Tank Appreciation Thread

A thread to thank the Tanks whether it be a individual or a particular class/job, your thoughts on said class/job are also welcome. A place to share positive tips, stories revolved around tanking, and so on. Basically good tank experiences and advice.

While playing the game for a month or so since I returned to the game, I've noticed a shortage on people in this role, talking with a guild member my suspicions were confirmed. I couldn't understand why, I generally playing a healer or dps myself but once I got Dark Knight I decided this would be the class I would main when I decide to tank, so of course so began my adventures in tanking.

The first thing I noticed is that I find the tank is de facto leader, and that's not something a lot of people who play the game might want to get into because of their own feelings when it comes to said role(leadership). My own experience as a healer/dps is that the good tanks I've played with definitely seem to have a more commanding approach when it comes to the party dynamic. They tend to bark out orders on just about everything, but for the most part it usually goes well if everyone abides by their ideas/suggestions/orders. I admit I like to let people play how they want to play and usually try to accommodate to the best of my ability so that it still goes well, (naturally that makes me more suited for healing.) but as a tank, I see there is a reason why so many of us have to kind of shepard the party, I mean I guess its the trade off for you know getting beat up for everyone. lol

Another thing I've noticed is that a lot of people don't seem to thank the Tank when things go well, usually by way of a kind word thrown their way or with a commendation. When I play healer I usually always accommodate the Tank unless he leaves before i get the chance, but by default if im a healer and I never died then the Tank did a exceptional job so I thank them. I would think vice versa as well, dps? I tend to lean toward the tank if im never targeted by a enemy, and the healer if i'm in need of healing and get it regularly.

Getting used to the responsibility of the role was intimidating as hell but still incredibly fun, that's for sure. I've heard that some tanks are big jerks and that bums me out so I make a point to ask who's new to a dungeon, if anyone is, or ask if everyone is familiar with an upcoming boss or general dungeon mechanics. I want be sure that everyone in the party isn't struggling with anything and if they are, I try to help out the best I can.

My eyes are basically glued to the aggro bar in combat so nobody is getting unnecessarily wrecked unless the healer volunteers to kite some adds or other pre-determined factors are in play.

I do toss the healer the recommendation unless they leave immediately. And I have heard the phrase "tank is a thankless job" more than once, which is correct, but I don't mind too much as long as everyone is having fun.

SE appreciated tanks too with animals

Honestly the community and its treatment of tanks at least what I've experienced here and in WoW has more than embittered me over the years of cumulative gaming. Some people who've ran with me might not think it but at some point my goal was to try and give everyone i could as much help as possible and ease the dungeon experience. Now I kind of look at a pug group when I join and immediately look at them with a degree of aversion to joining or dealing with them. It really does help when a player does something minor like this giving me a sense of appreciation I don't get too often. I am still happy to help so long as people can admit mistakes or say they are new if they are. I will still expect a modicum of skill from players at 60 or that have been at the game for a while.

Sorry didn't mean to type a rant.(seriously if it says there is a new player and everyone stays quiet it helps no one and if we wipe due to you not communicating i will hardly care if you are new then)

Thank you Rhett

From my experience leveling my DPS classes there are two types of tanks. There's the I know how to play the job and do everything mechanically, or the "I want fast ques and I just troll and half ass the job". Perfect example was I ran the 2nd Heavensward dungeon last night forget the name Solm something or other on my BLM. Tank immediately shouts "speed run" barells off with sprint as soon as the gate opened while the WHM was buffing then dies and gives everyone shit for not following.

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Originally Posted by Selvokaz

Snippity snip snip

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You can bypass the character limit on posts by editing your post afterwards XD.

if you see a warrior holmgang ,berserk and equilibrium and save a wipe, thank the warrior likewise with whatever a dark knight or paladin can do that proves they know their job that well. I do things like this all the time and no one even cares.

