The tanking shortage reasons

[Simaril]

I'd like share some toughts about reasons for this continue shortage of tanks, please correct me

• Tanks must know the duty, where to go, where not to go, what to do with the bosses, know trash killing order. Healer and dps just follow the tank and can go a new duty without knowing nothing of the place, 90% of the time.

As a healer in this game, and long time healer and ranged dps in many MMOs it is your third point that keeps me from tanking. Also, I feel that healing is more like ranged DPS, so the transition to tanking is difficult. IMO Melee dps has more in common with tanking than healing or ranged dps.

I disagree with you on the issues of cost and blame, but I understand and appreciate where you're coming from:

Cost: As a healer I always have ethers, and use quite a few because I never want OOM to be the reason the party dies... even when people are taking lots of unnecessary damage. As a DPS I feel like you're expected to have very high dps (while tanks and healers are just expected not to screw up) so as a dps I'm much more likely to do everything I can to min/max (food, potions, materia - spare no epense!). HOWEVER, DPS can get away with being leeches through a lot of content.

Blame: many encounters the person who screws up is the one who causes the wipe... it's a just bit more obvious when it's the tank or healer.


I also think it's a fair point that it isn't just the "problems" it's the fact that there aren't reasons to want to tank, other than the instaque - which might only feed the problem (it's easy to level a tank and be done with it).

[wicked-one]

I´d like to add one

Tanking ist Boring ^^...

Okay not that boring, but especially later on, tanking is like running up to enemys, slash around, dont loose one, and move to the next trash.

Go up to multiple Enemys, cast 2-3 Flashes and roll a Cigarette while the DPS finish their job... I bet they fall before I loose hate.

Especially i had this "i have no mission on this duty" feeling while doing my relic in Titan HM... you really stand there, barely moving, and thinking about "phew, look how the others run around like chicken, oh, mountainbuster, time for a CD... aaaaaaand watching again" xD

[PArcher]

This is one of the most selfish posts I've seen in a long time. Good thing you love the way your Drg af/myth armor looks, cause it isn't making your que any shorter. Oh and guess what. Those FC members that Zplinter is playing with isn't taking up your DF spot for DPS. So that one tank is putting you 4 people further in the que. Maybe you should thank him rather than being a child.

Interestingly enough...my WAR is i85, and will be i86 soon (buying my next Myth piece this week...), and used quite frequently (not just tanking for friends, but also for the randoms sitting in queue or waiting in PFs forever). The only thing I don't tank is Coil (only time I use my DRG at this point)...which has no DF anyway. My WHM is also i89...and also used a lot

Oops...no, that can't be right...I'm a poor DPS who sits in queues all day, someone who doesn't know anything about any other jobs...

[randomrope]

Oops...no, that can't be right...I'm a poor DPS who sits in queues all day, someone who doesn't know anything about any other jobs...

You can Lodestone me if you want, I have other jobs. I never mentioned or question your other possible jobs, don't care. I was referring to the fact that you were accusing someone of running content with their FC as "You're part of the shortage problem". Which is an ignorant selfish comment. Might want to re-read.

[PArcher]

You can Lodestone me if you want, I have other jobs. I never mentioned or question your other possible jobs, don't care. I was referring to the fact that you were accusing someone of running content with their FC as "You're part of the shortage problem". Which is an ignorant selfish comment. Might want to re-read.

Except you said this...

Good thing you love the way your Drg af/myth armor looks, cause it isn't making your que any shorter.

And actually...tanking only for your FC is selfish, as you are NOT helping the queues of everyone else, effecting removing yourself from the wider population...in other words, helping to create/make worse the tank shortage...

After all...the thread is about why there are few tanks in the Duty Finder...if you're a tank, and don't use the Duty Finder...you're someone who is helping to cause the shortage of tanks...

[Sacred-Oblivion]

...if you're a tank, and don't use the Duty Finder...you're someone who is helping to cause the shortage of tanks...

...if you're a player, and don't use a tank... you're someone who is helping to cause the shortage of tanks to a much greater degree...

[PArcher]

...if you're a player, and don't use a tank... you're someone who is helping to cause the shortage of tanks to a much greater degree...

I didn't know the Armor of Light and Crown of Light could be used by a non-tank. Silly me.

[kayuwoody]

And actually...tanking only for your FC is selfish, as you are NOT helping the queues of everyone else, effecting removing yourself from the wider population...in other words, helping to create/make worse the tank shortage...

After all...the thread is about why there are few tanks in the Duty Finder...if you're a tank, and don't use the Duty Finder...you're someone who is helping to cause the shortage of tanks...

First of all, you're right it is selfish. But why shouldn't we be selfish? This is a game we play, on our free time for our enjoyment. We can help other people out but we're hardly under an obligation to do so?

SO I think I also have to agree with Zplinter. This is a MMO and he's playing with his FC. The people in the DF que aren't. They should be networking to get some friends together so they have access to some tanks, like Zplinter. There's a shortage of tanks, which is natural. There's also a clear and obvious solution in a MMO: get some friends ^_^

[Zplinter]

I thought I stated VERY clearly why I do not use duty finder, and why there is a shortage of tanks (or what ever class)...the wide majority of people that I have encountered via that system is NOT polite, NOT enjoyable, and are in fact a NEGATIVE experience. I do not pay my money to play in the such company. If you want to, more power to you. Players that choose to be tanks do not sign a contract stating they will do so many hours of DF service. If that exsisted I would not play a tank EVER.

As for your selfish statement, that is really funny. There is nothing selfish about doing my homework, finding a group of people that are polite, accepting and working with them for our mutual benefit.

[Traek]

I am really amazed at how much I see the "people are rude to me" argument for the tank shortage. I can count the number if times on one hand that I've had these negative experiences on my tank. A vast majority of the time people are happy with their runs, and express so after each one. It is so much to the point that I truly believe there is just a large population of bad tanks. Unlike DPS (and sometimes heals) being bad is certainly more obvious to others, so I get why people perceive more flack is thrown their way.

Perhaps tanks who are getting constant insults, and general party unhappiness should take a look in the mirror, and realize the common denominator of these unhappy people is your tanking. Maybe there is some room for improvement? It is truly astonishing how thankful and ecstatic people get when I literally just do my job as a tank.

I am of course generalizing, so I hope people don't get their feelers all hurt when I completely realize there are idiot players who whine/troll/are too stupid to know better. In those cases, learn to laugh a little. A rando internet person's opinion and failure to comprehend game mechanics really shouldn't get to you that much.