Yet another Red Mage post, but hear me out, please.

[MagiusNecros]

The only thing DRK has that is purely magical mitigation is Dark Mind. Which for most content doesn't matter when a majority of attacks are both Physical and Magical. So if they made a Magic Tank that excelled at mitigating magic damage they can easily do so and make Dark Mind look like a joke.

[Reynhart]

My main concern, though, is how the addition of a new tank would impact the existing tank balance.

The problem with tanks is the few metrics used to balance them : Survival, Enmity and Damage.
Enmity is basically a non issue.
Basic surviving has to be enough for each tank to be able to MT everything, so much that excess mitigation is almost considered wasted.
Damage...the backbone of everything in the current meta. But you can't possibly have the 4 tanks at the same damage level.

So basically, by adding another tank, we'll just push one out of the way, like DRK almost did for PLD, unless content is specifically and artificially favoring one type of tank.

The only thing DRK has that is purely magical mitigation is Dark Mind. Which for most content doesn't matter when a majority of attacks are both Physical and Magical.

We still have enough magical tankbusters for DRK to shine. Basically, PLD's HP will drop less between each buster and more on them, and DRK is the opposite.

[MagiusNecros]

So basically, by adding another tank, we'll just push one out of the way, like DRK almost did for PLD, unless content is specifically and artificially favoring one type of tank.

Much how Gordias favored DRK over PLD and Thordan favoring PLD over DRK?

And once Tanks learn all mechanics they could easily just run as a WAR(or a Gritless MT DRK if they can pull it off) to deal with mechanics and provide more damage overall. Leaving both PLD and DRK in the dust at that point. Should a coordinated group desire the extra damage.

If we are to have a Magic Tank implemented I better see magic damage on their weapon and magic damage being blocked or parried as well as main stats being accrued betwixt VIT and INT.(Does it really matter if stats are homogenized between VIT/STR between all 3 anyway though? Allowing for no diversity?) One cooldown on an otherwise physical tank does not a magic tank make.

[Reynhart]

Much how Gordias favored DRK over PLD and Thordan favoring PLD over DRK?

Exactly

(Does it really matter if stats are homogenized between VIT/STR between all 3 anyway though? Allowing for no diversity?)

At that point, we could very well fuse STR, DEX, INT as Power...and even MND with a tweak on Cleric Stance.

[Duelle]

Damage...the backbone of everything in the current meta. But you can't possibly have the 4 tanks at the same damage level.

Sure you can. If anything, it'd free us of the "column A, column B" mentality people seem to take towards the job designs. PLD/DRK should generate similar results to PLD/WAR and WAR/DRK. One combo should not be superior to the others. We already have forced variety via the limit break bar, so we don't need further discrepancies beyond gameplay and mechanics.

[ADVSS]

Sure you can. If anything, it'd free us of the "column A, column B" mentality people seem to take towards the job designs. PLD/DRK should generate similar results to PLD/WAR and WAR/DRK. One combo should not be superior to the others. We already have forced variety via the limit break bar, so we don't need further discrepancies beyond gameplay and mechanics.

Cant agree more ive been saying this forever now, there shouldnt be a bad combination, or the wrong one.

[Reynhart]

Sure you can.

With the current state of tanks, it would just make them more similar. DRK is already a copy/paste of PLD when it comes to tanking.

Saddly, the simple fact that you think a combo is "superior" because of personal DPS means you're part of the meta. Let my PLD have lower damage but far superior healing prowess, so that I can build a one healer party. Let my DRK offer raidwide TP/MP leech so that my BRD and MCH won't need to sacrifice their damage...that's how you make every combo "balanced" without relying of equalizing tank's damage.

[ADVSS]

With the current state of tanks, it would just make them more similar. DRK is already a copy/paste of PLD when it comes to tanking.

Saddly, the simple fact that you think a combo is "superior" because of personal DPS means you're part of the meta. Let my PLD have lower damage but far superior healing prowess, so that I can build a one healer party. Let my DRK offer raidwide TP/MP leech so that my BRD and MCH won't need to sacrifice their damage...that's how you make every combo "balanced" without relying of equalizing tank's damage.

im down with this idea

[Duelle]

With the current state of tanks, it would just make them more similar. DRK is already a copy/paste of PLD when it comes to tanking.

I'm hoping Yoshida talking about focusing on the jobs' identity for 4.0 includes dealing with that.

Saddly, the simple fact that you think a combo is "superior" because of personal DPS means you're part of the meta.

The meta affects everyone, regardless of whether you raid or not. Lest we forget, back when Coil was a problem for WARs, you still had WARs in HM Gaurda and Titan that would tell me to main tank because "WAR can't tank". Shit rolls downhill, and we have to take that into account.

Let my PLD have lower damage but far superior healing prowess, so that I can build a one healer party. Let my DRK offer raidwide TP/MP leech so that my BRD and MCH won't need to sacrifice their damage...that's how you make every combo "balanced" without relying of equalizing tank's damage.

Ugh, that sounds like the crap I saw back in 1.2x when Holy Succor meant people expected the tank to do part of the healer's job. No thanks.

Make the damage comparable and focus on mechanics to make each stand out. Here; it ain't perfect but it's along the lines of what I'm hoping to see.

[Reynhart]

Ugh, that sounds like the crap I saw back in 1.2x when Holy Succor meant people expected the tank to do part of the healer's job. No thanks.

Right, it's so much better now that people expect tanks to do part of the DPS job and blame them for when the party fails a DPS check...