Tanking advice

[Urthdigger]

While the ideal situation in most fights is for the tank to have the adds as well, the DPS can tank them in most situations, so be wary of anything that prevents you from doing so. One of the biggest example is any boss with hard hitting conal attacks. Use ranged to snag aggro if you can, but if it comes down to letting them tank or hitting them with the boss's attack, let them tank. There are also some bosses where the tank may not want too many adds on them: a prime example is the first boss of Pharos Sirius. The mobs there do a fast, almost unavoidable attack at half health that inflicts a debuff. Getting hit by 3 stacks of the debuff causes Bad Things, so it's preferred that each add be tanked by a different person.

[ValarMarghulis]

Generally when I tank, I stay on the boss. I grab adds when I can, but usually DPS takes care them simply enough. If the healer gets aggro he/she usually runs towards me so that I can grab the hate (this is far better than chasing people around a room).
As someone said earlier, bosses that become immune while an add is out (Tam-Tara comes to mind i think it was), or if the adds are a major threat (Ifrit and the Nail, the bees in Qarn) then I'll switch to those when they appear but be mindful of positioning and try to keep any AoE attacks from the boss away from the group.

[Sasoriza]

I started a tank (34 Pally) And I try my best to keep everything, but that is kinda tough some times (with Healing threat, DPS aoe Threat, etc) My recommendation is to talk with the party and see what they think would be best at this point. However as a Tank you get to decide who you attack first etc.

[monochromicorn]

I started a tank (34 Pally)

thats your poblem. you are at that awkward stage in tanking where the dps and heals get these awesome moves, and what do you get? sword oath, which increases your auto attack damage, not even your skills.i found it very difficult to keep hate, although i was good at it. sunken temple, i had a dragoon and bard in party, and i hate marking, and most dps are smart enough to attack the same thing as me. but there are those people that intentionally attack everything you dont, happens a lot with bards. anyways, back to qarn, i had to fight to keep hate on a pair of crocs, each being dps'd separately, and getting very close to death. i managed to keep them just by rotating through my hate combo in them (i hate using flash), and only lost it to the bard right as she killed it.

once you hit 40, and you get shield oath, all those problems with hate, will disappear.

[BatHead]

once you hit 40, and you get shield oath, all those problems with hate, will disappear.

I'm assuming shield oath is for Gladiators/Paladins, correct? What about a Marauder/warrior? do they get something similar?

[Sagittarian]

I'm assuming shield oath is for Gladiators/Paladins, correct? What about a Marauder/warrior? do they get something similar?

Warriors get defiance. It does increase how much hate they generate. It doesn't reduce the damage they take but it does increase hit points.
Warriors generally don't have the same issue with keeping aggro as gladiators/paladins though. Overpower is great for generating and keeping aggro.

[BatHead]

Very good, Thanks.

[monochromicorn]

Warriors get defiance. It does increase how much hate they generate. It doesn't reduce the damage they take but it does increase hit points.
Warriors generally don't have the same issue with keeping aggro as gladiators/paladins though. Overpower is great for generating and keeping aggro.

this is very true, it is easier for MRD/WAR to keep hate, but if you can get a skilled pally or gladiator, they can be just as good as any warriorat holding hate in a group. i have hardly ever lost hate on groups, but it was very difficult, i wont deny that, and quite a few times i didnt know if i would be able to, especially with bards or BLMs.

[Jon_00]

Spam Overpower.

Or, if you're a Paladin, spam Flash.

If you're out of TP, you're doing it right.

If you're out of MP, you're doing it right.