Tactician Swordmaster Guardian Fighter

[RJC9000]

I seem to be playing my Goofy Fighter a lot as of late.

I found Tactician to be the best Guardian Fighter to play for a new player because you receive no bonuses for survivability, thus having to rely on your positioning, your build, and fundamentals to not die and buff your team.

I highly reccomend this respec only if you're 70 and have gone through the grindiest of the campaigns (Icewind Dale and Sharanderp) as a Conquerer.

Advantages:
+ Second Best or Best Buffer/Debuffer in the game (imo tied with DC for this title)
+Always have a spot in teams
+Shines at Endgame
+Cheap Gear

Disadvantages:
-Low damage and Long Soloing times
-Somewhat hard learning curve
-Slow... very slow...

Race:
Drow for maximium debuffs.
Dragonborn is like bacon or Guile's Theme: goes with everything.
Human was my go-to-pick because I don't look stupid and I love having those 3 extra feat points.
Dwarf is the easiest race to learn how to GF.

Ability Scores:
+Str and +Con on every chance you get.

Better geared/fundamentally stronger players may with to max Int (19-21 is good enough) and Con (or Str, doesn't really matter)

Swordmaster for Steel Defense.

NonHuman
http://nwcalc.com/index.html#/gf?b=23ci ... &h=0&p=smr

Human
http://nwcalc.com/index.html#/gf?b=23ci ... &h=1&p=smr

Notes:
-If you don't need the extra Threat, junk potent challenge and put it in Distracting Shield/Ubiquitous Shield
-Crushing Pin can be used if you plan to use the Guarded Assault offhand bonus, Griffon's Wrath, Bull Charge, or Terrifying Impact.
-Inspiring Leader is a 1.05 multiplier for your ITF damage rather than +5% ITF damage (big difference, trust me)
-I chose Plate Agility over Armor of Bahamut in reasoning that if your Stamina is low, you probably should use a daily, spam a few encounters and Tides to Recover it.
-Likewise I chose Devoted Protector over Unshakeable Line because I felt that Stamina Regen is going to be useless if your Encounters, Tide, and careful timing are going to keep your shield up.


Boons

Sharanderp: Dark Fey Warder, Fey Illusiveness, Elven Haste, Elven Tranquility, Elven Resolve

Dread Ring: Requilary Keeper's Strength, Evoker's Thirst, your choice, Enraged Regrowth, Augmented Thayan Bastion

Icewind Dale: Weathering the Storm, Refreshing Chill, Rapid Thaw, Cold Shoulder, Avalanche

Tedium of the Dragons: Dragonheart, Dragon's Shadow, Dragonscale Defense, Dragon's Greed, Dragons Thirst x2 (put first point here) and Revival x1

Underdark: Primordial Vitality, Primordial Regenesis, Drow Ambush Tactics, Dwarven Stamina, Abyssal Tenacity

Maze Engine: Abyssal Regeneration, Demonic Resillience, Demonic Swiftness, Displace Fate

Loadout

Tide of Iron and Your Choice: Tide for the Debuff plus Stamina. Your choice for the second because WMS/Cleave/Crushing Surge don't deal great damage to begin with.
Knight's Valor
Into the Fray
Enforced Threat (Commander's Strike for EDemo and Tiamat)
Steel Defense
Enhanced Mark with Artifact Offhand bonus (Shield Talent or Guarded Assault here if you don't have the offhand bonus and depending on what you want)
Villan's Menace
Fighter's Recovery
Standard issue kit for GFs.

Stats to Prioritize:

Defensive:
Defense-> Deflect -> Lifesteal -> HP -> Regen
Defense for moar ITF damage, Deflect and HP to not die, Lifesteal to 10% or more in the event your healer is overtaxed and you have no Fighter's Recovery, and Regen is garbage

Offensive:
Recovery -> 60% ArmorPen -> Power -> Crit
Recovery for more Dailies and ITF (but don't spam ITF), ArmorPen for threat, Power because why not, and ignore Crit.

Enchantments

Offense: Silvery
Defense: Azure
Weapon: Plaguefire/Terror/Feytouched
Armor: Negation (Soulforged if using Lathander set)

Weapon Set
Burning Set: Best set for those who love to spam Dailies.
Twisted: Can't really notice the Defense Stacks but the Power is nice for soloing.
Elemental Fire: Decent enough.
Stronghold: If you can actually get 3-4 others to sport a set, use this. If not, then ignore it.

Necklace:
Lathander's Cloak
Least sucky stats of all the necks imo.

Belt:
Greater Plated Band of Constitution or Lathander's Belt
Moar Defense!

Artifacts:
Waters of Ela'Zhad (Defense and Recovery! Yezh!)
Sigil of the Guardian (Free and good!)
Symbol of Fire (Defense and Recovery)
Oghma's Release (Good stats all around)
Eye of Lathander (if using rest of set)
Bruenor's Helm (Free)
Bloodcrystal Raven Skull (if you need an emergency "don't die" button)

Rings
+4/+5 Rings of Rising Defense
+4/+5 Rings of Sudden Defense
+4/+5 Rings of Rising Focus
Personalized Adamant Rings of Recovery

Shirt/Pants:
Purple Gemmed Elemental (x) with Enchantment slots or Drowcraft.

Armor:
Whatever you can get that has Defense/Deflect/Recovery.
My Choice:Elemental Elven Ward Helm/Elemental Dragonflight Ward Breastplate/Elemental Dragonflight Raid Sabatons/your choice Gauntlets
Knight Captain Set: if you're rich and are okay with not dying, then Knight Captain will allow you to reach your maximum buffage potential. Highly recommend not pugging with this set.

Companions:
Augment (I like my Chicken)
Rust Monster (reduces damage taken)
Sylph (don't get stunned)
Fire/Ice Sprite (faster Action Points)
Dread Warrior (moar Threat)

HowtoGF

-Have Knight's Valor be active
-Press Tab towards enemies and Press Enforced Threat.
-Hold Shift when you expect to get hit.
-When low on HP/Stamina, Use Daily and then Into the Fray + Tide of Iron/Enforced Threat, then retreat behind shield
-If a DC places Hallowed Ground and Astral Shield at your feet, press Into the Fray.
(Inserthoustonvoice) Donactdum

[Ziek88]

A headsup about deflect. Something I don't think I listed in my build either as I have stopped getting deflect since. GFs cannot deflect during shield block so with good shielding mechanics you can completely forget deflect exists.

Also not mentioned in my build as I always did protector before going conq, since learning stamina management as a conq, I would never go back to protector and would agree tactician being the best "traditional tank".

You are correct about twisted set. It is really only good if you already have defense out the whazoo. Even if walk in with KV up and not attacking there is enough passive reflect damage that it pegs pn power stacks.

Next time we are both on I would love to compare our artifact gear sets and how much DR each gives us. I get +8 AC from seldarine which I think Tundrra and Tyr also use. Off the top of my head I think it is +2.5% DR but unsure. A side by side comparison would be cool. I am open to alternatives if I can sneak some more DR in there. Must consider the passive heal I get as well.

I am really enjoying how many different GF builds are not only used but effective within the guild. Can't wait to mark from behind my shield. Dare I say Anvil Choir Castle Never?

[Kermit]

My GF has been shelved since OP... but he is now level 68 from leadership and has a free respec token...

I always though that conqueror was the best way to level from 1-to (at the time) 60 for faster speed, but once at max tactician is a great build and I enjoyed it. I'm waiting for the post bubble dust to settle and will try a different build for my OP... but if we want to run a all GF CN run I can definitely dust my GF out, swap a few enchant and get it right up there