Tanking Question

[saco]

I have a question bout DDO tanking. I'm play WoW n decided to try out DDO with some friends and am one of my guilds top skilled tanks. I've been trying to get a handle of aggro mechanics in DDO. So far I haven't found ne guides. Can some 1 give me a quick run down of how it works or link me a guide if there are ne? Pretty much I need a well of knowledge so I can study up on tanking in DDO.

From what I've read a tank's aggro is based upon dmg n intimidation, also read that non tanks should use diplomacy. Are both of these perceptions accurate? Also, what is the perks of a shield bash? I'm trying to figure it out, came 2 to possibilites. A. it gets more threat or something or B it just allows an attack for me while I'l stay in a blocking stance so it negates lowering my shield, swing my weapon, n back to the block position.

Also I am utilizing a Pally for my tanking toon.

If ne knoweledgeable DDO tanks will help me understand the mechanics, thks in advance.

[Angelus_dead]

If ne knoweledgeable DDO tanks will help me understand the mechanics, thks in advance.

There's a page on DDO wiki which I'll paste below. But first I'll answer a few fast questions:
1. Thinking about using specific aggro-control options is a waste most of the time.
2. If you want to stand there and let a monster try hitting you while other people kill it, (a) Use the Intimidate skill and (b) hold Shift to block with your shield
3. A pure paladin can't have great intimidate, so take 1 level of fighter or rogue. 1 fighter level will also let you use tower shields, for better defense.
4. Shield bashing is only helpful if (a) you don't have a blunt weapon, or (b) you took the feat for improved bashing. And even IF you have that feat, Shield bashing is still a weak weak choice of combat style.

http://ddo.enterwiki.net/page/Aggro

Hate is the calculation of how much damage you've dealt to an NPC. The player having dealt the most damage to that NPC will be the target of his attacks and spells. At first, the NPC attacks are directed to the first one he saw, but as soon as he has been dealt damage by a player, he redirect his attack to the one at the top of his hate list.

Each NPC has its own hate list of each known enemy, paired with the degree to which it hates that character. The list is constantly sorted by hate, and whoever is at the top of the list is chased and attacked. Any character who drops below 1 HP is removed from the list.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Managing hate
o 1.1 Enhancements
+ 1.1.1 Increases hate
+ 1.1.2 Reduces hate
o 1.2 Equipment
o 1.3 Skills
* 2 Special cases
* 3 See also

[edit] Managing hate

When two players are attacking the same NPC, the one dealing most damage will be the target of its attacks. However, the character dealing more damage his not always the one which would be best fit to withstand these attacks. The most obvious way to manage the monster's hate is obviously to stop swinging at him. However, there are other ways that have been implemented to manage it. The exact way those factors stack together is not known, although it is apparently they stack somehow (either additively or multiplicatively).
[edit] Enhancements

A few enhancements have been introduced to either increase the hate you do per damage dealt or to reduce the hate perdamage dealt. Characters that are better suited to withstand attacks and/or spells may be attracked by those who increase the hate. Characters less suited for it, mostly for low hit points or low Armor Class reasons, may be attracked by those who reduces hate.
[edit] Increases hate

* Warforged enhancements: Brutal Fighting - Increases hate by 10 to 40% per melee hit, when active.
* Paladin enhancements: Divine Righteousness - Increases hate by 100% per hit, temporarily.

[edit] Reduces hate

* Rogue enhancements: Subtle Backstabbing - Reduces hate by 10 to 40% per melee hit, when active.
* Wizard and Sorcerer enhancements: Subtle Spellcasting - Reduce hate by 10 to 40%.

[edit] Equipment

* Attacks from the Treason weapon do 20% less hate.
* Attacks from the Maul of Malice weapon do 20% more hate.
* Wearing the Wretched Twilight reduces hate from spells and ranged attacks by 15%.

[edit] Skills

In addition, two Charisma-based skills can temporarily override the hate sorting:

* A successful Intimidate check on a monster will bring you to the top of the hate list for 6 seconds.
* A successful Diplomacy check will bring you to the bottom of the hate list for 6 seconds.

[Blood]

Aggro works as you stated, intimidate, and by causing damage, but there are several other factors. The first character the mob sees will often pull agro, as well as the toon the mob thinks is the most threatening. Often a mob will go right at the spell casters in a group. Shield stance is handy if you use intimidate, and have many mobs on you (of if you have a boss on you, and he is hitting you hard). Putting my back to a wall, while intimidating 4-12 mobs is a favorite tactic of mine. Also, sometimes you can time the shield stance with a boss's attacks by watching the animations. Shield bashing is low dps, but low dps is better than none in some cases. By the time you get high enough level that shield stance is necessary, the low dps is insignificant, tho.