After 1 (arguably 2) expansions what is square trying to achieve with WAR (and PLD)?

[Gemina]

So I was going to post this on the tank forum but I decided the question is as much a healer question as it is a tank question

Regardless looking back on EW genuinely what is square enix’s design decision around the current balance of the tanks and how this affects the wider game as a whole?

WAR started the expansion as the most popular tank with the strongest overall mitigation kit given its ability to empower its raidwide mitigation, it’s cracked invuln and bloodwhetting/nascent glint which allows it to heal another member to full every 30 seconds and allows it to be functionally immortal in cleave content. In exchange its one weakness is that its damage was lower than GNB or DRK. Now it has since been buffed above DRK and almost reaches GNB

I haven't played tanks anywhere near as extensively as I have healers and melee DPS. I think the best way I can contribute to this topic is to bring up a chief concern I have playing with tanks in both of these roles, and it is their self-sustain.

As a DPS, I have participated in well over a handful of encounters where the boss has killed everyone except the tank an myself. In this situation I feel like I am a spear and the tank is the shield. I can stay alive so long as I don't fail mechanics and the tank does not die. However, even if I were to fall the tank can still solo the boss. It will just die slower.

As a healer, I have the ability to bring everyone back in the same situation so long as I don't fail mechanics and the tank does not die. However, if I should fall the tank can still solo the boss and it will just die slower.

The common denominator should be quite clear, and I was appalled when this same situation was present in an EX trial (Rubicante EX). It's one thing for this BS to exist in casual content, but starting at the EX level this schite should fly right out the window. Granted, there are maybe a handful of EX encounters where this is possible as most have mechanics that make it impossible for tanks to soak them all and still survive the autos. I don't care. I am of the mind that it shouldn't be possible at all, even in casual content.

I think it is fine if a tank has a strategic advantage over DPS and healer roles in content intended to be soloed. It's a good tradeoff to have the security of increased defensive properties and self-sustain at the cost of lower damage inflicted on the opponent in these situations. Content intended for groups should not be able to be soloed. I can't even begin to express how useless I feel as a healer that if I die when the boss still has a significant chunk of health, and it can still be defeated. I would LOVE to ask Yoshi if he has EVER been in that situation.

The way I see things is that I understand that the tank role is least played/highest in demand for grouping, and that the dev team is challenged with making the role more attractive and incentivized. But I think there are other methods to circumvent this issue other than invalidating the game's healers. It also most certainly isn't designing encounters like they did Mount Ordeals EX. I don't have the answers, and my suggestions are limited since I don't really play tanks. I only know that better decisions can be made in regards to this issue.