Tera Online PVE Lancer Tanker Build and Strategy Guide

This guide is intended to aid PvE Lancers recently hitting level 60 but can be adapted for any level.

When it comes to being the party's tank, your main duties are to:

• Hold the BAM's aggro for the party (that hot-potato of life that only you have the gloves to hold).

• Get aggro back quickly if it is lost (usually due to a crit-streak from the DPSers).

• Avoid dying. Don't over-extend yourself as a Lancer, but don't play it too safe either. It's a better scenario to stay alive and to lose aggro for a few seconds rather than to out-right die (also losing all charms and buffs) because it's harder to revive a dead Lancer than heal a wounded one. And every second you're on the floor is one more second the aggro is on someone who definitely doesn't want it. It's a scary time for everyone.

As you get more comfortable you want to also:

• Mitigate damage for the party through the use of skills such as Pledge of Protection or Guardian Shout.

• Manage positioning of the BAM (usually with your back to a wall to avoid too much movement so the DPS don't have to chase them.)

• Interrupt the strongest attacks from the BAM (less effective at more difficult content).

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Re-rollable Stats:

* You can find more information on how to get better gear in my "Handy Dandy Guide for New level 60s!" *

I have the link at the bottom of this guide.

Here are my personal equipment rolls, they're just to help give you an idea of what to look for:

Weapon (NF PvE +12):

• Increase crit rate by 14

• Increase crit damage by +0.30

• Increase damage by 6%

• Increase damage to enraged monsters by 9.3% (not my usual roll; experimenting)

Chest (WH +12):

• Skill: Increase damage of Spring Attack by 15% - seems to be the best roll

• Increase max HP by 8%

• Decrease damage from all sources by 6%

• Decrease damage from monster with the highest aggro to you by 8.7%

Gloves (NF PvE Aggro Gloves +12):

• Increase aggro by 7.5%

• Increase attack speed by 2.25%

• Increase crit rate by 9

Boots (WH +12):

• Increase movement speed by 6% - useful because Lancers are like turtles swimming in syrup

• Restore 1% of your MP every 5 seconds - it adds up against the MP-devouring you'll be doing

• Increase endurance by 4. Although you can swap this out as you please.

Jewelry (Zenith is great for crit rate and attack speed boosts):

Zenith Shield Bands: Crit rate increase by 4 & Crit damage increase by +0.04

Zenith Necklace: Increase aggro by 3.5% (includes +6% atk spd and additional +4% for a 3-piece set)

Zenith Earrings: Increase Max HP by 4.5% & Reduce duration of stun effects by 10%

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Crystal Setup:

It's very important to always buy the Pristine/Fine versions of these crystals (the uncommon ones) since they give a higher bonus. If you're scared to lose them, invest in some Crystalbinds.

All-Purpose Tanking Build:

"Wait, why not a FULL aggro build?"

Because this build for people actually trying to play Lancer as it's meant to be played and not "Shield & Shout" builds which aren't as effective against people who actually know how to DPS. This setup can currently hold aggro vs top-server DPSers.

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Glyphs:

Master glyphs (preferred build): 

No master glyphs? Wait, what? What are you doing here? Go run ToT and SjG ASAP! :P

Remember, these are general-purpose glyph builds for the majority of PvE content.

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Consumable Checklist:

Each of these items listed have separate cool-downs and can be used together.

The must-haves:

• Charms: Greater Power, Enduring, and Infused charms. For Power+ Defense+ and MP Regen+.

• Scroll of Savagery - Increases crit damage. More reliable than Carving ones.

• Nostrum of Energy - Close range combat skills cool-down faster.

• Healing Potion - Instant HP Regen. Things happen, and you may need emergency HP.

• Mana Elixir - Continuous MP Regen. Lancers without MP are Lancers who will soon lose aggro.

• Arunic, Combat & Battle Panacea - Stamina Regen.

Optional, but very useful:

• Healing Draught - Even more instant HP Regen. For those "oh ****!" moments.

• Mana Restorative - Even more Continuous MP Regen. Useful for when you've lost Infused charming.

• Scroll of Warding - 1 minute of "disposable" HP and Stun/KD immunity while still in effect.

• Scroll of Dash - Increases movement speed significantly if you need it in a pinch. (Key-bind it)

• Scroll of Swiftness - Increases attack speed. Useful for certain bosses.

(Just because I said these are optional doesn't mean you shouldn't try them!)

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Be Aggressive!

Now to the most important part. As a Lancer you are the shield of the team and need to teach that monster that you're the one who deserves his attention. It's called aggro for a reason. Your DPS love to stare at Bander's butt, don't deny them that bliss by having him turn.

• First rule of Lancer: When there is an attack incoming, stop whatever you're doing and BLOCK! Then Shield Counter! Those glyphs are going to help with you keeping that aggro up as well as your Resolve. Challenging Shout and Shield Counter are your 2 highest threat skills and MUST be used as often as possible. If you don't use these 2 skills, you WILL lose aggro (unless the DPS is just terrible).

Main "Rotation" (use these skills as much as possible)

• Shield Barraging (both hits) + Spring Attack combo should be your go-to move.

• Wallop is hard-hitting and has KD. I go into this from Spring Attack or Debilitate usually.

• Lockdown Blow actually does hit pretty hard and has a slightly extended range.

• Squeeze in 1-2 regular attacks off between skill combos in order to keep your MP up. But don't wait until the 3rd animation as it takes way too long to complete. You can also use your block to end the animations early (takes a little practice).

• Debilitate should be maintained at 3 stacks as much as possible in order to speed up DPS.

• Use your Challenging Shout as soon as it comes off CD. It will also regenerate Resolve.

Protect your Party:

• Pledge of Protection is useful when your party is about to get hit with a big attack or AoE, but it only lasts 12 seconds so make sure you don't do it too early. You can also follow this up with Iron Will (10secs by default) so that you don't take any mitigated damage upon yourself. Using (un-glyphed) Iron Will right after Pledge of Protection will make the most of the duration.

• Guardian Shout's effect will end pre-maturely if you are knocked-down, so don't let that happen. It boosts party members' base endurance by 91% which can make a huge difference. It's important to note that Guardian Shout's range is 20 meters, not 10 meters which is represented by the white ring on the ground.

Utility/Situational (use when needed):

• Second Wind should be saved until you need its Resolve regeneration.

• Adrenaline Rush is useful as an opener to get a steady flow of aggro early. Do not use if under 50% MP.

• Iron Will can negate DoT and AoE long enough for you to catch yourself. Costs a maximum of 155 MP.

• Charging Lunge is for catching up to a boss or avoid an AoE. Keep this off cool-down until you need it.

• Onslaught is not for tanking. It's useful in that it lowers incoming damage by half, and lowers KD chance so it can be a good evasive skill or something to get out of an AoE with. But using this while tanking will sometimes give you magical powers of teleportation which can result in the boss turning around.

• Menacing Wave can actually mess with an evasive-class' timing with iframe, be careful with it.

• Infuriate will usually get your aggro back (its description is slightly inaccurate) and enrage the boss. When the boss is enraged they will become more dangerous, but DPS will be able to deal more damage.

Stuns/Interrupts:

• Shield Bash and Leashes... I usually use these as interrupts for open-world BAMs. It becomes less effective with tougher instances. The Chain "Giga-Leash" is very useful for pulling mobs together.

Credits: Special thanks to Bambait for making this simple yet informative Tera Lancer guide.

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