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Originally Posted by AnimaS

if you see a warrior holmgang ,berserk and equilibrium and save a wipe, thank the warrior likewise with whatever a dark knight or paladin can do that proves they know their job that well. I do things like this all the time and no one even cares.

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yyep. I used to get tons of comms when I was taking things slow and learning the role. Now that I'm proud of how well I handle runs , I rarely get comms even though I'm still friendly and don't ever have the wipes or aggro issues I did once upon a time and oftentimes outparse even the actual dps I'm running with.

Endgame tanking truly is a "tankless job". :/ even when things look crazy and you handle cd's perfectly to pull through, dps just assume the healer did an awesome job and give them the comm.

Tanking in wow jaded me.

I like it here, but all the appreciation isn't getting me a Savage spot. :/

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Originally Posted by ArdorGrey

yyep. I used to get tons of comms when I was taking things slow and learning the role. Now that I'm proud of how well I handle runs , I rarely get comms even though I'm still friendly and don't ever have the wipes or aggro issues I did once upon a time and oftentimes outparse even the actual dps I'm running with.

Endgame tanking truly is a "tankless job". :/ even when things look crazy and you handle cd's perfectly to pull through, dps just assume the healer did an awesome job and give them the comm.

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That's how I feel sometimes. There's times I tank ok... no issues, maybe lost aggro once or twice on a loose mob. And ill get a comm. Then when I have a A game, perfect pulling, perfect dmg, aggro on everything 100%... saving people. No comm's... lol

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Originally Posted by Selvokaz

A thread to thank the Tanks whether it be a individual or a particular class/job, your thoughts on said class/job are also welcome. A place to share positive tips, stories revolved around tanking, and so on. Basically good tank experiences and advice.

While playing the game for a month or so since I returned to the game, I've noticed a shortage on people in this role, talking with a guild member my suspicions were confirmed. I couldn't understand why, I generally playing a healer or dps myself but once I got Dark Knight I decided this would be the class I would main when I decide to tank, so of course so began my adventures in tanking.

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You can't possibly know how much making a thread like this means to me and others who tank. From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much.

I appreciate a good tank. I appreciate each tank that will think of everyone in the team while going through whatever duty they are going through. Will they wait a few seconds for resources to tick up, will they pop a CD if they see the healer helping out DPS and even be ready to pop their no die CD if they see something went wrong... will they acknowledge that they are not the only person there and that there are others there and that maybe not everyone plays the same as they do?

/bow

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Originally Posted by rhett

Getting used to the responsibility of the role was intimidating as hell but still incredibly fun, that's for sure. I've heard that some tanks are big jerks and that bums me out so I make a point to ask who's new to a dungeon, if anyone is, or ask if everyone is familiar with an upcoming boss or general dungeon mechanics. I want be sure that everyone in the party isn't struggling with anything and if they are, I try to help out the best I can.

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I still get a little apprehsive before I run something new, even if I've watched a guide a dozen times. Thanks to all the tanks I've got good advice from (many from the forums), and the healers that put up with me on my journey to becoming an acceptable tank.

Hail to the King Baby :D

I tank because I honestly enjoy the job and tend to be the de facto leader anyhow so why not own it and tank? I've played all the other jobs to get a solid understanding of what they all have to deal with and what they need from me as a tank. I feel like the rewards are pretty good and if I'm getting stressed or tired of tanking, I can switch to my dps or healing jobs and that keeps things fresh and interesting. Now that I have my war bear I'll be going for my war panther. I love to main WAR bc I'm good with main or off tank no matter the instance.

To all the other folks out there tanking responsibly, I salute you.

I've found the community here to be MUCH more open and inviting to new players, and even other players. I regularly see people apologizing for stuff and people being completely cool with it, and I see people just being accommodating and polite. It's awesome, and definitely leaps and bounds better than what I experienced in WoW. Sure, there's still the occasional jerk who likes to pull ahead, but usually asking nicely will get them to cut it out.

