hate cap raise.

[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.

[Darka]

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).

No it doesn't. DD tanks were used long before Abyssea, you just needed people who knew what they were doing, now with infinite MP it's easy. Aside from shield blocks (averaging around 60% of the time, Ochain being the exception) they have the same general defensive abilities other jobs do. Shadows, MDT, PDT.
Also how would a PLD take 200/hit if a DRK is getting hit for 500? You don't understand pdif, or seem to think defense has high returns.

Enmity isn't the problem for PLD, it's the durability of other jobs that are killing it. Why bring a PLD when other jobs won't die, and do more damage at the same time? That's the problem, nothing to do with holding hate. And no, you can't just kill the other jobs' defensive abilities, that would kill lowman and the playerbase probably wouldn't take it. "Fixing" PLD is more complicated that people think.

[Arcon]

Enmity isn't the problem for PLD, it's the durability of other jobs that are killing it.

Both are problems and just as bad, I might add. Enmity is a major problem and definitely needs fixing, even completely outside of PLD, the system itself is flawed. And other jobs don't tank nearly as well outside of Abyssea. Mages can still get somewhat high refresh, but people also take a lot more damage and have a lot lower HP (and mages a lot lower MP). Some jobs can still get away with it (THF has always performed pretty well, NIN also, MNK may have it a bit worse), others can't do anything anymore (WAR tank with cure spam? Not a chance).

[Darka]

Both are problems and just as bad, I might add. Enmity is a major problem and definitely needs fixing, even completely outside of PLD, the system itself is flawed. And other jobs don't tank nearly as well outside of Abyssea. Mages can still get somewhat high refresh, but people also take a lot more damage and have a lot lower HP (and mages a lot lower MP). Some jobs can still get away with it (THF has always performed pretty well, NIN also, MNK may have it a bit worse), others can't do anything anymore (WAR tank with cure spam? Not a chance).

I was saying enmity accumulation isn't the problem. We've had this discussion before. Even if PLD caps hate, the point is there's no reason to use one since other jobs can tank and deal more damage. That's what's killing PLD. Also, they take the same damage inside and outside Abyssea unless you're stacking VIT/def atmas for some ridiculous reason, and yes, MNK, WAR/SAM, SAM/WAR, DRK/SAM, DRK/NIN, NIN, BLU and RDM all tanked as well as or better than PLD before Abyssea, it just requires a little more care.