Protector

Overview

Stonemen are beings crafted from the very rocks that form their name, possessing an innate strength capable of resisting almost any strike. Since the era when L'ygch, the Fearless Heart — the chief of the Stonemen — aided Hossinger Apelio in defeating Assaya, the Protector class has been regarded as the cornerstone of any formidable battle group.

Their unwavering determination and immense fortitude ensure that a group need not fear defeat as long as their Protector stands firm.

Class Identity — Living Stone

Stonemen, born from ancient stone, exhibit a monolithic resilience that can withstand nearly any blow. Their bravery and fearlessness are legendary. As Stonemen heroic deeds became well-known, they were aptly named Protectors — for with the strength of stone, they safeguard those with lesser armor.

The Protector is Forsaken World's primary main-tank class. Their kit is built around:

• Massive HP and defense pools that absorb sustained boss damage
• Threat generation to keep enemies focused on the tank
• Crowd control to peel for allies, slow burst windows, and lock down enemies in PvP

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

• Highest natural defense and HP in the game
• Excellent threat generation — the most reliable instance tank
• Strong crowd control toolkit for both PvE and PvP
• Heavy armor + shield = extremely durable
• Stonemen lore-flavor is iconic — "rocks fighting rocks"

Weaknesses

• Lowest damage output among melee classes
• Slower kill speed in solo play
• Less flexible than off-tanks like Warriors who can flex into DPS
• Cannot dual-wield or use two-handers — locked into the shield

Talent Branches

The Protector splits into three branches, each emphasizing a different tanking philosophy:

• Diamond — pure defense, maximum HP and damage mitigation
• Rock — hybrid tank-DPS, sacrifices some defense for threat-based damage
• Granite — control-focused, best for PvP main-tanking and arena lockdown

For full skill mechanics and per-skill details, see Protector Skills (the wiki article uses the legacy "Defender" name).

Best Race for Protector

Stonemen exclusively. The class IS the race in Forsaken World lore — Stonemen and Protector are inseparable.

Play Style

PvE (Main Tank)

• Pre-buff: defensive talents + threat-generation buff
• Pull mob groups toward the group, then taunt to consolidate aggro
• Position so the boss faces away from the group (DPS hits from behind, healer stays free)
• Save defensive cooldowns for boss enrage windows

PvP (Defensive Anchor)

• The Protector is rarely a kill threat solo — they're the team's anvil
• Position to peel for healer/DPS allies
• Use control + slow chains to lock enemy DPS away from your backline
• In arena, the Protector outlasts most builds, eventually winning attrition fights

FAQ

Q: Is Protector boring for solo play? A: It's slower, yes. Solo PvE is doable but kill speed lags behind every other class. Protector is most rewarding in groups where their tanking matters.

Q: Diamond or Rock — which to pick? A: Diamond for pure tanking (best for raids, hard instances). Rock if you want a hybrid that can solo a bit faster while still tanking.

Q: Why is the wiki article called "defender-skills" not "protector-skills"? A: Legacy naming. The class was originally called "Defender" in older Forsaken World versions. The article was created under that name and is preserved for backward compatibility.

Q: Can a Protector main-tank a level 90 raid alone? A: Yes — that's the class's primary endgame role. With Diamond branch and full PvE gear, a Protector can hold any raid boss.

Q: How do I deal with the slow kill speed for solo levelling? A: Pull more enemies at once. Protector tanks excel against multiple targets — fight 3-4 mobs simultaneously and the AoE threat actually accelerates your XP/hour.

See Also

• Protector Skills (Defender Skills) — full skill list
• Stonemen — race overview
• Talents — talent mechanics
• Main site: Protector class overview · Class guide 2026