7 Reasons You Should Be Nicer to Tanks (And People in General)

[LineageRazor]

It is for this very reason I try to stay away from DF as much as possible and help the lower people in my FC to get to 50 and geared so we can stop using it altogether. Sure there are some really cool and friendly folks in DF, the majority however...

This hasn't been my experience. For me, the vast majority in Duty Finder are... neutral. Neither particularly helpful nor rude. Just there, wanting to get the job done.

If you exclude them, and focus only on the helpful or rude people, it's pretty rare that I'll run into someone that's actually rude, but they're definitely memorable when I do. Perhaps that's why you have the perception that they're more common; they stick in your mind? On the other hand, whenever a newbie asks for help, I've never seen a case where someone doesn't show them the ropes.

[Malzian]

We are always more prone to remember bad experiences over good ones, and rarely ever remember anything about the neutral experiences... Just how our brains work.

That being said, I main PLD but I have everything else capped too, and I can say that there are issues all around from every class type. It's not a matter of what class you're playing but more of the mentality that player comes in with. As a tank I've seen DPS run in and pull all kinds of messes (which you, as the tank, are then "obligated" to get under control) while I was still waiting on the healer to realize they needed to use Protect.

I've also seen, as DPS and Healer, tanks that run in on Primals the moment the barrier drops even when we get the lovely Soldiery bonus, all because they're farming light or something and, hey, it's only Hard Mode so suck it up.

The problem partly stems from the very nature of the DF being cross-server and since you're not likely to ever see those people again, why should you care about them? The other part being that there isn't really any dungeon up until LotA that teaches group mechanics to avoid wipes, and most dungeons before that have a focus on "burn it all to the ground", so holding DPS is a foreign concept to many.

I've said it so many times in runs where I've been majorly out done by a DPS wielding a weapon so far superior to my tank, "Hey, slow your DPS, I can't keep up with your Novus/Nexus/Zodiac/Zeta." And then you get called noob and casual, then told that you need to learn how to tank.

If there's only one thing I could say to the non-tanks out there it would be, "I'm not the only one who can control your aggro level, you can too by slowing up." But in the era of speed runs and where every boss has a wipe mechanic that forces a DPS check, it can be terribly hard to be that perfect tank who holds ultimate aggro... Oh yeah and, everyone on one target please... A DRG on one target and a NIN on a second can be hell for a PLD...

[Nerael]

Perhaps that's why you have the perception that they're more common; they stick in your mind?

Quite possibly. I have to admit I lately do a lot of WoD so that might skew my opinion a bit. Haven't had a single WoD run yet in the past week which I didn't have someone insulting someone else for whatever reason.

Same with Titan Ex yesterday, made a practice PF with 3 FC mates (2 still needed to clear it, figured I'd help and get them through it). So I figured we'd PF the rest of the group and clear it when we had more FC people available.
After the first wipe one of the PF healers immediately started badmouthing everyone including the people that didn't even stuff up. What was this guy expecting? A perfect run on a first try, in a practice group specifically for learning the fight and getting better at it?
The sad part was, he was the first person to get knocked off by a landslide...


Some people are good at their roles, others not so much. Skill, experience and reaction time varies per person. Instead of just going with the flow and enjoying the game, why be an angry flaming keyboard warrior? It just doesn't make sense to me.

[Rock_Biter]

Here you beautiful bastard, take my like!

[Arkenne]

Oh yeah and, everyone on one target please... A DRG on one target and a NIN on a second can be hell for a PLD...

Yes, holding off the agro in a whole group while the melee DPS focus their attack on a single target or their choice will result in you losing the agro on that sole target, luckily those melee DPS are well equiped to survive one single enemy on them if they keep burning it down, specially if they stole it when the mob's hp was around 50%. So let the kids have it, so long the mob doesnt go the Healer's way :/

I've been in situations as a DPS where I focused so hard on a mob that I steal it from the Tank, and while they try to take it back the other mobs were hitting them from behind, where they cant parry or block, ending up on me taking too much damage from that single mob and the tank taking too much damage from the others, concecuently stressing the healer. That one wipe was totally my fault and so I apologised.

Hasty DPS can cause wipes by disrupting the Tank's and, by domino effect, the Healer's pace.

If it ever happens to you again, try to make a calm judgement, if its a melee DPS or a Bard, they have a better chance to survive on their own on a single target, just dont lose them to the Healer.

[BubblyBoar]

I feel like this topic is a bit unfair. I've played all three (4 if if count ranged and melee DPS as different) roles to and within endgame. I've seen all 3 (4) roles played well and badly and all roles get their share of toxic hate. I've had great tanks, spoiled tanks and tanks that have no idea what they are doing, even in late 50+ dungeons. I've had tanks that kept wanting to speed run but couldn't keep up with the hate I pulled with my BLM's AoE with quelling on AND taking breaks to let the tank catch up in hate. I've been on tank where DPS just fault out ignore my marks, even after I suggest they stick to them. And honestly, the only class I have any real power on is Healer. It's the only class I can get people to correct their mistakes on by not healing them. But by doing so, I'm a "bad healer." So really, everything goes full circle and everyone blames everyone else except for themselves.

[Magusrex]

I main a healer but I leveled both tanks to 50 and played them so I could understand them better. I was hoping I would understand how hard they are to play. They are not, especially if you choose to gear them well. Even though I played everything as healer first, I always watched the video before I tried to tank it because that was the polite thing to do for the people I group with. Maybe the OP should take his own advice and roll a healer. Here is what I knew from the get go because I had played a healer.

1.Know the content or ask enough questions until you are certain you do.
2. Wait until everyone is ready.
3 Pay attention to healer MP before pulling( they all need to be inside too)
4. Avoid avoidable mechanics
5. Don't make one unless you have a thick skin (you will hate being one if you can't handle criticism) Everyone is not cut out to be a tank, that is OK.
6. Decide who will MT and stick to it, Tanking epeen wars ruin raids. If a change is needed because someone doesn't know or can't handle the content, discuss it, do not play enimity wars. Provoke is for switches or Oh Poop moments not your epeen.

I started a thread about tanks last week. I look for reasons to compliment them, every single run I am a part of, I compliment the MTs and OTs publicly and I offer advice privately.The bold is good advice for everywhere in your life. I love and appreciate them. However, in WoD how can a MT get doom every single time? you are only on the Boss. Mortal gaze has a slow cast time, if you do not have the situational awareness to avoid kind of mechanic, play another class. I can understand it if it happens once, we ALL make mistakes, but every time?

[Risvertasashi]

The WAR is expected to be flawless, not to eat AOE, dodge the proper mechanics, explain the mechanics to the group, use mitigation skills perfectly and if you don't hell breaks loose.

[...]

WHM? Doesn't matter what happens or if the tank is taking 8k damage per hit. You should be healing him up and it's always your fault for the wipe.

*cough*

/10chr

[myahele]

its annoying having to deal with dps who pull extra mobs

[Xuealin]

I feel like healers are the rudest and I've had my share of them. Tempted to let them die to mobs.