Four Ways to Die - why the Tank Meta feels "off".

[Kacho_Nacho]

Actually doing damage is a form of damage mitigation because dead things can't hurt you. The more outgoing damage going in a raid the less stress you put on the healers as well.

If you can kill it in 10 minutes rather then 20, that saves the healers a TON of Mana.

Unfortunately this game is designed around killing things as fast as possible. Classes should reflect that.

That seems kind of lazy honestly. Mitigation is simply passive defense and most fighters in real life didn't just sit back and soak hits. They knew that if they didn't fight back people would just wail on them because what can they do about it? That isn't intimidating and a brick wall isn't intimidating, and a tanks job first and foremost has NEVER been about damage absorption. It has always BEEN about holding aggro and keeping threat.

That is why you look and have to feel as threatening as possible. Not be a joke that can't do anything to an enemy.

So TL;DR
It would never work, because a giant brick wall simply isn't threatening. It's something you walk around and ignore.

Oh dear lord... do you really think a tank focusing on her mitigation is just standing there? She's not. She slamming her shield right in your face and smacking you around like crazy. Meanwhile, every time you attempt smack her back, she either blocks your attack or laughs in your face. "Is that all you've got?"

Something you walk around and ignore? Please... She'll be on you like a bulldog like a slab of bacon all the way.

I do agree killing things quickly is a form of damage mitigation. However, I feel killing things quickly is why you bring damage dealers, not tanks and healers. Those guys have different roles.

Tanks hold aggro/threat and survive through the big attacks. Healers keep everyone alive. Their classes should reflect that.