Elite Tindrin Bosses Tanking

[Jirikjurasek]

Hello,
there is infinite discussion about proper skill build for new elites. However, there isn´t discussion how use your skills to successfully tanking the boss. I want to share few points which I see during hundreds of runs. I know that following points are known to public, but I see lots of warriors who didn´t do most of that. Please take into account that my guidances are mainly for non plat users who start with elites. I dont care about time runs and four Samaels party.
During boss fight you have to care about your allies, not just "keep aggro"! Every boss have special red zone attacks, which can or can´t be avoided. In first case is duty of allies to run out from red zone, but good tank should be ready to action. In the second case is only tank duty to secure survive of party.
Note
Try to make the biggest dmg as you can and dont care about allies. You will se that if someone of rogues or mages died (and don´t use plat), boss fight is much more longer than if you pay attention on proper cover them.
Note
Skills on images are solo running purpose only
Note
Skills listed bellow are just my recommendation
recommended skills - essential skills
1. Drake Hatchling
Skills: Chest Splitter – Windmill – Juggernaut – Horn of Renew
Pet: Prance
Boss Fight: Fight starts with killing guards. Both of them has red zone attack. If single guard use that, its not dangerous for tank, but they often use it simultaneously and that could be destructive. Hatchling is quite easy, I use 3 life elixirs during Hatchling fight and boss is all the time aggroed at me. Maybe some bug, I don´t know.
Tips: Use survival pets because of simultaneously red zone attack. You are able to survive them with more than 2k armor and 6000 HP and little help with Juggernaut. However rogues and mages aren´t so lucky.

2. Tribal Abomination
Skills: Chest Splitter – Windmill – Juggernaut – Horn of Renew
Pet: Scorch (movement speed pets)
Boss Fight: Tribal is very big, fat, slow and deadly beast. Has few types of red zones attacks and all of them can one shooted you. Same boss as troll in dead city. Use his slow movement and keep yourself behind him and avoind red zones. Tank duty is keep the boss in the middle of area, because there are falling stones that kills your allies. All allies runs around to avoid stones, your stone have to fall in the middle where are just you and boss and it don´t threaten someone else. Don´t care much about damage of stones, it isn´t dangerous for you.
Tips: Keep your Horn of Renew ready for area red zone attack (see picture), run to the ally who is the closest to boss and cover him. I don´t use Axe Throw because I need to stay moveable.
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Alargan
Skills: Chest Splitter – Axe Throw – Juggernaut – Horn of Renew
Pet: Kelvin/George
Boss Fight: Alargan has a) tail attack (hit few times by his tail), b) red zone jump attack c) pull attack, d) enrage. Tail attack is surviveable in case when Alargan isn´t enraged. In enrage mode run around outside circle as you can see on the picture. Iam able to survive maximum of 2 tail attack in enrage, run out of range. Use Chest Splitter for face to face tanking and Axe Throw after jump attack. Use Horn of Renew only to avoind pull attack.
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Tips: The most important thing there is to wait patiently on pull attack and use charged Horn of Renew or stun pet like Kelvin with 15s CD or George with 25?s. Sometimes boss use pull attack imediatelly after jump, in that case use Horn of Renew, because pet is not able to come to the boss in time. You are able to secure pull attacks alone, all party members can use pets for better dmg.
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Arachna
Skills: Chest Splitter – Axe Throw – Juggernaut – Horn of Renew
Pet: Scorch
Boss Fight: Lots of poison pools and cocons. Arachna have two kind of red zone attack. Longer attack (first picture) which isn´t deadly and short range (second image). That short range attack is really deadly and if you survive you will be hit by normal attack in one milisecond. With Juggernat or Scorch bubble you are able to survive it.
Tips: Save your Scorch arcane abillity for case when you are in cocon and Arachna use short range attack, I often survive. When someone from party is in cocon run to him, cover him with charget Horn of Renew, go as far as possible of him and taunt Arachna with Axe Throw. This tactic work really fine.
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Lord Rendtail
Skills: Patience – Nerves of Steel – Coffee – Horn of Renew
Pet: Ribbit
Boss Fight: Wait for mobs from eggs, its just trash tanking.


I hope it helps somebody.

See you in elites!

[Crowsfoot]

Only Things I do differently:

1) Use axe throw on hatchling. It is an easy boss and axe throw is the strongest single target taunt as well as damage output. I would also suggest using VB on this boss since he doesn't one hit or provide any large threats.

You point out that the boss has simultaneously red zones. This is true, but axe throw can be used to turn the guards and a charged CS will disrupt the healer's wind up. I usually use a damage pet and only die when I am TUI. The fact that many tanks solo tank the two guards to get the "cracking the egg" AP prices to me that a survival pet is unneeded in many cases but using one isn't wrong. However, it does say I can throw caution to the wind (for the most part) and use axe throw and (if you have it) VB.

2) Use kelvin on abomination. kelvin stops the rocks from falling when cast after they begin falling. Doing this improves mage and rogue survival. The only attacks that will one hit you on this boss is his very long and very shirt range attacks. The trick is to stay behind the boss at all times so that only his rocks and circular attack provide any danger. You will be hut by the circular attack every time but it won't kill you. Spam potions.

---

Personal preferences:

1) I use axe throw on every tindirin boss. I can see how it isn't required but if you master the dynamics of the skill, it is highly recommended. Deciding where bosses aim their attacks (and being ranged) is life saving for a party. The second feeble skill is also helpful for preventing unexpected crits.

2) I also use VB on every boss (elite or otherwise) as well as my high damage gear (again, elite or otherwise). Many tanks die doing this and it isn't recommended until you are confidant that you don't need jugg. Always use jugg on bosses until you can predict their attack sequences and work out a skill rotation (is use jugg at the beginning of seasons). Again, I don't recommend using VB I stead of jugg unless you are sure you will avoid the majority if red zones or survive them with flying colors.

