Why am I so squishy as a PLD?

Hello everyone,

So I recently achieved the PLD job and I really like it. However, I have a really big problem because for some reason I can't tank properbly.

What excactly do I mean? Well, I am waaaay too squishy and I don't understand why. I have set all my points in vitality, I have decent gear for my level (I think) and I am good at keeping aggro.

So therefore I would really like your advise. What can I do to get less squishy? Am I doing something wrong? I can provide you more information if you want. I just really want to play this class...

you get shield oath at 40

Don't worry, you've got plenty of time to become tougher than rock :)

Yeah, but the thing is I am trying to complete a dungeon right now but everyone keeps leaving because I'm too squishy :P (7 times in a row)

And it is needed for the main quest line :P

I assume you're talking about Brayflox, the first big "oh god things hit hard" dungeon you meet.

This dungeon is a LOT harder than the ones before it, and at least until 38+ Warriors are the much sturdier tank here. However, don't despair. You -will- get better when you get Sentinel and Shield Oath, but there's a few things you can do in the meantime.

- Ensure you're using Rampart frequently even on trash packs. It has a huge uptime.
- Don't ignore Convalescence as a strong tanking cooldown. The healing effect on you is huge.
- Keep your gear up to date. This is perhaps the biggest one. If you're in level 24-28 green items you'll probably be fine. If you're still in pre-24 whites and stuff from Sastasha, you'll go splat.
- Consider allocating all your bonus Stat Points to Vitality if you havent already. All 50 Paladins should be a full 30 points in Vit, it doesnt hurt to start early. (You've done this, of course).
- Look for Vitality accessories. There's a set of Craftable accessories for level 28/29 that any good Goldsmith can craft you - "Sphene" jewellery. A full set of this will give you a nice buffer of Health.
- Make sure you know what the different mobs in the dungeon do. Dragonflies hit super hard, so try to stunlock them or focus them down first. Make sure you always walk out of red cones. And never be afraid to pop a tanking cooldown on trash packs.

The dungeon will get easier as you learn it and gradually accrue more gear. You're probably just reeling from how much harder it is than Haukke Manor or anything previously. ALL tanks are quite squishy in brayflox at first.

Thank you so much Sapphidia! Just what I needed. And yes, it is Brayflox, damn that dungeon is hard.

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Originally Posted by Sapphidia

ALL tanks are quite squishy in brayflox at first.

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It could just be luck of the draw with tanks I've gotten, but PLD seems to be hit much harder than WAR for Bray. I assume it's because Defiance is better than Sword Oath as far as tanking goes. . .

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Originally Posted by Viridiana

It could just be luck of the draw with tanks I've gotten, but PLD seems to be hit much harder than WAR for Bray. I assume it's because Defiance is better than Sword Oath as far as tanking goes. . .

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Correct! Warriors get 25% more health and 15% incoming healing passively from 30+. Paladins just get "a bit more damage" from sword oath. At 50 the major disparity between Warriors and Paladins is that whilst Shield Oath and Defiance are very similar in power (Defiance is weaker, sort of made up for by the self healing of the warrior), the warrior has nothing whatsoever to meet the power of Rampart, Sentinel and Hallowed Ground as cooldowns.

At Brayflox, not only does the Paladin not have Sentinel and Hallowed Ground, they dont have 20% flat reduction from Shield Oath, the equivalent of a 100% always-on Rampart. Warriors leave them in the dust for tanking until 40.

While Brayflox is a huge uptick in difficulty compared to other dungeons, it's going to be a breeze for you. It's a tank check, nothing more, and if you're failing the check, then up what you've got.

-- Get your gear up to your level. Make sure it's tank-appropriate gear. For us, nothing is as important as vitality points.

-- In Brayflox, it's entirely possible to end up pulling 5-7 mobs without necessarily trying to. Getting through Brayflox quickly and efficiently is all about looking at the field first, seeing all the trash mobs around, seeing which ones are static and which ones are roaming, and then using that to know where the safe spots are to pull only a few at a time without getting any others up in your business. Brayflox is your first big tank test in trash coordination. Don't rush. Watch the field, know your strategy (especially in those big open fields when mobs are everywhere), and when you get the hang of it, other dungeons like this (Aurum Vale, for example) will be like cake.

-- Cooldowns, cooldowns, cooldowns.

-- Be ready to lead the final boss around while dodging his breath. If you are standing in one place for more than 20 seconds at a time on him, you're doing something wrong.

Brayflox is a difficulty spike and very sensitive to your gear level. I looked at your character on Lodestone. You have several things that you'd be well advised to fix. First of all your gear is too light, you need better armor, ideally your gear should match or exceed the level of the dungeon from Brayflox on. However your biggest issuse is going to be holding aggro with a level 28 weapon. I'd suggest obtaining Grand Company gear at least, or talking to some friendly crafters about getting some HQ gear. Some of your accessories are quite low level as well, and it would ghelp to have them upgraded also. Your Free Company is a larger one, so talk to the crafters within it about getting some gear to help you. Honestly Brayflox is the first in sequence of difficulty spikes and your gear is the major way you can deal with those spikes - well, that and making sure you are on top of your skills of course.

