Paladin

Type: Support Regen Tank
Job Mastery Difficulty: Attack Rotation: Easy ; Skill Knowledge: Intermediate
RP Non-WoL: Gladiator: Yes ; Paladin: Yes
Pros: Able to keep party members alive and even be able to “cheese” mechanics through certain enemy attacks.
Cons: Severe Abilities Bloat. Most skills are unused in higher-difficulty content.

Best Used By

• Players looking for a steady learning curve in their job and generous defensive capability due to the extra Block stat.
• Off Tanking is the best role for PLDs in full parties, but can main tank if needed.
• Off-Tanking as PLD requires in-depth knowledge of the Paladin’s abilities and when and how to use them to be the most effective.

Special Notes

• Extra consideration should be used when planning out Passage of Arms (channeled ability).
• Clemency should only be used to sustain the MT or a Party Member that is unable to be healed by the healer.
• In cases of a debuff during twin tankbusters, Hallowed Ground + Cover can be used (MT must mitigate) to take both debuffs to allow healers only one tank to be single target healed instead of two.
• Bulwark will NOT mitigate DoT debuffs.

Rotation Tips

• Never let Fight or Flight and Requiecat unsync from each other. Make sure you are using them at the proper times even if you can not complete the rotation properly.
• Since Atonement does not break combos, make sure to prioritize and hold Atonement stacks for use after every Confiteor burst.

Patch 7.0 Opener and Rotations | The Balance: Paladin

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Warrior

Type: Regen Tank
Job Mastery Difficulty: Attack Rotation: Easy ; Skill Knowledge: Intermediate
RP Non-WoL: Marauder: Yes ; Warrior: possible, but must be born in certain regions or have rage issues.
Pros: Able to survive even the most punishing of battles. Rotation is very simple allowing a lot of freedom.
Cons: Can get boring quickly as their rotation isn’t as challenging. When going for BiS, this class will not gain any benefits from SkS and DH therefore making them the odd tank out.

Best Used By

• Great for Casual Players and Veterans alike. This class/job is a great tank to ease into difficult content.

Special Notes

• Holmgang is iffy (The ability will fall off if the target dies or will not go off unless there is a target). The best way to mitigate that is to create a macro for Holmgang with the target to yourself. (ex. “/ac Holmgang “)

Rotational Tips

• Keep Surging Tempest up, but don’t overcap (only reapply <15s)
• Don’t overcap on the Beast Gauge, but try to save as much as you can for 2 minute windows.
• Keep Upheaval and Inner Release on cooldown
• Keep Onslaught and Infuriate ticking, but hold at least 1 for 2 minute windows.

Patch 7.0 Opener and Rotations | The Balance: Warrior

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Dark Knight

Type: Shield Tank
Job Mastery Difficulty: Attack Rotation: Intermediate ; Skill Knowledge: Advanced
RP Non-WoL: Yes
Pros: Absolute Stunner when it comes to their opener and more mits than any other tank
Cons: Strict MP management and damage mitigation knowledge is vital to play. Huge suite of skills can be dizzying for newer players. Learning curve spikes at later levels.

Best Used By

• Advanced Players great with weaving and utilizing a vast array of skills. Pre-planning is a must for this class as mistakes can be costly.

Special Notes

• Since DRK doesn’t have any way to heal themselves outside of their AoE attack, Abyssal Drain, they must mitigate upfront more than any other tank.
• When in higher level content, it becomes necessary for DRKs to triple mitigate Tankbusters to allow their Souleater combo to keep up with their health
• For AoE situations (i.e Dungeons), use Abyssal Drain during the halfway mark of the mob pack’s HP to regain as much health as possible.

Rotational Tips

• After the opener and near the start of the one minute window, delay Blood Weapon by two GCDs after Delirium is used.
• Try to hold as much MP as possible and try to use Edge of Shadow under party buffs (1 & 2 minute windows). But, do not overcap and do not let your damage buff fall off.
• If you plan on using Blood Weapon and Delirium together, you can safely use both buffs if the blood gauge is at 40 or less.
• Hold Bloodspiller under raid buffs, but use it to prevent overcap.
• Hold Shadowbringer to use both stacks under raid buffs
• Try to hold two charges of Plunge for 2-minute buffs, but make sure they are used for utility/one minute windows.
• Keep a minimum of 3k MP for TBN, but ideally should have more MP to use Edge of Shadow during 2 minute windows.
• Always keep Salted Earth and Delirium on cooldown when possible.
• At >3 targets, use Quietus, Flood of Shadow and Abyssal Drain.

Early Delirium Opener is for alignment of downtime phasing.

Patch 7.0 Opener and Rotations | The Balance: Dark Knight

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Gunbreaker

Type: Shield Tank
Job Mastery Difficulty: Attack Rotation: Advanced ; Skill Knowledge: Advanced
RP Non-WoL: Yes
Pros: The Highest DPS of all Tanks.
Cons: Just like the DRK, they must be on target with mitigation or they will end up in big trouble quickly. They can regen heal themselves but it is noticeably weaker than the WAR.

Best Used By

• Veteran Players. This class trades in a little survivability for more DPS. The learning curve is high unless coming from a tank and a melee background.

Special Notes

• Requires a lot of double weaving. Make sure to plan out mitigations before you have to hit a portion where you have to double weave.
• At =<2 Targets: Gnashing Fang > Fated Circle > Burst Strike
• At >3 Targets: only Fated Circle

Rotational Tips

• To fit 9 GCDs into No Mercy, No Mercy should be late weaved (1/2 to 2/3rd GCD recast timer completed) into Gnashing Fang/Fated Circle or Double Down.
• Try to save both stacks of Rough Divide for No Mercy Windows.
• Always keep No Mercy, Blasting Zone and Bow Shock on cooldown.
• If Gnashing Fang and No Mercy become misaligned:
• If <17s left: Hold Gnashing Fang and reuse during the next; If >17s left: Don’t Hold Gnashing Fang.
• Sonic Break, Burst Strike will not break the Gnashing Fang combo but will be broken by the Keen Edge combo.

Patch 7.0 Opener and Rotations | The Balance: Gunbreaker

• If you are running a GCD speed of 2.47 or lower you will be using the 1st infographic.
• The 2.50 GCD GNB is a different opener and rotation and will use the 2nd infographic.

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