Threat
Threat (also known as "aggro", short for aggression) is the value that describes how dangerous you are to a Creature or Mob. Attacking an enemy will generate threat, as will healing an ally who is being attacked by a enemy (twice the value of healing up to full morale, one time for over-healing). Tanks want to generate lots of threat to prevent enemies from attacking other characters that might not be able to survive the attack. Non-tank classes want to reduce the amount of threat they generate as they damage the mobs or heal their allies.
Several trait lines that are typically used for tanking make your skills generate more threat from damage, namely with a ratio of 3:1 instead of 1:1. These are:
- The Hide for a Beorning,
- The Fulcrum for a Brawler,
- Leader of Men for a Captain,
- The Martial Champion for a Champion,
- The Defender of the Free and The Fighter of Shadow for a Guardian,
- and Determination for a Warden.
Threat should not be confused with a taunt or Forced Attack. A taunt skill is used by a tank to force a target to attack the user. It often also provides additional threat: a fixed amount and/or a multiple of the highest aggro the target had that was not from the tank. This way, tanks can grab enemies in the area or immediately pull them off of others. It also allows them to put themselves highest on the threat table and surpass the healer or DPS. (Note: using taunts before a fight has begun copies no threat, it only provides the amount bestowed by the skill.)
Below is an overview of skills and items that increase threat or force enemies to attack the user.
Threat-reducing items
- Strings - Minstrel consumable crafted by Cook, which reduces threat generated from healing by up to 12%
Threat-reducing skills
- Ebbing Ire - Reduces threat generation
- Beneath Notice - Reduces perceived threat, but does not affect actual threat
- Distracting Flame - Reduces threat over time
Threat-removal skills
- Still As Death
- Hobbit-silence - Requires the Hobbit-silence racial trait
Threat-generating items
- All pots of Honey and Oats (e.g. Pot of Crude Honey and Oats ) - Bear pet consumable crafted by Cook
Threat-generating skills
These skills will generate additional threat when used on an enemy, next to the normal threat from damage:
- Threatening Shout
- Noble Mark at Rank 5.
- Sundering Blow
- Bash
- Litany of Defiance
- Shield-blow
- Shield-smash
- Shield-swipe
- Shield-taunt
- Sweeping Cut
- Vexing Blow
- War-chant
- Driving Slash
- Exultation of Battle
- Brink of Victory
- Surety of Death
- Desolation
- Fierce Resolve
- Resounding Challenge
- Assault of the Eorlingas
- Roar of the Eorlingas (in Red Dawn stance, Riddermark stance and Rohirrim stance)
- Call of the Cavalry (in Riddermark stance and Rohirrim stance)
- Strike with Power (in Red Dawn stance, Riddermark stance and Rohirrim stance)
Skills that force an enemy to attack the user
- Relentless Maul (with the trait Menacing Assault)
- Vigilant Roar
- Thunderous Roar
- Knives Out -- After the 10s force attack, aggro from the Burglar is reduced.
- Grave Wound -- Only if Demand Attention is traited.
- Oppressive Blow
- Champion's Challenge
- Horn of Champions -- With rank 2 trait Horn of Champions.
- True Heroics -- When using Martial Champion trait specialization.
- Challenge -- Also generates additional threat
- Engage
- Fray the Edge -- Also generates additional threat
- Clash of Arms
- Roaring Challenge - Bear pet skill
- Defiant Challenge
- Warning Shot