How to hold aggro as a bear tank?

[MisokoChoco]

I've always had trouble keeping mobs on me when dps players are wailing away, and I've kept to stomping enemies around and stunning them, but not able to keep them actually on me. Do I suck at tanking in general, or is there a specific technique that I'm supposed to use?

[neko]

Having read your post in Krausauve's thread, you pretty much have all the basics down. Damage dealers will generally win over the attention of mobs and bosses, so just keep spamming Taunt and Beckon.

[wvhills]

i do a pretty good job keeping aggro on my level 50 bear even with higher level mages and birds in the party. I really think the key is to get into the room before anyone else attacks. For the bosses I evade and iron blood as I rush in, hellscream to stun then beckon to a wall/corner, stomp and taunt. Then crushing blow and whatever slashes I have until my beckon and stomp cooldown. After that I spam taunt, hellscream, and crushing blow as they become available. To me it seems if I taunt first then some of the boss' toadies will aggro me and cause me to "stutter" before I can get to the wall or corner. Another thing is to not use beckon and stomp just anytime they become available. The mages and birds should keep their distance from the boss, then if the boss aggros one of them and starts to go after them, I will beckon the boss back and stomp him in the corner to keep him away from the rest of the party. That way it doesn't matter if you have aggro or not because the boss can't reach the less armored members of the party.

i don't think having aggro against the mobs is as important, but it's still vital that you get to them first if you want to tank. For mobs I'll rush ahead hellscream, run to a wall, beckon and stomp, unleash a slash then rush to the next mob as the first is being wiped by the rest of the party. You just have to make sure you're not getting to far ahead of everybody but if you're a tank you don't need to wait around until all the mob is dead before moving to set up the next one.

That's just how I play.

[MisokoChoco]

Thanks! Do you ever use the debuff with the fist icon (can't remember the name of it), or just the shout?

[skavenger216]

Thanks! Do you ever use the debuff with the fist icon (can't remember the name of it), or just the shout?

Crushing blow is useful for significantly reducing damage from bosses. I spam it, but I only use it on bosses. though.

[wvhills]

Thanks! Do you ever use the debuff with the fist icon (can't remember the name of it), or just the shout?

The fist icon is crushing blow. Like scavenger said, I only use it at the bosses. It's a single target skill. :)
You're welcome!

[Ellyidol]

Aggro is tricky. Holding it as a str bear (lower damage) vs a dex bear is definitely harder, based on experience and just theoretically from observations.

As useful as Taunt is in gaining aggro, I wouldn't exactly recommend to just spam it. Only use it when aggro is not on you. Using it while aggro is on you anyway doesn't do anything, other than giving you that dodge buff. So when you do need to get aggro, but you've spammed Taunt, you'll have the boss running towards the highest DPSer.

At times you can't exactly time Taunt too, or it just so happens to be on CD, use the Beckon Stomp combo and pin him to the wall. Squeeze in an SMS and Hell Scream in there to keep him stunned and pinned, either he shifts aggro to you or stays pinned, if he does get loose again, your Taunt should be ready.

Hell Scream (HS) and Crushing Blow (CB) are magical when you use them right, and both connect. -95 damage from the boss is it? Not to mention the Hit debuff on the boss. Awesome for tanking.

[neko]

^^^
Hence why Elly is amongst the top bears out there!

[Otukura]

@ Elly -- I believe vengeful slash also stuns, although it only says it pushes them back.

We can test if you'd like.

[Ellyidol]

neko, along with you, yes :)

Otu, I think so too. Barely noticed it though since mine is just at 1, probably more with higher levels :)

[MisokoChoco]

Does taunt only raise your threat on a target, or does it force them to attack you?

[Ellyidol]

Does taunt only raise your threat on a target, or does it force them to attack you?

If it lands, my impression that it forces the taunted to attack you. However, how you manage that aggro as a bear would determine how long they would stay on you. I've had instances when a damage orbed bird would take aggro from me less than a second after my taunt would aggro a boss.