Why mark targets?

[OrganizationXIll]

I'll join your side OP. I have said this before in dungeons and I get laughed out the door. It doesn't really matter what you attack if the tank is competent. People in this thread seem to think that marking is the only way. I read one guy talk about being lazy and macro-ing it to shield lob. The lazy tank is the tank that wants to spam his 123 skills on a single target rather than splitting his combo on multiple targets. 12 tab 3 tab 12 tab 3 tab 12 etc. that is how you tank properly. OP is exactly right about DoTs causing way more damage in most cases. If you DoT them all then the group dies faster. Also, not to mention BRDs getting a ridiculous amount of Bloodletter procs. Stop being lazy tanks and DPS. Listen to the OP. We healers can handle it. I promise.

[Krogo]

Ive noticed as Blm that if I use an AOE fire spell, I generate more enmity to whichever mob I targeted. Even though the spell might do equal damage to all mobs hit, it doesnt seem to do equal enmity to all mobs hit. Therefore if the tank marks one, I can target my AOE spells against the marked one.

Marking multiple targets before the pull can be done without even stopping your movement to the pull, more less if you just mark the one you are targeting.

Bottom Line: There are several reason to mark. The only reason not to is because the tank is lazy.

[OrganizationXIll]

Ive noticed as Blm that if I use an AOE fire spell, I generate more enmity to whichever mob I targeted. Even though the spell might do equal damage to all mobs hit, it doesnt seem to do equal enmity to all mobs hit. Therefore if the tank marks one, I can target my AOE spells against the marked one.

Marking multiple targets before the pull can be done without even stopping your movement to the pull, more less if you just mark the one you are targeting.

Bottom Line: There are several reason to mark. The only reason not to is because the tank is lazy.

You noticed wrong sir. All enemies hit gain the same aggro. Also, even if it were true, it doesn't matter what you target if the tank just holds all the aggro.

12 tab 3 tab 12 tab 3 tab 12 etc. <-- How to tank properly.

[File2ish]

It doesn't really matter what you attack if the tank is competent. People in this thread seem to think that marking is the only way..We healers can handle it...

As a main healer, yes we can usually handle healing everybody, it's not super difficult unless the DPS eat a really strong AoE. However having a kill order can be quite useful for everyone. As a healer I love it when everyone follows the marked kill order, tanks need to worry less about losing hate on other targets, DPS have a set target to burn down quickly, and it makes my main job that much easier since only one is getting hit most of the time.

When I tank I usually mark to let the rest of the group know what I'm going to focus on next. I also split my enmity combo on the mobs to hold hate even if the DPS are following the marked order. Focusing the Halone/butcher block combo on one target is very inefficient enmity wise (plus it leaves us MP/TP for flash/overpower and stoneskin, mostly for the former).

Marking can make things go much smoother if everyone follows it. I've had DPS who thanked me for marking and for a smooth run, and I've also had DPS who ignored the order I marked the mobs in, but still had a smooth run. Competent tanks can usually hold hate, but when both DPS are focusing on two different targets than the tank it can become rather cumbersome to hold hate since it can drain your MP/TP quickly trying to keep up (seen it happen multiple times when healing).

[Steffie]

Don't know what other thinks about marking. I mark target so that there is less annoyance of having an add losing aggro on me.

[Freyt]

To those who would consciously choose not to mark targets, I've already defeated your thinking.

I just Focus Target you and tt all the time anyways. I don't need marked targets, and I won't spread my damage. Maybe if you play with me over and over again we can develop strategies that work just for us. But if I'm going into a random DF group and you happen to be my tank and I've never played with you before, I'm going to assume a formation.

Unless my entire server decides that every time a DF dungeon starts we need to spend the first 30 minutes discussing our strategies and general focus of the group, I'm just going to fall in line and predict what my party is trying to do and back them up as best I can, using tactics that frequently lead to my parties survival.

[ElricHellshadow]

I always mark targets unless it's been decided that we're aoeing everything. It's not about keeping aggro on all of the mobs at the same time. it's about picking one off at a time asap to alleviate healing and speed up the kills. A healer can DD and heal if there are only one or two targets left therefor making it faster and smoother.

[Silkerin]

marking also makes it easier for changing targets right after they die, its not about increasing dps or something, hardly you will use this numbered markings on places that need a super intensive dps, thi is to signal what and who you will target next, so dps that can aoe, just aoe but those who dont have a good aoe can just focus on the first target almost ikll it and go to the next, because he knows the aoe will eventually finish it off while he works on the next enemy.

so again.. its not about increasing dps.. is just showing who you will target mostly, if they go along and aoe or not.. if they spread dots or not.. thats another situation that has nothing to do with marking as it is only a comunication tool, and since you cant really control others, i think you should get used to mark enemies either way, for those days people dont want to aoe so you can at least say " you want to attack a single target fine, but do it in this order" then if they pull an enemy out of the order is their fault, not yours *unless its a healer XD*

well thats what i think anyway... thats why i will always mark enemies, even with a black mage and bard aoeing on the group, not everyone wants to have the greatest dps or be the fastest all the time, sometimes people just want to have fun burning things one by one, and i am in no place to judge them just because of that, and if it isnt really geting in the way or wiping the run then i dont care. i try to be maleable and adaptable, that way i have more fun with different kinds of people....

[bokchoykn]

snip

What you said has NOTHING to do with marking targets.

You seem to confuse "marking targets" with "only building aggro on one target" and "only DPSing one target".

Having numbers above your targets doesn't restrict your DPS from DoTing or AoEing the entire pack.

Marking a target communicates to your team which mob you're going to focus more of your aggro on. It simply means: "If you're going to deal a ton of single-target DPS to one mob, do it to THIS one." Otherwise, if you're tanking four mobs and your two DPS are going balls out single-target DPS on two separate targets, someone will pull aggro.

[RiverTams]

Marking mobs helps ps3-controller players.
Not only that, there are macros for auto-attacking num1 2 or 3 which helps dps deliver instant damage instead of "waiting" to see which mob everyone is attacking. It can also help the healer put down DoT's or sleep certain mobs (2 or 3 for example)

I don't normally bitch over mobs not being targeted. I use /assist <t> while targeting tank. But as a tank, I mark mobs always. It has shown me that it keeps greater order.
Just do it, there's no reason not to as you level.