I tank because it gets me the most satisfaction. I love being the person to lead the group into battle, and I love being the person who takes all the hits. In the end, we're just little dogs yapping for the boss' attention, but that mentality of "no, you will focus on ME" is why I love it.

Wuh.. W-What is this thread...


I just got used to being abused...

inb4 "the way you play you might as well be a dps :^)"

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Originally Posted by FallenWings

Wuh.. W-What is this thread...


I just got used to being abused...

inb4 "the way you play you might as well be a dps :^)"

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LOL I had this problem with someone playing in The Aery the astrologian was giving me shit for every little thing and said that straight afterwards, all I could say in the chat was "Don't like the way I play Dark Knight? then you play Dark Knight....... I'm not here to cater to you I am here to have fun kthxbye" then I said no word after.

+1 for the positive thread.

Playing as a healer and dps, I find myself in queue for a long time, waiting for a tank to queue up. Now attempting to roll as PLD myself, even in dungeons, you get impatient DPS (who either pull for you, or vote-kick you if you are there for experience points) and/or healers who focus too much on dps'ing and you sometimes die.

That said, I now understand why many people who play tanks do NOT jump into content as quick as they use to, especially with random people. One group in "The Aery" was upset because I wasn't wearing DPS accessories, kept calling me a bad tank even though I was ignoring him.

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Originally Posted by Jim_Berry

+1 for the positive thread.

Playing as a healer and dps, I find myself in queue for a long time, waiting for a tank to queue up. Now attempting to roll as PLD myself, even in dungeons, you get impatient DPS (who either pull for you, or vote-kick you if you are there for experience points) and/or healers who focus too much on dps'ing and you sometimes die.

That said, I now understand why many people who play tanks do NOT jump into content as quick as they use to, especially with random people. One group in "The Aery" was upset because I wasn't wearing DPS accessories, kept calling me a bad tank even though I was ignoring him.

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THIS^
Is it bad when every time I want to queue up in duty finder that I ALWAYS get a little bit scared of who I'm gonna have in my party? is this normal?

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Originally Posted by Demogulus-Veisef

THIS^
Is it bad when every time I want to queue up in duty finder that I ALWAYS get a little bit scared of who I'm gonna have in my party? is this normal?

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Not at all.
Main thing to keep in mind is that they're the ones with a problem, not you. :)

Thank you, OP for this thread.
Even when I'm not on my tanks in DF, I'll watch and offer suggestions/tips to tanks whom I notice may not be maximizing what all they can do to make the run smoother for themselves and their group. (Major thing I seem to mention the most is positioning. Waaaaaay too many new-and-upcoming tanks seem to let mobs get behind them. So I politely say something like "Please try to keep everything in front of you. Remember; you cannot dodge, block or parry from behind,")

About 9 out of 10 of those I mention this to, in this method, will thank me and I see them immediately begin being more aware of how they're positioning. :) The other 1... they're the ones the rest of us are so very sorry that you all have to come across at some point. They disappoint us too.

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Originally Posted by ArdorGrey

yyep. I used to get tons of comms when I was taking things slow and learning the role. Now that I'm proud of how well I handle runs , I rarely get comms even though I'm still friendly and don't ever have the wipes or aggro issues I did once upon a time and oftentimes outparse even the actual dps I'm running with.

Endgame tanking truly is a "tankless job". :/ even when things look crazy and you handle cd's perfectly to pull through, dps just assume the healer did an awesome job and give them the comm.

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Oh, haha, I thought I was the only one who experienced that. Well, I suppose it's normal then, after a fashion. Well then! That's one mystery solved.

I always seem to get two kinds of parties if I am PUGing my ESO grind:

The ones who LOVE my aggressive tanking as we melt mobs and clear in 15 minutes

Or

The ones who get pissy that I am pulling everything and want me to be in full fending gear and pull small because they are "Not trying to do a Savage Neverreap run"

Typically I get comms and kind words from people who raid. They understand, notice, and appreciate what I am doing and how much of a difference a solid tank makes (usually healers but I get a lot of love from SMNs too). Casual players tend to not notice how much I am actually pushing my class and just enjoy me keeping aggro.

