Is there any reason to play any tank other than PLD?

As a newer player, I'm only 60 on my Paladin, and I'm 52 on my DRK, I'm wondering if there are any benefits to the other 2 tanks? It just seems like Paladin does everything they do, except better.

When I started the game I figured it would be like:

Paladin: Has the highest defense, and can heal themselves with white magic, but has very little offence.

Dark Knight: Has Medium defense, Does a good amount of damage with both physical and blm, and can heal decently through leaches.

Warrior: Has the lowest defense, but by far the highest offence. Doesn't have much in means of heals, but makes up for it by making clears faster with their superior dps.

What I got: Every tank feels basically the same, except paladin does it all better with an easier rotation.


Maybe I'm seeing things wrong and can be enlightened, but what do you guys think? Is there any reason to play any tank other than PLD?

All tanks have the same defense. PLD just has the benefit of a shield for extra RNG mitigation.

PLD is the "safe" tank, meaning if you're not a confident player it's easier to do difficult content with a PLD because it's more forgiving if you make a mistake.

DRK and WAR are much better than they were at the start of 4.0. Which tank to choose has very little to do with stats and almost everything to do with which aesthetic you like.

Warriors are the best tanks because they have the most HP.

OK seriously though, what you said used to be the case, except now Paladin does have it better than the other tanks. However, some people might not like the idea behind playing a Paladin. I personally prefer the sounds and effects of Warriors way more than Paladins.

Plus Paladins are "the best" right now, probably everyone's gonna be playing them. So I get to feel special. :3

WAR has amazing defense. It's just, outside of damage and defense, they bring nothing to a group. DRK brings a ~5k HP shield it can give other tanks and has good magical damage defense, which is important in most of the new raiding content. It can be argued which is in a better place right now, with most choosing DRK just because of how much easier it is to play.

That being said, PLD >>>>>>>>>>>>> WAR/DRK, so if you want to be the best tank of the moment, PLD is your pick. The reason people don't all go PLD is because groups generally only take 1, so the other spot has to be filled with something.

your question is a detriment to your enjoyment of the game... The sole reason to play anything is if you have fun playing it. The fact is that all content can be cleared with any combination of class. That META mindset of shaming whatever class is not meta is for underperforming players looking for a justification... ie: The 600 DPS Brd that said " Why would anyone play MNK, they are trash'' to me when I was doing my MNK anima during 3.0.

the shield/sword theme dont go with me so i stick to my axe

Warrior has axe. Warrior is stronk.

Warrior is good if you want to be doing a lot of the tanking. PLD has fantastic support so it can handle both roles, but Warrior brings nothing extra other than damage. Fun job though, especially since the 4.05 fixes.

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Originally Posted by DWolfwood

WAR has amazing defense. It's just, outside of damage and defense, they bring nothing to a group. DRK brings a ~5k HP shield it can give other tanks and has good magical damage defense, which is important in most of the new raiding content. It can be argued which is in a better place right now, with most choosing DRK just because of how much easier it is to play.

That being said, PLD >>>>>>>>>>>>> WAR/DRK, so if you want to be the best tank of the moment, PLD is your pick. The reason people don't all go PLD is because groups generally only take 1, so the other spot has to be filled with something.

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After the 4.05 updates, PLD isn't nearly as far ahead of the other two tanks as it started in 4.0.

Also, DRK's TBN can be incredibly powerful in high end content.

Drk was recently buffed, but has always been fun. They have a large, strong aoe attack that is available at a low lv and doesn't require targeting or facing, making low lv dungeons easier, and the class looks good and is easy and fun to play even for beginners at tanking. Plus, who doesn't love clobbering monsters with a huge sword.

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Originally Posted by Kaedan

After the 4.05 updates, PLD isn't nearly as far ahead of the other two tanks as it started in 4.0.

Also, DRK's TBN can be incredibly powerful in high end content.

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Yeah.... okay. They still have ludicrously high DPS, higher than DRK and most likely still higher than WAR based on everyone's testing. On top of that, they have more utility than both tanks combined, so if you say so lol

Unless we're talking about dungeons, but all tanks are overkill for those anyways and doesn't even matter.

this is a stealth nerf paladin thread..

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Originally Posted by Danatoth

Is there any reason to play any tank other than PLD?

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/think, because PLD got nerfed and the other tanks got buffed in 4.05. People bring PLD/DRK for early endgame prog but I would assume things would change once you keep getting stronger iLvl wise, stay tune for that. ;)

I'd argue that WAR has the two best defensive cooldowns in the game, PLD just has a lot more and none of them are bad.

