Legendary LOB, dealing with the 10k stun+smack

[Bjond]

On the Legendary Lord of Blades raid, he does a stun followed by a giant 10K hit. This is ONLY on LE+ difficulties. On LH and lower, I don't recall what happens because it's trivial to survive.

It even one-shots our 8K HP full completionist tank. As far as we've been able to tell, neither stun nor smack can be avoided or negated. Does anyone know of a way to deal with this other than serial tanking from multiple tanks taking turns as each one dies to the smack?

Stuff we've tried that does NOT work:

• post-stun harper-pin does nothing (and CD is too long to be a real solve anyway)
• post-stun skills are locked out (ie. can't hit i.uncanny post-stun)
• post-stun block (can't block after the stun, locked out)

The only thing we've found so far that "kinda" works is a very high base dodge tank, but this is pretty dumb as a "strategy". Real strategies work 100% of the time and a high base dodge is 40~50% at best.

Not tried Undying Vanguard post-stun because it's CD is too long to be an effective negate. Would need roughly 3 tanks to get the "group" CD on it down low enough.

Things I'm wondering about and have not tried: spell absorb for the stun and being in block BEFORE the stun (which hopefully keeps you in block). If you've tried these and know they don't work, let me know -- would save testing. There's also the problem of figuring out when he's about to stun so you can prepare for it (doesn't seem to be a tell).

I suspect full debuffing might work: knock + LD Mantle + various other melee power debuffs (filigrees/etc), but that has the issue of requiring a fully customized raid group instead of a solid core with a herd of raid-sheep (ie. it will just never happen for us).

I did hear one snarky comment from another player that it was easily avoidable and to "learn the mechs", but this player refused to explain. Other than this one comment, I've not found anyone in game or out that knows how to deal with the mechanic other than to build the raid to survive tank deaths when it happens.

If you happen to have a method for it, please post!

[J1NG]

Whenever I went in on LE/R+, I always went in on a monk type (Light Path) and always dropped an Anti-Stun buff onto the tank, as only when stunned does the LoB even perform that combo. So if the tank is never stunned, then the LoB won't do that combo.

Incidentally, this means any Undead tank will also work in this field, since undead can't get stunned normally.

Give that a try.

J1NG

[Magnus_Arcanis]

Blocking the stun attack will prevent the stun.

Upping your PRR and taking the enhancements to reduce the damage you take while helpless should also increase the odds of survival.

Technically Elusive Target destiny feat also works against the big attack, but obviously not the most reliable.

Its also possible to turn LOB with an intim. Doesn't stop the attack, but him targeting a less helpless target will reduce the incoming damage.

Haven't tried the Dreadnaught action boost thing yet while stunned so there a chance, but best to just turtle the attack imo.

Good luck!

[Arkat]

A high Dodge % will certainly help. I've had Monks and Rogues dodge the Big Smack successfully on numerous occasions.

[Tobril]

Blocking stops the stun portion of the attack.


There's two tells.

1) His left hand goes down and back. (like he's reaching to his back pants pocket where he keeps his wallet)
2) A brief sound similar to a fan spinning up to high speed.


Good audio at 6:05, visual at 6:47.




Another example at 13:33.




Shield not required, 7:23.

[Bjond]

Thanks y'all! I wonder if it's a sound-based stun .. ie. would cracked-core work?

I doubt LD's stun-clear would work. Harper Pin clears other stuns, but will not clear LOB's.

1) His left hand goes down and back. (like he's reaching to his back pants pocket where he keeps his wallet)
2) A brief sound similar to a fan spinning up to high speed.

Ah, when I've been tanking I've always thought those "tells" were actually visual & sound FX for the stun; ie. they never seemed to happen BEFORE the stun to me. Could just be natural 'net lag or ddo server lag or my attention isn't focused minutely enough on LOB, though.

IMHO, over-all win goes to Undead. You never worry about it. Next would be turtle-tanking -- just pick your non-blocking moments with care. There aren't enough monks playing to count on grasp, but it's still nice to keep in mind -- can bump up difficulty when monk in raid.

[SpartanKiller13]

On the Legendary Lord of Blades raid, he does a stun followed by a giant 10K hit. This is ONLY on LE+ difficulties. On LH and lower, I don't recall what happens because it's trivial to survive.

