Earth aftershock tank?

Discussion in 'War Room (Powers, Artifacts, & Builds)' started by McShotzz, Oct 31, 2015.

  1. McShotzz Well-Known Player

    So I recently switched my tank to earth. Brick tanking is just boring and I'm not exactly sure if I'm aftershock tanking correctly. I use Jackhammer and aftershock it 3 times and I was told that is the highest damage absorption level you can get excluding Gemstone Shield. As soon as Gemstone shield breaks I feel like an ice without a shield. Can any offer me any tips or tricks to use to feel a little safer as an aftershock tank. Thanks in advance!
  2. jpharrah1010 Steadfast Player

    That's because the shiekd is the only thing that's given the 100% absorption not you....

    Aftershocking have hammer gives you 50% absorption the sheild absorption is superset from you're own mitigation ....

    You still wanna use Jack hammer before or during your gemstone shield
  3. Dogico Loyal Player

    The number of aftershocks you do increases the duration of absorption, not your actual absorption (50% when using Jackhammer or Upheaval aftershocks). I'd recommend reading through the Earth guide as there is plenty of information in there on tanking.
    • Like x 1
  4. MuTeDx Committed Player

    Probably letting absorb drop. Make sure you hit jackhammer within your timer for absorbtion. Personally I brick tank and I love it. He doesn't tank for you so I don't get why people don't like it, he's just extra health when in tank mode. He only draws aggro when you are in dps form unless you are just that bad at aggro control.
  5. Remander Steadfast Player

    I don't like that it limits your loadouts and that you have to rely on an AI that can get killed. It's not that it doesn't work as a tanking mechanic. I just prefer a little more loadout flexibility and independence from the AI.
  6. MuTeDx Committed Player

    Any power activates his 25% dmg shift, you can use any loadout you want, totem isn't needed. Just keep his buff up so he heals himself, increasing your health pool. I run 2 pulls, 2 shields, brick plus buff.
  7. Remander Steadfast Player

    I like having a cleanse in there, too. Like I said, it works, but I don't like losing that slot to Fortify Golem. Just my preference.
  8. HeavyWeapon Dedicated Player

    Technically you don't even need fortify. If he dies you just resummon him. It would be no different than losing your 50% absorption by not jackhammering in time. Plus you'd still have 25% if brick died. Especially now that they made the damage shift activate just by hitting the summon button so you don't even have the awkward time between hitting the summon and him actually showing up anymore.
  9. MuTeDx Committed Player

    I get you, I just don't like the behind the scenes timer. It feels too much like rage crash. If more powers activated the mechanic (or even extending it when active) I would deff go with absorbtion.
  10. Remander Steadfast Player

    I guess that's true. Had forgotten they trivialized FG like that.
  11. HeavyWeapon Dedicated Player

    You mean trivialized EVERYTHING IN THE GAME like that. That is the direction this game went. Sucks but it went there.
  12. Rhinosus13 Loyal Player

    Watch your health bar, if its not moving your safe :)
    I run Jackhammer, Epicentre, Earthen Grip/ Stone, Gemstone Shield, Two cleanses
  13. jpharrah1010 Steadfast Player

    I'm hearing you but when crystal dies while I dos I almost always have to pause to summon her or else it will summon disappear and summon again is this not the case with brick???

    Also I don't like brick tanking as it seems more boring to me... Jack hammer I feel more active ...
  14. Dogico Loyal Player

    Brick has about 33-37% damage shifted to him (I forget the exact number) rather than 25%. He doesn't increase your health pool.

    It'd be silly not to run with FG, as Brick would be dying more than he needs to. The extra absorption upon casting Brick only lasts for three seconds, so it's not exactly the same type of cushion as casting JH from tray.
  15. MuTeDx Committed Player

    By shifting dmg to brick his health pool becomes added to your own by him taking 1/2 the dmg for you. Hes a refillable gatorade bottle and fortify is your water fountain. Letting brick die is a horrible way to brick tank tho imo, anytime ge is down you take the full brunt of every attack with no cushion. Keeping him alive is essential if you are going to use him.
  16. chaotic3430 Committed Player

    For Aftershocking, you receive 25% damage absorption from casting a power and 25% for Aftershocking. By hitting it 3 times you extend the time of mitigation to 16 seconds until you must do so again. You must aftershock Gemstone Shield to buff it, I only recommend aftershocking it twice as three times makes it 100% damage absorption and it will break quickly. I recommend:

    Aftershock: Jackhammer
    Shield: Gemstone Shield
    Heal/Group Immunity: Soothing Sands
    Group Immunity: Unstoppable
    Mid Range Pull: Epicenter
    Range Pull/Taunt: Low Pressure (group pull(flight/skimming)), Earthen Grip (solo pull), Stone (solo taunt)

    Also highly recommend Absorption Adapter (WPN), Fortified Blocking (Neck), Breakout Regen or Weakening Field (Back), Deadly Block (Feet), Quick Healing (Chest), Regenerative Shielding (Hands).

    Blues: Dominance and Health
    Yellow: Health and Restoration
    Red: Precision and Dominance

    Remember to use Soothing Sands and Gemstone Shield (Regenerative Shielding) alternating as self heals. Jackhammer(Aftershocking), Epicenter and Unstoppable are good ways to juggle/knockdown enemies along with WM.
    • Like x 1
  17. Remander Steadfast Player

    Similar for me. I'm Acro, so I use Grapple Line as my pull and Tumbling Master for my feet mod. I also mod straight Health in blues.
  18. HeavyWeapon Dedicated Player

    You don't take the full brunt. You still have the 25%. Yes it is a bad way to do it but is a way to do if you would like more loadout space.
  19. Dogico Loyal Player

    Again, I forget the exact percentage but Brick doesn't take half of your damage; it comes out to like 33-37%, giving you rougly 49-49.5% absorption rather than aftershock's true 50% absorption.

    His health pool is not your health pool. They function and are healed separately. If you take enough damage it's possible for you to die even though Brick still has health, a scenario that could only happen if your health and Brick's health were separate, which they are.

    I never advocated Brick dying as a viable tanking method.
  20. HeavyWeapon Dedicated Player

    Isn't the damage shift equal to 33.33%? So you have an innate 25% from hitting a power than you transfer 33.33% of the remaining 75% to brick giving you essentially exactly 50%. At least that is how it was when I did the testing at the time they made the change way back. Yes its not a good idea to let him die, but in all honesty it's not that bad. Again you get the additional 25% for 3s while summoning him, so the only gap in having max possible absorption is the time from when he dies to the time you can hit the summon button again. It's not THAT bad.