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Originally Posted by Sarcatica

/think, because PLD got nerfed and the other tanks got buffed in 4.05. People bring PLD/DRK for early endgame prog but I would assume things would change once you keep getting stronger iLvl wise, stay tune for that. ;)

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Well, If I remember right, stacking the same class twice include a loss in LB gauge generation for savage content, which could be the reason people don't stack two PLD, which might be better than a DRK OT ?

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Originally Posted by Santisimo

I'd argue that WAR has the two best defensive cooldowns in the game, PLD just has a lot more and none of them are bad.

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Vengeance
IB
Thrill
Holmgang
Raw Intuition

Sentinel
Sheltron
Bulwark
HG
Maybe Passage of Arms

The same number = a lot more? I suppose you can argue that Raw Intuition only counts for half.

Many progression groups are going drk/pld. Pld as OT becsure of higher dps.

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Originally Posted by Brannigan

Vengeance
IB
Thrill
Holmgang
Raw Intuition

Sentinel
Sheltron
Bulwark
HG
Maybe Passage of Arms

The same number = a lot more? I suppose you can argue that Raw Intuition only counts for half.

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You need to add Cover to that since it's also a defensive CD, and take the maybe off of Passage of Arms. Furthermore, PLD doesn't need to be in Shield Oath to use Sheltron, unlike WAR and Inner Beast.

>Is there any reason to play any tank?

FTFY.

Seriously though, the reason is because you have fun playing it.

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Originally Posted by YitharV2

>Is there any reason to play any tank?

FTFY.

Seriously though, the reason is because you have fun playing it.

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I feel like a fairly large part of the game is leveling roulettes, where you get a very incomplete package of abilities. People seem to always be judging tanks off of ex raid performance when that makes up a small amount of the gameplay for a small amount of the player base. Drk really loses out in this regard. AD isn't till 56 and TBN isn't till 70. War and paladin both seem far more complete at lower levels than Drk.

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Originally Posted by DacienSanderon

I feel like a fairly large part of the game is leveling roulettes, where you get a very incomplete package of abilities. People seem to always be judging tanks off of ex raid performance when that makes up a small amount of the gameplay for a small amount of the player base. Drk really loses out in this regard. AD isn't till 56 and TBN isn't till 70. War and paladin both seem far more complete at lower levels than Drk.

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DPS stuff is acquired a lot later on PLD, aoe dmg at 46/50, DPS combo finishers at 52/60. WAR is last to ginish its enmity combo at 30. Both WAR and DRK get their DPS combo finishers at 38, WAR gets a 2nd at 50, this is a hole in DRKs kit, no 3rd combo finisher. AOE dmg DRK 6/40/52/56/64, WAR at 10/45/60. PLD has no gap closer but had the best Ranged DPS option in Holy Spirit, but comes with the downside of both 2 of its 3 major synergies needing the PLD in melee range. Tradeoffs all around for the lvling bit.

War needs utility for party, and I don't play DRK, but from what I have heard, Dark passenger needs to be fixed, and they need to do something with DRK not being complete till 68. I do get that PLD is the only tank class that gets better as you level up, and PLD skills not being tied to any stances make it flexible.

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Originally Posted by DacienSanderon

I feel like a fairly large part of the game is leveling roulettes, where you get a very incomplete package of abilities. People seem to always be judging tanks off of ex raid performance when that makes up a small amount of the gameplay for a small amount of the player base. Drk really loses out in this regard. AD isn't till 56 and TBN isn't till 70. War and paladin both seem far more complete at lower levels than Drk.

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Well they are the original tanks, and afaik SE had trouble balancing tanks before DRK ever appeared.

Is there any reason to buy groceries when you can eat grass clippings? Lots of people mow their lawn. That's free grass clippings! Grass clippings can do the same thing that groceries can. Just need to boil them. Food is for stoopids.

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Originally Posted by Galgarion

Is there any reason to buy groceries when you can eat grass clippings? Lots of people mow their lawn. That's free grass clippings! Grass clippings can do the same thing that groceries can. Just need to boil them. Food is for stoopids.

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Those aren't comparable as grass clippings aren't classified as food, that would be like saying a dps that takes threat from the tank is a tank now, because he doesn't die in 1 hit and has threat.

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Originally Posted by Conna

Those aren't comparable as grass clippings aren't classified as food, that would be like saying a dps that takes threat from the tank is a tank now, because he doesn't die in 1 hit and has threat.

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He's saying that PLD is grass clippings and DRK/WAR are food, so PLD should be buffed. ヽ༼◐ل͜◑༽ﾉ

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Originally Posted by Conna

Those aren't comparable as grass clippings aren't classified as food, that would be like saying a dps that takes threat from the tank is a tank now, because he doesn't die in 1 hit and has threat.

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Grass clipping are considered food by bovines. Bovines are Mammals. Humans are mammals too. I just double-jumped your rook with my checker.

