How to make tanking more rewarding?

[Ophie-Mio]

Hmmm... My FC has a huge number of tanks present and none of them play it anymore for a variety of reasons. My main raid tank plays tank all the time because he likes to do it and be dependable. However, he never goes into low level things on it unless it's for us. He just doesn't need anything.

Our once main healer went WAR and he doesn't do it for anything besides raid because he doesn't like to feel like he's letting down the party with a single mistake. So high pressure there. Our current raid WHM was once a main tank but he doesn't bother anymore because he's bored of it and has gotten everything. Myself? I personally hate it when no matter what you do, you're not good enough for the party nor feeling as if you did enough.

For my friends who were once tanks, they all complained about not having enough to do on tank. Mechanics ignored them and their drops came easily (aside from a stubborn T9 fending ring), leading them to be geared up too early and unfulfilled in playing. Our raid tank takes on all misc jobs like markers, call outs etc because he feels he isn't doing enough.

[Nadrojj]

My main is PLD, and I can get an insta queue every day for my roulette, however I queue as BLM. It's just more fun to play. DPS is generally easier than tanking in most dungeons, you can halfass as a dps and still get by, whereas the tank has to be on his game the entire dungeon run. Not saying tanking isn't easy, one combo and a few hate generating actions and you have all the mobs on you all the time.

There are other things that contribute to people not playing tanks too here are some things I've heard in the past

Too much pressure
People expect you to lead the party all the time
People think you're a jerk when you tell them what to do
People don't listen
People don't attack numbered mobs

[Ladon]

I don't want to tank in PUGs. In fact I don't want to really do much of anything in PUGs and I think the bigger problem is a lot of people, especially the better tanks, share my displeasure in the prospect of tanking for duty finder parties.

[Recaldy]

Good example for me is Stormcloak. As the tank from start to finish...I feel like I'm soloing the dungeon. From always running ahead to interacting with everything and always adjusting the damn Sasquatch so it creates snow balls while stunning the other add. Aside from that it's do this then this then this then this till your eyes bleed from babysitting everyone and everything in the dungeon for 30 to 60+ minutes straight.

[Kuwagami]

always adjusting the damn Sasquatch so it creates snow balls while stunning the other add.

Actually you can spice this up by playing the "I freeze ya" game with the party (ofc don't tell them beforehand). I also never pick up the add. This guy always mess things up when I'm building my snowman, and it doesn't hurt the dps classes, so I just don't care. If they don't like it, they can always kill it.

[Earendur]

The main reason in my opinion that people dont tank, is the responsibility of tank switching, repositioning the boss, gathering mini bosses wile trying to keep the boss in position, its alot to handle and keep straight for very long when the rest of the party keeps wiping to silly things. Very stressful and can take its toll on your soul when you get blamed for others mistakes.

[CYoung187]

I used to love tanking. PLD was my main when I started and I loved it. Then it just started to become babysitting others whining about every little thing. That got old quick, so I switched to dps and it is just so much more relaxing, I don't play a video game to deal with stress or people pouting because something isn't done their way, I get enough of that at work.

[Adrian74]

Tank is the least preferred role to play in the game. It is apparent from all those \\'in demand\\' messages on the roulettes.

I gave it a thought and after playing WAR for a while I think I figured out why.

Tanking isn\\'t as enjoyable as dps because it produces small numbers.

We deal and take less damage. Sure the whole point of tanking is to take less damage but the point is, we don\\'t know how much

Here is my suggestion: show \\'% damage mitigated\\' on flying displays like Parry currently does. So if I had Inner Beast active, a mountain buster would say \\'1610 (20% mitigated)\\', as opposed to just \\'1610\\'.

What do you think? What other non-encounter-specific improvement would you make?


TL;DR- show % damage mitigated by cooldowns on tank\\'s damage taken, just like Parry.

For one moment I thought you were about to suggest a whole reform of the tanking jobs adding some system where we really need to do certain actions or combos to enhance our defense or slow enemies, or reduce enemies attacks, and all that having to deal with aggro... Yes, I mean, uhm... Something the opposite to PLD, perhaps... (Easy one combo and just burn Coldowns... really?)

At least warrior has to play with stacks.... I'll just take this part of your phrase and hope DRK to be awesome: ["We deal and take less damage. Sure the whole point of tanking is to take less damage but the point is, we don't know how."]

[warren-ragnarok]

And of course, regarding undesirable attitudes from other player, it would be beneficial to all the newbie tanks out there to develop 'thicker skin' regarding criticism and/or insult. Remember that you're important part of the group, keep in mind that other players ARE expendable (maybe not the healer). This doesn't meant you can or should act like pompous ass, however. And when people offer advice, be sure to take it to heart.

same should be said about lazy good for nothing dps, i play all roles, and mnk is by far my favorite and drg close behind that. i tried to give a dps advice when i was in a dungeon on his drg, and after the next fight, vote kick initiated. luckily, immediately after that dps was vote kicked instead, but point is, cant expect tanks to follow this idea if dps dont do it either

[XgungraveX]

tanking will make you bitter about other players,i tanked since 2002 on alot of mmos, players will just blame you from everything like dying to a mob that they pulled or focusing on the wrong mob,standing in front of a boss even when it has a cleave, poping all burst cds before the tank has a chance to get aggro in a fight,etc. i have made some tanking mistakes and i will say my bad and will do better. but the constent crap you get from players over the couple years i just giving a **** what they think and continue to tank i know how, look up fights and position the boss etc. because at the end of the day im the tank and lead you go where i go end of story. im also more like to jump in front of a healer to shield them than dps... cant live in my healer bites the dust