New tank looking for tips.

[Synestr]

There are supposed to be sync restrictions for some dungs now, the high level ones I believe. That can help. Running those for the ancient drops to turn to i90 gear will help. Just have to get through them.

[JonBigwood]

There has been said good advice already. As you level up you need to go getting better gear, especially the weapon. Weapon damage is very important to get aggro. Try to get as much green or pink gear as possible, and if not, High Quality crafted grey (which is as good as the aetherial.) Flash at least 3 times if there are 3 or more mobs. If many mobs flash until no mp then riot blade combo then flash.

When I got more practice I noticed I flashed much more than when I was leveling up. Rage of Halone combo and rotate as others say.

Hallowed ground when you get it is for emergencies, but use it if necessary, don't forget about it because you never ever use it saving it for an emergency that never comes. I use hallowed ground much more now than I did as a fresh player.

At low level places the DPS and healer also have responsibility to not steal aggro, not pull early, attack the mob the tank is attacking etc. It is very easy to steal aggro in low levels from a tank, a DPS (and healer too) has to concentrate too in not stealing aggro. Many people at that level is learning and don't always do what they should. You can ask nicely if somebody systematically attacks the wrong mob or does AoE attacks or regen before you have grabbed the mobs well. Marking helps a lot.

Once you reach level 50 you need to gear up as fast as possible. It is easy now but in some places if you are undergeared you can have problems even with the ilvl110 sync, if you are much lower ilvl. In 2.5 Crystal Tower has a lot of players again since there is a weekly quest. CT drops ilvl 80 gear and has no weekly limit, a great place to gear up and reach ilvl 70 to go to ST. The main story roulette gives a lot of tomes to buy gear too and the oher tank can main tank.

The relic quest up to Zenith is quick, it's ilvl 90. The ilvl 110 weapon obtained with Syrcus Tower drop Unidentified Allagan Tomestone and tomes (and upgraded wiht Sands of Time) is great, get one as soon as you can. As soon as you are ilvl 70 go to Syrcus Tower, there are other tanks who will be main tank. ST drops ilvl100 gear with no weekly limit, great, plus the Sands and Oils to upgrade gear and the mentioned UAT. It might be you can get the ilvl110 weapon quickly and then do the relic quest for fun or completion. I always do it up to Zenith with all the alt classes, it takes only a couple of days only now and it's like part of the main story.

I forgot to say that until you reach level 50 the daily low level and guildhest roulettes help a lot to level up. Also do your class and job quests each 5 levels. I usually try to gear up before the class and job quests. If you see you need just a bit more exp to be able to go to a higher dungeon, FATEs are practical to level up. They are good too to get the chocobo weekly achievements. You can't use the chocobo to fight while you wait the queue for a dungeon. A higher dungeon will give much more exp and if you do the roulette you get more reward the higher your highest available dungeon is, even if you have to fight a lower one.

[Synestr]

A note on Hallowed ground. It is an amazing threat tool. Pull a large group, Brayflox HM first pull to log as an example. Once you get to the log, pop HG. Flash>CoS>Flash then start on your Riot Blade combo while weaving in flashes. When HG wears, pop CD's as neccesary. The secs you get from HG is gold for holding the mobs and establishing a good threat lead, gives heals a chance to catch up from your long pull, and lets DPS go batsh*t crazy frontloading their DPS bursts.

Just my 2g

[Galgarion]

I too was a MNK until I decided-foolishly-to try Paladin. I was enjoying myself until I became a fresh 50 trying to do dungeons for tomes. Now there are people who are ilvl 9001 and I am ilvl 54. There is no such thing as maintaining hate. I've tried your combo, tried doing the 123 combo on separate mobs (learned that little trick long ago and it used to work) I go OOM trying to flash things and still end up losing hate and turn into just being a crappy dps that just lets the BLM tank because no matter what I can't get hate back. How is someone supposed to learn to tank when you're outgeared so damn badly?

Telling people, "hey I'm a fresh 50, my I'm ilvl54 if you pull it off me I can't get it off you", does nothing. Marking does nothing to quell the aoe mindset players have, and I don't even want to think about going into an 8 man like this.

Ha ha! I'm experiencing a bit of that myself now. This is the super happy fun-fun period in MMOs of gearing your tank for hard mode dungeons and raid content, while being a fresh max level. Here's the bad news: YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT DPS RIPPING OFF YOU. You just can't, they outgear you and they're gonna get that aggro. Just take your lumps and do the best you can.

Here's the good news: AS A TANK, YOU GEAR UP QUICKLY. It doesn't take long at all. Might have a little something to do with those queue times. Just grit your teeth, and keep going back for more, and you'll be loaded with welfare epics before you know it.

[Aamalthea]

Ha ha! I'm experiencing a bit of that myself now. This is the super happy fun-fun period in MMOs of gearing your tank for hard mode dungeons and raid content, while being a fresh max level. Here's the bad news: YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT DPS RIPPING OFF YOU. You just can't, they outgear you and they're gonna get that aggro. Just take your lumps and do the best you can.

Here's the good news: AS A TANK, YOU GEAR UP QUICKLY. It doesn't take long at all. Might have a little something to do with those queue times. Just grit your teeth, and keep going back for more, and you'll be loaded with welfare epics before you know it.

Does Squeenix even know about this and have plans to change anything when dark knight comes out? I can't even imagine people enjoying themselves with fresh 50s and having a desire to do so if it's like this. I had planned on leveling a dk but now I don't even know.

[aisustrong]

Does Squeenix even know about this and have plans to change anything when dark knight comes out? I can't even imagine people enjoying themselves with fresh 50s and having a desire to do so if it's like this. I had planned on leveling a dk but now I don't even know.

well its only an issue if its your first tank(hell really even just first 50)
after that, gearing up is pretty easy with tomes

[Synestr]

On that note, what was or has anything been confirmed as to what the stat will be for DRK? I would imagine those that enhance evasion and parry, DEX is it, although there is no evasion enhancing stat atm. If this is the case, I do not see our current tanks sharing gear with the new tank. SO a whole new gear set will be needed. Do we consider the time it will take to cap out both soldiery and poetics in a timely fasion for the drop of Heavensward, ensuring that as soon as we drop the currency on the 110-120/130 gear we can build up another weeks worth to finish our purchase. Also going to need to save up carboncoats/twines and oils/sands.

OR...

Do you even bother with that since the new gear that will come with quest rewards (going from 50-60) would most likely be better than what we could get with the tomes? Guess we would need a starting point, then fill in the gaps and replace as necessary.

It will be interesting to see.