Newbie tank

[Enkidoh]

Well, as for Provoke, you're using it wrong (you're not the only one who has made this mistake so don't worry!) - it's not like FFXI's version where it just generates a ton of hate. In ARR, Provoke selects the person with the highest hate level, switches it with your own hate, and then adds a single extra point of hate to it. Hence, it's only useful for when you lose hate and have to get it back onto you fast (it's most effective if you then quickly use another hate generating ability after it, like Savage Blade or Flash).

You can tell when this has happened by quickly checking the hate gauges of your party - as the tank you should have the letter 'A' beside your hate gauge under your name, with the rest of the party with numbers, if the letter A switches to someone else, this is when you use Provoke!

Flash is your main hate generating ability (it's effectively a spell version of FFXI's Provoke, only AoE), and thus should be used often (as it's a spell though you'll quickly run out of mp if you spam it over and over, which is why you have the Fast Blade-Riot Blade weaponskill combo for, as KristianFortNox mentioned.). Also because Flash is AoE, there are times where it might be wise to pull whatever enemy you're fighting back a little so as to not get adds which might make you lose control of the battle (and then wipe).