SWTOR - Tank Destroyer (2.8)

Capacities match

My name is Chocho (Formerly Chøssette), Tank Destroyer of the UFROG guild on Darth Nihilus. Here is a guide drawn from my personal experience with SWTOR, so it will necessarily be subjective. By respecting it, it allowed me to clean all the High Level PvE content. It is thus intended for players wishing to venture on the highest level of the game (Nightmare). This guide is therefore not a collection of theorycraft, it simply provides essential information in order to be able to play a Tank Destroyer in very good conditions.

Since update 2.7 / 2.8 the Ravager Tank has undergone a small modification (Who said the Ravager is cheated! ^^). The changes I make on my guide will appear in blue on the paragraphs (compared to the previous guide, from patch 2.4).

Summary :

• Talent tree
• Rotations and cycles
• Reuse times
• Rabies management
• Statistics and caps
• Equipment
• Conclusion

 

Talent tree

36 / 9 / 1

The goal of this template is to get the 36 point skill from the Immortality branch. At the same time, we take the opportunity to take the talents obviously increasing our defensive capacity but also those allowing to facilitate our generation of animosity (aggro).

• On the Immortality tree, it will not be the same according to some bosses. Indeed, I tend to put 2 points on Rule of two (6th row, 3rd column) when I need to move fast. This increases my speed by 30% (6 seconds) if the person I'm guarding is attacked (example: Cartel Leaders on Darvannis).
• On the Vengeance tree, I find it essential to have at least 2% Precision because the course has changed a lot since 2.0. The risk of a miss is greater, which can cause aggro losses.
• On the Rage tree, I put the last point on Decimation to increase Shock by 10% and reduce use by 1,5s.
• I know that some will prefer to put 3 points in the Precision or on the contrary to put 1 point in order to place the last 2 points on Decimation to generate more animosity. In fact, decimation increases the damage of Shock and Volley by 20% and reduces the cooldown of Shock and Extermination by 3 seconds.

Everyone will choose the talents that suit them best between a 36/10/0 or 36/8/2. Recently, I went back to a 36/10/0 template because I thought I was doing too many misses.

 

Rotations and cycles

Before describing this part, I want to clarify that I propose a cycle in combat on the most difficult bosses in the maintenance of our aggro. Example: the tentacles in Phase 1 of Asation's last boss, Nightmare Coming from elsewhere, in a 16 player nightmare! To avoid the rage, the DPS must send their maximum and leave us no respite! A resumption of aggro and it's death!

• Mount his threat
• Keep aggro

We open the fight with Enrage and Force charge. On lance Crushing blow which will allow you to increase your tanking by 3% and Reprisals to increase your defense by 5% (10 seconds). We then continue with Backhand because it is free and generates a lot of threat. The Choc will allow you to inflict an armor reduction debuff (45 seconds) + an accuracy reduction of 5% for 20 seconds ... which is not negligible! To continue to increase your threat enormously, run Saber Reflection. On some bosses, it will reflect damage if they are of the distant, strength, and techno type.

All the spells I just mentioned generate threat (except Retaliation)! It is important to throw them at the start of the fight. The order chosen depends on the cooldown (CD) and the cost in Rage. Indeed, Saber Reflection et Backhand are free but have a longer cooldown (60 seconds). Crushing blow et Choc cost 3 points and have a cooldown of 12 and 15 seconds respectively (Shock delay may decrease depending on your talent tree). During the fight, I advise you to cast them with a slight delay so that you always have a spell that generates the threat available. I use my Enrage before the sweater to avoid having to use Fatal assault during my first cycle. Volley of blows is also a spell which allows to generate threat but to be used in particular on a group of enemies.

If my aggro is good (no miss), I roll Force cry before my provocation (taunt). This will absorb an intermediate amount of damage!

Another important point to keep in mind is that you always leave an armor reduction debuff for the boss. This will allow DPS classes to do more damage. The spells that allow them to be inflicted are: Fatal assault et Choc.

Note: I invite you to use a powerful dopant to raise the aggro even higher. Usually at the start of a fight no need to use a def dopant. You can use it a little later since the cd is 3min.

We arrive in a phase where the boss is likely to turn on a member of the raid since the DPS will do the most damage (roughly we are about 10 seconds after the start of the fight). However, you have already used spells that increase your animosity. This is when you need to launch your mono-target taunt to have 10% (30% if you do it at a distance of more than 3 meters) of threat in addition. Take the opportunity to cast other spells like Force Strangulation, pillage, Assault.

La zone provocation is to be used 3 seconds after the END of the single-target taunt to ensure your aggro! Indeed, if we calculate correctly: the mono and zone provcations each last 6 seconds (total 12 seconds). Knowing that the mono taunt is available every 15 seconds, you must then wait 3 seconds to have it available again! On the other hand, if you have respected your cycle, you will once again have your animosity powers available to be quiet for the rest of the fight. Do not hesitate to launch your provocations regularly, especially in phases where you will have to move and therefore generate less threat!

 

Example of a Single-target cycle (start of the fight)

Enrage (+6 rage points)

Force Charge (+2 rage points)

Doping Power

Crushing blow

Reprisals

Backhand (free)

Choc

Saber Reflection (free)

Fatal assault (if needed to mount the Rage)

Force Cry (as soon as it triggers. It absorbs an intermediate amount of damage)

Provocation : Taunt Mono-cible

Force Strangulation

pillage

 

Multi-target example

Choc

Punch Volley Chain (allows to generate threat on all enemies) + Enrage + Fatal Assault (if necessary)

Threatening cry : Taunt of zones

Saber Reflection

 

 

Here is the ranking of the spells that generate the most animosity:

In the sweater (start of the fight)

Throughout the fight, powers that generate over 100 threat

1. Saber Reflection (according to some bosses)
2. Crushing blow
3. pillage
4. Force Cry
5. Choc
6. Backhand
7. Reprisals

 

Reuse times

Saber Reflection : it allows to reflect all the distant damage, Force and techno during 5 seconds. Additionally, it generates a lot of animosity and it has a 1 minute cooldown!

