Shining Slash: Open Beta Edition, Part 1!

Part 1, featuring rough rotations for Warriors and mid-level Templars!

While the previous Shining Slash posts have been about the extreme basics of Tanking and group organization, from here on out we'll be delving into the Templar class and it's role in everything Aion has to offer.

1 to 10, the Warrior class doesn't have much up its sleeve that can drastically change the flow of combat. Players are, however, rapidly introduced to two important concepts: chain skills, and the Warrior's Shield Defense. Chain skills are prevalent throughout Aion, and knowing which path to choose through the initial Warrior chain in different situations is a simple skill, but something that must be learned early.
Starting with the purely damaging chain Ferocious Strike -> Robust Blow at level 3, the second option (Ferocious Strike -> Rage) is introduced a fair bit later, at 7.

Rage is a magical shield that absorbs a small amount of damage (lasting up to 10 seconds or until enough damage is done to you), and slightly increases physical attack for the same amount of time.

A basic rotation can be devised through use of these abilities, as Ferocious Strike's 10 second cooldown coupled with Rage's (24 seconds) gives ample time to hit FS -> Rage -10s> FS -> RB -12s> FS -> Rage. Easily rotated, this is the basis for more to come at higher levels.

The other early ability, Shield Defense (effectively replaced by Steel Wall Defense at level 22 for Templars) is an active ability, that once activated, remains until removed. SD raises both Block chance and Stun Resist by 500, and Physical Defense by 10%. The catch is that you can only auto-attack while it is active (using an ability cancels it), and onced canceled it has a 12 second cooldown.

Another ability is gained at level 5, being Weakening Severe Blow, an ability that lowers the target's physical defense by 100 for 6 seconds, and has a 12 second cooldown.

At level 9, Shield Counter becomes available, a damaging ability usable immediately after a successful block. This can be, with a little luck, forced to proc by Shield Defense.

Thus, for maximum effect, a low level Warrior should buy a shield (or a greatsword, if it takes their fancy), and use: WSB -> FS -> Rage -> WSB -> FS -> RB -> SD -> SC (if using a shield, of course). This should provide the best damage to defense ratio, but must be altered as the conditions of a fight change. If there is an overwhelming need for damage output, WSG -> FS -> RB is a sufficient rotation, while if pure survival is required, SD should be kept up as often as possible, with Rage applied as it cools down.

Leaping forward on the same track, as a level 23 Templar, I've found that the basic Enmity generation abilities (Provoke, Provoking Severe Blow, Provoking Shield Counter, even Inescapable Judgment if you won't have any other use for it in the next 30 seconds) are more than enough to hold aggro on single targets against even higher level dps classes. As this extends to boss fights, a logical move is to use Provoke -> IJ (as available) -> WSB (assuming PSB causes Enmity based on damage) -> PSB -> Steel Wall Defense, and then just before Provoke comes off cooldown, PSC to break the Steel Wall. After the rotation is complete again up to Steel Wall, you'll find the ability to be on cooldown, and so the original FS -> Rage can be applied, along with any other defensive abilities you have while you wait (the stigma Holy Shield comes to mind), then begin the rotation again from the top.

So far, this gives excellent Enmity, and satisfactory defense, which is a good mix, as losing aggro on a boss is about as bad as dying to it.

Yet to come in the Open Beta Edition, Tanking as a Templar, the Krall Garrison, leveling in groups, Rifting, basic low level PvP, and Tanking stats in Aion!