Noob Tank In Need of Advice Please

[TheForce]

I’ll keep this short. I’m a level 45 Paladin still playing ARR. With “flash” being removed from my action list, I’m struggling to keep aggro in dungeons. I’d normally shield lob-flash-fast blade-riot blade-etc... Should I be using “Iron Will” to pull the enemies instead of “Flash” now? Also, how do I know that my tank stance is active? I never see the icon with the bar that fills up after attacks. Thanks for any help or advice!

Hey there bud, I'm a pretty experienced Paladin so I'd be glad to help you out.

Yep, Flash was removed, it's a huge bummer but thankfully SE made sure that we still have skills that ensure we're able to hold both single target and mob aggro without a problem.
So first things first, you'll want to make sure that you always have Shield Oath (Iron Will) turned on. The only time that you don't want it to be on is when you're doing any 8 player content because there will be two tanks, one Main Tank, and one Off Tank (Main Tank keeps Tank stance on, Off Tank keeps it off ), and you shouldn't be Main Tanking until you get more comfortable with Tanking in general. However, if any adds (extra enemies/monsters) appear during the 8 player encounter, you'll want to turn your Tank Stance on to pull those adds and only those adds. When adds are dead, turn Tank Stance back off.

There are two main ways to know whether your Tank Stance is activated or not: the first is to look at your status effects (not sure where they are on your hud, but on mine they're at the top). Shield Oath has a golden yellow icon that's very distinct, if you see this icon among your status effects, then Shield Oath is on, if you don't, Shield Oath is off. The second way to tell is to look at your job gauge/job icon. If Shield Oath is on, there will be a set of golden wings behind the gauge, or if you haven't unlocked the gauge yet (you probably haven't based on your post), your job icon will be lit yellow. If there are no golden wings behind the gauge, or your job icon is not illuminated, then Shield Oath is off.

Now, for the actual Tanking part. Total Eclipse --> Prominence is your main AOE (Area of Effect) combo. Just using a single combo will generate a pretty hefty amount of aggro for you so it shouldn't be too bad to make sure you don't lose it. Also, when you get to level 50, you'll get a fantastic skill called "Circle of Scorn", this'll also be pretty useful in pulling mobs. It's an AOE attack that applies to a DoT (Damage Over Time) to every single enemy in your proximity.

And don't get me started on Requiescat + Holy Circle but you won't get these skills until wayyyyyy later on lol. With all of these, it will be almost impossible for the Paladin to lose aggro.

[TheForce]

Always have Iron Will on...

Flash does not exist anymore yes... But Total Eclipse and Prominence is there to act like flash. I recommend to not shield lob anymore. If you must, please use Circle of Scorn right after. However after that, your CoS is on cooldown, yes? This is when you face pull the mobs and just swing your Total Eclipse every freaking where you go like you just dont careeeeeeee.

No seriously, just run up to the mobs now and use TE and Prom. Thats what I do. Kinda like when WAR's go up to mobs to use Overpower. :>

He is not Level 50, he doesn't have Circle of Scorn yet.

[JWag12787]

Turn it on and it stays on until you either switch jobs or get level sync'd in a dungeon.

That level sync stuff is annoying as all heck. Like, why? I'm above the lvl requirement, it should stay on until told otherwise. XD


That's my only gripe. Otherwise, I do like the change.




Also, thanks for the advice about leaving it on guys!

[skinsrich]

Thanks for this. I was wondering if you should only really have it on if you are running group content. I am still a low level tank at the moment, but I guess practicing having the extra aggro even while solo is good practice for later on.

[sleepycats]

yeah, leave tank stance on 24/7. since they got rid of the damage debuff on it, there is no reason to have it off other than those rare exceptions like everyone is saying.

you can see in your positive buff icons if it's on, or maybe just go into your HUD settings and move the display icon somewhere else on screen where it's more obvious and/or comfortable for you to see it.
I don't know about paladin, but for the other tanks that same bar also shows your resources for special abilites, (fury, shells, etc...) so it definitely help if you can see that. haha

[Eclair_Xysha]

He is not Level 50, he doesn't have Circle of Scorn yet.

He'll get there in 5 levels tho. And it's not like you can't see the skill at all to read it. It's just grey'd out.

[Naryoril]

Flash was also taken away because there is no need for it anymore. Total Eclipse -> Prominence combo spam on big pulls will safely hold threat on on everything.

Well, i'd really like to still have flash. Not because of the aggro, in that regard there is really no need for it anymore, but because of the blindness. It's was basically a defensive cooldown you could use in every fight. I still feel naked when playing paladin, with only so few defensive cooldowns left.

[TheForce]

Well, i'd really like to still have flash. Not because of the aggro, in that regard there is really no need for it anymore, but because of the blindness. It's was basically a defensive cooldown you could use in every fight. I still feel naked when playing paladin, with only so few defensive cooldowns left.

I agree, I miss flash.

[dhooddmb41]

I can’t believe how easy all of this was after reading these posts. I’m almost embarrassed I couldn’t figure some of it out. Big thanks to all of you!

[skinsrich]

A question is the doorway to knowledge. I don't know if anyone ever said that, but it just sounded cool. We are all new at the start. There is no shame in asking for help. The good thing is the majority of people are more than willing to give it.