by Savanja on Apr 23, 2006
Berserker
Main Page & Credits
1.0 -
Berserker Basics
2.0 -
Combat Arts List & Training Spells
3.0 - Methods & Techniques
4.0 - Where to Hunt
Have something to add? Want to submit a change? Please email us or post it on our forums!
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style="font-weight: bold;">Berserker Guide Contents
3.0 - Combat Methods
The main role a berserker will play is the main tank. Berserkers happen
to make fabulous MT, and are arguably the best in game. Personally, they
would be one of my first choices for tanking.
But there is more to tanking than your class choice. To be an effective
tank, you need to be aggressive, decisive, and very aware of your surroundings,
group potential, and your own limits. Main tanks usually end up being the
group leader. They typically decide what to kill and when, and as such,
group members will depend on you to know what you are doing, and to keep them
safe. A tank that doesn't know what he/she is doing, can bring the whole
group down fast.
Okay. So you've chosen to play a berserker, so you have the basics to
be a awesome tank. The rest is knowledge and skill.
Leadership
Tanks
tend to be the leader in battle. You are the first one in, the aggressor,
and the protector. Great tanks have one thing in common, and that is the
ability to make quick decisions and logical choices. If you go running
into a dungeon, whacking away at everything that comes into your path indiscriminately,
your group will be quickly headed to a full group wipe. Be wise and choose
carefully. Don't lead your group somewhere that is far above their skill
level, and if you don't know the skill of your group? Test it out and stay
on the side of caution. Because while killing mobs that seem too easy may
feel like a waste of time, over estimating your groups potential and
wiping terribly, is a bigger waste of time and just causes your group to lose
faith in you. No one likes dieing.
Pulling
Pulling mobs is an
art form. One that I still haven't mastered, but I'm getting there.
My preference has always been to plant my group somewhere safe, and bring the
mobs to them. This gives me a certain amount of control over my
surroundings. It's not always possible though.. Inside a dungeon,
there aren't always safe spots to be. But you definitely are going to want
to clear out any mobs that path (mobs that do not have a static location, that
roam an area) so that you don't have to deal with them running into your group
later while you are in the middle of fighting something else. After that,
simply remember where you are and where you have been and keep an eye on
re-pops. In dungeons, you are probably going to want to keep moving
along. If you do plan on camping an area, keep your group out of traffic
and spawn locations.
Another pain with pulling is grabbing more mobs than you
intend to. Those darned friendly mobs that just love to bring their pals
to the party, they have killed me and my groups more often than I could
count. A little trick that I have learned in my time as a main tank, is to
proximity aggro mobs that are within friendly aggro range with their
friends. If I taunt one, I'm sure to get the other, but if I slowly scoot
up into aggro range of the one closest to me, more often than not, I can get the
attention of just my target. Then I simply back up to my group and taunt
away once it's safely away from other mobs. It's a nifty little trick for
sure.
Aggro Control
The main job of the main tank is to take and keep
aggro off of all of group members. Berserkers have a nice range of
different hate building combat arts at their disposal, both single target
taunts, and full encounter taunts. These should be used, and used
frequently. Just because you start out with aggro, doesn't mean you will
keep it, so you have to keep using those taunts and building hate.
Otherwise that blast happy wizard in the back is sure to grab the attention of
whatever you are fighting, and those mages go down FAST. If you have a
group member that is pulling hate away from you quicker then you can build it,
there is nothing wrong with asking them to take it easy for the first little bit
of the encounter while you establish yourself. Be careful of those priests
too. If one tosses up a ward right off, they will likely get beaten a
little until you can grab back aggro.
Single target encounters are cake to
keep aggro on. Generally just taunting at regular intervals is enough to
keep the hate towards you. It gets a little bit trickier with multiple
target encounters. You will have something targeted, and everyone will be
assisting you, but then there will be someone putting out AoEs that may nab the
attention of another mob in the encounter. The best way to combat this is
to switch targets and spread the love. Cycle through all the targets in
the encounter, and taunt each one of them singly, along with using your full
encounter taunts. This will go a long way in keeping all mobs on you, and
off of that silly AoE happy backup tank Shadow Knight that thinks he can tank,
but really can't.
So those are the basics of main tanking.
