Provoke - Is it necessary?

[Mandis]

I'm a 50 WAR/17 GLA. I've been tanking since August without using Provoke. I've tanked every dungeon up until 2.1 except Aurum Vale, without Provoke. From 2.1, I've tanked Pharos Sirius and maintanked Crystal Tower, without Provoke. Now, however, I'm being told that for the hard mode dungeons and for extreme mode primals and, especially, for Binding Coil, I MUST have Provoke.

My question, then, is why is Provoke so necessary? And, if it's that necessary, why is it only GLA/PLD that receives it through straight levelling? In the past, when there's been a discrepency between the classes (Hallowed Ground being used to avoid mechanics, 20% damage reduction VS 15% heal bonus), Warriors have received a buff to more or less equate the two classes (Holmgang will not drop below 1HP, heal bonus up to 20%). Therefore, if Provoke is absolutely necessary for tanking, why does the WAR not receive a similar move?

[CyanDvai]

Provoke is good for Boss swapping which you need to do in some instances.
It's a great tool anyways to have for emergencies.

In Garuda EX you swap the boss between you and the other tank to avoid getting 5 stacks of a debuff.

Provoke makes it easier to swap since it puts you at the top of the enmity list.

[Remn]

Provoke is good for Boss swapping which you need to do in some instances.
It's a great tool anyways to have for emergencies.

In Garuda EX you swap the boss between you and the other tank to avoid getting 5 stacks of a debuff.

Provoke makes it easier to swap since it puts you at the top of the enmity list.

Are you talking about Ultima HM? Garuda Xm does NOT apply any debuff on tank. (aside from spiny plume)
Once you start doing the Xm Primal, Ultima HM, or Coil (T2, normal way) Provoke play really improtant part in tank swaping

[Zoomie]

Provoke is necessary due to their being several encounters that require two tanks to trade aggro. Its possible to do this without provoke but EXTREMELY difficult and would require incredibly synergy between you and the other tank as well as less than optimal threat gen creating another hazard for your dps.

Why don't warrior have provoke? I've asked myself that question many times. It feels like an oversight by SE to me. I don't think a class should have to cross class a skill to perform its basic role. I can't think of another class that HAS to bring a cross class skill to function. Many are nice (swift cast, etc) but WAR might be the only that is basically required to bring one.

[Crimess]

Are you talking about Ultima HM?

No, He is talking about Garuda EX, Titan EX, Ifrit EX, Coil T1, T4, T5 but yeah count HM Ultima there too.

[whiskeybravo]

There's really no reason not to get provoke. I went for a long time without it, as it's not necessary for anything really until Ultima HM (maybe Garuda HM for OT add). I wish I would have gotten it sooner, in all honestly, but I was so content with war that I didn't want to go back to gladiator (and I didn't really know what exactly Provoke did). The reality is you are already at lv17, and with the new xp bonuses it will take about 3 dungeon runs to get to lv22. So just do it, you will need it for the long haul.

Why don't warrior have provoke?

I can only think of when they said that CC skills will not be required to complete the story mode content, but that they will be required for end game content.

[pikster]

Im in the same thoughts as you here, I have been tanking on warrior and paladin and have NEVER used that ability. And yet I see tanks pulling with it? Using it when they already have hate? My understanding is it puts you a couple of points of emnity above the highest emnity target, so... whats the point if you have not lost hate?

[TaranNos]

You don't need provoke until harder content, but it can't hurt. In coil and extremes, you'll need it.

[whiskeybravo]

Im in the same thoughts as you here, I have been tanking on warrior and paladin and have NEVER used that ability. And yet I see tanks pulling with it? Using it when they already have hate? My understanding is it puts you a couple of points of emnity above the highest emnity target, so... whats the point if you have not lost hate?

Yea you shouldn't pull with it but it does have longer range than a tomahawk or shield lob. I've also noticed that it will sometimes pull 1 enemy without aggro'ing the whole mob. Not really it's use, but can be used that way as long as it's followed up by tomahawk.

[Nalou]

Provoke is actually great for pulling because it have a long range, so you can pull something without aggroing something else.
You don't pull with provoke for aggro, just for range