Quote Originally Posted by FallenWings View Post
Tanking pretty much boils down to once you've done it once, it's done forever.
The tanking role is the easiest in the game.

Tanks aren't simply required to just tank however. They're required to peform the role of pulling. I went over that on the 9th page of this thread.

Pulling is the stressful part for most when it comes to playing a tank. It wasn't until about this decade (2010) that the pulling role was regulated to tanks. If you play Everquest you can see the role of puller is still very much active and you really do not want your tank to do it (unless you have a group makeup to where they're the best suited for it).

Pulling isn't simply Tomahawk/Shield Lob/Unmend and then AOE everything. You've got to pull then place (or do multiple pulls and place). Where do you place? Well you and I could probably figure that out. I've been pulling in MMOs since 2001, longer than some players have been alive. But not everyone has. Pulling means knowing the flow of the dungeon. And if you're in a dungeon everyone performs on a routine basis, you're expected to do this flawlessly.

But for others, that's where the anxiety kicks in. When you've got 3, 6, 9, 20+ mobs beating on you and you have to point them away from the group (so now the dungeon looks weird.. seriously it does when you're not facing the same way you always do as a DPS/Healer) and you have to think quickly on the best spot to stop so the DPS can do their job.

It should be easy. And for the disciplined and experienced, it is. For the everyman, not so much.

I personally would love to see group/dungeon mechanics that require groups to be split. Maybe there's two mobs you just don't want to get together and splitting the pull would be advisible. And DPS classes are given tools to make this work. Thus you want the DPS to pull. Spreading some of the work around would aid those who get anxious leading a group. I remember playing a necro in EQ and having to split pull mobs and guiding the flow of the dungeon as a dps. Letting Shadow Knights, Warriors, and Paladins take the mobs off me when I bring them in.

The roles in FFXIV is Tank, Healer, and DPS. The roles in EQ are Tank, Healer, DPS, ADPS, Puller, and CC, but the classes aren't as clearly defined in their roles. And ironically, Good pullers are in higher demand in EQ than good tanks are.