Vanguard - Threat-generating attacks

[legionnairesix]

So, it seems like I should have probably learned this by now. But even at level 34, I have no idea which attacks generate the most threat/help keep agro.

I seem to do alright at tanking just hitting them with everything I've got, but is there any attack specifically that generates a high threat?

[Corathus, Srsly]

For single targets, your big aggro generators will honestly be Stockstrike and the follow up High Impact Bolt from applying Ion Cell. Those are your biggest hits and damage = aggro. The only ability (outside of taunts) that actually has an aggro modifier that the Vanguard gets is Harpoon.

Your rotation against single targets should essentially be Stockstrike -> High Impact Bolt -> Hammer Strike or Ion Pulse filler, depending on ammo. Nothing fancy.

AOE tanking is SLIGHTLY more involved, but really, only slightly. Generally you'll open a fight with Mortar Volley, then when it's done, Storm in, pop a Sticky Grenade, then start doing the above rotation, but substituting Ion Pulse with Explosive Surge.

Vanguard tanking in general is more reactive than anything. Most of the utility you get needs to be used in reaction to something. You don't really need to maintain anything outside of hitting things and since you don't have any special aggro modifying abilities outside of Ion Cell, Harpoon and taunts, facerolling while managing your ammo really basically is all you should be doing.

It DOES make snap aggro a bit of a bitch at close range, though, but if you have enough space to use Harpoon, you generally will be able to grab it back without having to blow a taunt. As long as you open fights, though, aggro really shouldn't be an issue.

I have a thread I'm eventually going to start filling out with some Vanguard information. You should, at the very least, look at the link that's in that post which has a lot of basic Vanguard tanking information as well a more solid look at what your rotations should be.

[legionnairesix]

I actually went and read that just after making this post! Lots of useful information, and it turns out I've been doing it right. Stock strike to proc the ion cell, then HIB, and so on.

I was asking because I know there were things in WoW like Sunder Armor that generated stupid high levels of threat, and if there was an equivalent in TOR, but it seems to be damage damage damage.

[Corathus, Srsly]

Yup. Jedi Guardians/Sith Marauders have Sunder as well, funny enough, but unlike its WoW counterpart, it doesn't have an aggro modifier either. It really is just damage, damage, damage.

If we assume that one point of damage is one point of threat, then with Ion Cell up, one point of damage ends up actually being 1.6 points of threat. You also get a significant chunk of threat just by being the first thing that the mob aggros on, but how much is impossible to determine without Bioware actually sharing threat numbers. It's something that wouldn't even really be determinable with a combat log.

Just like most games, aggro management is as much the job of the rest of the group as it is you. As long as you're doing everything right, if you still lose aggro you're either a) undergeared, b) underleveled or c) stuck with dumb DPS who doesn't know how to manage aggro/use their aggro dumps. You can try to mitigate that somewhat by Guarding the person who is pulling aggro the most, but yeah.