First and foremost, you want to have fun. And having fun happens easier if
everyone knows their job, and does their best to do it properly. Good main
tanks are remembered and sought after. Berserkers most definitely have the
ability to be great tanks, the rest is up to you to know your class and learn
your skills!
This gives you a break down of your combat arts, what they do, and when
they are upgraded. It's a good format to see what line of skills you may
wish to upgrade, and which are of less use to you.
Unrestrained Fury (64)
Wall of Ferocity (69)
Tides of War (37)
Berserk Cry (51)
Rouse (76)
Mayhem (68)
Increases the in-combat health regeneration of the berserker's group
Screaming Fury (33)
Destructive Rage (47)
Combative Rage (61)
A chant that
increases the party's strength
War Chant (38)
Havoc (26)
Increases the
target's hate towards the fighter
Taunt (1)
Grants a chance to
counter attack with increased hate towards any opponent that damages the
berserker in melee
Intimidating Defense (15)
Taunting Defense (57)
Increases the
hate of all enemies toward the berserker. This ability can be used while
stifled or stunned
Growl (8)
Enrage (22)
Sunder (36)
Fearsome Shout (50)
Bellow (76)
Interrupts the
target and increases their hate towards the berserker
Offend (9)
Anger (17)
Mad Cry (31)
Bully (45)
Mock (72)
A melee attack that
increases the target's hate towards the berserker if it hits
Violent Promise (38)
Violent Pledge (66)
Rescue (25)
Insolent Gibe (52)
A melee attack that
does some extra damage
Wild Swing (1)
Forced Swing (15)
Kick (5)
Knee Break (19)
Wallop (47)
Stampede (61)
A shield attack that
knocks the enemy down and stuns them for a short duration. This attack
requires a shield
Press (27)
Raging Press (41)
Devastating Press (55)
Vanquish (40)
Slay (54)
Demolish (68)
A melee attack that
strikes all nearby enemies surrounding the berserker, and knocks them down
for a short duration if this attack hits
Whirl (7)
Whirlwind (35)
Bloodbath (63)
A melee attack that decreases target's offensive melee skills on a successful hit
Unyielding Battering (53)
Vicious Cut (14)
Vicious Blow (28)Amputate (56)
A melee attack that
interrupts the target and decreases their focus skill on a successful hit
Surround (17)
No Quarter (45)
Ruthless Strike (59)
Extra attack that
lowers the offense of the enemy and deals an interrupt
Maul (25)
A powerful melee attack that strikes all enemies in an arc in front of the berserker
Berserker Barrage (28)
Berserker Assault (42)
Berserker Rush (56)
Intrusion (80)
An extra attack that
deals additional slashing damage over time
Rupture (43)
The berserker will
attack all enemies in an area surrounding the berserker with every normal
combat attack for up to 4 enemies. The berserker attack speed is
also increased
Open Wounds (58)
A shout that releases
the berserker's anger in a stunning cry. It damages and stuns and
all nearby encounter members for a short duration
Stunning Cry (32)
Stunning Roar (46)
Stunning Howl (60)
Grants the berserker
a chance to shield an ally from melee attacks, by allowing the target a
chance to use the berserker's avoidance check after their own avoidance
check. This also increases the berserker's agility
Reckless Aide (18)
Allows the fighter
to protect an ally from taking damage, by absorbing some of the damage
an ally would otherwise take
Intercept (20)
Intercede (34)
Sends a berserker
into a frenzy while draining health. Each of the berserker's melee hits
may cause the berserker to perform a crazed swing, an area of effect
attack
Blood Rage (21)
Builds rage within
the berserker, granting a chance at becoming berserk while in combat.
While berserk melee combat damage is increased
Focus Anger (2)
Focus Hate (10)Focus Rage (20)
Rage (34)
Infuriate (48)
Berserk Rage (74)
Battle Chant (24)
War Call (52)
War Cry (66)
Advice?
Suggestions? I'm always looking to add more useful information to this
guide. If you are a berserker, and would like to add tips, tricks, or
helpful advice, please drop me a note at Savanja@TenTonHammer.com!
Berserker
Main Page & Credits
1.0 -
Berserker Basics
2.0 -
Combat Arts & Training Spells
3.0 - Methods & Techniques
4.0 - Where to Hunt
Have something to add? Want to submit a change? Please email us or post it on our forums!