Warrior potency

[Renathras]

Wait, what's wrong with WAR?

Of all the Tanks, it's probably the one I like right now, despite not really being a berserker fan in a lore/aesthetic sense.

The rotation makes sense and doesn't require add-ons and reverse engineering to work out how to do well with it, it's forgiving but can still be wiffed thus allowing some skill expression, and it just feels...fun. I'm not sure how to quantify "fun", but it's just enjoyable. I like GNB okay, but WAR just feels...nice somehow. Granted, I'm a healer main, so being "the party's Blue Healer" might be part of that (though I find myself healing party members less on WAR than I do on PLD - which I know makes me a bad PLD, but I almost never PLD), but I honestly really like WAR.

I wish it jived with me more in terms of lore and appearance, but I can still enjoy it despite that. Which to me says it's a great design if even a person that isn't that into the class fantasy can still really enjoy it.

[Mithron]

Wait, what's wrong with WAR?

Very low damage, too much utility, healing not designed well, and rotation is very simple. The opposite of what WAR core identity should be.

[Renathras]

Very low damage, too much utility, healing not designed well, and rotation is very simple. The opposite of what WAR core identity should be.

I can see the damage being low as a problem, but...

How is "too much utility" a bad thing? But that aside, does it have the most utility? I thought PLD had more and arguably DRK?

How is it's healing "not designed well"?

And how is a very simple rotation NOT fitting of an "ungba bunga Hulk smash!" core identity? WAR isn't the big brain, highly skilled/trained man-at-arms. That's...well, literally all the other three tanks - PLDs are highly trained and skilled gladiators, DRK's are arguably pretty skillful with a blade, and GNB's are well trained bodyguards. WAR kinda IS the tank where a very simple rotation is exactly what the core identity should be.

Now, if you meant the core identity thing with low damage/high utility/high healing, that I could see more. I would think the berserker would be the higher damage dealing tank who also has lower defense (but higher HP) to be a bit more meat and a bit less shield, powering through things with brute force and determination. But FFXIV's combat system doesn't do "has higher HP, takes more damage" (though it did in ARR), so that's kind of a gameplay concession.

But I'd think simple rotation, self-healing (think "I'm to angry to give up!" determination/second wind in a fight), those things actually fit the WAR core identity to a T.

[Mithron]

How is "too much utility" a bad thing? But that aside, does it have the most utility? I thought PLD had more and arguably DRK?

How is it's healing "not designed well"?

And how is a very simple rotation NOT fitting of an "ungba bunga Hulk smash!" core identity? WAR isn't the big brain, highly skilled/trained man-at-arms. That's...well, literally all the other three tanks - PLDs are highly trained and skilled gladiators, DRK's are arguably pretty skillful with a blade, and GNB's are well trained bodyguards. WAR kinda IS the tank where a very simple rotation is exactly what the core identity should be.

PLD has the least utility, which is also antithetical to the core identity. WAR should have the least, but highest damage to compensate. That is the job identity. WARs are supposed to be the high damage high risk off tank, berserkers that throw caution to the wind and use reckless abandon. Seeing them have PLD's identity currently (and even the lowest DPS now perhaps) is completely the opposite of what they should be. However I don't think the DPS difference should be greater than 1% between all the tanks, and I don't think they should have such little mitigation that they're shunned, but I want to see WAR at the top of damage, GNB behind them, then DRK and PLD last. I want DRK and PLD to have the best support, mitigation and usable (Clemancy isn't usable) healing. Anything that strays from that is missing the mark on core identity.

Bloodwhetting is extremely powerful in dungeons, and as such they have to make it weaker than most of the other mitigations tanks have in single target boss fights. It's not terrible, it's just okay. But it's really weird being a WAR and thinking "Oh man! Let me heal you!" because that's just not something a WAR should ever think about. WAR should only be thinking about doing damage and have the basic necessary tools to self survive with minimal utility. They should be the "selfish tank," which sadly is PLD currently.

I don't know if you played ARR or HW, but back then WAR was definitely the hardest tank to play but had the most damage. Even pre-Byakko in SB, this was true. It took a lot of effort to make WAR do its real damage, even having to play around a Pacification debuff attached to Berserk that healers had to really pay attention to to maximize their damage. While I don't think they have to go too far into complexity, its current rotation is way, way, way too easy. I don't think any job in the game should be this easy, not even PLD (I'm saying this as PLD/DRK main who specifically has always loved PLD because of how accessible and easy it is).