Taunt

[Rekiem]

I usually play Tank when I join party since Im aiming to be a PLD when I reach higher level but I've been wondering about how Provoke work exactly. Im looking for the exact formula, I know the effect is that you gain hate but how does that hate list work exactly? I've played MMORPG for a couple years before and from my experience, pretty much everything has a 'hate' factor. Heal, damage, taunt, damage spell, using items.. etc. What I want to know is that how much hate does Provoke produce and is it based on a stat? The reason why I want to know this is because I've heard that 'chain Provoking' is not something good do to, it won't help you keep the hate on you.. I highly doubt that but I want to know.. I was told that I should keep my taunt and use it only when aggro switch, which sound kinda weird to me. Im not doing this right now, what I do is that I use Provoke whenever it refresh so I can get more hate from the monster. Should I keep doing this or only recast Provoke only when aggro switch?

[Elwen]

taunt

I come from playing a 65 warrior in eq for 3 years. The taunt in that game is completely different than provoke in this game.

Provoke adds a set amount of hate. That being said, it only makes sense to add as much hate as possible over time. That basically means you need to use it as fast as it refreshes; every 30 seconds. Those telling you to only use it when the mob turns don't understand how it works.

Lets throw numbers at this. They dont even need to be correct to show my point.

Our numbers:

provoke = 100 points of hate.
benediction = 350 points of hate.

Case 1:

Your party starts hitting a mob. The WHM is going to use benediction in 2 minutes. The warrior uses provoke every 30 seconds. That means the warrior uses provoke 4 times before benediction fires off.

At the time of the benediction the warrior has gained 400 points of hate (forgetting hate earned by hitting etc. for simplicity.) The WHM uses benediction. the WHM gains 350 hate. the monster doesnt turn to the WHM because you've earned more hate than he.

Case 2:

Your party starts hitting a mob. the WHM says that if the warrior chain provokes hes going to leave. The warrior saves provoke. At the time of the benediction, the warrior
has 0 hate because he has never provoke since the mob has never turned to the WHM (ignoring hate from cures and hitting for simplicity) . The WHM uses benediction. The mob runs at the WHM. The warrior uses provoke. The warrior now has 100 hate. the WHM however is still sitting at 350 hate. Everytime the WHM heals himself he gets even more hate. It will take the warrior 2 more provokes to gain enough hate to get aggro. That takes 60 more seconds. the WHM dies because he thinks he knows when the warrior should and shouldnt provoke.

[drizzt827]

Hmm....I did not know that...
Very good to know!

[Meinrad]

i wouldnt be so sure about it. every time ive seen benediction used, aggro went right to the healer, even if provoke had been used more than 4 times already.

[Elwen]

yes

you are correct. Benediction creates a HUGE amount of hate. As I said my numbers are not going to be correct. They were used to explain.

Regardless of what the numbers are, the warrior that only used provoke once, will never get agro back as fast as the other warrior in the group that chain provoked. The warrior that chained provoked is much higher on the hate list than the warrior that used it once.



edit spelling

[Otto]

Just out of curiosity, how do you know it adds a set amount of hate?

[Elwen]

hate

Very simple. This can be reproduced by anyone that cares to try it.

A warrior can stand back from a worm, and just chain provoke it. hes out of melee range. Other melee can crowd behind the worm hitting him. The worm will stay facing the warrior that is chain provoking, ignoring the melee that are hitting him. Its obvious to anyone that hitting a mob causes hate. therefore, if a provoke alone can keep agro while others are hitting it, it adds hate.

Provoke only adds a set amount of hate, so its entirely possible that a nice crit by a 2 handed weapon, or benediction etc could steal agro back.

[Vairu]

wow, i was wondering why provoke didn't work last night!! I wish i knew that sooner, had 2 different WHM in my party and both died cause this reason. They both used benediction then off goes the gob in valkurm. LOL

[GeNiN]

ahh interesting never knew that

[Awntawn]

You lose hate as the monster hits you, BTW

[shock~moredheL]

wow this is really great information!

Thank you for sharing it with us!

[Icemage]

You lose hate whenever the monster activates an attack or ability on you, regardless of whether the attack or ability actually hits. If you block, parry, evade, Blink or otherwise avoid the attack, the monster's enmity/hate level still decreases towards you.


Icemage

[Fehrih]

I'll try this out. Thanks.
To benediction: benediction i s cast and zone ability. No provoke will get the hate off that mage!
At least i've never seen it. Last time we had 3 warriors bo chance.
Usually the WHM uses this spell and then runs for the zone.
It really is only an emergency move.

[Icemage]

It depends on a lot of factors. There are times when you can stand your ground and use Benediction with relative safety.

(1) At higher levels, a thief with a decent yokodama can sometimes pull hate away from a Benediction.

(2) Penta-Thrust is an amazing hate-gathering tool, it has to be seen to be believed. After one or two of these from another player, you can often use Benediction with almost no fear.

(3) A Paladin using Invincibility will draw far more hate than Benediction. No brainer here - PLD and WHM go together like bread and butter.

There are other ways to use Benediction safely as well. Judicious use of Blink and Stoneskin can let a white mage activate benediction and almost always survive to tell the tale.


Icemage

[Nemes]

I'm confused... Hate stacks, but you lose Hate as soon as you get it?

Therefore if I use Provoke constantly, I'll lose my hate along the way, making it useless to chain provoke???

Help plz..hehe