Originally Posted by
Francisco
You really need to think outside Abyssea for this - since this is where the game is going to be headed anyway.
Thinking "stacking -damage gear" should be the only way someone is able to tank is kind of backwards 2005 thinking.
As of right now, there's three main methods of tanking: shield/-damage (PLD), evasion/shadows (NIN, THF), counter (MNK). Outside Abyssea, MNK, NIN and THF lose a good deal of their defensive capabilites (largely from Gnarled Horn). PLD loses complete control of the fight inside Abyssea. Outside Abyssea, PLD can mitigate damage much better than a MNK, NIN or THF (especially if they have an Aegis).
Maybe inside Abyssea a DRK can freely tank due WHM having a near infinite MP pool... and most things die in under 5 minutes anyway. But take away the absurd refresh from WHM, and make it a 20-30 minute fight (like on par with Nidhogg in 2005), that DRK is going to be absolutely destroyed if he's getting hit for 300-500 per swing... compared with a PLD taking 150-200 per swing on non-shield blocks, a MNK countering ~65-75% of attacks, or a NIN blinking/evading 80-95% of attacks.