Brothers of Arms

[Alb]

Just a quick question for the conqs out there (Mell , etc). I just wondered something ...

Some classes have a viable route of building hybrid builds (e.g. necros). How is that with the conq class? Now I know that Brute is the tank tree and carnage the dps tree (in principle at least). But is it a viable option to go mainly Carnage but retain some feats (I don't know anything about the brute tree side and not much about playing a tank) in the Brute tree to make the conq an "emergency tank" (not tank focus, but able to do a very limited amount of emergency tanking)? Would you need to go fairly deep into the Brute side to make yourself any sort of viable tank option (even if it is just an emergency solution) that the carnage side wouldn't make much sense and in the end you would just end up as bad at both?

[Kendar]

You will have to dig quite deep into the brute tree to find the feats that really makes the conq a viable tank. So instead of a hybrid carnage/brute build, i would put my "tank" points in the general tree. I you fill Stone skin, Iron skin and Improved defensive stance you should be able to "emergency tank" in most dungeons and T1 raids. Cunning deflection is also quite helpful.

For tanking in BRC, like on Farty's adds or AB, you will need several of the feats found in the bottom of the brute tree. The real lifesavers are Overcome the Odds and Blessed Conquest.

There is a 3rd option for conqs besides the dps (dual wield) or tank builds, and that is 2 handed dps. In those cases a hybrid build is common, but it won't make you really useful as either dps'er or tank. Could perhaps be nice while leveling (not tried it myself), but later on i find it more useful for conqs to either go full out dw dps or tank Hybrid might also be the way to go for PvP, but don't have much experience there.

[Alb]

Thanks Kend

only question would be .. how much dps would I loose compared to the other melee dps people.

Hmm ... the Hybrid 2H build for PvP ... could be an option, but it would depend on how much cc/survivability you would gain with it. Might be interesting for me to pay more attention to what conqs use in minigames

[Urumaru]

+1 for Kend.

Conquage does not allow hybrid build. You would lose too much dps from carnage just to get a decent survivability, which will not allow you to tank in raid.

I would say, stay pure dps, and let your gear offtank for you, i mean the more epics you got the easier it will be, so just to give the tank 5-6 sec to get full health you don't need a brute build, you can do that just by going in def stance with your epic gear.

Brute is really if you want some solid tanking, because the brute conq IS a solid tank (i did not know that 1 month ago tbh).

[Alb]

Thanks Mell

[Smogz]

Ok guys ive just switched from carnage to brute so time to learn to play conq again hehe,

a few questions tho..whats the best combo rotation for dps and which is best for keeping aggro?

[Idaho]

More dps means more aggro.
So it’s the strongest combo, Hail of furious strikes, that usually is used for swapping aggro and stuff. To build aggro, you have Enraging strikes.
Check here: http://forums-eu.ageofconan.com/showthread.php?t=34776

[Mistery]

Don't ever use (brutal) enraging strikes. They just don't give aggro (however they claim to enrage....). And the link is to outdated pre-revamp info (some is viable, but for newbies in the brute tree not usable).

Use aggro tools (irritate/retaliation) and Guard of Dancing Steel / Hail of Furious Strikes for aggro. Burst of agression is nice also.

[Gert]

Ok guys ive just switched from carnage to brute so time to learn to play conq again hehe,

a few questions tho..whats the best combo rotation for dps and which is best for keeping aggro?

Places like Slaughterhouse are good to test builds (I know it's solo area but it's still good when you change a build due it's mix of mobs - you have a caster boss, melee boss and mix of ranged and melee trash); in terms of learning in a team, Atzels is a good place outside of Khitai.

Can't really answer the combo rotation but happy to do some instances if you want to learn how to run a brute Conq...also, I see that you're using Stonesplitter - not really the best weapon to use as a Brute Can look a bowl run this week to get Searing Sword if needed

[Alb]

Ok guys ive just switched from carnage to brute so time to learn to play conq again hehe,

a few questions tho..whats the best combo rotation for dps and which is best for keeping aggro?

another one succumbed to the lure of the Dark S.... umm .. Brute spec. Sorry .. just kidding .

[Kendar]

Depending on the situation, and especially when running solo i often start off with Improved Faint Attack to apply the debuffs from it. There's no difference in combo rotation on tanking vs. dps. As Sing said, you need to do as much dps as possible if you wanna grab aggro. The combo's you wanna use to grab aggro are Batter Aside and Guard of Dancing Steel, while popping Burst of Agression. Make sure that you feat Remorseless Agression, it will refresh the cooldown of Burst of Agression when an enemy is killed. Both Batter Aside and Burst of Agression do knockbacks, so use them wisely. And even tho only a few mobs in BRC can be knockbacked, both still generate aggro.

Not really using a fixed combo rotation, as every situation is different. But Improved Faint Attack - Besiege - Hail of Furious Strikes - Batter Aside and Guard of Dancing Steel are the combos I rotate between. Besiege is an AA perk combo, and has chance of triggering Furious Inspiration, both to make it stack faster and trigger in situations where it normally doesn't. It also does decent dps.

