Quote Originally Posted by Risvertasashi View Post
Except it literally does? It can be the difference between regen keeping them topped, and needing to stop DPSing to cure.

That doesn't mean the tank's DPS isn't worth it but saying 20% damage reduction is nothing is very silly. Especially a warrior on large dungeon pulls, yeah, you want them AoE'ing. (PLD on the other hand, probably better to stay in shield oath and let the healer DPS more).
It's nothing in the grand scheme of things because tanks suffer significantly higher damage loss than healers. That PLD sitting in Shield will buy you no more than a couple extra Stone IVs throughout the entirety of the fight while throwing away thousands of raid DPS. In dungeons? Sure, you rotate stance more regularly because the incoming damage is severe and Holy spam is more beneficial. It's typically why on PLD I will purposely bottom out my TP and Clemency to give the healer more opportunity to DPS. Now if they aren't... I'll likely drop stance and go full DPS tank mode because I may as well make up their lack of damage somehow. And I'll give them something to do besides stand around aimlessly.

When it comes to bosses though, forcing a tank into tank stance should be avoided at all costs due to how severe the penalty is with very minimal benefit. It's literally a last resort option and nothing else. Tank stance is so severe a damage loss, it's actually better for the SAM/MNK to use Third Eye/Purification than having a non-WAR (with Unchained) go back into tank stance to do another combo. Why is that? Ask the developers who seem blissfully ignorant on why tanks and healers prioritize damage so highly in this game.