Is there a learning curve for tanking *alliance* raids?

[Saraide]

I came from a game where the unwritten rule of tanking is "don't be new on other people's time," an ethic that FFXIV is not immune to. The role ultimately isn't "hard," but it does come with high expectations from the entrenched, experienced playerbase, where their vaunted and legitimate kindness sometimes translates into passive-aggressive "just FYI, this is what's expected at this level" type language... which I can personally attest to being subjected to. Duty support goes all the way up now, so literally any level can be a tank's first dungeon among live players and their """expectations""". So no, the gameplay ultimately isn't hard... Its responsibilities, much like healers, just add another layer of "tanxiety" once the community's """expectations""" are put into play.



Case in point. People can be learning at any level, and they walk into a group with experienced players and are not guaranteed to know what they are doing as it relates to community """expectations""".

So I agree with you, Saraide... to a point, but there's nuance when you have a community as hyperfocused on "don't waste my time" as MMORPGs can be... and the FFXIV community is absolutely not immune to this, they just phrase it more kindly.

Tanxiety is not real. It's you being afraid of something you made up in your mind because you refuse to learn how to tank. Worse, you give up before you even begin. Tanking is extremely easy. I say this because there isnt even a lot you can do as tank. There is nothing to learn at a basic level. The skill floor is so low anyone using their brain and paying attention already clears it before even going into their first duty as tank.