Idle curiosity, but...

When you're main tanking, how does it feel to you? I was chit chatting with one of my raiding friends the other night and they said that they tend to zero in on it, somewhat like a samurai duel, while in comparison, for me, main tanking feels like a flat out brawl, two boxers slugging each other out on the mat. So how does it feel for anyone else? Feel free to comment as a healer or deeps also!

It feels like I'm surrounded by people who don't know right from left and I'm too busy to tell them the difference in chat. >_>

At times it feels like your baby sitting people who refuse to follow mechanics, other times it feels like your teaching people the game. It really depends on the group your in. On the other perspective sometimes you get tanks that act like trolls and don't take into consideration player experience and wipe the whole group on purpose.

I feel like I'm constantly disappointing everyone and failing at managing everybody's expectations.

Healer would probably love me to be better at managing my own HP and popping my cooldowns at the right time.
DPS would probably want me to get more of a threat lead, pull faster, not make them waste their buffs, and position the boss and mobs perfectly to make AoE easier.
I'd love to push for more DPS.

I don't even think about what the boss mechanics are -- those are automatic.

Nowadays, I avoid all that by just playing DPS.

Feels like a private cinema where the boss is force feeding me popcorn as I watch the stupid ass actors (most of my party's), fail at tieing their shoe laces.

There's a lot of panic and flailing wildly. Then I remember to turn on Shield Oath. But no, seriously I don't get hung up on it anymore. I don't really know how to answer this question. When I MT I MT and don't really think about it.

Over a decade of main tanking has gotten me to the point where the boss is just in the background for me. I zone out on the boss and constantly look to see that the rest of the party is doing okay; looking for potential adds, ground mechanics, etc.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Heliantheae

I don't really know how to answer this question. When I MT I MT and don't really think about it.

---

I was predominantly just curious how some people view being the main tank. Turns out most people are laughing at their party members in private. XD Ah well.

I was tanking yesterday with an archer that excelled at hitting the room with a solid AoE before I even got close enough to screw up my rotation. It was rather hilarious watching him run about trying to stay alive. I even used up all my MP flashing to show the rest of the group how futile a gesture that is. It was the end of a long day, so the humor part wore thin fast, but I said nothing. You group members, when you see this, you tell the guy. Don't make the tank do it. Stand up for your meat shields!

It feels like I'm part of some ritual sacrifice and my party offered me up to whatever twisted god demanded blood. So they throw me at whatever monstrosity it is. I only get heals to prolong the torture and collect more of my precious liquids. Then they start hitting whatever it is with sticks to make it angrier! Spurring it on like a cattle prod to rip my body asunder.

WARs are in on it though, and revel in their own blood anyway, so they are rarely offered to be sacrificed. The Blood God doesn't like it when WARs steal all the blood for themselves.

If im on point, not tired or distracted, and got my cooldowns going, I feel like a god, taking impossible blows that would fell another.

I tend to also get tunnel vision while tanking.

Inna dungeon I feel like a juggernaut, grabbin' everythin' I can an' turnin' their blows, while the rest a' the group shows 'em why ya don't turn yer back on the whoresons with big sharp sticks in their mitts.

Inna raid I feel like an arsehole, japin' around ta keep the boss' attemtion while I poke the shins, ocasionally watchin' 'em turn around ta throw shite at the group while they're runnin' around scrapin' each other off the floor.

I feel like I'm constantly screwing up (in reality it's only like half the time), slowing down everyone and generally just being bad. Every time I get a commendation as a tank, I'm shocked. I kind of hate tanking, lol.

I feel like everyone is silently judging me all the time.

I feel that way because when I'm not tanking, I spend the entire time silently judging the tank.

I'm sorry for silently judging you, tanks.

Talraen and Galktica have it about perfect. Some days I feel like I start off doing great, only to look like a total arse on the last boss. Getting judged is part of tanking as you are the leader and setting the pace. I'm pretty sure that's why tanks are always in demand. Most don't want the responsibility and there's nothing wrong with that. Personally I never tank if I feel like relaxing.

I never did stance dance as pld since the dps damage and healer as well is already enough for quick run. As war I did dance stance since I like to see fell cleave damage. BUT I suggest at A9S never use sword oath.

Main tanking, in my opinion, is like sitting on your hands. Pop a CD here and go back to Netflix :D

I feel like it's my duty to control the fight as best I can to make it as easy as I can for everyone else present, I guess.

Edit: I don't give orders, I just watch what everyone else is doing and try to act in a way that helps them succeed at it as best I can.

Boring.

I get more action as a DPS despite what the common opinion says.

I feel like I'm getting down to business to defeat the Huns.

I laugh at the guy who's trying to take aggro off me. It's cute.

It's the only time I can really "feel" the boss.

I feel like a mountain. Whether I have an army of small fry beating on me, or I'm taking a boss's nuke to the face and laughing it off, I'm indestructible!

...with more than a little help from the healer, of course. :)

I don't like it, specially when I'm tanking as DD.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Galaktica

I feel like everyone is silently judging me all the time.

I feel that way because when I'm not tanking, I spend the entire time silently judging the tank.

I'm sorry for silently judging you, tanks.

---

^

Tanking at sophia also really fun as PLD.

Boring. Outside of raid content it's really mind numbing. During raid content it's more fun. I remember when I was maining PLD back in 2.x. OMG you literally fall asleep during fights because of the lack of MT mechanics. I used to space out, pondering the mysteries of life in between mechanics. I'd take the OT position because I get to DPS and tank ocasionally. More action and more mechanics to deal with.

I feel like I'm in a game of Dynasty Warriors.

It feels like all you're doing is staring at crotches and knees. Sometimes I think "this is what it must be like to be a Lalafell."

Have only felt like I was actually tanking a big giant monster in 2 fights: Titan and Bahamut. Other than those 2 I feel like I might as well be hitting the boss from any angle. Isn't really a bad thing I guess, but you're not exactly getting much of a unique experience being in front of the boss.

MT old content: an exercise in not falling asleep. Current content: Wondering why I am MT when im under geared. New content: hope you like wipes.

If i were to describe the feeling as you did: Dodge Ball training with only white noise as audio and the occasional blinding light that distracts me from monster cast bar.

I hate stress and responsibility, but I hate team play even more, so I tank to feel like I'm soloing, a duel against a big boss.