In your darkest hour: DRK's identity crisis

[Mycow8me]

The problem with balance is the very ideology it imposes. For a perfect balance every class should be able to do the same things at the same times and that eliminates any possible aspect of class identity beyond aesthetics in the first place. So at some point you have to draw the line and say you can accept the fact that your class can't have or do "x" but in return you get or can do "y". The situation is that not everyone believes it is a fair deal and pleasing everyone is impossible. There is also the fine line that when crossed puts x or y into a "must have" for raid groups. I'm guessing SE found it refreshing to hear someone say they play a class because they enjoy it regardless of a possible myriad amount of issues with it.

Maybe the answer is instead of "something unique to contribute," its "contributing something in a unique way". We could all have the same versatility, dps, mitigation, sustain, utility, etc... but it is in contributed differently. It correlates to the overall play style of a class which i think has more to do with a classes identity than our toolkits which are arguably the same things with different animations and names. Traits could have played a major roll in this for tanks but instead are not intuitive. Imagine if every tank class responded to a critical hit differently, a parry differently, or even low hp differently. I believe this is where class identity could have started but that's just my opinion.

[Reynhart]

Maybe the answer is instead of "something unique to contribute," its "contributing something in a unique way".

I think that it was their goal when they designed the numerous DPS. Sure, there are differences in their raw DPS output, but more importantly, you don't play a BLM like you play a BRD or a DRG. Too bad this wasn't the case with tanks.

For example, they could have made a tank that doesn't rely on combos...give WAR no damage reduction skill but more variations of Thrill Of Battle+Convalessence to fit with the massive HP pool theme, and, at least, making their tank stances all act differently, even if they bring the same eHP. If Defiance increased all healing received by 25%, it would be mathematically the same as ShO, but with a unique flavor.