Another ToD, another story

[coolpenguin410]

Maybe it's just me, but ToD seems to be the only raid I've run that seems to regularly have hiccups in it. So far, I've run a total of 4 to completion and 2 failures (both got Horoth as close as 10% or less).

My first ToD was very smooth. The only toon I have flagged is my intimi-tank. It was a pre-U9 ToD and I was able to hold aggro easily. Only one small hiccup where intim glitched and he got away from me, but I recoved and we finished without any deaths or drama. I was grateful for the chance to tank on this character.

From there after it seemed to run in a pattern:

1. Leader chooses a hate-tank to take Horoth. No back up is chosen.

2. I am assigned to either tank Sully or be just DPS.

3. Hate tank looses aggro and/or dies.

4. I grab Horoth and hold him, albeit imperfectly, while group recovers.

5. I continue to hold aggro with intim. (I have once or twice let the hate-tank resume his duties only to watch him fail to hold aggro even after being allowed time to build up threat again.)

6. Group adjusts to my tatics or the raid fails.

Now, there is nothing amazing about my build. He's a solid AC tank that I put a lot of work into, but has no epic gear and only 1 greensteel item (HP goggles). No amazing GS, epic or raid weapons. Just some basic +threat modifiers that happened to fall into the build without me trying to get them in there. However, it seems that every ToD a learning experience for everyone.

Is the DDO community still learning ToD or have I just been spoiled by the Shroud? Granted, I'm having a lot of fun with this, but is this as smooth as it gets for your average group?

[Dragaer]

With the changes to threat and intim since U9, I would advertise yourself as an AC threat tank now instead of an intimitank; maybe some groups will get it. Most of the population does not understand the changes to intim nor do they care. All they care about is can you maintain aggro. If yes then say so (turtle does not count anymore).

Threat and aggro management is now a party function, not just a tank function. No one should be wearing threat gear except the tank...be it a barb, palli, stalwart, whatever...(talking of pugs here. Groups that run together and know what everyone can do can obviously ignore this).

Without any other threat gear you generate 50% hate in stance; and either another 50% hate for 6 seconds TWF, or 100% hate for 12 seconds sword and boarding it.

There is a lot more detail to think about (aquiring more threat gear so you never loose aggro etc)...but the DDO community is not still learning ToD, they should be learning how to manage aggro as a party.

[grodon9999]

Is the DDO community still learning ToD or is have I just been spoiled by the Shroud? Granted, I'm having a lot of fun with this, but is this as smooth as it gets for your average group?

Average pug or average guild/channel group? Pug ToDs can just be scarry, it's like a box of chocolates but with more retards. Some leaders read about a strategy or see something when they're in a guild group and try the same strategies with people who aren't as experienced or equipped and it's lambs to the slaughter.

Guild/channel runs are usually MUCH better but that's going to happen when people have a couple hundred completions and are over-geared. With good tanks and high-DPS even elite's not that bad anymore.

Friend's don't let friend's pug ToD. Find 11 other good players and start a static group.

[Chai]

There are people out there who still think absolute DPS owns everything else while tanking, and the "ZOMG MY BARB CRITS FOR 700!!!" crowd thinks they cant have their aggro torn away or be killed with 900+ HP.

TOD is a raid where you can fail on normal, kick like 3 people and replace them with people you know can hang, then succeed on elite afterward with the same core group. Its crazy how a few people can have that impact.

[pSINNa]

I also play on Ghallanda, and really have had little trouble with TOD. There are some raid leaders that do run that raid that you may have to learn to look our for though.

Some people do run it a lot more then i do, and i do mean a lot!, and my raiding has really fallen off in the last 6-9months, but even so i have a conservative 100 tod's under my belt on different 'coit' toons.

I did jump on a pug tod this week (post u9.1) on a light monk, and had a hate tank take horoth (i kited the jailor in pt1 till the group was ready for him, and sulo in pt3 - they didn't want to bother with the sulo kill as often happens in conservative pug groups).

There were no hiccups at all. The group let the hate tank take around %15 percent off horoth before the beatdown began, and it was very fast once the group went into gank mode - horoth stayed focussed on the angry barb, and we completed with both divines looking pretty healthy in the blue bar.

I'd say, you've had a little bad luck, as this raid has been done to a tee by the community (saw a post this week with 2 fvs fella's that duo'd it - kudo's to them :).

All that said, if the group lacks a bit of co-ordination it can go south fairly quickly, but you'll usually know if the group is a bit green before the end of part one as a rule.

I find the worst part of the raid is waiting in the 'Foyer of Frustration' waiting for the blasted group to form xD.

Anywase, hope that keeps you hitting the tower, it's a lot of fun and some great loot, and yes, most groups are pretty good, sounds like you've just had a little bit of bad luck.

Coit out~

[Tobril]

What you ran into was a leadership issue.

A maintank death is a common enough scenario that should
be planned around but few PUG leaders do this.

If you are able to see problems and get people to adapt I
recommend leading the raid yourself and managing expectations
and responsibilities.

Hopefully your future runs go better.


Other common problems include, but are not limited to:

Healer stunned due to lack of preparation
(no mantle or other spell absorption item, light monks are all ADHD and can’t be 100% trusted on grasp)

“Surprise” tank due to aggro mismanagement
People standing outside of mass cure/heal that can’t take care of themselves
General coordination issues