[GoodSyntax]

Allow me to point out that after Algaran's long range charge attack - stay far away from him and allow him to get far enough away from walls. Algaran almost always pulls immediately after he recovers from his long range attack, but will postpone his pull if no one is in range.

Try to keep Algaran in the center of the room, because the survival tip for Rogues and Sorcs is to charge Pierce or Gale respectively, the moment you get pulled so you don't get one hit. This strategy fails if you pierce/gale through Algaran and right into a wall

Finally, and I hope this is an obvious tip, never use a pet with a push/pull AA (Vixen, Whim, Squash, etc.). Quite often, the squishies are playing the razors edge of staying close to the boss to maximize skill and auto attack damage, and just barely staying outside of red zones. Pets that push/pull can inadvertently move the boss and the red zone right into the squishies lap, leading to deaths and lots of WTF comments from your party. I've seen a few runners who use Vixen as an Oh No! insurance card, but all that typically does is redirect the death to another player. Granted, I've seen some players that use these push/pulls effectively, but my general advice is to avoid push/pull pets altogether.

[Crowsfoot]

Allow me to point out that after Algaran's long range charge attack - stay far away from him and allow him to get far enough away from walls. Algaran almost always pulls immediately after he recovers from his long range attack, but will postpone his pull if no one is in range.

Try to keep Algaran in the center of the room, because the survival tip for Rogues and Sorcs is to charge Pierce or Gale respectively, the moment you get pulled so you don't get one hit. This strategy fails if you pierce/gale through Algaran and right into a wall

Finally, and I hope this is an obvious tip, never use a pet with a push/pull AA (Vixen, Whim, Squash, etc.). Quite often, the squishies are playing the razors edge of staying close to the boss to maximize skill and auto attack damage, and just barely staying outside of red zones. Pets that push/pull can inadvertently move the boss and the red zone right into the squishies lap, leading to deaths and lots of WTF comments from your party. I've seen a few runners who use Vixen as an Oh No! insurance card, but all that typically does is redirect the death to another player. Granted, I've seen some players that use these push/pulls effectively, but my general advice is to avoid push/pull pets altogether.
As the tank, alargan is an interesting boss.

I agree that vixen, whim, and squash are all stupid pets to use. Kelvin is by far the most useful and the highest of recommendation. When you use your pet is very important though. I respond to alargan differently whether he is in regular or enraged mode.

Regular mode:

Stay close and spam CS use VB when you can and tank. Dodge all attacks that you can. When he pulls, bite the bullet and use axe to ensure he doesn't crit. HOWEVER, if his pull attack brings in a mage or rogue instead, I use HoR OR Kelvin to save them. I make sure that I always have either HoR or Kelvin cooled down. If both are cooling down, kite. Use axe where you can to maintain aggro and don't move in close for CS until one of the two recharges. A tank is useless dead. Alargan will not kill you unless: 1) he crits or 2) he is enraged.

Enraged mode:

As soon as Alargan enrages, run like hell. Kite. The best strategy is to wait until Alargan calms down and won't one hit you. This is where it becomes crucial to keep either kelvin and HoR cooled down at all times, you need at least one as a "mayday button." Make sure that kelvin is attacking Alargan while kiting and you have a good view of him and his respective field of potential damage/pull. If another player is pulled in you must cast Kelvin or (unfortunately) rush in to cast HoR. Rushing in requires perfect timing. This is why I encourage you to NOT use any attacks while Alargan is enraged. Watch the party and make sure no dies getting sucked in to the death hug. You can apply feeble later, it won't matter when Alargan is enraged. If you have neither HoR or Kelvin cooled down when Alargan enrages, save yourself. You are worthless without one of the two and it doesn't bring reassurance to your party members that you died by the same one hit as them. When he calms down, return to mele range and continue as usual.

Essentially:

Regular mode = watch out for party

Enraged mode = watch yourself and the party

[Madnex]

Axe throw and skysmash are both moves that limit your reflexion times --unless your don't get the pull upgrade on axe-- so I wouldn't use them in any boss here. Both jurik's and crow's strategic tips are spot on though.

Something else I've seen on Alargan for those who do use skysmash anyway is jumping straight to him right after the dash attack. By grabbing the aggro you can ensure that you're the only one pulled in and "disarm" him easily since you won't be distracted trying to save teammates.

Also, try asking a rogue with veil to throw it in middle and then lead the boss in it. Not only you will gain a pretty decent 20% armor boost but it also debuffs its hit chance and damage (fixed after my bug report :3), allowing you to survive more red zone crits.

A few more things you'd like to keep in mind:
-VB damage debuffs anything in the circle pulses for the duration of the skill - alternate that shift with veil!
-Arachna's poison pools apply not only DOT but 10% armor debuff as well - deadly combination, even worse with crit.

[SIEGE_]

NICE Thread Jirikjurasek!!! I am months or more away from elites in this zone, but I have it book marked. I am sure there are other threads like this for Shuyal, Nordr and Kracken. I am off to find those.

[Crowsfoot]

Looking back over your "unnecessary skills" you seem to under utilize the shield from HoR. HoR is a crucial skill for saving party members from one hits this season.

[Mystical]

haha top warr nice ;):eagerness:

[Jirikjurasek]

Looking back over your "unnecessary skills" you seem to under utilize the shield from HoR. HoR is a crucial skill for saving party members from one hits this season.

Thanks for this, it should be essential :D

[Crowsfoot]

Thanks for this, it should be essential :D
Makes A LOT more sense now