It even one-shots our 8K HP full completionist tank. As far as we've been able to tell, neither stun nor smack can be avoided or negated. Does anyone know of a way to deal with this other than serial tanking from multiple tanks taking turns as each one dies to the smack?

Ok so this might be dumb but have you tried Radiant Forcefield? 25% off 10k puts it just into survivable range for an 8k tank. Protection Domain & Artificer can both cast on others, and LGS clickies & pots are fairly obtainable. Also obviously a full-Arti RMM can also pass two instances of 95% off every 3 minutes (and has SLA + regular Radiant Forcefield). Positive Energy Infusion for +10% max HP also looks pretty helpful assuming it stacks with everything (which it should assuming it's an Enhancement bonus?).

Also Primal Avatar's Shard Storm w/upgrade gives 25% max HP as temp HP which puts an 8k tank into the 10k range as well, if they set up in time.

Sauce on some temp HP (Bard, Warlock, Alchy, etc) and your uber-tank should be survivable even without avoiding the attack

-----

Not the cleanest of solutions but hey if all ya have is a hammer make the world into a nail! Before the Lord of Blades makes you into one.

[noinfo]

On the Legendary Lord of Blades raid, he does a stun followed by a giant 10K hit. This is ONLY on LE+ difficulties. On LH and lower, I don't recall what happens because it's trivial to survive.

It even one-shots our 8K HP full completionist tank. As far as we've been able to tell, neither stun nor smack can be avoided or negated. Does anyone know of a way to deal with this other than serial tanking from multiple tanks taking turns as each one dies to the smack?

Stuff we've tried that does NOT work:

• post-stun harper-pin does nothing (and CD is too long to be a real solve anyway)
• post-stun skills are locked out (ie. can't hit i.uncanny post-stun)
• post-stun block (can't block after the stun, locked out)

The only thing we've found so far that "kinda" works is a very high base dodge tank, but this is pretty dumb as a "strategy". Real strategies work 100% of the time and a high base dodge is 40~50% at best.

Not tried Undying Vanguard post-stun because it's CD is too long to be an effective negate. Would need roughly 3 tanks to get the "group" CD on it down low enough.

Things I'm wondering about and have not tried: spell absorb for the stun and being in block BEFORE the stun (which hopefully keeps you in block). If you've tried these and know they don't work, let me know -- would save testing. There's also the problem of figuring out when he's about to stun so you can prepare for it (doesn't seem to be a tell).

I suspect full debuffing might work: knock + LD Mantle + various other melee power debuffs (filigrees/etc), but that has the issue of requiring a fully customized raid group instead of a solid core with a herd of raid-sheep (ie. it will just never happen for us).

I did hear one snarky comment from another player that it was easily avoidable and to "learn the mechs", but this player refused to explain. Other than this one comment, I've not found anyone in game or out that knows how to deal with the mechanic other than to build the raid to survive tank deaths when it happens.

If you happen to have a method for it, please post!

Listen for the tell and shield block. For us it was pretty straight forward from when we used to do it when the original raid came out. The blade spin happens afterward but only if stunned but if you have melee have them attack from the back left hand quarter it is safer.

Its not difficult when you get the hang of it.

[Bjond]

tried Radiant Forcefield?

All my chars are very low-PL and thus also low HP. Typically 2~3k. My current "tank" is a D.Roll Rogue with ~2700 HP on LE and ~3100 in R1. It's great versus physical, but not so hot versus magic; ie. needs a healbot to tank R1 Kor Kaza.

I mentioned the 8K tank because it even kills him. He got so frustrated with it that he doesn't want to tank LOB anymore. Our guild approaches raids more as an excuse to do something all together than as a primary end-goal. There's a core of 2~4 with chars specifically designed for raiding parked at cap, but the rest is a mix of whatever people have at or near cap on raid days.

I really appreciate the brainstorming, though. They look like interesting potential solutions for the right raid mix.

Listen for the tell and shield block.

Next time I'm tanking I'll pay more attention. I'll likely start out more turtle style to be conservative, but if/when it feels easy to melee & slip a block in, will do that. I really hate playing turtle-style -- it ruins agro and just plain isn't fun.