New to SKs - Someone write a guide!

[Xorp]

I did a few searches for this on the forums, but didn't find any good info sources on how to actually play an SK here in the hidden forest.

What I'm wondering is what are the best spell rotations / disciplines / item clickies (including donator stuff) to use for both:

Single Target DPS / Hate Generation

AE Tanking / Hate Generation

...

Then, on top of that, what are all the stackable SK buffs I should keep up at all times?.. Stuff like Cloak of Cazic, Death March... what else?..

I'm not necessarily caring about doing much DPS.. I have other toons for that. My main goal is to tank well and hold agro, so anything that's gonna buff AC / disempower mobs / build hate is what I'm after - but there's so many spells to sift through and learn what stacks, what doesnt, and sometimes the descriptions and tooltips for spells don't seem to really line up correctly.. So with all that said, just looking for an outline & tips and tricks to SK'ing correctly

Also, if it's at all possible, I'd like to try to keep my 9 spell slots static without having to mem new spells all the time, except for longer duration buffs during bufftime.. for instance, I'd like to be able to swap between single target tanking and AE tanking as needed, without having to mem a new spellset... Is that too much to ask!? hehe

edit: I'm currently up to DSK II / HoH / Nadox, so anything up to that point to farm for is fair game.

[Rude]

Been forever since I've played, but I'll give my 2 cents. In my team my SK was my tank, but it was difficult to maintain aggro from warriors. What the SK's basic duty is is just maintaining Death March (most overpowered buff in the game (please don't read this, Vaion )) and perform duties as backup tank in case the warrior dies. Try your damndest to get the gargoyle ring from DSK1 (I was very lucky getting this, it's extremely rare) and I use MQ2 to keep this buff up 100% of the time when I'm in combat. And honestly, your AE taunts are ok, but they don't match the aggro that is generated by warriors dual wielding weapons with heal procs. If your SK is going to be the main tank, leave the warriors out for a lil bit.

This is just from what I remember though SK's are a great class, with an amazing OP group buff (Death March), the best 2.0 clicky (hey, I can't die while this buff is up), and etc. Great class. Takes coordination prior to a raid to make sure everyone know's you're the tank, but shrug.

[Alulien]

I'm just getting into t6 (finished Sol Ro, working on Ascent) but my spell set is:

Terror of Discord
Beholder's Gaze Rk. I
Dread Gaze
Javelin of Corruption Rk. I
Chaotic Poison
True Disease
Harmshield
Death March II
Grasp of Death Rk. I

To buff - Cloak of Cazic (you probably have the Rallos one), Shroud of Discord, Power of the Shadows - I drop the 3 aggro spells.

For AE I cycle the 2 AE (Beholder's has a longer CD but generates more threat) and, depending on power level of what I'm fighting, I'll weave Terror in whenever I acquire a new target before sending the group. With single target (bosses, really) it's Terror > donor v1 clicky > Poison (better resist check so it doesn't need Mage malo to stick) > Disease (usually needs Mage malo) > Terror and then I send the group. Both scenarios Death March is always up, as is SHD donor v1 clicky. Harmshield is great for positioning on pulls, though I admit I haven't used it in quite some time. Life touch is used as an emergency type heal if I get hit hard right after the Cleric goes off, Javelin is spammed (I have Aura of the Warlock on the Mage so I see a lot of crits off the chromatic proc) whenever things don't die quick.

Utility is epic 2.0 click (as Rude mentioned you basically can't die as long as you're swinging), Leech Curse disc is basically a shorter duration 2.0 and it only affects the SHD, disc clickies: Rayin's Gauntlets of Abhorrence (Kael), Clawed Guardian's Ring (ST), Ring for the Strong (tiers 2-5 boss-drop quested ring), Death's Guard disc to help finish off a fight in lieu of a second def clicky.

Ring of the Constable from PoAir gives you a 10% dodge clicky that stacks with foci and such, Ares (donor shield) is obviously amazing for the DI and great shield AC, A Collapsed Automation helps with survivability (these are per character, not per group/raid).

That's all I can think of.

[Xorp]

nice! thanks you guys, this is exactly the kind of info I was after.. Feel free to add to this if anyone else has any other advice .. This will get me started down the right path for sure though.

thanks again!

-xorp

[nabbs]

over a year later it is still so helpful! I came here to find out why I'm getting smashed on my SK

[kumiescaragne]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Pl5_rFsoME