Saber return : It reduces Force and Tech damage by 25% and increases Defense by 50% for 12 seconds. It's a Panic-Button.

Invincibility : it is our greatest defensive power. Our second Panic-Button! We must keep it when we feel it will save us death. It reduces all damage taken by 40% for 12 seconds!

Enraged Defense : New power appeared in 2.7. it grants us 10 charges of Rabid Defense, lasting up to 10 seconds. When taking damage, use a charge to regenerate 1983 health. Usable if health is below 70%. Be careful to use if the boss chains you several hits. (example the Brontes arch assault (put stacks + 7k damage each).

Tolerance to pain : it is a good survival that allows us to increase our health points by 30% for a short time. To be used during a critical phase of combat.

Intervention : We often forget it, but Intervention can be very useful in certain fights. It reduces damage by 20% when jumping on a friendly target (Example when a limb suffers an affliction). But it reduces the animosity so not to use on the tank which has the boss in aggro!

Looseness : As with all classes, this skill negates debilitating effects.

Force strangulation : interesting on a big enemy in order to better control it.

Intimidating growl : stuns all packs.

Disruption : An extremely important interrupt spell that you must cast if a boss / enemy cast is cast.

 

Rabies management

Always keep at least 5 Rage points to ensure you can cast the greatest powers that require to consume 3 Rage points! To do this, you will have to try to respect as much as possible the rotation of the skills recommended previously and alternate in the middle with Fatal assault and abilities that increase your rage.

• Fatal assault : This ability increases our Rage by 6 points. You have to use it when you absolutely want to cast an ability that consumes a lot of Rage points.
• Enrage : it's a bit like our Joker. This increases our Rage by 6 points. It should be used only if we made a management error or before an aggro burst (example in the pull).

 

Statistics and caps

In this part, you have to understand that it is theoretical and that we are never really optimized. To be perfect, it would therefore be necessary to have several pieces of equipment that we would change from one boss to another. And even there, we wouldn't be really optimized because during a fight, the damage changes.

For better gear optimization, I recommend maximizing secondary stats rather than Stamina. And to keep a certain balance between Defense, Shield and Absorption. It will allow you to be more resistant, no matter what boss you have in front of you. In my opinion, here is the order of priority of the stats and the milestones to be reached:

• Bouclier : 40% minimum must be reached. Objective: reach 50%
• Absorption : 35% minimum must be reached. Objective: reach 50%
• Remark : I advise you to mount the Shield first because the Absorption is only useful if the Shield is triggered. A 5% difference between Shield and Absorption is correct.
• Defense : The ravager has a skill that allows it to increase Defense by 5%. Unfortunately this statistic has a declining return unlike the Shield / Absorption which remains roughly linear. On the last raid (Dread Palace), Defense is quite important because most bosses do a lot of white hits. You need at least 15% Defense.
• Precision : by putting 3 points in the talent tree and no Precision in the equipment, you will reach 94% which is perfect. Avoid being below because the risk of a miss is greater and therefore your threat will not increase!
• Endurance : tanks must know how to take rather than being a bag of points of life! Your healers will appreciate your stamina more than your stamina. So this statistic is not a priority contrary to popular belief!
• Vigor : it is not a statistic that we mainly target, but it is necessarily important to put some in order to generate a maximum of animosity.
• Will : do not forget to collect all the Will datacrons because it is often forgotten but we have spells that use them.

If you are full 81, here are the statistics reached:

19,92% defense, 45,32% shield, 37,11% absorption and 44 hp.

And here is my character on Ask Mr Robot.

 

Equipment

Ravager Set Bonus : You absolutely need the 4-piece set bonus, which increases the damage absorbed by the sonic barrier by 20%.

• Colored crystals : +41 Endurance (you choose the color)
• Grips : Advanced Guardian Hilt 36
• Shields : Advanced Guardian Armoring 36
• Modifications :
  • Stamina Defense: Advanced Elusive Mod 36
  • Vigor Absorption: Advanced Resilient Mod 36
• Sophistications :
  • Shield Defense: Advanced Bastion Enhancement 36
  • Absorption Shield: Advanced Bulwark Enhancement 36
• Improvement : (recommended)
  • Advanced Fortitude Augment 28
  • Advanced Absorb Augment 28 ++
  • Advanced Redoubt Augment 28
  • Advanced Shield Augment 28 ++

 

I recommend the following relics (2 passive):

• Fortuitous Refuge Dread Forge Relic : Impending attacks have a 30% chance to grant a Defense rating of 625 for 6 seconds.
• Dread Forges Shield Amplification Relic : Increases our Absorption by 625 points for 6 seconds! Available every 20 seconds.

 

Table of damage types per attack

 

Conclusion

The Ravager continues to perform better for our enjoyment! He becomes one of the most resilient tanks with additional power (Enraged Defense). There are now 5! I hope this guide will help you to understand and optimize this class. If you have any recommendations or questions, feel free to comment afterwards, and I'll be there to debate with you.

Bonus: Here's a tip on how to optimize your gear for each Fortress and Dread Palace boss.

And here is my Youtube channel.