New tank looking for tips.

I'm at lvl 32, but I'm looking for tips on tanking as a paladin

It's gonna stink for a while. Level 40 is when you get Shield Oath, but a strong DPS can pull right off you in the early stages if you're not ready for it. With that out of the way...

- Fight or Flight from the get-go is worth it. More damage, more enmity generated, more of a lead on those crit-happy or Raging Strikes popping dps that start off without holding back. (It's also why some offtanks can still steal hate from a tank with the enmity buff on--the damage difference adds up.)
- Flash never stops being useful, and it's not uncommon to use a few times in a row until you unlock Circle of Scorn to help with the AoE enmity generation.
- Fight or Flight and Rampart both typically will last through the first mob of any pull, and be off cooldown in time for either the next pull or the one after that, depending on your dps' strength.
- Foresight, Bloodbath, and Stoneskin are insanely useful. Cure is pleasant. Fracture is debatable.
- Until you get Shield Oath, marking targets is still probably a high priority to keep your DPS on the right targets. (Even after Shield Oath, it's a good practice until you're overgeared for the run.)

cure on pld only gets worse the higher level you go
stone skin is always a great choice though
especially in fights where your healer is inexperienced or bad at dodging

Cure may fall off, but can be the difference between life or death when stoneskin just barely won't be, and healers are otherwise occupied. It's saved me in Titan during stomps, Ifrit with both healers down (combined with a BLM physick spam) and in <redacted, new story content> on a Dark IV cast. Best advice is "Don't assume it's your job to heal with it unless you're the only one who can", I think.

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Originally Posted by KikoriL

Ifrit hm with both healers down (combined with a BLM physick spam)

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at that point its just carrying, cure at level 50 on pld is extremely weak

Funnest carry of my life, though.

1. Pick up Stoneskin, Bloodbath, Foresight, and Mercy Stroke as a must. 2. You're new, and you're going to hate level 30-40 since SE seemed to derp it up when deciding on when to give Shield Oath and Sword Oath... they really should have been switched. 3. 40-50 will make you smile as a PLD, but as a fresh 50, you're going to be in for a huge disappointment. Many DPS are already pushing ilvl 130, you're going to be coming in with 55-60, meaning they will almost certainly steal agro from you, probably continue to do so until you get to ilvl 100 or so. If you already have a high ilvl level 50 class, I highly suggest farming Soldiery for your Tank before you hit 50, so you're ready with some good gear. If you don't have a 50 yet, I actually suggest leveling one first, preferably a healer. Getting a party as a lower ilvl healer with an already well geared tank will mean your entire party will have an easier time than if you were tanking with a low ilvl tank. Further, it is a great idea to get into the mind of your healer as a tank and be able to understand their limits, their capabilities, and their tactics so you can be a better tank. I suggest leveling WHM first, since as a PLD, you're going to need Stoneskin. I consider healing as a sort of "Trial by Fire" for tanking. You'll learn your tactics for tanking from seasoned tanks and know what you shouldn't do from the bad ones, so that when you step into those shoes, you can be respectful to your healer and not make the same mistakes that infuriated you as a healer.

I sound like a hypocrite, since I didn't do healing first myself because I leveled with my partner who was a healer. I did go back and pick up healing of course, and all the other classes for that matter. But I always strongly urge tanks to do so, to walk a few miles in the shoes of those who have to keep them alive. It will make you appreciate your healer a lot more. Always make sure to take care of them, use your cooldowns, give them a break when they really need it.

AOE: Flash -> Flash -> FB -> SB -> switch targets -> RoH -> [Flash] -> cycle FB>SB>RoH rotation on any mobs that you're losing aggro on. Mark mobs 1-3, will make things a lot easier.

Single target: pop FoF before you pull -> Shield Lob -> RoH combo x infinity. If adds pop, Flash them (fastest aggro generation with 0 TP cost) unless you have a loaded SB/RoH and there's one add that spawned.

Stoneskin is situational at best until you get to 50, but as others said you should get it anyway as it'll be very valuable at end game.

Try your hardest not to die and to make your healer's life as easy as you can.

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Originally Posted by Ceodore

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I do have a lvl 50 SMN/SCH, so I've been trying to get i100 for my tank once I get it to lvl 50. Kikoril was saying that Stoneskin is good for a tank. Wouldn't you get interrupted the moment you start casting or does it take more damage before interrupting a tanks casting.

You can be interrupted, but you use it when the boss isn't attacking you. Easiest time to do this is when you're dodging an AOE that the boss is casting, because the boss won't attack while doing that. Also remember that you can cast it on other party members who you know will be targeted by a high damage attack.