Help for starting tanks

Hey guys, a member of my FC wrote a pretty helpful article for tanks just starting out in dungeons. If you're just starting out I think it's a great place to start. If you think it can be improved at all please reply and and I'll pass it along!

http://optimalotaku.com/2015/02/26/t...s-for-dummies/

Got to point #6
Became clear that OP doesn't know zippidy about tanking at all.

1: A good point, though maybe a bit incorrectly worded. "Know the dungeon maps" makes me think of knowing the actual paths to take in dungeons, whereas in XIV it's more about knowing where to pull what pack of enemies. You usually learn this in the final pull of Sastasha, though, so it's sort of something you'll end up grasping one way or the other. Most dungeons (except Toto-Rak) are fairly linear, so you basically see one set of monsters, you pull em, you see another, you pull em, etc. etc.

2: This is mainly for low level dungeons, so I'd say it's a good tip for those starting out. Eventually AOE takes over for DPS and tanks, so marks will eventually become less useful. Before you get Butcher's Block/Rage of Halone, marks are a godsend, though.

3: Very important point. Nothing to really expand upon here.

4: You can't start dungeons until 15, so you don't really have a choice with this. A better tip would be "Do your level 15 class quest before starting dungeons" (it's where you get Tomahawk and Shield Lob from).

5: Yep. Practice makes perfect.

6: Thiiiiis is a bit misguided, though I think the author has the right idea. You don't want to be focused solely on dealing more damage, you want to be focused on gaining and maintaining enmity... however, to do this, you need to do as much damage to those enemies as you can. The only exception being Flash for PLD for AOE enmity, due to it not dealing damage but still increasing enmity. For example, early on for MRD, you want to keep up Maim, but only once you've gotten enough enmity on the target to allow you to not need Skull Sunder for 3 GCDs (usually opening with offensive CDs and doing a few SS combos will make this happen). Stacking STR for damage also helps with enmity at lower levels, and at higher levels. While your primary focus should be having enough health to survive whatever you're tanking, your other focus should be dealing as much damage to enemies as possible to gain more threat.

7: Definitely. While it's great to experience a dungeon the first time for yourself, a tank is usually expected to know the place inside and out before even stepping foot in there if you're going through DF. If you want to not watch videos, I recommend grouping up with 3 friends.

8: Trying new things is a very good thing to do as a tank, but there's obviously a limit to what you should be trying. Don't push your limits too much or you'll end up dead on the floor, along with everyone else in the party.

All in all, it's a pretty good starter guide. 6 should be better explained, or reworded in a way that... well, makes sense, but the rest of the points are basically fine as-is.

the whole philosophy behind dungeon tanking is this:
1) Tank takes all the damage and has aggro on all enemies
2) Healer heals tank
3) Dps do the damage
We are all just somewhere in the middle... Tanking in raids is an entire different section which should be mentioned as well if the guide is to be complete.

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll pass this along so he can modify it and make it better!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MrsFluffyButt

Got to point #6
Became clear that OP doesn't know zippidy about tanking at all.

---

Sorry you felt that way. He had recently switched to tanking and just wanted to share some things he wishes he was told before he started.

My tip would be to read up on and spend time in the open world practicing rotating your enmity skills and flash or overpower on enemies rather than marking and single target attacking as quickly due to aoe marking becomes inefficient. Also make sure to keep weapon and gear upgraded as added strength and weapon damage help tanking big time.

There's no necessary kill order in a dungeon. Dps should first kill the target you pull the group with but they sometimes don't and it's easy to adjust to that. I find if a dps isn't going to attack the target you lob/tomahawk they aren't going to follow marks. It also tends to slow the run to a crawl and make the party impatient. In dungeons where you don't even need a tank your party will decide to set the pace themselves and pull ahead.

However, if you or your party really want marks use a macro to get them up quickly.

/mk Triangle
/focustarget
/ac "Target Forward"
/mk attack2 <t>
/ac "Target Forward"
/mk attack3 <t>
/target <f>
/mk attack1 <f>

Overall the guide really doesn't not explain basic tanking very well. It also makes tanking seem like a bigger chore or responsibility than it is. Tanking is easy and fun. There's no need to watch videos of low level dungeons. I did all the leveling dungeons at release with parties who were all fresh and we got through them just fine.

I'm relatively new to tanking in this game as well, but #6 really did throw me off. There's nothing wrong with trying to do as much damage as you can (unless you're inappropriately swapping your stats around, like stacking STR for a tough fight when you really need VIT for it).

Damage is a way to gain aggro, and it should be supplemented in as part of emnity generation. If you're having a tough time as a PLD, try popping Fight or Flight on top of everything you do (unless you're busy, well, not attacking). It helps.

Not attacking and popping Flash all the time is also a surefire way to drain yourself of MP.

idk i can flash/riot thro entire expert dungeons and not have mp issues

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by krazyrs

idk i can flash/riot thro entire expert dungeons and not have mp issues

---

Right, which is where the "not attacking" part comes in. :P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Syfer22

Right, which is where the "not attacking" part comes in. :P

---

But they are. ;x Riot blade is the 2nd strongest weapon skill a paladin has that's apart of their combo rotations and is the strongest before Rage, just never got a finisher for it...until Heavensward.

#6 Attack less if you're an OT, don't start "the aggro war", because it can turn out very badly.
Keep it enough to be the number 1 place for enmity in the group.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AriaEnia

#6 Attack less if you're an OT, don't start "the aggro war", because it can turn out very badly.
Keep it enough to be the number 1 place for enmity in the group.

---

this might be more for PLD then WAR...

but if you are stealing aggro as OT, either your MT is doing something wrong, or you are Critting like a madman.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Defteros

this might be more for PLD then WAR...

but if you are stealing aggro as OT, either your MT is doing something wrong, or you are Critting like a madman.

---

Or the MT decided to go Sword Oath/turn off Defiance for "moar deepz"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Seku

But they are. ;x Riot blade is the 2nd strongest weapon skill a paladin has that's apart of their combo rotations and is the strongest before Rage, just never got a finisher for it...until Heavensward.

---

No, I'm responding to the article's #6 where it says not to attack/attack less.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Syfer22

No, I'm responding to the article's #6 where it says not to attack/attack less.

---

and I'm responding to you quoting Kraz and correcting a misconception that using flash/riot blade is not attacking.