WHy do you tank?

I tank because, in all honesty, most people are bad at it.

I DD because, in all honesty, most people are bad it it.

Really, that's the gist of it. I mean, people can play how they want, but sometimes if you want this gs done "right" you have to do it yourself or play with people you are confident in and adjust to the situation. Even then, it's not guarunteed to work.

Not fully sure why but probably mostly cause I like Sword & Shield combo for games without guns which that combo seams to end up as a tank class A LOT... that & this stupid need to protect ppl from some random mob attacking them

Also probably as a Solo-style player u'r techincally tanking anything u fight alone, plus real life tanks are awsome (those Military things used in War)... so gota build a non-model real Baneblade XD

I started out as a Gladiator and at first I didn't know it was a tank class, I chose it because of sword. Before I got to any dungeons, I found out what it was and started to learn what it means to be a tank. I actually liked it and stuck with Paladin through the main story.

Now I have Paladin at lv60 with ilvl199.
Dark Knight is lv60 with ilvl191.
Working on Warrior at the moment, though I would say its my least favorite tank.

But I tank because it gives me a good feeling especially if the dungeon goes smoothly.
Also a lot of times I tank for my sister while she heals.

Because i hate every other tank.

Shorter Q times and wanting to be able to play any job/role well. I'm most comfortable as caster DPS (love both BLM and SMN) but also enjoy MNK and DRG. And I'm also getting pretty used to healing as my 57 WHM. The caster philosophy translates pretty well there and playing as healer has actually helped me with tanking I think. Yeah, but lately I've really gotten into refining my WAR abilities and also have a 53 PLD I hope to finish. DRK will be in the future at some point I'm sure. Mostly Q times tho :D

I DPS with a side of tanking lately. It's straightforward, gives great queue times, and gives me a lot of control over content. I find healing too reactive and unpredictable. Don't really give two shits what the DPS in a party does or who stands in what, I just hold aggro, position mobs, DPS where I can, pop cooldowns, and assume the healer has me covered, which so far they have.

Tanking is kind of like a DPS dream come true, all the mobs are yours and nobody else gets any.

Saw a couple people say healing helped them with tanking, I think DPS helped me with tanking. Knowing what stray mobs mean trouble, where they should be positioned, to group them up for AOEs, etc.

I've Paladin tanked since WoW Cata, so tanking here became natural for moi. Now after a LOT of work, facing down the worst this game has to offer in the eye, all three tanks are 60, PLD 208 / WAR/DRK 204.

I just like the job(s). =^^=

I was Shadow knight in Everquest, I was paladin in Warcraft, now I'm Warrior/paladin in FF14. I've always played tanks, I've always liked it. The best thing about being a tank is running in first. I also like the responsibility of a tank, I carry the group through the dungeons and it's satisfying finish with everyone alive and well.

Whenever I am in doubt I do a few runs as DPS or level a healing class, then I remember why. Because I can`t be asked to deal with the amount of random crap that way to many tanks in DF are up to. Then again, all those times I run into healers that just refuse to heal or DPS that can`t DPS, people who have no clue how to play their classes, I think to myself "perhaps I should do that instead". But then it hits me, as a tank I can compensate for bad DPS, with my selfheals as a WAR I can compensate and survive a bad healer, but neither as a healer or DPS can I do much about a tank that can`t hold agro, position mobs and bosses or know how to use their cooldowns.
I guess it simply comes down to doing the thankless job, no pun intended, so that I can get stuff done.

I've already posted in this thread but after after reading and re-reading all the posts, one thing became clear.

Tanks are called. They have a strong impulse to step into harm's way to protect others. They also have the psychological need to be in the thick of the action. No tank is content to sit on the sidelines and cheer. They want to be on the field!

Just like a high number of players who posted in the why do you heal thread turned out to be in the medical field in real life, I would not be surprised one bit if the players of tanks tended to end up in the 'tanky' career fields also. What do you think? Are there a lot of soldiers, policemen, and firefighters among tanks?