Why is DRK so squishy and how do I stop it?

[AriKitae]

They did say they were in Cleric Stance both times...perhaps they just weren't prepared because those monsters hit harder than normal monsters

The gear from Cutter's Cry could help, but this makes me think that the healers were just surprised by a pack that did more damage than they expected. It wasn't the nicest to blame it on squishiness, but sometimes that happens. I've had a scholar call me squishy a while back in Sohm Al when I was in synced full VIT 209ish gear on my Warrior, doing normal pulls and using my CD rotation.

[LegitChamp]

In Temple of Qarn on the 3 spider monsters and the blue ghost blob right before the Golem boss I dropped dead both times. Both times the healers said "I wasn't expecting the squish" despite using the -20% inc damage CD (Shadowskin?) and also the Parry Buff (Dark Dance), then after those went off I would use Bloodbath in addition to +healing received (convalescence?)

They did say they were in Cleric Stance both times...perhaps they just weren't prepared because those monsters hit harder than normal monsters?

However on the same pull after the boss we didn't die - so maybe they were just in cruise control mode and those are special monsters they were surprised by at first

That pull in Qarn where you died does have a lot of damage, the blue soul thing is actually a pather if I remember correctly so all 4 together can be rough. I think most tanks leveling through that area would be squishy there (compared to tanks level synced). I know my Warrior was in addition to my DRK.

[Februs]

so in this scenario... what you're saying is OP didn't use all of his cooldowns, when in fact he stated that he did... or there's a cooldown a pld would've used that he didn't have access to?

I don't understand this PLD use cooldown better sentiment.... how is the ability to utilize your resource something you generalize by class?

Um, no. That wasn't what I was saying at all.

I never said anything about Pld CD's being somehow "better." I also never made any comments about whether or not the Op used all their CD's. All I said was that there's a bigger difference between the two jobs than simply one has a shield. It's common for new Drk players to make the false assumption that they play identically to Pld's, and then they wonder why they feel squishier. Again, I'm not saying that's what the OP did. Based on their story, it sounds as though they were doing just fine and that their healer was pants on head stupid. I'm only pointing out that generalizing the two tanks in such a manner is inaccurate and misleading, especially at higher levels when Dark Arts becomes available.

[Parasoth]

Um, no. That wasn't what I was saying at all.

I never said anything about Pld CD's being somehow "better." I also never made any comments about whether or not the Op used all their CD's. All I said was that there's a bigger difference between the two jobs than simply one has a shield. It's common for new Drk players to make the false assumption that they play identically to Pld's, and then they wonder why they feel squishier. Again, I'm not saying that's what the OP did. Based on their story, it sounds as though they were doing just fine and that their healer was pants on head stupid. I'm only pointing out that generalizing the two tanks in such a manner is inaccurate and misleading, especially at higher levels when Dark Arts becomes available.

But that wasn't the point he was trying to make, he was saying when it comes down to taking damage there is almost no difference between the two except PLD has a shield block sometimes.

He wasn't saying "LOL DRK IS THE EXACT SAME JOB AS PLD."

[Yuni_Queen]

Who is squishy? Why DRK? Why not PLD or WAR? Beeing squishy depends on accessories, stat investment, gear and overall skill in usage of the class.

DRK is not squishy. Most likely you are :P lol

[MPNZ]

OK, your healers being in cleric stance is probably a really big part of it, like, 70 percent of it, and they should really only be using it when burning stuff. But, what are your Cross class skills, because you should at least have foresight because DRK's mitigation skills are mostly focused on magic instead of physical damage?

[Yuni_Queen]

because DRK's mitigation skills are mostly focused on magic instead of physical damage?

There is literally one skill for magic res with 60 sec cooldown. That ain't making DRK mostly focused on magic dmg reduction :P

[ADVSS]

Its low level. You cant do full room pulls, maybe pull smaller, but tanks in general are all squishy until they are well over geared. Pop cooldowns and rotate them, and most importantly esp for tanks like has been said it sucks cause dps can get away with it more so but you really want to be as geared as possible even in low level dungeons. DRK really shouldn't be much squishier than paladins, I mean their toolkit and tank stance are fairly identical, besides the shield block and maybe an enhanced convalesence?.

[MPNZ]

There is literally one skill for magic res with 60 sec cooldown. That ain't making DRK mostly focused on magic dmg reduction :P

Hmm, I thought we had two? Sorry, I haven't played anything besides the event quests for three months, but having an extra defensive CD should help with mitigating the damage from mobs at least.

[Yuni_Queen]

Yep, Dark Mind is powerfull magic mitigation, not only for bosses, but also for trash pulls.

But that doesnt mean DRKs are squishy, because magic resistance...