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Originally Posted by BioOrganism

Yeah, but the thing is I am trying to complete a dungeon right now but everyone keeps leaving because I'm too squishy :P (7 times in a row)

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You've already got a lot of good advices. Have this last one: find a friendly Free Company and go into dungeons with your guildmates. They won't let you down, hopefully, and you'll learn better and faster :)

It's your jewelry. You have zero tank accessories and they are all low level anyway. I think the weapon is OK. Will it be easier with something better? Yes, but I'd buy all new jewelry and see how much of an improvement you get. It doesn't have to be hq. As a healer I suggest going for what gives you the most parry and vitality. The parry will help mitigate a lot of damage.

There will be gear checks in every dungeon from this point forward. Always make sure your gear is level appropriate.

If you're wanting to push it, you can snag the Steel Scale Mail stuff, but it'll come at a price and also you've gotta consider that at 35 you'll be wearing Heavy Mail (Bucket Head) stuff. Up to you if you want to upgrade, but it'll take a chunk out of your gil. I'd say pack on some vit things with your accessories but other than that it's pretty much just the luck of the draw. Sometimes even when you do all you can, it isn't enough. You'll come to know this when you hit Temple of Qarn and beyond, especially with the DF.

nvm, sorry, forgot about level capping <Derp>

Another thing to try, find a BLM friend, who can sleep :) I forget which level but they get a trait that AOE sleeps everything, (that can be slep) this will help a lot on the trash. A healer can sleep, but its one at a time, and usually with a tank that is taking a lot of damage we don't have time to sleep any mobs beyond the first one.

P.S. BLM will love you if you queue up with them, eliminates most of the DPS wait time in the duty finder lol

if you manage to get through it i recommend running it a few times.


calvary set is great. its pretty viable until you get to level 40 (for me it was at least).

Using flash frequently on trash mobs and some bosses can help greatly too. Don't underestimate blind.

Brayflox isn't really a gear check. I ran brayflox first with my Paladin before I started my Warrior and as my first tank char in MMO's I didn't have tip top gear for Brayflox. The dungeon just has some damage spikes, I ran brayflox probably 20x as a paladin and it felt spiky the first times I ran it. Afterwards it didn't but I don't chalk this up to gear, but getting used to the damage.

You'll find Brayflox is almost on auto-pilot on your third run, you don't even need to get gear from it atm. If I recall The grand companies will have lvl 31(?) gear you can put on, this'll be enough. I had some level 19 jewlery if I recall at the time that I ran with it, and the Plunderer belt from Satasha. Even after replacing low level pieces with higher gear it can still feel spikey.

Don't stress over gear here, what you've got to do to make things easier to cope with for yourself is pop cooldowns.
If your healer is really potent then you'll pop less, if he isn't just drop a Rampart or Foresight. Make sure to utilize Flash because it blinds, I found even an ocassional Flash during the final boss would reduce strains on the healer due to less need to heal.
The hardest stuff is the first two bosses, after that the damage will be more manageable partially due to you being used to it and partially due to a lot of it turning into red aoes from single targets that you can avoid.

One thing is if your party members are sleeping targets if they're able to. If you mark 1-2-3 the sleeper can put 3 and even 2 to sleep. That drops the damage you are taking down to a third right off the bat.

I wouldn't actually listen to the "don't stress about gear" part, because this is when you should start paying attention to your gear. Paying attention to it now and not letting yourself go to the advanced dungeons with sub-par gear will let you be very aware of what a difference it makes once you get to fights like the HM primals.

You're in a level range where PLD doesn't have all its advantages compared to WAR. You get shield oath at 40 which reduces damage taken, but WAR already has Defiance which gives them a 25% HP boost.

When I came into this dungeon leveling PLD, I had half a cavalry set from WAR and HQ pieces with materia melds on them, and I thought I was getting hit hard on PLD.

Basic tips is just to improve your gear if you can (that one ring especially), try to get drops in the dungeon, make sure you have multiple enemies in front of you so you can block with your shield, and use your cooldowns when getting overwhelmed (such as using them when the adds are present on the first boss, and make sure to get them in front of you).

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Originally Posted by Avalon_Albrook

I wouldn't actually listen to the "don't stress about gear" part, because this is when you should start paying attention to your gear. Paying attention to it now and not letting yourself go to the advanced dungeons with sub-par gear will let you be very aware of what a difference it makes once you get to fights like the HM primals.

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That's not to tell him to be undergeared but that the damage you feel in Brayflox for most players (or atleast in my case) was not a matter of gear, but understanding when to use cooldowns as a Paladin.
Not to sound arrogant but at the difficulty Brayflox presents now is the time to start trying to figure out the mechanics of fights and when to pop cd's. Mechanics are even more pronounced in Qarn even though that is more of a DPS dungeon.

By all means OP get your gear right, it's important but pay special attention to your play. GC gear/haukke/even some whites gives you all you need for this specific encounter. IMO Brayflox is where you really start getting good gear that you want to run repeatedly assuming you aren't a FATE spammer.

I agree, but this is also the point to start being more active and attentive with what you're equipping and how current it is for your level because it will start to make a difference.