At the end of the day I really don't care what everyone is thinking of me. I run everything to the best of my abilities and attempt to push everyone around me to their playing limits.

Some people like it. Some don't.

@All you tanks not getting comms. D: Play with me dammit. There's only been one from the forums I met in DF and she sure got one from me hehe.

I always comm the tanks!

As the title states, I would just deviate a bit and just say that it always makes me VERY happy whenever I DF and have this specific party setup:

• PLD(me)
• SCH(Eos users, I prefer more, since they stay in CS for extended periods of time)
• BLM
• SMN

Everything just melts so fast.

Because white mages and asts don't have pets healing for them. And blmx2 is unmatched.

As someone who mains a tank it sucks sometimes when you give a person tips in a non aggressive way and they completely explode at you I had a tank sit in front of first boss after a wipe explaining word for word what he said and did then blamed it on the healer (myself). What he was doing was not dodging lightning, not using CDs and not using shield oath as he was getting hit like a truck and not dodging things, not tanking the adds. It was a mess. During last boss the tank blamed me when it was last boss in the Aery no one dps'd me out of the pillar, I even went right into the boss in the middle to help the melee dps). But there are the good tanks I get while lvling my Ast recently that really know how to pull and use CDS and get my commend tbh though it's more of a DPS issue for myself. I rarely get bad tanks in my DF just bad DPS.

This thread has made me think about playing on my PLD character again. I stopped playing him because it seemed like I was running into so many jerks who would berate me for not speed running. I simply can't due to severe arthritis, so smaller pulls is my style.
Had one healer [wearing law and ESO and 200 weapon, while I was just in i140ish white HQ and questing greens with a 133 HQ weapon] who told me unless I mass pulled she wouldn't heal me, at which point I said 'Fine by me, but if you get aggro don't expect me to pull it off you now that you've drawn that line in the sand.'
She was dying within 30 seconds because She pulled a ton of mobs while I was working on the 5 or so I'd already pulled. The two dps pretty much cracked up laughing.

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Originally Posted by ruskie

... will they pop a CD if they see the healer helping out DPS and even be ready to pop their no die CD if they see something went wrong...

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I don't get it why a Tank wouldn't use its defensive CDs frequently. I use at least one in every Pull with 3+ Mobs. They all have a short CD anyway, except Hallowed Ground.

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Originally Posted by ArdorGrey

yyep. I used to get tons of comms when I was taking things slow and learning the role. Now that I'm proud of how well I handle runs , I rarely get comms even though I'm still friendly and don't ever have the wipes or aggro issues I did once upon a time and oftentimes outparse even the actual dps I'm running with.

Endgame tanking truly is a "tankless job". :/ even when things look crazy and you handle cd's perfectly to pull through, dps just assume the healer did an awesome job and give them the comm.

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1600 comms and counting<

Usually the DF rule of thumb is tank/healer swap comms, and the dps swap comms. If you think the healer is ninja'ing your comms for your hard work, you need more flair. Throw some emotes in, heck I've macro'd Brutal Swing to throw a firework in the air, if anything to stand out and show this is a piece o' cake for me. Truth is, like bartending, tanking is more about the impression you leave than the service you provide if you want to get the best tip. Good Luck

I guess I'm just the bitter one here who jumps into DF with a fast queue, doesn't say a word unless necessary (because... DF...), rolls through the dungeon in 15 minutes or less and leaves as soon as the loot is rolled?

In reality though, I love PLD. I've been doing the pally deal since pen and paper D&D. But if your tank doesn't say anything at the start of a dungeon there's probably a million awful groups behind the reasoning. I'm not there to impress the dps or the healer. I'm there to pull mobs, hold on to them, and assist in killing them as rapidly as possible. I thank you, but I don't specifically need a commendation to be your meat shield; I'll do that anyway.

