tanks are crazy tough right?

[Masenken]

Since I've hit fiddy, I've had a ton of content open up to me, so the learning has been slow in some places, quicker and others. Downed all the new dungeons with few problems though Pharos Sirius still eludes me this point... last boss is a pain lol. I pretty much DF all the way, then run LS/FC members afterwards once I get it down, but DF, people seem to have an issue with me starting out in sword oath. I've had little reason to go shield oath against stash mobs and my ilvl is high enough now I can sustain it. During any instead that I'm OT, I use sword oath as well, but if I know I'm about to switch, I immediately switch to shield. Some people, however, still flip out on me anyway.

Did I miss something? Last I checked I was still pretty durable even in sword oath, so why the flak when they haven't even seen anything to gauge my competence by? Is oath switching really that big a problem? I'm currently learning Garuda EX now that I'm up to that stage. Still haven't progressed past the first phase due to too many people dying, so I just started experimenting. Using both oaths while OT when I pull either sister (opinions keep varying on who needs to be pulled), only thing that kills me is downburst when I've forgotten to dodge it (honestly didn't know what the target thing was about, so that doesn't happen anymore). But here's my thing. If I could contribute more dps, shouldn't I do it? Especially fights I know like the back of my hand. I understand the comfort aspect of it, if I'm not main tanking, what's the issue here?

[Raagnar]

Some dps have to hold back if you are not using shield oath, it gives a massive enmity boost (especially since 2.1). I guess it depends on who you play with.

[NintenPyjak64]

Some dps have to hold back if you are not using shield oath, it gives a massive enmity boost (especially since 2.1). I guess it depends on who you play with.

One of the tanks in my FC honestly has no trouble holding hate in sword oath against DPS who don't hold back. I've even stolen hate from shield oath PLDs while using Sword oath. The damage you're dealing gives you enmity that's sort of equivalent to normal combos in shield oath, with the downside of not taking reduced damage (remember Shield oath drops your own damage dealt)

[Raagnar]

One of the tanks in my FC honestly has no trouble holding hate in sword oath against DPS who don't hold back. I've even stolen hate from shield oath PLDs while using Sword oath. The damage you're dealing gives you enmity that's sort of equivalent to normal combos in shield oath, with the downside of not taking reduced damage (remember Shield oath drops your own damage dealt)

Like I said, it depends on who you play with. i85-90 dps pull A LOT of enmity. If you are tanking a crowd in sword oath, good luck! your "dmg" enmity is only coming from what you hit. shield oath enmity buffs flash.

Its also very easy to pull hate from a shield oath pld using sword oath depending on where you are in the fight. sword oath has no enmity suppression so when im using it while offtanking I have to hold back most of the time unless the other pld is close to i90 also.

[Lord_Zlatan]

Like I said, it depends on who you play with. i85-90 dps pull A LOT of enmity. If you are tanking a crowd in sword oath, good luck! your "dmg" enmity is only coming from what you hit. shield oath enmity buffs flash.

Its also very easy to pull hate from a shield oath pld using sword oath depending on where you are in the fight. sword oath has no enmity suppression so when im using it while offtanking I have to hold back most of the time unless the other pld is close to i90 also.

I use SO in these situations and just wait for 5 seconds after they pull. Usually thats enough time for them to be hitting Halone while I'm hitting fast blade, and I just use the Riot Blade combo.

[AmandaHuggenkiss]

Some dps have to hold back if you are not using shield oath, it gives a massive enmity boost (especially since 2.1). I guess it depends on who you play with.

I've pulled hate off of many tanks who are not in shield oath with just auto attacks.

[Kyana]

Shield oath most of the time except in special situations like Amdapor Wall or when not tanking.
Also in fights with tank swaps it can help to switch if you don't risk heavy damage from AoE or other abilities.
It can also help with hate management. I just love tanks which keep spamming their hate combo after a tank switch instead of helping out with a stoneskin or Storms Path.

I've pulled hate off of many tanks who are not in shield oath with just auto attacks.

Don't play with bad tanks or tanks with weak equipment.

[Masenken]

Shield oath most of the time except in special situations like Amdapor Wall or when not tanking.
Also in fights with tank swaps it can help to switch if you don't risk heavy damage from AoE or other abilities.
It can also help with hate management. I just love tanks which keep spamming their hate combo after a tank switch instead of helping out with a stoneskin or Storms Path.

That's pretty much exactly what I do. If I'm not actually tanking anything, I switch to sword oath and support the other tank and whatever dps I can. When I'm actually tanking something, I tank it right and proper. I actually hold off on a lot of my abilities just so I don't overtake the other tank after a swap, so throwing some SS's out is usually my first action.

I'm honestly surprised at how many folks flat out find sword oath utterly useless. Seems a waste to me to not actively switch as the situation arises instead of just popping shield oath and sitting on it all day everyday except when solo when it doesn't even matter.

[Londis2013]

Personally, I believe you should play however you'd like to play. As a tank, your overall dot is not that much. V depending on how you spec'd your character. The problem is, that most people want you to either play in a traditional manner, or in their own style. Whatever the case, they should first allow you to proove yourself before offering suggestions.

[Kal-El]

Really depends how geared you are for the content.

To be honest I stay in shield oath the majority of times unless it's burning a boss (AK for example) and I'm ilevel 86.

Means the healer can DPS instead of me