Low level tank enmity drop?

[Zfz]

Got my GLA from 15 to 23 through dungeons and I've noticed that every now and then there will be a DPS who can easily out-threat me on the pull, practically all the time.

I'm wearing the full beginner tank set with the rare dungeon helm and belt, ethereal sword, rare shield, and the max-level accessories I can find at this level. Stat points invested in VIT. Basically I should be at maximum gear for this level. But I've ran into DPS who can easily, easily out-threat me at the start of a pull even on a mob that I pulled with Shield Lob.

For example with the altars in Tam-tara, I could open up on the altar boss with Fight or Flight and a comboed Savage Blade, but the DPS in question will gradually catch up to me, and by the time the boss is at 15% or so, the DPS would tanking the boss and that would be that.

(Not frequently, but every now or then there will be this one DPS that keeps doing it.)

Anyone notice the same? Could it the rebalancing of STR and VIT for tanks while gear was never adapted (at this level there are now no "tanking" accessories, only STR accessories) causing a significant drop in tank enmity at low levels?

I remember back in 2.x I would only have a problem tanking lower levels when my gear was outdated and the DPS are level syncced. But now I feel really helpless when I run into such a strong DPS.

I am even starting to wish that level syncced DPS/Healers automatically get a -20% on enmity generated or something, just to help out the tank...

[Ekimmak]

There's always one low level dungeon that'll cause you grief because of how the abilities unlock.

Marauders will have trouble in the 20s because Butcher's Block will unlock far later than Rage of Halone, whereas Paladins will struggle in the 30s range because of their lack of shield oath.

I wouldn't be against a buff to help out levelling tanks.

[Launched]

Use more Flash. It generates more enmity per GCD than Fast>Savage.

[Perilos]

I adapted to that with my first ability to use: Flash.
Then combo -> Flash -> Repeat

[Zfz]

Use more Flash. It generates more enmity per GCD than Fast>Savage.

Does it? Is there a source on this info? I've always wondered exactly how much enmity it generates. In 2.x it was definitely worse than the combo, and I tested it in one Sastasha party with a Fire 2 spamming BLM and a DRG. Flash spamming could not catch up to the DRG's enmity...I'll try it some more.

[MistakeNot]

Many low-level tanks have noticed exactly the same. It is not something new from the STR/VIT rebalancing - even though that change may have made it worse.
Most of the time it is not all that hard for the tank to keep aggro if they know how to play their class, but occasionally there is a high-level DPS with great gear who goes all-out and will pull aggro off any low-level tanks.
That is irritating for the tank. Good news is that any DPS capable of doing that is also perfectly capable of surviving the fight against the mob he/she pulled.

[Canadane]

Until you get your tank stance, a determined DPS that knows what he's doing can easily out-enmity you. There's not much you can do about it, even spamming flash (not to say you shouldn't be).
Most people also realize that low level tanking, especially Gladiators, is not an easy time. Some don't, and some simply don't care, but thankfully most DPS don't actually know what they're doing! So the times you'll have trouble will not be often.

[Launched]

Does it? Is there a source on this info? I've always wondered exactly how much enmity it generates. In 2.x it was definitely worse than the combo, and I tested it in one Sastasha party with a Fire 2 spamming BLM and a DRG. Flash spamming could not catch up to the DRG's enmity...I'll try it some more.

Flash is 600 potency. Fast Blade is 150. Savage is 200*3.5=700. Fast+Savage is 850 vs 1200 from Flash*2. Even back in 2.0, Flash was 500 so it was still better.

Edit: Flash isn't buffed by Fight or Flight because it does no damage. When FoF is up, Fast+Savage is 1105 potency, only slightly lower than Flash*2.

[Ebonwings]

You don't have to worry about losing aggro to dps if you have up to date gear. There's nothing we tanks can do if we are out gear by dps except spamming flash, unleash, or overpowered and pray that we don't lose aggro from the remaining mobs.

When I am a dps and out gear a tank, all I'll tell the tank to keep the other mobs aggro, if I happen to rip aggro from him/her I'll tank it. As long as the tank keeps mobs away from healer which is the most important part.

[Rongway]

Until you get your tank stance, a determined DPS that knows what he's doing can easily out-enmity you. There's not much you can do about it, even spamming flash (not to say you shouldn't be).

This is not true. If your gear is current and you Flash enough, no DD can generate enough enmity to take something off you before Shield Oath.

Enmity potency per GCD values for each job:

• BLM - Fire III is 432(576 with FoeReq and Raging Strikes); Thundercloud II is 610 but only if it ticks for the full duration.
• SMN - The only hard hitting action is a triple Fester, 900(1200), but this value is attenuated by the three GCD setup time during which the strongest GCD is Bio II at 350(467).
• MCH - Lead Shot is 490(670ish buffed) if it ticks the full 30 seconds. Clean Shot, adjusted for Rapid Fire and Reassemble, is still only around 690 with buffs, and only with a proc.
• BRD - Straighter Shot + Misery's End + Bloodletter is 759 buffed, and at that point the mob is dead.
• NIN - Aeolian Edge is 384 with venom, and Raiton is 400ish with FoeReq.
• MNK - Demolish is 609 with GL2, TwinSnakes, BloodForBlood, if it ticks for the full duration.
• DRG - Phlebotomize is 500 with Disembowel and BloodForBlood; 750ish with Life Surge.

• WHM - If a WHM casts literally nothing but Medica, it's 600 enmity potency per GCD (300/target * 4 targets * 0.5 healing enmity modifier).
• SCH - Succor is 300 potency per cast
• AST - Helios is 600 enmity potency per cast; throw in an Essential Dignity for another 200-500.

In short, yes, some jobs have actions that let them do more than 600/gcd for one or two GCDs; however these enmity spikes are easily handled by the enmity the flashing GLA has accumulated from the rest of the time when those jobs can't do those one-off actions.

By the time you switch to Riot Blade to restore your MP, you should have such a big lead that nobody goes orange until a target is about to die.