[Beginner] Looking for some tips

Hello there.

Before I jump into it, let me start by saying that I am a true beginner (aka noob) at this game.

With that in mind, here are my starting questions:

1) Point allocation. What's our priority?

2) Cross-class skills. Is there anything worth picking from other classes that will actually help my tanking performance?

3) Gear. This is where it starts to get a bit confusing to me, so I'll split it into different topics.

3a) Gear comaparison. When comparing two items, does the system take into account the bonus stats (str/vit/parry, etc) or is it based solely on the defense/attack stats?

3b) Legs+feet vs. Flanchards. Overall, and assuming same item level, which would be better?

3c) While leveling, should I be bothered with materia? If so, which ones? (I can't afford much atm).

If you can enlighten me on these topics, I'd be most grateful. Any extra tips are most welcomed, ofc.

Regards,
Meraxes Esgaroth

Hello,

1. VIT all the way.

2. As a Gladiator (Paladin in the future), the choices you have are relatively small. You'll want to eventually get skills from Conjurer (Protect, Stoneskin, Cure, Raise), and Marauder (Foresight, Bloodbath, Mercy Stroke). As a Gladiator you'll have more options to choose from. Virus from Arcanist for weakening bosses, Raging Strikes from Archer to further increase damage, but as a Paladin you are only allowed to cross 5 skills in total from both Conjurer and Marauder. In terms of importance, I rate them in this order: Stoneskin, Bloodbath, Foresight, Mercy Stroke, Protect.

3a. Definitely prioritize the defensive stats, and then focus on VIT. Any other stat is secondary to a tank. Left hand side tank gear naturally comes with STR, but your best secondary stat is Parry.

3b. Tally up the defense you get from legs + boots, and see if they compare against Flanchards, then go for the better option. One thing you'll have to consider is that if you are using Flanchards and plan to replace them later, you'll need both a new set of legs + boots.

3c. Materia is unnecessary while levelling. Unless you have lots of spare Tier I you feel like burning, it does not impact your performance in lower level dungeons at all.

Tanking Mindset:

1/Your Job is to hold agrro, not DPS.Be brave and get a cool head all the time.
2/Have a thick skin because Tank will get blamed a lot if things go downhill, whether it is actually your fault or not.
3/Mark the target until you are confident at Holding Aggro.
4/Constant switch target to watch out for agrro, especially of the mob that there is one melee DPS attacking it because the threat will be accumulated very quick.
5/Healer does not attack mobs does not mean they can not get attacked. By healing you, Healer build up threat on every single one that are attacking you, make sure you AOE generating threat once in a while.
6/Play with all class/job to have a rough idea how much threat each attack will generate and how long it will take for each class/job to overtake aggro from the Tank when he is not attacking it. It helps tremendously.
7/A good tank is a tank that can estimate roughly what is the threat meter on each mobs without actually looking at the threat meter. This can only be learnt by experience and by playing all class, knowing which mob need to be prioritize on.
8/Understand every single fight mechanic because you are the main factor to decide a win fight or a lost.
9/Use your defensive CD when you feel being unsafe. Do not rely on Healer to keep you alive.
10/ Single DPS/Melee DPS build aggro much quicker than AOE DPS, though watch out for Flare from BLM.

Don't know if I miss anything. Feel free to add more.

Hello there. Welcome to the PLD role.

If you are truly, truly, truly a noob, then I'm also going to assume some things, like myself when I started playing this game as my first MMO and tank:

1. The tank role is expected to move the party along in the dungeon you are in. When you start hitting higher level dungeons, depending on your gear level and party make-up, you'll likely be expected to pull a lot, really fast. As much as I hated the berating, I also made it known I was still new at being the tank when I started the dungeon, and to bare with me.

2. Since you are choosing the route of PLD (at least from the looks of it), flash is your best friend in the world. Although the "blind" effect wears off, and the mobs become immune, it still creates emnity each time you use. So, when in doubt, use it over and over and over and over.....refill mana, use it over and over and over. Soon you will know when you have used it enough, and when you will need to use it again. Cycle through your combos on the mobs themselves as needed with your combos to generate emnity.

3. Running through mobs and bosses is one of the best tactics in avoiding AoEs. Once you really get the hang of it, the mob/boss won't even turn because you will be back in place before they do so. and when you get even better and have better prediction about the AoE, you won't even have to move a lot but can almost "twitch" out of the way and back. You'll learn and it will be awesome (if you haven't already).

3. FACE THE MOBS TOWARDS YOU when pulling in a group of them. If you are in the center, or one is at your back, I've heard and read rumor (though never bothered to ask for confirmation but it makes sense) that you cannot block or parry them. Not sure, but I never took the risk.

4. Read up on different threads about the PLD role to get an idea of common errors people make, derps, etc, and you will learn to not make them yourself.

5. As mentioned above, VIT, Parry, defense, and accuracy are important factors for a tank. The other stats mean little to nothing.

6. Ask questions

7. Read a lot

8. Ask more questions and read some more

9. Have fun

Thanks for the tips guys.

One more thing, do I have to take Gladiator all the way to 50, or once I turn into Paladin the skills combine?


Regards,
Meraxes Esgaroth

Gladiator and Paladin share xp. So once you get to 30, equip your Paladin stone and keep on going. If you ever for some reason decide to take off the stone and be Gladiator, it'll still be the same level you were as Paladin.

Oh and you still retain/gain your Gladiator abilities/traits just as you have been...so you'll keep all you have and gain all you have left :) Everything will make sense as you become a Paladin!