Ideas for a Caster Tank

I think it would be cool if SE were to add another job mid-way through the expansion, like they did for NIN. If they did I think it would be cool if it started as a class at level 1, then branched off into two BLU variants at 30: One is a tank, while the other is a healer/controller that's buff/debuff focused.

I know this is super unlikely to actually happen, but it's a class I would certainly enjoy leveling up from 1.

Problems with a caster tank:

- Gear would be a nightmare (no tenacity on left side, do they favor vit or not?)

- Couldn't be ranged (positioning would be a nightmare).

- Caster damage mitigation is already a theme of healing in this game.

- Most abilities would have to be instant cast (no one wants to cast in melee, and doing so would be a huge disadvantage versus other tanks) which generally goes against the idea of a caster.

Your permanent stance isn't a bad idea to make this happen by any means, and a Blue Mage is an obvious choice (think stealing earth armor from Titan in a job quest or some shit like that, but better since I am putting no thought into this), mostly because all of the other mages are in-game (AST is a Time Mage, White Mage obv, Geomancer is WHM, Black Mage obv, Red Mage obv. Mystic Knight is basically an RDM).

That said, I think it faces slightly more obstacles than not, given itemization in this game.

I could totally see a Blue Mage being viable as a tank. Basically make its kit similar to a Red Mage's, only opposite with a heavier focus on melee combos and some spells/utility to make it worthwhile in a raid. It'd be nice to get some gear too a little more suited to Blue Mage's style if only for the sake of versatility in tank gear :D

I think it'd be pretty awesome to have Blue's skills come from primals too, at least quest related ones (if that's even a thing at that point!) Could totally see a literal Stoneskin from Titan, maybe an aoe similar to Salted Earth but it inflicts burns for its duration (Ifrit), or like a line aoe, similar to Monk's Howling Fist for some group damage (maybe a surge of water ala Leviathan). Give some relevance to old Primals again :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SerasIV

SNIP

---

This would be cool! Also could have (Hard) mode primals be job quest requirements.

This wouldn't work for multiple reasons.

1) tanks share gear so your leather cloth armor with low defense idea wouldn't be possible

2) being a tank implies you'll be getting hit near constantly. taking damage interrupts casts. I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this.

Personally I think dork knight was as close to a caster tank as were going to get. It would be interesting to see how a magitek knight plays out though if SE wanted to make an original tank class. Using magic, ceruleum, and body machinery (weapon and offhand) to tank maybe... IDK.

http://Tinyurl.com/geotank

I'm gonna leave this here again for my hopes that SE makes Geomancer a Tank. They would be the perfect candidate.

I still need to adjust it to 70, but the main premise is still there and still solid.

This might sound like a crazy idea, but it's something I've always wanted in an MMO: a caster that tanks by summoning a bad-ass companion, while the caster stands at the back and uses spells that help the companion do tank stuff. This includes weaker shields/heals that only affect the companion. The caster would also have some damaging spells for them to use sometimes, as well as certain cooldowns that buff the damage of the companion for a while. Plus a skill that transfers all enmity to the companion.

The caster and the companion's HP percentages are linked. So healing one would heal the other, and damage is shared between the two. However, the companion takes less damage when being hit. So a boss might hit you for 15,000 with an auto, you'll both take 7,500 damage. But if the boss hits your companion instead, it'll only do 10,000 and you'll both just lose 5,000 HP each. You'd have a resource-based spell on a low cooldown that makes you immune to damage (but not your pet's damage) for 2-3 seconds, so that you can avoid getting hit by party-wide AoE attacks, since if you and your pet get hit, if basically means you're taking twice the damage.

Upon the death of the companion, the caster survives with 1 HP and all enmity is transfered to them, but they become invulnerable for 5 seconds. The caster has a skill on a 4-5 minute cooldown that let's them instant-cast another companion that immediately regains enmity. This serves as their invulnerability mechanic.

The shields and heals from the caster wouldn't be enough to keep the companion alive. You'd need healers to help out. Whether the caster chooses to heal/shield the companion as well, or use their DPS spells, would be the difference between tank stance and DPS stance. The spells would be the shared -
under one stance, they're target-based damage spells/DoTs. Under another, they become heals/shields that you can only use on your companion and generate enmity for your companion. You'd have a skill with a moderate cooldown that transfers enmity to your companion. As well as cooldowns that become buffs to your companion depending on your stance as well.

Playing this would require a lot of coordination, as you would be having to position your companion appropriately to make sure the boss is facing the right way. You'd also have to make sure you don't get hit by AoE attacks. I don't see it being easy, but I sure as hell would have a blast playing something like this.

I am all in for any new tank with a unique flavor, but didn't the PLD basically become a caster tank in Stormblood, with it's heavy reliance on Holy Spirit?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mavrias

This wouldn't work for multiple reasons.

1) tanks share gear so your leather cloth armor with low defense idea wouldn't be possible

2) being a tank implies you'll be getting hit near constantly. taking damage interrupts casts. I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this.

---

1. The gear would be an issue for sure.

2. Don't see why they couldn't give you a trait or tankstance passive that makes you immune to interrupts.