Couple reasons i don't usually queue up my tank. Dungeons are very do able with so so tank and very good dps. Bad dps makes for an excruciating bad instance run. Game is so focused on dps. Sorry but dodging big bright areas not that hard. My tank is Paladin, was boring in 2.0 and guess what, still boring. Wonder if SE knows what "fun" is.

And don't get me started on new players that don't tank advice.

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Originally Posted by Galan

My tank is Paladin, was boring in 2.0 and guess what, still boring. Wonder if SE knows what "fun" is.

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Personal opinion respected. Being a tank is a deep choice from my point of view. I tank for many years over the MMOs I played so far. Why ? Because I believe that I'm supposed to enter the battle first but I have to be the last to leave it, everything for the team's sake. Whether they dont like my way to play, my caution in the run, the time I give to stop for newcomers to "teach" them. I dont care if they dont say thanks, goodbye or hello. They are here and so am I and that's it. we have a common goal and its doing a run fully and safely.

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Originally Posted by Twilite

@All you tanks not getting comms. D: Play with me dammit. There's only been one from the forums I met in DF and she sure got one from me hehe.

I always comm the tanks!

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Originally Posted by Iagainsti

1600 comms and counting<

Usually the DF rule of thumb is tank/healer swap comms, and the dps swap comms. If you think the healer is ninja'ing your comms for your hard work, you need more flair. Throw some emotes in, heck I've macro'd Brutal Swing to throw a firework in the air, if anything to stand out and show this is a piece o' cake for me. Truth is, like bartending, tanking is more about the impression you leave than the service you provide if you want to get the best tip. Good Luck

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To be honest, I don't see the point in commending a Tank or Healer over a DPS solely for the role they play. Regardless of how immediately more important their presence is, they're simply doing what they're supposed to do - same as everyone else. Frankly, at least when I receive them as a DPS I can give them slightly more recognition since it's more likely that I left some sort of positive impression on them. Don't get me wrong, I like fast and efficient runs as much as the next person, but I'm not going to "punish" someone more comfortable with smaller pulls or simply having a bad day by not commending them. I'd rather be in a run with someone apologising profusely for constantly losing aggro and allowing a couple of wipes to happen than with an arrogant or obnoxious player(not that I have much experience running into them).

That's why if someone can't so much as say "Hello" and "Goodbye" during a run then there's an incredibly low chance that I'll commend them. Silent players that can't distinguish themselves from bots don't really inspire "I'd look forward to playing with you again" feelings, no matter how good they are. Tanking and healing may have more responsibility in most cases, but in my eyes, that's what I and everyone else signed up for. I don't feel I deserve commendations any more than a DPS, particularly so if they make more of an effort to be friendly or helpful.


As for Tanks being the party 'leaders', I suppose I can understand that to an extent, albeit I think I lack leadership traits to be honest. I'll happily explain even a very basic fight in very thorough detail if someone likes(since I am not a fan of "dodge stuff, stay away from edges" summaries) but other than that I pretty much adapt toward the party's convenience. Do you have a preference for MT/OT? Sure, take whatever. Are mechanics forcing you in one direction? I'll turn the boss to save you the bother of running even further. I admit there are some ways I prefer things to be done and I might silently wish the party would adhere to that, but I usually don't feel comfortable asking them to do things that aren't very necessary. Take Limit Breaking for example; I have a bit of a pet peeve with people who don't bother using it anywhere but on the final boss but I won't ask anyone to use it(unless I am queued with a friend), nor will I mark enemies that can be a bit more annoying or require attention, such as bees, since somehow I find that marking enemies can be patronizing... which I guess is another pet peeve, haha.

I don't know.... I just guess that if it's not important then I don't want to go around telling people what to do or how to play uninvited, not that I necessarily mind it myself.