Low level tanking

[MistakeNot]

I'm a wee little Gladiator hoping to blossom into a fine Paladin. This thread makes me a little nervous to start doing dungeons... So, basically, run to convenient target, flash more than once, use Fast Blade/Savage Blade, switching targets for groups, and hope that the healer deigns to heal me. Still... couldn't I skip Fast Blade and go straight for Savage, since doing damage is not going to be my job? Just get as much enmity as possible on as many dudes as possible? Maybe that's a stupid question, but I'm not that familiar with the game yet.

Also, I really don't like Halone's Rage for... reasons. Is it possible to tank without it, relying on my other enmity skills instead?

Not a stupid question at all - that was my thinking originally as well and it sounds logical, but it is wrong.

Those skills with added enmity works by applying a multiplier to the damage done. For Savage Blade that multiplier seems to be x3. (Some sources say x2, but for this analysis it does not matter - the conclusion will be the same anyway.)

Savage Blade alone has an attack potency of 100. With the enmity multiplier this means it will generate the same enmity as a normal attack (without extra enmity) that has a potency of (100 x 3) = 300.


Now lets do the math for Fast Blade + Savage Blade combo compared to using Savage Blade twice:
FB has a potency of 150. SB comboed with FB has a potency of 200. Together this will generate a total enmity of 150 + 200 x 3 = 750.
SB alone has an attack potency of 100. Using it twice will generate a total enmity of 100 x 3 + 100 x 3 = 600.

So FB+SB will not only do more damage than SB twice, but also generate more enmity.



Rage of Halone is a very nice skill for GLA/PLD that you generally will want to use when tanking.

Not only is it a heavy hitter when used as part of FB+SB+RoH combo, but it also generates plenty of enmity AND it reduces the damage dealt by your target - making it easier for you to stay alive.
What's not to like?