Centurion looks awesome! It is one of the classes I am seriously considering. You guys all think it is one of the better tanks?
My opinion is that if you have only two dps, then yes that setup would work.
But in terms of damage, the wedge formation with the highest attack character at the front, assuming the extra hit and damage bonus is based on how many people are in the formation, would technically surpass winged formation by far for damage.
Then again that formation would pretty much mean everyone would get hit, assuming most bosses attack in a conical pattern.
I believe how much the formation buff works is based on how many people (or even stats) are in the formation, it wouldn’t be right if centurion starts a winged formation for the full buff and dps simply stands behind the mob getting the back bonus.
Answering your question, the idea of formation basically restricts movement and skills of other characters. So unless your other dps solely rely on basic attacks, it doesn’t seem viable, and most likely they’ll just jump in and out of your formation to cast their skills as well as to evade the boss attacks
Then technically, as a tank, the formation would be irrelevant since you are still supposed to aggro and maintain a certain guard. As you would not have other formation skills to adapt, then centurion imo is rather pointless.
The ideal tank build would be Swordsman-Peltast-Peltast-Rodel-Rodel-Rodel as a permanent sword and shield user with ability for status effects. I prefer status effects over Centurions defensive stances because of how things seem to work in the game, where status effects affects bosses. Besides, there seems to be a cooldown for centurion formations so I don’t suppose it can work in a traditional party for it to adapt.
Of course, I’m basing this opinion as to what I know of how formations work. It may or may not change in open beta, but I don’t think that a tank or in fact any singular traditional role would work in this game given that boss attacks are either AoE or penetrating. And assuming swash buckling does not keep aggro forever, the only attack you’re really tanking is the melee, which anyone can do with a shield.
I find the whole idea of Centurion formations really nice. Though I’m not gonna be playing the class itself, I wouldn’t mind at all being controlled, even better if I go Archer.
It feels so Roman yo.
If the game makes it so that spears have a longer range than swords, You can do a 3 sword 3 spear 3 archer formation. This will allow the whole team to attack and since the winged formation makes it so that the enemies attack the leader, it won’t put the archers in danger.
Spears do have alil longer range than swords and the formations are all situational and have their purpose. This game is more action based compared to traditional point n clickers and players can easily move out the formation.
Even then, I look at it more as a support tank hybrid as opposed to a pure tank in the traditional sense.
i imagine the formation just like a wiggly jiggly dance party!
Centurion class can be really effective for dps if it mastered the wedged formation. This situation I’m explaining is for a party of 5 man team composed of 1 tank, 2 dps, 1 healer, 1 support/buffer or could also be 2 healers.
Example main tank in front while the rest of the team under wedge formation (dps with centurion class) attacking the boss’ backside. This is really effective since most of the attacks will be avoided by the 4 players since they are at the back plus additional damage formation and backstabbing.
Wedged formation - Attack strength of all members will go to the one member in the front.
Next is the reason I’m emphasizing on winged formation is because of its effect as a tank
Winged Formation - Decreases the defense of the enemy who comes into the formation. Enemy will attack the leader.
With this effect I get extra aggro which is an important factor when tanking plus boss gets a de-buff and I don’ think more people in the formations add to the effect if we are going to follow the skill description. Therefore the point is as for the winged formation wherein 2 dps are with the formation. I tank the boss the 2 dps will inflict more damage while the other 2 healer/buffer are in a distance supporting the formation.
Based on this I think I will try to get the Centurion class practice its skills wherein it has more tanking utility than Dopplesoldner (well pain barrier is a great help). But I would also like to add Testudo.
Testudo - While defense and block increases, movement speed decreases
This formation will also greatly help my tanking since there is no effect stating more people inside the formation the greater the effect and also more defense and block rate for me which is really good. With this I could just be alone in the formation enjoying its effect as a sole tanker in the party.
I am now leaning on using centurion to do skill experiments and to prove my observations.
Even though it attacks the leader there are bosses with AOE attacks which can damage your party members.
The 3 sword, 3 spear, 3 archer looks cool and very Spartan looking but it’s less effective because instead the tanker aggroing all the mobs or a boss you guys are sticked together. All party members getting hacked by the boss or killing mobs with limited mobility looks cool again but not effective.
You could always go Peltasta route before going Centurion and use swashbuckling after. And I was assuming that if you skill aggro them they wouldn’t be able to use skills. Something like a Dota2 Axe kind of thing. But that’s all speculation since I haven’t played the game yet. Cause if it didn’t work like that, Centurions wouldn’t be viable against boss mobs unless all you conscript are tank/high hp characters.
the minimum of the formation is 2 people right? why not just 2 people inside the formation right?
everybody else that is ranged is in a safe distance
As I stated on the on the topic I am going for Swordsman-Peltasta-Peltast-Peltasta-Squire- Dopplesoldner or Centurion. I will get all the tanking skills under the Peltasta Skill Tree.
Who wouldn’t be able to use skills?
And also haven’t checked if members under the formation can use their skills.
The enemies you aggro with your winged formation/swashbuckling skills won’t be able to use their skills. At least that’s what I assumed. Lol. If it didn’t, then it wouldn’t be viable to conscript soft characters when facing a mob/boss with strong aoe attacks.
I’m planning to use every possible solution to efficiently use the formation skills therefore my guildmates will be guinea pigs for this experiment.
Example with Winged Formation I could place my 2 DPS on Tile 8 and 9 where that position is basically on the side of the boss. We got low def de-buff and the boss plus additional damage if ever attacking the boss’ side will give plus damage.
If we are looking on the centurion class description regarding formation objectively it didn’t state that if using formation, skills will unavailable for use. Let’s hope its not like that if it is then someone will die for disappointing me.
Sorry (or thank me!) for the necro,
With the on-going betas I beleive there has been enough time for more players to have tested the higher-rank classes, wonder if anyone has gathered new information on Centurions and their formations.
Personally I’d also like to know if players in-formation are able to use their skills without getting tossed out of it, although granted some skills have higher delays or have a wind-up time so I see these would likely cause that as well.
Another inquiry: What about Hard/Soft debuffs/disables on formation members? Slows, Freezes, Stuns, Knockdowns? I figure it is likely formations may be able to partially ignore Soft-debuffs, as I could see in a video members of a formation would keep up to the speed of even a dashing Centurion. But what about things like knockdowns/knockback skills? will they automatically wreck formations? A single earthquake spell would be funny on a full formation. xD
It would be an interesting trade-off if people in a formation could not be forced out of it due to crowd-control skills, as being packed tight means its easier to get hit by AoE’s and such, but at the same time it may be overpowered like that.
I wonder if it’s even viable to have dedicated tank when magic can’t be blocked and apparently we will have more magic mobs coming up or something.
If you guys having any findings on the formation skills of the Centurion Class please make sure to share it in this topic. Thanks.
At least you still have the aggro skills which is an important factor of being a tank. All you have to do is to dodge it (magic-based skill) by escaping its are of effect.
In my opinion it’s still viable and important to have a tank because you still need a meat shield.