Aggro, threat generation, and pugilists...

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Originally Posted by Crystles

We'll probably have to do some co-orinated work to take bigger mobs down. Were thinking of 3 manning boss type fates, which i've found that people get slammed with out either a ton of people hating on the mob, or proper support. We plan to stick together 100%, so this info is valuable.

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FATE bosses are usually not too bad in terms of DPS they inflict (there are one or two exceptions like Behemoth) - you can probably get by with just a Chocobo Companion healing you. My Arcanist's Carbuncle was tanking them easily back in the day, and you can usually solo a FATE boss as long as you have some form of light healing and means of dealing damage (Any tank with a Chocobo, SMN with pet, etc)

I'd back Urthdigger up on the variety idea - it'd be most efficient to have one Tank, one DPS and one Healer; but if you all want the ability to deal decent damage I'd suggest Warrior and Scholar. WAR are still a bit better than PLDs in low-man content, and SCHs can get some very decent DPS from their DoTs whenever accuracy isn't an issue (basically everything aside from Coil). If one of your friends is dead set on not being a tank - I'd suggest Summoner (Caster) and Scholar (Healer) since in a pinch you can have Titan-Egi tank for you.

I've recently levelled my Monk class to 50 and had a lot of fun along the way. Like you, I chose a lot of defensive cross-class skills and was able to off-tank when the situation required it (i.e. dead tank). Although it is possible to use some cross class skills that generate enmity, I would not recommend it. If your gear is up to date, you'll be able to steal aggro from tanks just by maximizing your dps through positioning and the use of buffs (+30% crit chance is a LOT). But you should try to avoid stealing aggro as that just makes fights more complicated than they need to be.

On the other hand, being able to handle one creature when the tank goes down can save your party from a wipe. Switching your stance, rotating or stacking defensive cooldowns and using self-heals is a great secondary skill to develop as a monk player. It will also help you out a lot if you have lancer and marauder levelled for their cross-class abilities.

If you run close behind moving enemies, you can keep damaging them but you have to be really close. Your party should always try to avoid situations where enemies and not static. Foes that don't move will let you put out a lot of damage.

As for FATEs, i'd say that any two person team can solo 95% of them, as long as one of the two is a healer. Only certain huge FATE, like Cancer or Steropes, requires whole parties to clear. Just having a minimum of healing (and a few chocobos) will let you take down pretty much anything the game can throw as you.

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Originally Posted by Crystles

We'll probably have to do some co-orinated work to take bigger mobs down. Were thinking of 3 manning boss type fates, which i've found that people get slammed with out either a ton of people hating on the mob, or proper support. We plan to stick together 100%, so this info is valuable.

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You'll probably have no problem 3 manning fates with 2 DPS and a healer, especially when you get your Chocobo companions (level 30 quest in the South Shroud I think, need the grand company mount first). For dungeons you'll have to wait for a tank though, which can get annoying especially if you're a solo DPS looking to get into a dungeon (tanks are in short supply and DPS are the majority of the population) it would be ideal if you join a free company that's willing to help you all out if you don't always want to wait in the duty finder queue for something (though with a premade party 2 DPS and a healer queuing you'll get in pretty quick).

And for when a mob is being kited it's really hard for Melees to hit. Bixby already explained this. The best you can do in a kiting situation is pop your damage over time on the mob (Touch of Death I think) and try to land some hits by running ahead of the kited mob. Your caster friend shouldn't have much of a problem in that situation though.

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Originally Posted by Bixby

This is also why, even if you think you're behind or beside the mob when you're solo, you'll almost never get flank/rear bonuses on any of your skills. It may look like you ran around to the side, but the reality is that mobs turn to face you instantly & constantly; you just don't see it.

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Does this apply when the mob is AoE casting and I strafe to the side or run thru to the back? Or is the impression that the mob is "stuck" casting also an illusion?

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Originally Posted by Sisqi

Does this apply when the mob is AoE casting and I strafe to the side or run thru to the back? Or is the impression that the mob is "stuck" casting also an illusion?

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The mob will remain facing the same direction until it finishes casting, so that can sometimes give you a chance to get in a flank or rear attack. You may, however, see it finish casting a moment after it actually does. This can lead to being caught in an attack that it looks like you avoided if you're cutting it too close.

A Matter of HONOR still stands. I replied to your other post. I ran into a guy that said you were asking about the FC in a post he read. We have attained housing and have built a home since then. People have left and come. I am now the GM if I wasn't when you were with us. I kicked you from FC because of inactivity over 30 days and thought that you were never coming back as I do all the same way. If I had known what you were doing I would have kept you in FC. You are more than welcome back and hope that I will see you back. Sorry for the mixup with thining that you were never coming back. We also have a new website amatterofhonor.enjin.com and we have a Mumble server as well with our paid subscription. Hit me up in game. Laterz