Gladiator End Game Builds

[GreyJorildyn]

I'm not really clear on why you think rotations hurt more than help. There are absolutely those skills that you will use in a rotation and little variation would be required due to general efficiency.

Perhaps where the discrepency is is in the meaning. Typically (where dps'ing is considered), a rotation would be the order of execution of a set of skills which a player cycles through throughout the course of battle. In tanking, a rotation, at least how I define it, is the order of preference for skill use within a given theme or set of skills. Such themes for Gladiator tanking would include enmity building, damage mitigating, and support skill sets.

Naturally the advanced player would be required to make more educated choices for skill selection, however an order of preference still exists. For example, in two identical situations, if you had the choice to use deflection or aegis boon, you would always choose deflection. Taking it further: If in one of those scenarios you had low HP, you might choose AB for its healing component but lowering damage significantly with deflection still might be a safer bet. In a situation where a mob did high damage, you might go with Deflection. If you had tier III heals you would almost always go with Deflection. What I am trying to convey here is that a true order of preference ("rotation") is correct in almost all situations just the same and therefore will not ever "hurt you more than they will help you".

[Theonate]

Perhaps where the discrepency is is in the meaning. Typically (where dps'ing is considered), a rotation would be the order of execution of a set of skills which a player cycles through throughout the course of battle. In tanking, a rotation, at least how I define it, is the order of preference for skill use within a given theme or set of skills. Such themes for Gladiator tanking would include enmity building, damage mitigating, and support skill sets.

Generally speaking, what you are calling a tank rotation is referred to as a priority system. From a theory crafting stand point rotation implies a rigidness, such as "only use these abilities, in this order, and if you flub it pick it back up asap." Where as a "priority" system implies you know when and why to use your abilities in order to maximize your role and adapt to situations.

Having played and theory crafted a ton for various mmo's, experience has taught me most people will see "use rotation" skip to where the rotation is listed and then use it without ever concerning themselves with the why. Hence the spoon feeding.

Honestly at this stage FFXIV's combat isn't complicated enough to really even warrant worrying about something like rotations vs priority systems.