Hey Tera people.  As you know, I haven't said the nicest things about Tera in general, but I want to like this game so I keep playing it.  Unfortunately, the combat is still a bit slow, so if it's going to be slow at lvl 1, I want to at least feel powerful... the Slayer isn't half bad and I might keep using that class, the class I wanted to enjoy most (Berserker) is kind of disappointing, even in the high-level vids I watched... but the Lancer has been a pleasant surprise.  It's powerful as hell at the bottom levels and I love weapon/shield combos more than pretty much anything.

So my questions are these:

1.) Does the Lancer always stay this powerful or is it just start out that way?

2.) Can it be used as a damage class?

3.) If the answer to 2. is yes, will anyone accept you as a Lancer DPS in a group?

4.) If I DO decide I want to try tanking, what are some tips, apart from watching the dungeons on Youtube first?  Is it super difficult?

TIA.

1) Lancer received a damage buff so it always feels very powerful, they used to be extremely weak but are now one of the strongest classes in game, I expect a nerf at some point as they are the most needed class in PvE(only trusted tank) and best class for all forms of PvP.

2) I have guildies who take lancers as dps sometimes in player made parties for fun but they can not queue instance matching as a dps yet, this was because their damage used to be horrible and they were strict tanks, not sure if this changes later on.

3) Depends, i'm sure friends/guildies would let you dps on a lancer for fun.

4) Tanking isn't very hard as a lancer for almost all content in-game, it only gets hard in a few dungeons, warrior tanking is a whole different story, it's far less traditional. Only things that are somewhat difficult for a lancer are two of the endgame hardmode dungeons or CoF Mark 3, otherwise, generally pretty easy.

As for slayer, it gets a lot better at level 20 when you get the glyph to reset overhand strike from the glyph master in Velika.

For the first 3, Yes, No, No.

Tanking is very easy as a lancer, practicing on BAMS like the Basilisks will get you started. In a dungeon, you body pull the mobs, move them to where you want to tank, AE taunt and block. Time attacks (counterattack when you get it) between their hits to regain endurance, use taunt when it comes up, stun allows for a few hits too. 2 Taunts will allow most groups to DPs down a group.

Make sure you block the mobs power attack (red eyes) or they will knock you down and make peanut butter out of your head. You can be knocked back and down so tanking against a wall or somewhere with space behind is good.

I'm surprised that you mentioned that you didn't like how slow Tera's combat felt and how you wanted to feel powerful & also accepted as DPS in parties yet never picked up the Warrior. Sure it lacks the weapon/shield combo, however the Warrior is by far the fastest class in Tera and it's possible to Tank & DPS with a Warrior. They just take a bit extra skill and finesse to be good with, let alone master the class.

Anyway whether you decide to try a Warrior or stick with your Lancer, one tip I'll give you is to pick up Alchemy for crafting and gather all the plants you find. I've recently hit level cap on my Warrior tank and alchemy help me so much along the way.  Especially since finding healers for BAM quest are rare and a single mistake and prove near fatal. With alchemy I could craft 2 types of Restorative potions and having those made doing the 100s of BAMs, with the 1 or 2 DPS I find, doable within a reasonable amount of time and without dying. Heck, I think there's only one BAM that kill me on my way to level cap. Nyxarras... skip this quest.

Originally posted by Eir_S

Hey Tera people.  As you know, I haven't said the nicest things about Tera in general,

Water under the bridge. Every game in here has had the same happen.

(...) Unfortunately, the combat is still a bit slow,

Depends on the class. 

so if it's going to be slow at lvl 1, I want to at least feel powerful... the Slayer isn't half bad and I might keep using that class, the class I wanted to enjoy most (Berserker) is kind of disappointing, even in the high-level vids I watched...

Too bad. I'm currently in the skin of a berserker and I love the feel of swinging that big axe of mine. It's what I love about TERA. Swinging a big fat axe does actually feel like a big fat axe is being swung.

With +atk speed bonus stat on weapon it'll only get faster. Enigmatic items can be exposed for these sweet stats, if one can't find an item that has it already.

but the Lancer has been a pleasant surprise.  It's powerful as hell at the bottom levels and I love weapon/shield combos more than pretty much anything.

A poster above recommended a warrior tank. You say you love the weapon/shield combos so I guess that's a no. Warrior tanking is probably some of the most fun I've had in some time, and I've never seen my friends list grow so fast but I would strongly caution rolling one. That's fodder for another topic.

(...)

4.) If I DO decide I want to try tanking, what are some tips, apart from watching the dungeons on Youtube first?  Is it super difficult?

TIA.

It isn't super difficult, especially as a lancer. Lancer is more forgiving when it comes to mistakes you might have made while tanking vs. warrior tank.

You mentioned later that it was probably not a good idea to solo to max level. That's about it.

If you find combat slow it just means you're not pulling enough mobs. Once you get a mount round up as many as you can find and combat becomes a whole lot more interesting. Once you can't just sit and hide behind your shield and have to worry about them flanking you things tend to be more interesting.

I always find fighting mobs in small numbers tends to get a bit dull after a while. I hate ranged mobs that wont pull :)