7 Reasons You Should Be Nicer to Tanks (And People in General)

[Segraine]

I primarily play as a healer. Whenever I can, I praise the tank and support them as I can. I am particularly patient with tanks new to dungeons. It is my job to keep them alive so they can learn. Sure, some runs can get messy.I was in a Prae run with 7 first timers. We wiped once on Ultima because they were unfamiliar with the cycles. Explanations are not the same as experience. I have to proudly note that the party had Ultima down to a sliver before we completely wiped! The second try was as smooth as a speed run group. The team was excellent: good team work, patience, learning, and virtual high-fiving.

The tanks, in particular, seemed to enjoy themselves once they learned that I, "the veteran," wasn't going to berate them or rage quit. I accidentally pulled threat a few times. I just apologized and rehashed my healing cycles for them until the tanks got into the swing of things. The other healer also seemed to appreciate the patience and chance to learn more on how to heal in 8 person situations.

Long story short, people are people no matter what they play. It is good to consider that fact and treat them with respect and kindness even when they are not reciprocating. We were all new at one point.

[Krystalynn]

As long as tanks don't let their position get to their heads everything is fine. Tanks all too often are in a position of power in a group. They know it too. They can enter queues relatively easily. They dictate pulls, and quite often have sat and idled if things don't go their way, or if they have absolutely any attitude issues with them. I was honestly surprised you didn't add an eigth reason to this tank circle jerk thread: "Because you need me more than I need you" or "Because the only reason you're still in the group is because we don't have a kick feature yet."

Oh, these mobs over here are skippable! ♥



But I probably should, because I can be replaced in three seconds in the DF, and you can't, and you know that, which is why people have to take that, but have seven reasons to be nice back.

[Brox]

I respect tanks that keep every mob off of me after one Cure 1. I feel the ones that don't will never learn. I'm so tired of seeing three red arrows and dying after casting one spell.

[Bloodwillow]

One hundred times applause for you sir.

Love how you put it, and would love to shove this in some people's faces.

I've gone through the same on my Healer. And people wonder why no one wants to use the DF. Gee willikers.

I want one person here to raise their hand because they knew everything when this game came out.

No?

Okay then. I love you. So be nice to everyone.

[juniglee]

Renekton Bot, is that you?

Not enough Susan in this thread. Renekton Bot would probably try to fit in something about crushing Susan where possible lol.

[Dliver]

The general attitude is great deference to tanks, in my experience.

Their very role allows them to lead everything. Who are these complainers?

I get a lot more grief from tanks as a healer than I've ever heard directed at a tank, no matter what kind of crazy pulls or mistakes they make.

And no one really calls out DPS when they're being.... less than optimal. But if anything happens to go wrong the healer is probably the one to get hate, if anyone is.

I don't like to whine but healers are more hated on than tanks by a mile.

[Sunarie]

I read this thread and there's lots of joy... and then I read this other thread (http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...Damage-dealers.) and hope is lost. Also a good read (as far as the first post goes). Unfortunately the sarcasm in the post seems to be lost on some of the posters.

I really wish some people would actively play tanks from 1-50 and do the end game dungeons as tanks before immediately pointing a finger at the tank when aggro loss occurs cause they're aoe happy.

Don't get me wrong.. I can hold aggro on a SMN using Bane.. but I've had a lot of practice, help honing my skills from my FC, and generally get a crap ton of praise when I do use the duty finder. I've even had people tell me to transfer servers. I'll still sometimes lose a mob to Bane though.. it's not often, but it happens. Especially if I forgot to click off renew and have issues rounding the mobs up, preventing me from getting into my main rotation right away. I also don't know of any tank that can hold off a BLM using multiple flares (without quelling strikes) without a good lead on enmity before the flares start. I've had some luck spamming flash and then having the BLM start in with the flares when my mana is around 1/2 to 3/4 empty. Never if they flare at the start of the pull though, and they'll definitely get aggro if I'm not prepared for them to do it.

If any of you fellow tanks have tips for that, I'd appreciate it :P My general rotation is shield lob, fight or flight, flash (or flash x 2 with a summoner in the group and 3+ mobs), and then my combo leading to rage (x2, with another flash after the first combo set on 3+ mobs) on the main mob. From there it's all about tab targeting and rotating where enmity skills actually hit based on which mob "needs" it. With a flash every or every other rotation.. again, depending on threat levels.

[Astarica]

Aggro is simply not a very important part of dungeon clearing. Unless you're unloading on a Dullahan before the tank even has aggro, it's really not that big of a deal for a DPS to be tanking trash mobs. Your healer usually has way more MP than he needs so there's no need for anyone to freak out. Usually DPS get aggro because the tank is either undergeared or not skilled, and either way there's no reason to throttle your DPS so that a weak tank can get aggro when a strong DPS can easily tank almost any trash. In fact if your DPS does an AE and pulls aggro on 3 mobs, that's probably a good thing because better him than the healer getting the same result when casting his first heal. I've seen groups where Eos is the tank and I think it'd still be better for DPS to tank instead of Eos (though I'm not certain, Eos sure looks tough).

[sasakusaku]

I dunno, most groups I am in treat tanks as total royalty and almost never ever question their skills or gear. Why? They are least played obviously. Also many are really touchy and or egotistical; I am the tank, I am the boss, if you don't do as I say then I will /leave and then back to the long que for you mwahahahahahahahahahaha! Er, woops I am a healer so my ques are only slightly longer than a tank so no biggie.

As a healer, I get more flak I find. Most fights in these games has a tank stand on one spot hitting buttons so it's not all that difficult...is it?

Like last AK run where tank was in sword oath for 3/4 the run and it was really stressful for me since he was taking massive dmg and I kept getting aggro. I was clearly to blame, said the tank. Then I pointed out maybe he should be in the defensive oath and that got me a real earful let me tell you. I just shut up, healed his squishie butt and moved on....never question the boss. /walk on eggshells

[Edenholt]

I agree with the OP. Recently I got my dragoon to lvl 50 and started using DF again, because I feel like I need to help making this community a better one. I often join as tank but got some few runs as dps and I took my time give tips for tanks (like warriors using flash instead of overpower or paladins not using rage of hallone). Only once I found a tank that were an a*hole (he was using only riot blade combo and refused to use flash and told me to go tank if I wanted...) and another that went on defensive but relaxed when I explained I had a tank myself and weren't trying to be mean or troll him, just trying to correct his rotation so he would play without so much stress (he thanked me).

I believe it's all about your attitude. If you rage or show you're annoyed about everything single mistake it doesn't matter which role you're playing, you will only get negative feedbacks. Tanks tends to be more stressed about everything because they're too much in evidence, like the OP said.