Ideas for a Caster Tank

[Elkanah]

This wouldn't work for multiple reasons.

1) tanks share gear so your leather cloth armor with low defense idea wouldn't be possible

2) being a tank implies you'll be getting hit near constantly. taking damage interrupts casts. I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this.

1) While this is agree-able, they could still make gear LOOK-LIKE cloth based. Look at the Fending set in The Sohm Al, which is very cloth-like, but still a fending set. NOTHING on that armor says it looks like it was meant for a tank class.

2) PLD Clemency says otherwise after the update to the ability in casting while being targeted or hit. This was a big complaint back in HW, so it was changed to be non interrupt-able unless stunned. Have used it many times in all dungeons till 70 on PLD so far because of how beautiful this is. So it's highly possible they can make it happen for a tank class. There's no way BLM could be on a class other than DRK, since DRK was a class that both functioned as a melee class and a caster class. While it was a DPS in most other titles, yes, it was still approach-able (this is mostly going off of someones post earlier). They could also make it instant, similar to ninja with their ability to wield ninjutsu to make the aforementioned spell effect. Highly possible and probable.

While most of us have some epic ideas that could really help build the realm to a better game we can hope for, the problem comes back to how much of the original FFXIV 1.0 coding is STILL in this game. The moment they implement something, they need to test and ensure something else doesn't break, as this has been the case in the past, and in past live letters and interviews. Until 1.0 is completely wiped from the game, we won't be seeing any possible BIG implementations or suggestion/feedback in the game as we'd like to. As a 1.0 player past, while some of it was enjoyable-- I want it completely wiped from this game, so we can progress.

1.0 coding is basically the PS3, and we need it gone to better pursue content we want in the game overall.

[RitsukoSonoda]

PLD if I remember right actually gets a trait somewhere between 60-70 that halves their spell costs and also prevents interrupt from damage. This is why they can cast clemency and holy spirit at 70 without getting interrupted when hit.

As for a caster based tank the real issue I see is that they would need a trait that allowed casting while moving unless they plan to eat every AoE to the face. I think a better option would be a tank that dealt magic damage via melee attacks and weapon skills.

[Mavrias]

. I think a better option would be a tank that dealt magic damage via melee attacks and weapon skills.

So play Dark Knight.

[Mavrias]

1) snip.

1. OP specifically mentioned that this hypothetical tank's gear would have lower defense and magic defense in favor of it lowering damage dealt by enemies. I'm not talking about aesthetics. We can already make our armor look cloth or leather. It's called using a glamour prism.

2. Abilities being instant is specifically not being a caster. Being a caster means you have cast times. This is why bard and and machinist are no longer caster classes. And being interrupted by damage is also one of the core mechanics of a caster. PLD is not a caster class so it got a slight buff to make one of its major utilities more viable.

[Opus]

Looks like the nays are mostly about how the game's current design makes it really hard to have variety in each role. I want to be able to play radically different styles. If you had ever played Ragnarok Online you'd know what I mean. Things like

1) Monk Mage
2) Ultra high ASPD thief builds
3) Pet tanking
4) Ability to cloak/hide

Other than my caster tank idea.

[Elkanah]

2. Abilities being instant is specifically not being a caster. Being a caster means you have cast times. This is why bard and and machinist are no longer caster classes. And being interrupted by damage is also one of the core mechanics of a caster. PLD is not a caster class so it got a slight buff to make one of its major utilities more viable.

PLD is not a caster class, you're correct. But tank wise, both its new skill for holy and clemency are considered MAGIC, not PHYSICAL skills. And a non interruption rate added to this mechanic for tanks could classify it as a caster tank with some skills. Similar to how rdm works. Only difference is you won't need surecast to make it functional, given PLD's ability to use magic skills without needing to be interrupted.

While I do understand that tanks are not casters, this mechanic can still work in some ways without overhauling the original code. But it would be up to the devs to make that a consideration. Sadly, as we know Squeenix of over 7 years since 1.0, a lot of those ideas had been trashed or thrown away. Honestly, still believe this is due to 1.0's coding in the system.

[RitsukoSonoda]

So play Dark Knight.

Majority of DRK's damage is still physical slashing. It has a limited number of MP based abilities that will deal magic damage to supplement it. This just makes it a physical tank with a few extra magic options the other 2 don't have. I'm talking about a tank that deals entirely magic damage with not just instant cast spell like abilities but on its actual weaponskill attacks and auto attacks as well. One of the points noted on the forum is the fact all 3 tanks primarily deal physical slashing damage and a number of players are proposing tank ideas for damage types that synergize with DPS jobs that deal blunt or piercing damage. Granted the only damage synergy I can think of for a fully magic damage based tank would be with BRD using requiem as I cannot immediately recall any party buffs that boost magic damage specifically. Just ones that boost all damage or physical damage.

[Shippuu]

I'm talking about a tank that deals entirely magic damage with not just instant cast spell like abilities but on its actual weaponskill attacks and auto attacks as well.

Please explain how this tank will then tank enemies that are immune to magic damage, or reflect magic damage. That is the single biggest flaw in the notion of a purely magic damage dealing tank.

Tanks should ideally do the same kind of damage as each other because having one that does a primarily different type of damage opens up major balancing issues. You'll end up creating a tank that either no one will want in their parties, or only want in their parties. By keeping them all slashing damage it eliminates a factor they'd have to consider and balance.

[Rufalus]

This might sound like a crazy idea, but (snip)

I love it! One of the best original ideas I've seen on the forum. I was thinking something along those lines but you really went in-depth and answered some questions about how it could work. A caster tank like that is significantly different enough to the melee tanks we have now that it could increase the number of players interested in taking the tank role.

[Shippuu]

This might sound like a crazy idea, but it's something I've always wanted in an MMO: a caster that tanks by summoning a bad-ass companion, while the caster stands at the back and uses spells that help the companion do tank stuff. This includes weaker shields/heals that only affect the companion. The caster would also have some damaging spells for them to use sometimes, as well as certain cooldowns that buff the damage of the companion for a while. Plus a skill that transfers all enmity to the companion.

Tell me, why would you think they'd create a job that requires you to literally be two different places at the same time. They just simplified the jobs in this expansion to make them easier to play, but the idea of a Pet tanking while the master stands somewhere else would be creating one of the most difficult jobs to play, on the least played role. We already have a ton of bad tank players in the game as it is. Please do tell me why you think this is a good idea.

This is also a tank that now takes double damage from all raid wide attacks, and has to worry about not only dealing with enemy positioning and tank dodging, but all the movement involved that ranged and melee DPS and healers have to deal with. The player now needs twice the knowledge of every fight in order to perform their job. They have to know all the tank mechanics, and all the DPS mechanics. Please tell me how an average player could manage dealing with all the mechanics that can happen simultaneously in most of the fights. This is also a tank that can cheese boss mechanics that require damage to be split amongst multiple tanks or players, potentially breaking some fights or drastically changing how they're done, making such a job a potential shoo-in with no other tank job being able to compete.