PvE focused melee DPS - Phoenix Freeshard

All,
I am not overly familiar with the tanks in Midgard so I turn to this community for advice. I would like to have a warrior, berserker or savage that I could bring to PvE farming raids, whether that is epic dungeons or just RoG/feather farming.

Is there one that shines above the others if the focus is primarily PvE group play?

If you could include recommended specs, that would be much appreciated. Most of my search results have RvR as the focus, but that won't be true for this toon.

Thank you!

Tue 7 Aug 2018 5:08 PM by Seigmoraig

If you would like to tank in raids/high level pve, I would choose Warrior over Berserker and Savage. You will need high shield and parry to stay alive and keep your group members alive with Guard.

This is probably not 100% right but specs would be something like:

50 Shield
44 Hammer
37(39?) Parry

Tue 7 Aug 2018 5:17 PM by heardstheword

Depends on what you want to do.

Warrior is the best tank, by far, for Midgard.

Berserker and savage are the melee DPS classes. Both have their advantages.
Berserker gets hammer, vendo (Bear form that increases critical hit chance), and has more consistent damage.
Savage has the only mid thrust (other than Hunter spears) weapon damage and has higher damage burst potential with Quad hits from melee attacks. Plus their self buffs are great; 39% haste + 25% damage increase is brutal. 2h troll savage is pretty great damage as well.

Tue 7 Aug 2018 5:45 PM by colechar

Perhaps I should clarify. I am aware of the general abilities of all the "viking" classes but what I am really asking is which class would be most beneficial in a group PvE setting?
If I go with warrior, I could go weapon & shield or have the option to go 2h weapon. If I go berserker, then is the damage increase over the warrior worth the lack of defense?
I had a level 50 savage waaaaay back when, so I would like to try something else. So basically, warrior or berserker.

Tue 7 Aug 2018 5:51 PM by heardstheword

It depends on what you want to play. If you're trying to do actual Raids, every one of these classes will be present. It's not 'which is more beneficial'.
They all are needed and beneficial to any group.

It's like asking "which is better a healer or a shaman?" The answer is yes, because you need both of them. You won't be tanking mobs as a berserker in any raid or high level PvE content, so don't sweat the lack of defense; that's a warriors job. A warrior will be focused on maintaining aggro and staying alive, so don't sweat worrying about your 2handed weapon; you'll never use it.

Tue 7 Aug 2018 5:55 PM by colechar

I also probably should not have used the word "tank". I meant melee DPS, that is typically most needed/useful in groups.

Tue 7 Aug 2018 5:56 PM by heardstheword

I will pre-face this with the fact that this is an un-answerable question

Just play a warrior.

Tue 7 Aug 2018 5:59 PM by colechar

For a PvE focused warrior, is hammer, axe or sword superior? Would you go 50 weapon or leave weapon at 44 fir higher parry?
For PvE focused berserker, I assume 50 LA. What weapon type would be best? Do you typically use the LA styles or weapon styles?

Tue 7 Aug 2018 6:10 PM by heardstheword

Warrior:
50weapon / 50shield / 34(?) parry.
With how auto-training works here, you get a ridiculous amount of parry.

Zerk:
basically the same
50LA / 50Hammer / 28(?) parry

You'll have to get a feel. Hammer has a good positional snare. It's been a while since I've played a class with hammer, so I don't remember specifics.

Like any class, pick and choose the better styles based on what works. Positional peels are great.

Hammer is great for zerker, because you're mixing damage types. Slash/Crush. I like Hammer on warriors, but I don't really remember why.

Wed 8 Aug 2018 11:27 PM by Zansobar

I'm pretty sure the answer is solidly, Warrior. That is the only melee dps that can spec shield which is useful in pve groups. Also Warriors are on the highest base damage table of all classes in the game.

Mon 13 Aug 2018 3:31 PM by Kadorna

Zansobar wrote: ↑
Wed 8 Aug 2018 11:27 PM
I'm pretty sure the answer is solidly, Warrior. That is the only melee dps that can spec shield which is useful in pve groups. Also Warriors are on the highest base damage table of all classes in the game.

Warrior is not the only melee that can spec shield. U can try Thane, is a hibrid caster/melee with some aoe and ST spells.

Mon 13 Aug 2018 7:01 PM by Niix

2Hand Savage with Dragon Hammer, as long as you have a guard tank your evade/parry/resist buffs will make you as tanky as warrior (imo).

Tue 14 Aug 2018 2:00 PM by Kohi

Kadorna wrote: ↑
Mon 13 Aug 2018 3:31 PM
Zansobar wrote: ↑
Wed 8 Aug 2018 11:27 PM
I'm pretty sure the answer is solidly, Warrior. That is the only melee dps that can spec shield which is useful in pve groups. Also Warriors are on the highest base damage table of all classes in the game.

Warrior is not the only melee that can spec shield. U can try Thane, is a hibrid caster/melee with some aoe and ST spells.

Just wanted to say too

Today in DF grp, my thane was continually rupted casting because of blocking for the supporters. ^^
It surely can't 'efficiently' challenge a warrior in terms of block + dps, but it's a pretty nice class to play for those who like and know how to play hybrids.

Wed 15 Aug 2018 2:50 AM by Niix

heardstheword wrote: ↑
Tue 7 Aug 2018 6:10 PM
Warrior:
50weapon / 50shield / 34(?) parry.
With how auto-training works here, you get a ridiculous amount of parry.

Zerk:
basically the same
50LA / 50Hammer / 28(?) parry

You'll have to get a feel. Hammer has a good positional snare. It's been a while since I've played a class with hammer, so I don't remember specifics.

Like any class, pick and choose the better styles based on what works. Positional peels are great.

Hammer is great for zerker, because you're mixing damage types. Slash/Crush. I like Hammer on warriors, but I don't really remember why.

Because sword and axe 1H styles are horrible looking