How to make tanks more fun to play (devs please read)

[Genesis-xyx]

IMO (as both a lvl 50 war and newly lvl 50 pld) its quite fun to play a tank in this game. It's more so the unforgiving additudes of ff players towards tanks that prevents me from doing end game content (yes I'm aware it's like that with every role but I only really notice it on my tank runs). Well, and the fact that there's just too many crazy dps who choose to make tanking more difficult than it needs to be ( ignoring order marks, pulling a mobs , etc.)

[therpgfanatic]

While I agree they could do a lot more to make the tanks more interesting and interactive, I will disagree with the idea that the tanks of final fantasy are usually the protagonist.
This is true for most(if not all) of the 2D games, so I won't disagree that the precedent is there.
However, none of the FF7+ games have had a tank as a protagonist. I didn't play 12 though, so there might be that.

FF7 - Cloud is a balanced stat character, Barret is clearly the most defensive. If there's a tank, it's Barret.
FF8 - Well, there's really no tank in this game. Squall is not any more defensive than the others. Zell probably has a higher defensive growth, but I haven't looked into it.
FF9 - Adelbert Steiner is the Knight. Zidane is a Thief. No question here.
FF10 - I'm really surprised you could say Tidus was the Tank. Auron's HP growth was insane. He would live through anything that would kill the rest of the party.
FF12 - Didn't play.
FF13 - Lightning is not a tank. Her growth capped as a ravager, she made a decent commando and medic as well. Overall follows the "balanced stat hero" that the 3D games follow. Snow was easily the best Sentinel and a clear tank.

This may seem like nitpicking but it does argue against the dps increase being an iconic tank FF tank trait. Being at the front of the party in cutscenes doesn't make that person the tank since the actual battle didn't push defense on those protagonists while it did on a character next to them..

Nearly every FF protagonist uses a 1h or 2h sword. Especially the ones you named.

The only classes in FFIV that can use 1h or 2h swords are Gladiator and Marauder- the tanking classes.

And the tanks tend to lead the party given we make the pulls and move the mobs to strategic locations.

[Brevitic]

Nearly every FF protagonist uses a 1h or 2h sword. Especially the ones you named.

The only classes in FFIV that can use 1h or 2h swords are Gladiator and Marauder- the tanking classes.

And the tanks tend to lead the party given we make the pulls and move the mobs to strategic locations.

You are not the main character in a single player game.

[therpgfanatic]

You are not the main character in a single player game.

Dragoons have Jump, White Mages have Holy, Esuna, Cure, etc Black Mages have all the iconic elemental spells, including flare. Summoners can call classic FF summons as pets. So your argument that we shouldn't have iconic abilities from FF protagonists who also use 1h / 2h swords just because it's an MMO is irrelevant.

[Brevitic]

Dragoons have Jump, White Mages have Holy, Esuna, Cure, etc Black Mages have all the elemental spells, including flare. So your argument that we shouldn't have iconic abilities from FF protagonists who also use 1h / 2h swords just because it's an MMO is irrelevant.

I said you are not the main character in a single player game. You are putting words in my mouth, that I spoke in text. I'm not sure how you can assert these things when you have very little experience with the game at all.

[therpgfanatic]

I said you are not the main character in a single player game. You are putting words in my mouth, that I spoke in text. I'm not sure how you can assert these things when you have very little experience with the game at all.

The only thing I haven't done in the game is Coil. I'm i67. So I don't know how you can assert I have "very little experience". I have more than enough experience to have a valid opinion.

And I don't need to do Coil to comment on the experience of taking a tank from 1 to 50, and then trying to gear it in a world of i80-i90s in all the Duty Finders.

[MrLeonheart]

Nearly every FF protagonist uses a 1h or 2h sword. Especially the ones you named.

The only classes in FFIV that can use 1h or 2h swords are Gladiator and Marauder- the tanking classes.

And the tanks tend to lead the party given we make the pulls and move the mobs to strategic locations.

Marauders actually only use axes.

[Sigred]

3. Remove global cooldown triggering from the following abilities:
Fast Blade
Savage Blade
Flash
Riot Blade
Shield Lob
Shield Bash
Rage of Halone

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh man... oh man... let me catch my breath. Wait, I'll be okay...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Thank you for that post. I haven't had a good laugh like that in quite a while. Too funny!

[Brevitic]

The only thing I haven't done in the game is Coil. I'm i67. So I don't know how you can assert I have "very little experience". I have more than enough experience to have a valid opinion.

Because you say that these classes have these things and yet you have no personal experience with this, only information you've obtained second and third hand. You make wild assertions about the nature of how the mechanics of the game interact with each other when you haven't even unlocked the classes, let alone the jobs associated with the half the "iconic" abilities you mention. PLD's lead so others can damage and heal, not do everything themselves.

[ApolloGenX]

Because you say that these classes have these things and yet you have no personal experience with this, only information you've obtained second and third hand. You make wild assertions about the nature of how the mechanics of the game interact with each other when you haven't even unlocked the classes, let alone the jobs associated with the half the "iconic" abilities you mention. PLD's lead so others can damage and heal, not do everything themselves.

Unless, they mess up- then suddenly the group puts all blame on them.

There's no reason to begrudge him for being self-centric in his playing... I think all players do that. He is right, though.. other jobs DO get cooler iconic abilities. Tank abilities are pretty mediocre and the LB is laaaaame.

Tanks are boring and they wear heavy armor to protect against other player insults/whining/e-peening more than against npc mobs.

Edit: Holy is the best spell in the game, imo... graphic and sound > all other abilities. I love it.