Quote Originally Posted by therpgfanatic View Post
-Three part combo needed to apply DoT.
They could, theoretically, take away the 3 part combo bit but they'd need to reduce it's potency as Goring Blade is actually kinda ridiculous.
-Three part combo needed to maintain threat, but using it reduces DPS contribution of the PLD and doesn't help clear DPS checks.
DRK is actually the only one who sees a DPS gain from using their damage reduction combo. The main problem, though, is that PLD's damage reduction combo is also their threat combo, thus requiring them to dip more often (unless you have the WAR open and not BB his life away as OT). You could put the STR down on Royal Authority and put something else on RoH I suppose.
-Three part combo needed if you want to deal max DPS, but will lose threat advantage if you use it continually.
DRK has a similar problem, though their enmity generation is high enough that they don't need to worry about it. I think changing around the enmity modifiers or doing what I suggested above would solve this fairly easily. PLD's main issue is how often it needs to use RoH compared to DRK to maintain threat, on top of ShO's various hindrances.
-Only spammable AoE (Flash) does no damage.
This is often complained about, and I sort of agree but not in the sense that most do. I think Flash should still deal no damage by default, but that there should be some sort of interaction with another CD that allows it to do damage. Having a shield available at all times (on top of Bulwark as a CD) means that if Flash did damage you'd have a tank that shrugs off multiple physical hits via rolls, who can also reduce them via CDs, and also deal moderate damage while doing so. Which I, personally, think would be fine if it was CD-related and not a default thing.
-Divine Veil requires someone to heal you AND its party effect requires everyone to stack together. Utterly impractical in most situations applying a protective barrier would be useful.
DV's requirement of a heal does feel like it's just tacked on, though in any situation where DV is applicable you'd be getting healed anyway. It's intended to be used for big boss AOEs and stuff, not just a 10% shield on everybody you can randomly throw up. I think the heal thing can be removed as long as nothing else is changed.
-Shelltron doesn't block magic attacks, including certain physical special attacks you would assume it should (like cyclops swings).
-29%+ block on either damage types with a 30s CD seems a bit ridiculous to me. Think Sheltron is pretty undervalued despite being kinda insanely strong - understandable, though, since it can be eaten by AAs and is generally kinda clunky. I think, rather than doing the whole magic damage thing, it should just give you 100% block chance for X seconds.
-Sword Oath boosts auto-attack damage in a game whose meta revolves around moving constantly to dodge AoEs, making it a pretty 'meh' ability even when soloing leveling quests. Doesn't help much at all in those situations the tank needs to help kill orbs and crap to prevent a wipe, as it contributes nothing to a DPS burst.
If you have to dodge an AOE and can't auto attack then that's a personal problem or you're not strafing. SwO is really strong and is why, as an OT, PLD is pretty competitive. I think touching SwO isn't really a thing they should do, though there are probably ways they could go about it.
-Spirits Within is weaker if the PLD isn't at full health. Why? Why would you place such a mechanic on a tank whose job it is to take constant damage?
This always did strike me as weird, and I think removing the health requirement would give PLD a small boost in ShO DPS. Wouldn't mind if they got rid of that weird requirement tbh.
*If I was to redo PLD I would have made Royal Authority a finisher that can be instantly triggered at the end of a Rage of Halone combo.

Finally, Goring Blade would trigger it's DoT without needing to use Riot Blade and Fast Blade.
So you'd put PLD back to using 1 combo forever? Dunno if that's such a good idea.