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Originally Posted by Galgarion

Grass clipping are considered food by bovines. Bovines are Mammals. Humans are mammals too. I just double-jumped your rook with my checker.

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To be perfectly fair, your analogy was crap but I can't tell if it was humorously intended or you actually felt it was an effective one.

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Originally Posted by zipzo

To be perfectly fair, your example was analogy was crap but I can't tell if it was humorously intended or you actually felt it was an effective one.

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Analogy? Noooo. It was a facitiously delivered reductio ad absurdum. It's okay if you didn't like it; it wouldn't be funny if everyone enjoyed it.

My signature is the answer you're looking for. If you're choosing a job based on numbers people get from a glorified calculator, you're playing the game entirely wrong.

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Originally Posted by Galgarion

Is there any reason to buy groceries when you can eat grass clippings? Lots of people mow their lawn. That's free grass clippings! Grass clippings can do the same thing that groceries can. Just need to boil them. Food is for stoopids.

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https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images.../1mUwtW_B.jpeg

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Originally Posted by Hayward

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images.../1mUwtW_B.jpeg

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Goddamit, you people sit on your thrones looking down on the grass clipping diet! Humans can eat grass! They can! They just gotta want it! You'll see, YOU'LL ALL SEE!

To answer your question since I didn't actually see an answer in the first two pages, OP: kind of.

You're right in that a paladin does everything the other two tanks do but better right now, but in 8 man content where there are two tanks one needs to be "not a paladin" for lb generation (having multiples of the same job reduces the rate) and also in savage there's a "no duplicates" rule.

Basically, no, there's no good, strictly mechanical reason to not be a paladin except for the fact that someone HAS to not be a paladin lol

Please ignore anyone on their high horse telling you you can't enjoy the game in a way that involves caring about numbers.

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Originally Posted by Galgarion

Is there any reason to buy groceries when you can eat grass clippings? Lots of people mow their lawn. That's free grass clippings! Grass clippings can do the same thing that groceries can. Just need to boil them. Food is for stoopids.

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I don't think there's anything wrong with grass, but I don't want to be a cow. Cows spend all day eating :(

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Originally Posted by YitharV2

I don't think there's anything wrong with grass, but I don't want to be a cow. Cows spend all day eating :(

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How dare you!

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Originally Posted by Umbeliel

for lb generation (having multiples of the same job reduces the rate) and also in savage there's a "no duplicates" rule.

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I heard this, but Ive gone in with 2 PLDs, 2 WHMs, 4 RDMs, and it not only let us in, we won just fine. (v1S and v2S, havent touched v3S or v4S yet)
I think they changed the way things work in 4.0, as LB3 with duplicates hasnt been an issue, and we usually get a 2nd LB, be it LB1 or LB2, off before a fight ends.
(Though having 2 of the same job in 3.x was barely noticeable, and u still had your LB3 up before any point you would need it in prior savage.)

But for the rule, I think it means raid finder, not party finder.

Just because Paladin can do it a bit better doesn't mean the others can't do it at all.

You can do all content with any tank combination. If you show up as a DRK in EX/Savage content and the other person shows up as a WAR, the healers and dps are not going to throw up their hands, yell "PLD OR GTFO!" and leave.

Try them all, play the one you like best, or play them all.

In my experience, the drk has a very low skill ceiling, much lower than it was in 3.x. Maybe the ease of use attracts some players. It's also very easy to deal a lot of damage, but its damage ceiling is a bit low-ish.

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Originally Posted by Claire_Pendragon

I heard this, but Ive gone in with 2 PLDs, 2 WHMs, 4 RDMs, and it not only let us in, we won just fine. (v1S and v2S, havent touched v3S or v4S yet)
I think they changed the way things work in 4.0, as LB3 with duplicates hasnt been an issue, and we usually get a 2nd LB, be it LB1 or LB2, off before a fight ends.
(Though having 2 of the same job in 3.x was barely noticeable, and u still had your LB3 up before any point you would need it in prior savage.)

But for the rule, I think it means raid finder, not party finder.

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Ah my bad.

..So there's not really any reason not to roll paladin.

PLD: paragon tank, more defensive skills + block rate, easier rotation and can heal self and party. Holy knight theme
WAR: brings slashing debuff, more complex rotation, nice burst and good with self-sustain. Brutal barbarian theme
DRK: strong magic defense skill, shield for self or party, good with AoEs and more skills over combo play. Dark edgy theme

after 4.05 nerf/buffs there isn't much of a big gap in tanks DPS https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme.../405_tank_dps/

So some random reasons:
- If no SAM/NIN a WAR must be there
- a PLD/DRK is nice to have for Intervention/Cover/The Blackest Night
- a DRK is good for bosses that focus on magic attacks/tankbusters (guess what are the stronger attacks in Savage)
- WAR/DRK can be more involving and so less boring