It was brought to my attention that there isn’t an open source information guide on how to solo tank e5 raid despite it being a de-facto expected strategy so here it is.
I wrote the guide on tanking the e10 and e17 raid in general, as well as covering specific weapon combinations for it here:
This guide will cover the differences you have to be aware of in E5 solo tanking and provide you with example builds for all weapon combinations possible.
Role assignments
In E5 raid you need:
- 1 Tank
- 1 Filth Placer (usually some kind of ranged dps)
- (Optional) Backup Filth Placer
Filth placer’s job is to stay off the grate and be a target for Lurker’s Filth Casts thus preventing it from becoming angry and giving everyone on the grate percussive back massage. Back up filth placer is there in case main one becomes the pod target but that is usually unnecessary in 99% of cases.
Now to the main portion of the guide:
In order to solo tank NYR E5 you need to utilize Elementalism Skill Living Flame alongside its Synergetic Flames passive. While you could have Elementalism Focus in your main hand slot, this move is too high IQ for me to process so we’re just going to assume you have it in your offhand.
All of the builds rely on you casting Living Flame when you’re somewhere between 10 and 5 stacks remaining and it taking aggro from you. Keep in mind that you don’t need to taunt to take the aggro back, in fact, you want to let the aggro bounce to you naturally as it gives you extra time to bring Living Flame off cooldown.
For mainhand you can really use any weapon if you have maxed gear but if you actually have a life then you probably want to use one of 3 tanking weapons - hammer, chaos or shotgun.
Here are example builds for each:
Builds assume Any Shotgun / Torturer’s Instrument Hammer / Dark Mysteries Chaos Focus / of Efficiency
Shotgun:
Import Via Boobuilds
BD%-%VER%-%1.0%-%SK%-%7360713%-%9255472%-%9255471%-%5847944%-%5847932%-%6940463%-%PS%-%9269863%-%9256319%-%9256326%-%9256318%-%9256330%
Hammer
Import Via Boobuilds
BD%-%VER%-%1.0%-%SK%-%6940350%-%5848008%-%9256520%-%6940380%-%6940340%-%6940463%-%PS%-%9256910%-%9256915%-%9256923%-%9256918%-%9269863%
Chaos
Import Via Boobuilds
BD%-%VER%-%1.0%-%SK%-%7356448%-%7356470%-%9271872%-%7356444%-%7356426%-%6940463%-%PS%-%9269863%-%9271882%-%9271889%-%9271885%-%9271878%
These provide maximum survivability and sustain.
In Phase 2, being the only tank you will have to deal with both Hulk spawns and Bird spawns at once. If you feel like you don’t need this much survivability you can drop a signature or a 60 second cooldown for Evulsion (with chaos) or Enter The Fray (with hammer) or swap Effigy Reconstructor gadget for Manticore Agitator or Antigravitic Attractor to pull hulks.
Keep in mind that hulks in e5 spawn starting in spot H3 on this picture from the main guide and go 3-1-2 rather than expected in E10+ 1-2-3.
Gear selection doesn’t matter much - if you’re overgeared you can do it with dps or tank gear, <1000 ip tank glyphs is recommended. Gear-wise the only talisman that makes a difference in rotation is Tachyon Pigment as it can reduce Living Flame’s cooldown further making it easier.
Otherwise just use elite right after casting Living Flame and pray dps don’t force switch transition when you’re locked out of taunting so that you drop dead being unable to do anything.
It’s that easy!