How to Tank with RUN -- A simple guide

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I've, done /rdm for the fastcast early on but convert is still a risky gamble. Red Mage is also was a better choice for lunge/swipe only because Rune Fencer doesnt have native MAB I&II. Subbing Red Mage will always give more lunge/swipe, fast cast, and even more resist petrify (if needed). If anything redmage is just a playstyle that to me is more on speed cast, burst damage and magic burst damage (more often with swipe than lunge).

I've done mostly /whm only to reduce my spelllist with things I have no skill in, and to have access to bar-aga, and more divine spells to skill with on reives. Not to mention /whm also give you the ability to remove stattus effects when needed. It won't give much on fastcast, mab, and atk if at all. I just like having access to offensive magic spells I actually have a B skill in besides flash. As I see it, it'll be good in Ra'kaznar, but also gives the ability to use elemental/stattus buffs on people in the front line and save the whm some time with them.

With Rune's abilities its an extra buff considering our enhancing skill is beyond a Paladins and slightly higher than a White Mage's. Bar- will last longer unless Rdm, Sch or Whm can increase the duration or effect on their targets. Best run has is on relic pants to reduce cast time -12% & increase duration of buffs +10. This should also work with stoneskin. I dont know how it translates to aoe tatgets but it also enhances Inspiration, although I cant find any info as to the effects of the relic augments (the body is probably +15 like most of the other main 1hr mods). Divine seal and Cure IV as an emergency backup/hate gain. Paladin will always do more divine dmg and hate on flash. Tranquil heart is a nonissue since Rune has no native healing skill for it to mean anything. Most of what well be casting with /Rdm is already on rune and whm (but in aga). I just don't see why rune would use elemental magics from /rdm. The only ones usefull would be from /blm as burn drown,rasp, etc.. Enfeebling and Elemental would be resisted by many mobs due to Rune only has Divine and Enhancing magic skills. That's what Rayke was ment for, but to support other spell casters when stun, sleep, etc becomes resisted.

Again I think its playstyle. I only have 3 merrits on Inspiration, with 5 on Battuta, 1 Rayke, 1 Slight of sword (because someone had to). I'd probably should be playing /rdm for the fastcast and Mab. At best the majority of hate gain would be our magic damage from runes, lunge, spikes. Theres a bunch of Mab accessories that increase Enmity besides weapons and gear, as well as dot that increase hate gain or adds subtle blow. Swapping between Artifact, Relic and other gear based on the enemy and what job abilities are being used might be the big difference between Rune and Paladin. I rarely notice a Paladin swaping gear based on what job ability is being used and tanking. Especially -dmg or pdt for +hate on provoke or more dot. At best between Artifact and Relic, Rune Fencer can swap between Hp Regen and Mp refresh modes of tanking, given they have enough -pdt -dmg accessories. Especially with refresh II from rdm, brd songs, dice, & geo bubbles. Hp and mp and occ dmg shouldnt be much of a problem with passive(-enmity) support.

Given how Rune doesn't aproach dealing damage like drk, war or drg does. Part of Run tanking is -dmg, +Enmity, +support. Since Rune Fencer can't deal tons of physical damage to draw hate with great sword. All we can do is slow the Enmity loss down and melee like a paladin without double atk. Then spam swipe and lunge when we can to boost dmg output. Although, Rune should have had tripple attack I once we got over level 50 or 75. Despite having a Great Sword, Rune Fencer may have the damage ratio on par with a Paladins sword swing. With everything else being what pld does to keep hate only without the help of /war. My theory is dual weilding swords and having multi-hit gear might increase the dot and parry proc with enmity gain, but be less likely to main tank as effectively. Spinning Slash won't chain llike resolution. Even with 3 merrits on it, I've seen SS frequently do more damage and doesn't miss as much as Ground Strike. Untill someone can confirm that Caudata gives more acc across multi-hit weapon skills than elemental belts. Caudata belt should be the main thing to use on the single hit weapon skills and Rune's Great sword is on that list. At least on weapon skills we can generate more enimity and damage than a Paladin and gear swap more freely for whatever we need to do to fight Paladin's top spot on the mobs hate list.

However regardless of what sub you have, if you can bounce hate between a Paladin and yourself, and not over burden the healers. While keeping the mob's focus away from everyone else. Then keep doing whatever it is you're doing, because it's getting the job done. Untill someone can successfully play Run/War like a Pld/War and post it... The over all debate for Run/??? and tanking will aways boil down to, "...if it works".

---after thought---

Now that I think about it. If you can sucessfully dual weild Rune up the double/tripple atk, and increase subtle blow on gear. Would Sleight of sword make sense? Honestly Sword play is like that one nin spell or earthen armor when it comes to avoiding massive damage. So why have a subtle blow merit mod? Unless there was a way to DoT Rune to the point where it feed tp and caused the mob to use TP moves much more frequently. It only makes sence if Rune were fighting that one NM that used tyrant tusk and had to avoid feeding tp to keep it from using moves that would wipe the acc/evade boost. Doesnt make sense to have it in a party set up as everyone else will feed tp, and defeat the purpose.