12-30-2004, 09:30 PM
I've never much liked Defensive Stance, even with its increased-threat-generation junk. Taunt is resisted by anything more than a couple levels higher (read: instance end-bosses), and it has no real AE aggro-grabber like Battle Stance does (Dem Shout causes a little aggro, but not nearly as much as Thunder Clap or Sweeping Strikes.) I'm in Battle Stance at all times, only switching back to Defensive Stance for a quick Taunt if I can't simply hit them enough to bring them running back (since they're always moving at half speed due to Piercing Howl, I can generally afford to do this :) ), or whacking them with a Mocking Blow if they're likely to resist the Taunt.
If the #$%& hits the fan (such as in Gnomeregan, where one of those mobile alert systems spawned on us and we didn't notice it until it had time to spawn in about six more mobs), I hit Challenging Shout with Retaliation and go to town. I spam Piercing Howl and Thunder Clap to encourage the mobs to love me more, and leave it to the mages and rogues in the party to neutralize stragglers until Retaliation's effects wear off.
But honestly, I'd say Rogues are the least-useful party members. While they can do some incredible DPS (especially with Sunder Armor factored in) and they have some decent CC abilities, we've never really had more success with a Rogue over a Mage. Sure, they can pick pockets (whee?) and open locks (I'm a smith, and I have keys), but sheeping is better than Sapping (IMO), and single-target DPS doesn't beat AoE killing (with Improved Arcane Explosion. It was invaluable for the battle with Thermaplugg; our mage would nuke the bob-ombs while the shaman and I concentrated on beating the crap out of Therma and the priest healed everyone.)
For me, the ideal party is a Warrior (me, or even better if we can find someone who was stupid enough to go Protection specced :) ), a Shaman (they can take a few hits and frontload like mad), a Priest (or just me and a Priest), a Mage, and probably a Warlock for a Voidwalker minion and Soulstones, Health Stones, and all the other nifty things that make me love Warlocks.
If the #$%& hits the fan (such as in Gnomeregan, where one of those mobile alert systems spawned on us and we didn't notice it until it had time to spawn in about six more mobs), I hit Challenging Shout with Retaliation and go to town. I spam Piercing Howl and Thunder Clap to encourage the mobs to love me more, and leave it to the mages and rogues in the party to neutralize stragglers until Retaliation's effects wear off.
But honestly, I'd say Rogues are the least-useful party members. While they can do some incredible DPS (especially with Sunder Armor factored in) and they have some decent CC abilities, we've never really had more success with a Rogue over a Mage. Sure, they can pick pockets (whee?) and open locks (I'm a smith, and I have keys), but sheeping is better than Sapping (IMO), and single-target DPS doesn't beat AoE killing (with Improved Arcane Explosion. It was invaluable for the battle with Thermaplugg; our mage would nuke the bob-ombs while the shaman and I concentrated on beating the crap out of Therma and the priest healed everyone.)
For me, the ideal party is a Warrior (me, or even better if we can find someone who was stupid enough to go Protection specced :) ), a Shaman (they can take a few hits and frontload like mad), a Priest (or just me and a Priest), a Mage, and probably a Warlock for a Voidwalker minion and Soulstones, Health Stones, and all the other nifty things that make me love Warlocks.
ArrayPaladins were not meant to sit in the back of the raid staring at health bars all day, spamming heals and listening to eight different classes whine about buffs.[/quote]
The original Heavy Metal Cowâ¢. USDA inspected, FDA approved.
The original Heavy Metal Cowâ¢. USDA inspected, FDA approved.