Are tanks a scapegoat for performance issues?

[Masekase_Hurricane]

Many places in the forums, in the game, on reddit and the net seem to blame tanks for many things. But is it because it's really a tank issue or is it easy to blame the tank?

Granted not everyone tanks well and tanking is not a job for everyone but it is no secret that the tanking community is one of the smallest in the game but also likely the smallest when looking at combat roles.

One of the faults noted in another thread notes that tanks are expected to know the content they que for even if it's their first run. Sometimes they are asked to pull more than they're comfortable with and blamed if they die because they're undergeared. There's many possible reasons but that's not what they threads about.

Do you think tanks are the goto to blame for wipes? Why is that?

This discussion was sparked by a member of my FC on why it was recommended that they not learn tanking if they could not take player discourse.

I think it is because most new tanks/tanks don't have a middle ground. They either pull two or 3 mobs or a massive pack pull. If the party wipes they say ok I will pull small, then they grab 3/4 mobs at a time lol

[Tint]

I think it is because most new tanks/tanks don't have a middle ground. They either pull two or 3 mobs or a massive pack pull. If the party wipes they say ok I will pull small, then they grab 3/4 mobs at a time lol

usually the tank has blown all his cds in on the wiped pull before, so doing a big pull again is not the very best idea.

however, the tank has a big affect on everyone else in the party. the tank decides the speed of the dungeon, how much is pulled, how the enemys are placed, how much enmity he builds leads to how much dps the DDs can make (single target or aoe, have the DDs have to switch targets?), how much the healer has to heal, and how much time he can spend in cleric, how some mechanics are handled...

the tank IS the defacto leader of the party. the skill level and decisions of the tank have the biggest impact on how the whole party has to handle a dungeon. of course everyone wants to tell the tank then how THEY want him to handle things.

this is also the reason we don't have many tanks. pressing the buttons correct is not very difficult. being the leader of the party is what turns people away.