Are there more tanks playing now?

[winsock]

I started a new char in a new world for 3.2

I've leveled WAR to ~52 and am really enjoying how the STR / VIT change has changed tanking, so far anyway. This first implementation may not be perfect. Other skills 'may' need adjusted at some point to compensate for things like lifesteal or what have you. Overall, to me it just feels like greater importance was placed on the 'tanking' side of the tanking role, which I don't think is a bad thing necessarily.

Side note/question: I'm not sure if it's my gear on the new char, but does the slashing debuff seem more effective than pre 3.2 at generating enmity for other tanks? I've had a few experiences with 'offtanks' in tank stance whose threat seems to skyrocket when the debuff was active.

[Aaliyahrose]

Really? I much preferred the opposite. A good DPS rides the hate line without actually ripping off you. And me allowing them to get that high (because I play DRK and my hate combo is herpes) was a sign that I was pushing the best DPS I could as well. Nothing depresses me more than when I go into a duty, do a couple PS combos and then go into my DPS rotation and nobody climbs past 1/4 of their aggro meters.

In most DF groups, I like to see how long I can ride the edge of the aggro line before somebody pulls a mob off of me. Even as DRK, I like the rush of seeing who can rip hate off of me...just because I'm bored and like to play out of Grit sometimes. I mean...If you can tank an entire dungeon in DPS stance barely losing hate to anyone, then you can tell who is the weaker link in your group...not the healer thats for sure.

[RecklessLion]

In most DF groups, I like to see how long I can ride the edge of the aggro line before somebody pulls a mob off of me. Even as DRK, I like the rush of seeing who can rip hate off of me...just because I'm bored and like to play out of Grit sometimes. I mean...If you can tank an entire dungeon in DPS stance barely losing hate to anyone, then you can tell who is the weaker link in your group...not the healer thats for sure.

I thought I was the only one thinking like that. If I remained in dps stance without spamming my aggro combo then to me dps is not up to speed. But I won't lie I love it when a dps puts me ato a challenge keeping hate. It keeps me active and on my feet.

[Adire]

I've stopped tanking pretty much. I liked being a meatshield that could hit back, now I'm just a meatshield. What attracted me to tanking in this game is now gone, so I've stopped tanking for the most part.

[therpgfanatic]

I'm sporadically logging in to give my retainers ventures and level my SMN job up with a few DF runs.

Once my subscription runs out, I'm not re-regging. I'm not playing a game when the developers clearly have such a disdain against tank players. If they can't figure out how to balance the game mechanics with a melee class like a tank doing decent damage, there's no point in paying any further. I'm tired of having DF runs waste huge amounts of my time because if the DPS are complete morons, even trash pulls take forever to clear.

When the developers finally get their act together and take the core frustration of playing a tank away -- that we can't deal decent damage -- then I'll come back.

[ChameleonMS]

I have decide to tank this cycle. My main job is pretty much a rotation for me for each cycle or two. WHM > BRD > DRG > PLD, sprinkle in BLM, MNK from time to time in the past.

[Brianmj]

I pulled my PLD out of hibernation a few months ago. Eventually it eclipsed the ilevels of my mains, WHM and SMN. It's now 208 and I'm about to spend my first tomestones of lore on it.

[Violette]

In most DF groups, I like to see how long I can ride the edge of the aggro line before somebody pulls a mob off of me. Even as DRK, I like the rush of seeing who can rip hate off of me...just because I'm bored and like to play out of Grit sometimes. I mean...If you can tank an entire dungeon in DPS stance barely losing hate to anyone, then you can tell who is the weaker link in your group...not the healer thats for sure.

This is starting to sound dirty.

[Ebonwings]

I still tank and continue tanking especially when there are new contents. In fact I use my PLD as a trailblazer until I know mechanics before I go Dps xD

[MagiusNecros]

Hard to want to tank because we wield huge weapons that should be doing major damage per swing. But uh we don't. And hard to call yourself a tank in itself if a lot of junk in HW dungeons hit hard and you are entirely reliant on a healer to maintain your tank status.

It's really telling when we just sit at 20-25k HP while we have NPC's like Aymeric cruising at a nice old 243k. And don't get me started on the bosses either.

I only truly feel like a tank whenever I run lvl 40 dungeons unsynced at 60. Otherwise it's use defensive skill so I don't die from Tankbuster move and let healer patch up all my missing health. There is little satisfaction in that entirely due to my thoughts that a tank if mitigating with their abilities should barely take any real damage at all and be able to withstand a heavy hit without the use of an ability. Otherwise I feel like every general encounter as a Tank class is one giant seesaw. It's so jaded and archaic. Really hard for me to enjoy.

And the blanket DPS nerf for all Tank classes made all 3 take a heavy hit. No matter what you say. DRK and WAR will just feel it more then the PLD will.