Why Don’t You Tank Poll

[Kacho_Nacho]

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.

Preach it, sister. I miss those days and wish Square Enix would make some effort toward making content which requires that level of teamwork. Making everything more or less only about the amount of damage being dealt by each party member has resulted in a rather flat dungeon experience.

[Solica]

I saw so many posts in this thread about how stressful pulling is. And i really cant understand why. Ive been tanking here for quite a while, and in other games too, like WoW. Pulling is pulling. You pull mobs, you might lose mobs for a sec, you pull mobs back if so. You check the strength of your healer(as well as yours) in handling groups on the first pull and then adjust the size/speed of pulls appropriately for the rest of the dungeon. It is not really about the pulling or tanking in general, but its your real life stress translating into the game. Like chains, reaching all the way from the real world to the virtual one. Break those chains and stop worrying about what you pull and what you dont, enjoy the game. And dont give a single fudge if anyone judges you for doing it.

[cactusbees]

Tried it once. People were overall, complete assholes about it. Switched to DPS, much happier.

[MysticDreamer]

When I think of tanking in 24 man raids/trials that terrifies me.Probably because I have anxiety and it makes it worse hahaha.

[AncientCrystal]

I'm really am trying to Tank and Heal more in this game instead of dpsing all the time.

But to me, it's a bit daughting to figure out how to properly position a boss as tank, especially when there's a long established way to fighting a boss.

[AncientCrystal]

I saw so many posts in this thread about how stressful pulling is. And i really cant understand why. Ive been tanking here for quite a while, and in other games too, like WoW. Pulling is pulling. You pull mobs, you might lose mobs for a sec, you pull mobs back if so. You check the strength of your healer(as well as yours) in handling groups on the first pull and then adjust the size/speed of pulls appropriately for the rest of the dungeon. It is not really about the pulling or tanking in general, but its your real life stress translating into the game. Like chains, reaching all the way from the real world to the virtual one. Break those chains and stop worrying about what you pull and what you dont, enjoy the game. And dont give a single fudge if anyone judges you for doing it.

Well said.

[Nestama]

I have a tank I've been gearing, but it's only if my static is ever missing a tank for one reason or another. The BRD in my static has done the same, but I feel replacing a RDM (me) would be more beneficial than replacing a BRD.

[Sylvina]

WAR main here. Wheres the "Why DO I tank" option?

[PuppytimusLeoroccanz]

I saw so many posts in this thread about how stressful pulling is. And i really cant understand why. Ive been tanking here for quite a while, and in other games too, like WoW. Pulling is pulling. You pull mobs, you might lose mobs for a sec, you pull mobs back if so. You check the strength of your healer(as well as yours) in handling groups on the first pull and then adjust the size/speed of pulls appropriately for the rest of the dungeon. It is not really about the pulling or tanking in general, but its your real life stress translating into the game. Like chains, reaching all the way from the real world to the virtual one. Break those chains and stop worrying about what you pull and what you dont, enjoy the game. And dont give a single fudge if anyone judges you for doing it.

This basically

[Kazrah]

-snip-

As nice as this sounds, it's not really about stress from game mechanics (which is easily controlled) so much as stress created by other players (which usually can't be controlled at all). I suffer from stress and anxiety problems, but tanking has never been much of an issue for me because my usual tactic of treating DPS like unruly sheep in need of either herding or terrorizing tends to pay off unless I get kicked because I didn't "give a single fudge" as you so put it. What's worse is that mobs don't hit hard enough to warrant the fear of pulling ahead of the tank, further diminishing the priority of the tank role.

Also, a game like WoW not only has a means of increasing risk of DPS pulling ahead via the immunity to critical hits found for all tank specializations, but also no real risk whatsoever of actual threat loss for tank specializations, so any attempt to compare it to this game in regard to tanking doesn't seem as applicable.