tanker/brute you'll have access to more powers, pools, and app/patron powers whereas on a Kheldian you can't access them while shape shifted, but you can use macros for quick form swaps to carry over things like Essence Boost, Hasten, etc into the form.

 

I'd build it out for Perma light form and carry that over as well, just be aware that when light form crashes it's a 50% HP hit.

 

Arguably the biggest glaring issue with Kheldian tanking is there's no damage auras that are fairly common on tankers and brutes.

[Gulbasaur]

For mid levels, up to about level 40 - I honestly think they're great. They hold aggro fine. They survive fine. There is a point in the early twenties where they're among the best resistance-based tanks in the game, but they lose that advantage again quickly. The inherent means you've got fairly high resists without even trying if you're in an average team. 

 

Once you get Light Form, you can grab aggro then shift forms and let off a lot of high damage powers then shift back into Dwarf and grab aggro again. They're very sturdy. The 85% resist cap is less of an issue than you might think; it's still very high. 

 

I've tanked ITF on a Peacebringer. They're fine. They're fun. As long as you can keep Light Form up, Taunt - Nova blasty blasty - Human blasty blast - Dwarf - Taunt - Repeat will see you through a lot and let you keep aggro.

 

Psi damage hits hard, but you've got a few heals to keep you going and a decent health pool.  

Edited December 23, 2021 by Gulbasaur

[kelika2]

No taunt aura

Unsure about Punchvoke

Kheld taunt is 5 targets max like everything else

 

Sure you are tough, but taunt auras are huge.

[Haijinx]

No Punchvoke I believe.

 

No ability to take advantage of things like Combat jumping, Tough, Weave. 

 

These things should be changed in my opinion.   Along with a taunt aura that should just be added to the White Dwarf Power. 

 

[Gulbasaur]

On 12/24/2021 at 1:26 AM, kelika2 said:

No taunt aura

No, but you've got a cheap taunt on a low cooldown and Dwarf Form has a higher threat rating, which means the AoEs attract a decent amount of attention, particularly as they have a debuff attached. Between the two, it's not an issue. Taunting is basically an aggro override - there are a lot of other ways of controlling aggro.

[ZorkNemesis]

On 12/24/2021 at 12:27 AM, Haijinx said:

No Punchvoke I believe.

 

Dwarf melee attacks have a taunt effect according to City of Data, but only on the targets they hit.  The Dwarf version of Gleaming Bolt appears to taunt as well.

[Doomrider]

Dwarf Flare also taunts. So you have a 10 target taunt there, and a 5 target taunt in White Dwarf Antagonize. 

White Dwarf (or proper Triform really) can be a capable tank but one whose aggro controls are less braindead than a an actual Tanker. 
Don't discount the soft control available to you as another form of mitigation, if you kb-kd your main aoes (Solar Flare, Nova Det, Dawn Strike).

[Gulbasaur]

On 12/27/2021 at 5:33 PM, Doomrider said:

Dwarf Flare also taunts. So you have a 10 target taunt there, and a 5 target taunt in White Dwarf Antagonize. 

According to City of Data, all Dwarf attacks actually have a taunt built in. I didn't know! 

 

Either way, it's not hard to hold aggro at all, they're very sturdy, everyone and their cow provides defence buffs and soft control from the knockdown is useful. 

[Doomrider]

7 minutes ago, Gulbasaur said:

According to City of Data, all Dwarf attacks actually have a taunt built in. I didn't know! 

 

Either way, it's not hard to hold aggro at all, they're very sturdy, everyone and their cow provides defence buffs and soft control from the knockdown is useful. 

Yep all Dwarf attacks... except Black Dwarf Mire. Or at least the tooltip and City of data indicate that it does not.

[Haijinx]

So basically like a Brute without a taunt aura. 

 

And of course no fighting pool. 

 

 

[Gulbasaur]

10 minutes ago, Haijinx said:

So basically like a Brute without a taunt aura. 

More or less. 

 

I can tank quite capably on a defender and a widow, though. Honestly, holding aggro is not nearly as hard as you might think. 

[SeraphimKensai]

2 hours ago, Gulbasaur said:

More or less. 

 

I can tank quite capably on a defender and a widow, though. Honestly, holding aggro is not nearly as hard as you might think. 

I have a defender with provoke for that very reason. I still have people look at me like I'm crazy when I'm tanking +4 rommy on it.

[Gulbasaur]

10 hours ago, SeraphimKensai said:

I have a defender with provoke for that very reason. I still have people look at me like I'm crazy when I'm tanking +4 rommy on it.

Yep! I've even had other people say "Don't worry, he is a tank" in my defence. Debuffs grab aggro at a high rate, so as long as someone doesn't hit a taunt and short-circuit the aggro control defenders can tank really well. 

 

I think people forget that defenders and controllers were the pre-CoV champions of doing something really stupid, but doing it well. Rad, poison and time can all hold aggro excellently. 

 

But, back to the point at hand: dwarf form makes a solid tank and when you get the L38 resistance buffs, you can grab aggro, drop into nova and blow everything up, drop into human and blow everything up again, then hop back into dwarf to keep the taunt-wheel turning. 

[chi1701]

Tanks will have access to debuff resistance based on their primary power chosen whilst dwarf has no debuff resistances at all.