the need for 3rd tank class

[Sylkis]

No, there isn't. You know what you don't see? 3-tank runs for Garuda extreme. Why? You don't need a third tank, and you do need DPS. Even if you for some reason favor the triangle method for Garuda, you'd be a fool to give up a full DPS for a gimped one just to do one trivial job.

3 tank run?

Well, you have to bring 2 tanks for DF. I mean, this class is supposed to complement a main tank much like scholar and white mage (although they can both main heal).

[therpgfanatic]

Adding more tank classes will not make people want to play tank more. Either they want to play tank or they don't it doesn't matter how many classes there are that can tank.

If Dragoons had been a tank class and retained their Jump abilities, you can be damned sure there'd be a hell of a lot of tanks in this game.

It's not really about the role. People buy into the concept of class archetypes, and an MMO character is an extension of the player.

They can get more tanks by re-designing tanks to be more fun. Right now due to the long GCD and nearly every ability being linked to it, they are more frustrating than needed.

-End-game boss cast times tend to be shorter than the GCD. This means Shield Bash cannot be used to interrupt if I am doing a Halone combo to maintain threat. I can't react, and that is frustrating.

-Even if I do get the ability off, nearly every time the boss is immune to stun because other DPS classes have been spamming Stun as part of their own rotations.

- Paladin DPS needs to be increased, leveling up 1 to 50 is incredibly frustrating due to the low DPS. It doesn't have to be the same as a DPS class, it just needs to be better than it is right now. I don't know why Sword Oath is an auto-attack buff; Blizzard tried that auto-attack DPS nonsense 30 different ways with WoW Paladins and finally had to admit it is stupid design. With the amount of movement needed in this games, ability created burst damage will always be superior to auto-attack, both in practicality and in fun factor.

-Halone combo needs to be tweaked. Forcing Paladin to go through 3 GCD before they generate a spike of threat is dumb. There needs to be a way to generate burst threat other than spamming Flash (which does absolutely no damage). Fast Blade and Savage Blade need an increase in their enmity modifiers and/or increase in their damage, or both.

-Tanks need to be a little more iconic to the Final Fantasy universe. White Mages, Black Mages, and Dragoons are very clearly iconic FF classes, but Warriors and Paladins don't have any ability that screams "Final Fantasy" to veterans of the franchise.

[Nanamix]

I don't think it's a matter of how many tank classes are there. It's a matter of how many people that is willing to play tanking in general.

[therpgfanatic]

I don't think it's a matter of how many tank classes are there. It's a matter of how many people that is willing to play tanking in general.

If they made a new tanking class called Soldier who wields a large Cloud-style Buster sword and gave the class all of Cloud's limit breaks as abilities....there would be an explosion of tanks in this game.

It's not the role. It's the way the player feels about the character archetype.

Paladins and Warriors just aren't very "cool" as compared to other classes like Dragoons, Summoners, and Black Mages.

[Nanamix]

I suppose it may depends. But a gunblade tanking class would be exceptional.

[Quiz]

I suppose it may depends. But a gunblade tanking class would be exceptional.

We have that, it's GLD13

[XNihili]

If they made a new tanking class called Soldier who wields a large Cloud-style Buster sword and gave the class all of Cloud's limit breaks as abilities....there would be an explosion of tanks in this game.

Not to be mean but I don't really want my tank to be this guy. Like I don't want my tank to be someone called DarkNarutoCloudSephirothXX UchihaIchigoWhatever. People like being cool but the fad is going down fast and what is left is tanking. They'll ask for their tanky to be able to specialize in DPS. Like some people want to turn their Warrior into DPS because Warriors look awesome and wild but tanking is so "boring" dude.

Paladins and Warriors just aren't very "cool" as compared to other classes like Dragoons, Summoners, and Black Mages.

Lol ... Did you ever read the Summoners' topic ? Many are complaining they don't feel cool at all. They want their big awesome summons like in FFXI.

[Hairo]

just going to say I have a lvl50 healer and lvl50 dps.

If they released a dark knight/shadow knight type of tank I would level it

[Gamemako]

Not to be mean but I don't really want my tank to be this guy.

I wonder what portion of Warriors usually play tanks. It was an issue, at least back in beta, where players would be MRD and not realize that they were playing a tank until people yelled at them in dungeons.

TBH, I think there's some truth to the idea that different tanks would attract some more players, but I think many of the approaches are wrongheaded. Dark Knight wouldn't do much -- some people would try it, but many would just turn away and not care about more of the same. WAR already scratches that itch. Instead, try a Mystic Knight, give it an AoE where it flashes in a circle with a flaming blade to generate aggro on nearby targets, see if you don't get a few new faces showing up to try their hand. Or maybe an Evoker who calls the spirits of beasts on enemies or a Dimensional Mage or a Berserker or any number of other ideas which attract players who just aren't interested in more of the same.

[Valendore]

I didn't read the whole thread, so I don't know what all has been covered, but in order to improve que times for DPS, the group sizes need to be increased to allow more DPS into each group. This would increase how quickly DPS get into groups. All that then needs to be done is increase the HPs of the mobs/bosses to accommodate the additional DPS in the groups.

4 player -> 6 players: 1 tank, 1 healer, 4 DPS
8 player -> 12 players: 2 tanks, 2 healers, 8 DPS

The 12 player groups will be a bit more hectic, and maybe too many DPS for 2 healers to manage. Would need experimentation. Would need good AoE heals. Main tank healer and AoE healer.

Adding a new tank class or two won't help. People who are already playing a tank as a main will prob try the new tank class. People who do not like tanking will not play the new tank classes. There will be some players who dabble in tanking who might play with them for a bit, but they would never become their main.

As said a 1000x, its not the classes, its the responsibility, demands, and criticism that keeps people from playing tanks. I don't have numbers, but its my personal opinion that most people are thin skinned like me, and don't want to be yelled at by some punk in a dungeon when trying to play a tank. It ruins my desire to do it again. Sure, some see that as a challenge to get better, most won't. This is a concept that those of you with thick skins or are just oblivious to criticism just cannot grasp.