Is there any reason to play any tank other than PLD?

[Hayward]

Is there any reason to buy groceries when you can eat grass clippings? Lots of people mow their lawn. That's free grass clippings! Grass clippings can do the same thing that groceries can. Just need to boil them. Food is for stoopids.

[Galgarion]

Goddamit, you people sit on your thrones looking down on the grass clipping diet! Humans can eat grass! They can! They just gotta want it! You'll see, YOU'LL ALL SEE!

[Umbeliel]

To answer your question since I didn't actually see an answer in the first two pages, OP: kind of.

You're right in that a paladin does everything the other two tanks do but better right now, but in 8 man content where there are two tanks one needs to be "not a paladin" for lb generation (having multiples of the same job reduces the rate) and also in savage there's a "no duplicates" rule.

Basically, no, there's no good, strictly mechanical reason to not be a paladin except for the fact that someone HAS to not be a paladin lol

Please ignore anyone on their high horse telling you you can't enjoy the game in a way that involves caring about numbers.

[YitharV2]

Is there any reason to buy groceries when you can eat grass clippings? Lots of people mow their lawn. That's free grass clippings! Grass clippings can do the same thing that groceries can. Just need to boil them. Food is for stoopids.

I don't think there's anything wrong with grass, but I don't want to be a cow. Cows spend all day eating

[Galgarion]

I don't think there's anything wrong with grass, but I don't want to be a cow. Cows spend all day eating

How dare you!

[Claire_Pendragon]

for lb generation (having multiples of the same job reduces the rate) and also in savage there's a "no duplicates" rule.

I heard this, but Ive gone in with 2 PLDs, 2 WHMs, 4 RDMs, and it not only let us in, we won just fine. (v1S and v2S, havent touched v3S or v4S yet)
I think they changed the way things work in 4.0, as LB3 with duplicates hasnt been an issue, and we usually get a 2nd LB, be it LB1 or LB2, off before a fight ends.
(Though having 2 of the same job in 3.x was barely noticeable, and u still had your LB3 up before any point you would need it in prior savage.)

But for the rule, I think it means raid finder, not party finder.

[Bonbalon_Burcaso]

Just because Paladin can do it a bit better doesn't mean the others can't do it at all.

You can do all content with any tank combination. If you show up as a DRK in EX/Savage content and the other person shows up as a WAR, the healers and dps are not going to throw up their hands, yell "PLD OR GTFO!" and leave.

Try them all, play the one you like best, or play them all.

[Lannybaby]

In my experience, the drk has a very low skill ceiling, much lower than it was in 3.x. Maybe the ease of use attracts some players. It's also very easy to deal a lot of damage, but its damage ceiling is a bit low-ish.

[Umbeliel]

I heard this, but Ive gone in with 2 PLDs, 2 WHMs, 4 RDMs, and it not only let us in, we won just fine. (v1S and v2S, havent touched v3S or v4S yet)
I think they changed the way things work in 4.0, as LB3 with duplicates hasnt been an issue, and we usually get a 2nd LB, be it LB1 or LB2, off before a fight ends.
(Though having 2 of the same job in 3.x was barely noticeable, and u still had your LB3 up before any point you would need it in prior savage.)

But for the rule, I think it means raid finder, not party finder.

Ah my bad.

..So there's not really any reason not to roll paladin.

[Greven]

PLD: paragon tank, more defensive skills + block rate, easier rotation and can heal self and party. Holy knight theme
WAR: brings slashing debuff, more complex rotation, nice burst and good with self-sustain. Brutal barbarian theme
DRK: strong magic defense skill, shield for self or party, good with AoEs and more skills over combo play. Dark edgy theme

after 4.05 nerf/buffs there isn't much of a big gap in tanks DPS https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme.../405_tank_dps/

So some random reasons:
- If no SAM/NIN a WAR must be there
- a PLD/DRK is nice to have for Intervention/Cover/The Blackest Night
- a DRK is good for bosses that focus on magic attacks/tankbusters (guess what are the stronger attacks in Savage)
- WAR/DRK can be more involving and so less boring