Featwise i would recommend feating both Overcome the Odds and Blessed Conquest. Both are needed when tanking mobs and bosses that normally are a bit too much to handle for a conq. And you'll also need Retaliation. Sometimes you need to pop both Irritate and Retaliation to grab aggro from a guard or DT.

[Kendar]

Ok guys ive just switched from carnage to brute so time to learn to play conq again hehe,

a few questions tho..whats the best combo rotation for dps and which is best for keeping aggro?

another one succumbed to the lure of the Dark S.... umm .. Brute spec. Sorry .. just kidding .

Don't listen to dodgy rangers

[Idaho]

Like every fight, you usually need to start with debuffs, so check your combos and their effect. Soldier classes are not strong debuffers like others though.

When tanking, or rather offtanking, you need to keep yourself high in the aggrolist. That’s the most important thing for you. I might be wrong in this — haven’t really tanked any instance for some time, except for occasional tanking of the trash mobs in BRC or saving noob tank ass at Smurff — but it means using your combos including the aggro abilities even if it means you don’t need to grab aggro, because you must generate the threat (also main tanks should be aware of the offtanks not to generate too much aggro). Then, when it’s necessary, you will use your strongest combo and hit all the hate and aggro ability just before the finisher. That should do the trick.

[Smogz]

Thanks for all the advise and replys guys i will give them a try l8r on tonight , as for my weapon gert its the only 2h i have atm and ive already done the bowls quest and picked the 1h weapon lol so not sure whats best for me to use yet

[Gert]

Shame as Searing Sword would be good...only other option is to get the raid 2h Conq sword or find a nice one from Khitai (which would probably take longer )

The 2hb you have is ok except for the hate decrease so bear that in mind when testing your build

[Mistery]

This one is not too expensive: Carnage. Around 4g and decent dps. Stonesplitter has -hate.....

[Gert]

Search result for: Carnage -- can be crafted by: Phorkys - BoABot

[Smogz]

Besiege is an AA perk combo, and has chance of triggering Furious Inspiration, both to make it stack faster and trigger in situations where it normally doesn't. It also does decent dps.

Featwise i would recommend feating both Overcome the Odds and Blessed Conquest. Both are needed when tanking mobs and bosses that normally are a bit too much to handle for a conq. And you'll also need Retaliation. Sometimes you need to pop both Irritate and Retaliation to grab aggro from a guard or DT.

Yeah i already took both of these feats from looking at some of the builds in earlier posts, i love Overcome the Odds ,Shud i be taking Forced Engage AA perk also? .

Been playing around solo in Khitai tonite learning the combos etc and im enjoying it, no deaths so far , tank test time in a day or so so im sure that will change .

[Kendar]

Shud i be taking Forced Engage AA perk also

Forced Engange has 2 functions. It's a powerful aggro ability, but sadly it only lasts 3,5 seconds. It can be handy to give another tank those few seconds of breathing space at the right tactical moment in a fight. The other function, which is probably even more useful, is the higher critigation chance you get after using it.

So yes, i would feat it

[Gert]

Forced Engage is 3.5 secs aggro change with 0 residual - so you get the quick switch but no aggro decay like Irritate; also has a 30 sec block so no other soldier can use it for that period...biggest thing with FE is the critigation chance boost (but that needs Khitai gear to work well). It's very useful when you need a quick swap (Kharon in T3 comes to mind) but overall it wouldn't be high priority but something to have as a timed AAS once you have some class specific ones done imo.

[Atkara]

Been playing around solo in Khitai tonite learning the combos etc and im enjoying it, no deaths so far , tank test time in a day or so so im sure that will change .

You might want to try out playing without any stance at all. Skirmish and Hoarfrost buffs on. Lumbering Hulk, can also be handy, depending on the situation.

A few tips about Burst of Aggression, if you haven't figured it out yet:

*You can use it right before charging, to get knockback upon first contact. Works wonders on Wing3's Agitator, to get him on the floor before he has the chance to even think about mind controlling someone.

*Hail of Furious Strikes hits everything in 360 degrees angle. Hitting Burst of Aggression while HoFS combo finisher is rolling, will knockback everything around you. Reanimator's minions during Wing2 trash clearing, suffer greatly from a Conqueror who does this right. With good dps from the AoE casters, you'll eventually have the minions on the floor all the time until there's none of them, left alive.

[Idaho]

Yep, Burst of Aggession with charging is a great combinations that I’m using very often.
Thanks for the tip with HoFS, good to know that.

[Gert]

This one is not too expensive: Carnage. Around 4g and decent dps. Stonesplitter has -hate.....

Smogz got the T1 2h sword tonight so doesn't have to worry too much now

[Smogz]

Typical ! after i make the Carnage(only used it on trash mobs too lol) i get the weapon dropped i want lmao, 1st time i seen the conq weapon drop in months

[Alb]

Smogz .. that is just standard operating procedure. :z