Tanking looks Intimidating.

[Ogrumz]

I want to try it after I get my black mage to 50, and get him comfortably geared. But it looks so intimidating. I know tanking normal dungeons won't be hard, but the whole idea of raid tanking seems scary.

I heard a few friends just rail into tanks that didn't seem to be doing good. When I asked them if they asked the tank if they knew how the fight or something they said they didn't ask. Even if you research a fight, you still don't -know- it until you experience it. Then if you mess up you will wipe, then the drama comes.

I am really not expecting to raid tank past hard mode primals (I don't think or know if I'd ever be good enough for that), but I don't want to just get my paladin to 50 and never play it. Is it worth attempting to go through the intimidating factor or not?

[Mikedizzy]

I felt exactly the same as you did. I am leveling PLD to 50 now (currently at 40) and I struggled at first in the beginning. It is very overwhelming until you get the hang of it. I suggest running the dungeons in order and multiple times each...okay lots each. You get better as you play more and more. I have gotten pretty good now and I am very comfortable. I am still nervous about doing some of the harder content as I now approach 50. I suggest PLD over WAR because it is easier and that is a safe general consensus from the community. NOTE: Flash is your friend...use it a lot and at the right time...you when learn when that is as you play.

[Masenken]

Tanks are as hard headed as their role, but generally amicable at that. The job doesn't change no matter how many people are on the field, whether holding down the fort with three or 23 other players, your role won't change much. The dungeons all serve to teach how to tank and move according to the situation.

It's not as daunting as it may appear. People are going to talk crap no matter what role you play. Only thing it really requires on your part is a change in mindset that yeah, you're protecting other players, but you're also one mean SoB and can take it

[Inflorescence]

It's totally worth trying, at least! After the first few dungeons, you'll find out if you really like it or not. And the only qualifying factor for it will be whether you're having fun or not.

There's nothing to worry about with people yelling at you. At best, they'll teach you how to be better. At worst, they're just blue words. You'll learn what you're doing wrong, and you'll get better with every run of every dungeon. As a BLM, you know when you screwed up a GCD, don't you? Playing a tank is no different in that sense.

[Ooshima]

Tanking is indeed not an easy job, I've also always feared as tanking. But I guess as every other job, it does need practice.

Got my PLD to 50 last week. I think as long as you know what your tools are and leveled quite a little throughout all the dungeons, you should be basically fine. For me I've played as tank past all HM Primals for the completion of relic quest and took on CT and Haukke Manor HM without a sweat as a newbie tank. Planning to gear up and play the 2 other HM dungeons before making an attempt at Ultima HM, then diving into EM tanking.

[Masenken]

Protip: do not FATE grind! At least not for main exp

[Ogrumz]

I'm not even fate grinding on black mage. Well, trying not to anyway.

[wicked-one]

Know your Skills and you´ll be fine. Your Main Job is to hold aggro, so know your Skills and which do Aggro!... When i trained up my WHM by Duty Roulette, you often see Tanks using all but not their Aggro Skills.

Only thing which get´s an Tank in Trouble is when he is undergeared, make sure you bring a potent weapon, adequate to the Dungeon. As soon as you got a Relic, it´s nearly impossible to loose Aggro in normal Battle-Rotations (Single-target-down)... as long as DD´s dont initiate the pull.

Just practice in a few dungeons, maybe on Duty Roulette (get´s you a Mass of EXP for leveling, and you learn your basic skills).

My PLD is just my Twink, but thou i was excited in my first Primal HM´s and CT runs, it´s now piece of cake.

If you want a Challenge, go for heal ^^ Got my Whitemage to 50 last week and still confused about all those Skills.

[Delorean]

Just pretend that the other people aren't really there, or that, like, they are npcs or something

if you've played a melee dps, tanking is the same thing except that your focus is to avoid dying and (usually) making sure everything is hitting you. Don't sweat the small stuff. If someone else wants to then let them; don't be intimidated by players who spend more time whining than they spend actually playing the game.

Always try to keep a good level of enmity maintenance running on all of your targets.

But also, don't take every bit of criticism personally. That might be difficult for you personally, but sometimes even though another player is being a real butthead they might actually have a valid point.

[Kimura410]

The bad thing about tanking and healing for that matter is that people can really tell when you arent doing your job correctly. The healer will allow people to wipe and the tank will lose aggro. Both are very noticeable. If one dps in a 8 man group is slacking, it could be difficult to tell.

But basically what above posters have said. Practice. Do low level dungeons. Read tips here in the forum about rotations. It doesnt really get tough until coils and even then you get used to it. From a paladins perspective, its really about making sure you keep aggro by doing a simple combo, and popping cooldowns at appropriate times, and knowing when the big hits are coming in order to do so. And positioning properly (always try to face the enemy away from your group) That alone will get you by.

Being a pro tank is a bit different imo. Something I am striving for, but yeah, its really about making good, smart decisions. Switching back and forth between oaths at appropriate times, picking up adds the best possible way (I often charge a combo up, then use the ROH part on the add that just spawned), positioning, dodging mechanics, popping stonekins on recently revived teammates (which is something I never see healers do but I always try to do bc I have it) Stoneskin the main tank while you are off tank. Knowing the entire fight in general to avoid the most amount of damage possible or mitigating the most damage that is unavoidable with the right CDs at the right times. Just practice man, and read those ability descriptions