Really want a magic tank

[Myrhn]

The only thing i can see as a magic tank at range is some sort of projection type. You probably summon a "pet" and that pet will go to the boss but your character far away is actually taking the damage, the pet would be only a place holder. Maybe make it have a link like sch have with the fairy and if that link is broken the "pet" vanish and the boss will go to the second in the hate list unless you summon it back. the only thing i would see the pet doing are auto attacks and any defencive cooldown you use, the rest would be your character.

[Hasrat]

A problem I don't think I see come up in these discussions often enough is the stats/gear predicament. Current tanks are based on VIT/STR. That's what their gear has. Creating a new tank that strays from that build necessitates new gear. More gear to roll on in every dungeon/raid. More gear to clog up the roll and keep you from getting the pieces you want. The more jobs they make with more different stat builds requiring more gear sets is more development time on items each patch. More gear means more inventory space, and we've already seen the struggle with that. What about food? Will they have to adjust or add new foods with appropriate stat combinations? How does an tank using INT or MND affect the balance from party bonuses?

New stat builds aren't out of the question, I think, but there's a lot to consider, and unfortunately, I'm not sure tanks would be the first to receive that treatment.

[Llus]

Imagine having to get snap aggro and having to wait 2.5s (or more) for your cast to go off. Meanwhile, your co-tank that just ate a vuln-up buster takes an auto and dies. Or, you're MT and a DPS pulls hate, so you use your aggro spell and 2.5s later (or more) you get aggro, but your DPS dies. No thanks. I'd rather not have a caster tank beyond what PLD does with HS.

[Jandor]

A caster tank that places a totem somewhere to handle the melee/positioning aspect could work, at least for boss arenas. Would still be a pain pulling packs of mobs through dungeons though.

A tank whose DPS stance is purely casting would fit better in the game as it currently stands, imho. While for the tanking they get their hands dirty and get stuck into the melee.

[Seraphor]

A problem I don\\'t think I see come up in these discussions often enough is the stats/gear predicament. Current tanks are based on VIT/STR. That\\'s what their gear has. Creating a new tank that strays from that build necessitates new gear. More gear to roll on in every dungeon/raid. More gear to clog up the roll and keep you from getting the pieces you want. The more jobs they make with more different stat builds requiring more gear sets is more development time on items each patch. More gear means more inventory space...

Many classes have physical attacks need on Int, or magical attacks based on Str. There\\'s no need to force a magic tank into a new set of gear.
Especially considering that Blue Mages have often been more physically oriented, wielding spears and swords over rods and books.

If like I\\'ve suggested they reimagibed Blue Mage as a sort of magitek knight, all the existing heavy armour will work just fine.

[Seraphor]

Imagine having to get snap aggro and having to wait 2.5s (or more) for your cast to go off. Meanwhile, your co-tank that just ate a vuln-up buster takes an auto and dies. Or, you're MT and a DPS pulls hate, so you use your aggro spell and 2.5s later (or more) you get aggro, but your DPS dies. No thanks. I'd rather not have a caster tank beyond what PLD does with HS.

Because none of the existing tanks have spells, and none of he casters have instant cast spells...
Oh wait...

Do you even play this game?

[Rongway]

If like I\\'ve suggested they reimagibed Blue Mage as a sort of magitek knight, all the existing heavy armour will work just fine.

I liked the first part of this post, but then you went back to heavy armor tanks.

We have enough heavy armor tanks. We need the next tank to be anything but a heavy armor tank.
It's okay to put a mage tank in mage robes. Because magic.

[Jandor]

I liked the first part of this post, but then you went back to heavy armor tanks.

We have enough heavy armor tanks. We need the next tank to be anything but a heavy armor tank.
It's okay to put a mage tank in mage robes. Because magic.

There seem to be two realistic/likely options, it has a new gear set or it uses Fending gear. You could theoretically share with existing casters, but those pieces lack a lot of VIT in comparison to tank gear.

I'd much rather it use Fending than have to farm up another set, the seven we have already is two too many.

[Rongway]

You could theoretically share with existing casters, but those pieces lack a lot of VIT in comparison to tank gear.

This is only a problem because people deem it to be so; it doesn't need to be. There are plenty of ways to work around that. Damage reduction traits, HP inflation traits, shield/soak pools. Mage tanks in caster gear are not this completely impossible thing that everyone keeps making them out to be. Let's stop pidgeonholing the tank role into heavy darksteel barrels.

[Jandor]

This is only a problem because people deem it to be so; it doesn't need to be. There are plenty of ways to work around that. Damage reduction traits, HP inflation traits, shield/soak pools. Mage tanks in caster gear are not this completely impossible thing that everyone keeps making them out to be. Let's stop pidgeonholing the tank role into heavy darksteel barrels.

The most straightforward solution would be to give the caster tank the following trait:

Robes are cool: Can glamour caster gear over Fending gear.