Tanking, need some advice?

[Zaero]

I pretty much parrot everything here.

Unfortunately, GLD at Lvl 20 is rough for tanking IMO. My secret was to mark mobs when I started a pull. If the DPS can't kill by numbers, I let them tank it. Otherwise, Shield Lob is good when you need to stun an ability (Spoiler: The handmaidens in Haukke Manor when they use the "Dark Mist" ability). Either way, like others have said, PROTECT YOUR HEALER. (especially if they know you IRL). I run with someone who heals as I tank, so we have an "understanding" (never let them die).

It gets easier when you pick up Rage of Halone (level 30), where you're just going to combo 1 mob, then the next, then the next, flashing inbetween, n repeat.

IF you're starting tanking, try out MAR. I'd never tanked before, and I find it's easier to get/hold aggro. Buuuut, you lose out on survivability later on (yes, I know the thread, but different strokes n all).

[JeniLinsky]

IF you're starting tanking, try out MAR. I'd never tanked before, and I find it's easier to get/hold aggro. Buuuut, you lose out on survivability later on (yes, I know the thread, but different strokes n all).

My experience (I'm currently leveling Marauder, and have an i78 Paladin) is that Marauder does more damage, but Gladiator generates more agro on more targets more easily. Your experience may vary. Also, the fact that Overpower does damage, and thus wakes up the mob that the mage just put to sleep, puts it in the -1 category for me.

[Urthdigger]

I'd say step one is to mark the targets. You can make a macro so you mark <1> on the target you shield lob. Then do the steps others have mentioned involving Flash in order to keep hate off your healer. If a DPS targets something other than your marked monster, and they pull hate? Fuck 'em.

Oh, and also make sure to upgrade your weapon as first priority. Higher damage means more enmity, not just from your savage blade combo but also from Flash.

[juniglee]

It gets easier when you pick up Rage of Halone (level 30), where you're just going to combo 1 mob, then the next, then the next, flashing inbetween, n repeat.

Rage of Halone is Level 26. Warriors get Butcher's Block, and their tank stance (Defiance) at Level 30.

My experience (I'm currently leveling Marauder, and have an i78 Paladin) is that Marauder does more damage, but Gladiator generates more agro on more targets more easily. Your experience may vary. Also, the fact that Overpower does damage, and thus wakes up the mob that the mage just put to sleep, puts it in the -1 category for me.

This is dependant upon party comp though. For example, as a Paladin, sometimes I end up waking sleeping mobs by accident using Circle of Scorn - which is why I always use CoS after the first Shield Lob. Similarly for Warriors, they can also cross-class Flash. Also, I've been i90 on both tank classes for the longest time, but I can't even remember the last time a mage actually slept a group. If they are going to AoE Sleep mobs, they are better off firing Fire 2/Flare instead.

When it comes to group aggro, Warrior is tops, simply because of Overpower. At the lower levels, 2x Overpowers is enough to make mobs stick to you like glue. At the higher levels, Warriors also have access to Steel Cyclone.

I don't think OP needs any more advice on this issue - there's so many good ones! But I will just add that if you need that extra oomph for snap aggro, Gladiators have access to Fight or Flight - it increases damage dealt by 30%, and aggro is directly tied to damage dealt, so you're generating 30% more aggro as well.

[vanityobscene]

I love being a tank. There's something very powerful, psychologically, about saying, "I will stand between you and danger, because I AM THE PAPASMURFING TANK!" I hope that you come to enjoy it as well. It does take practice, and thought, and you have to be on your toes. But when it comes off right, it's very rewarding.

All good advice, thank ya!

We definitely see eye-to-eye on. What drew me to tanking was the obvious challenge, but also the fact that as the tank you're essentially a party leader. Others have to take your cues. But at the same time if you misstep others will suffer for it. It's all really quite exhilerating/frustrating/fantastic all at the same time. I'm moving toward level 30 now. In the last few levels I've had both my best instance run and my worst. The worst I was forced to leave with my healer because the DDs were running ahead, ignoring cues, pulling all of the mobs, and then running back to me. We wiped several times before we both just shook our heads and humbly left. But the best was smooth as it could have been. And from that experience I got onto the primals, and my first? Ifrit? We went to town on, a huge success, no hiccups.

[vanityobscene]

Oh, and also make sure to upgrade your weapon as first priority. Higher damage means more enmity, not just from your savage blade combo but also from Flash.

I've just been getting on to this. I read a bit about the importance of inventory levels, and a bit more about the GLD and immediately sought out better equipment. For now I'm wearing Iron Scale (it's the best I can wear atm outside of instance loot which I haven't gotten new stuff of yet), and I just went from a Maddening Blade to an Iron Spatha, while using a Warded Shield. It probably all sounds like small change to the Level 50s in here, but the difference is like day and night from what I was packing before.

[vanityobscene]

Following on from all of the great advice here already, some of you have touched on Marauders. I decided against a Marauder > Warrior for my tank and put my chips into Gladiator > Paladin instead. Are there any skills a Marauder has that might be useful to a Gladiator / Paladin that're worth leveling the Marauder class to get?

[Bixby]

Are there any skills a Marauder has that might be useful to a Gladiator / Paladin that're worth leveling the Marauder class to get?

Foresight, Bloodbath, Mercy Stroke, and situationally maybe kind of Fracture sometimes. Skull Sunder is the only one with absolutely no use.

If nothing else, you want the Marauder skills largely because the Conjurer skills PLD can use, with the exception of Stoneskin, suck. You can't Raise in combat, which is the only time Raise would really be worth taking. You don't have enough MND to make Cure worth the time it takes to cast. You'll always have a healer, so the only time you'd use Protect is when someone's been Raised in combat and somehow the healer doesn't have time to recast Protect, but you somehow do. Stoneskin is awesome, though.

[Zaero]

Rage of Halone is Level 26. Warriors get Butcher's Block, and their tank stance.

Ack! My error. Thats what I get for War tanking.

And Jen, I bump into the sleep issue so I usually OP before the sleep lands then single target combo.

[vanityobscene]

Foresight, Bloodbath, Mercy Stroke, and situationally maybe kind of Fracture sometimes. Skull Sunder is the only one with absolutely no use.

If nothing else, you want the Marauder skills largely because the Conjurer skills PLD can use, with the exception of Stoneskin, suck. You can't Raise in combat, which is the only time Raise would really be worth taking. You don't have enough MND to make Cure worth the time it takes to cast. You'll always have a healer, so the only time you'd use Protect is when someone's been Raised in combat and somehow the healer doesn't have time to recast Protect, but you somehow do. Stoneskin is awesome, though.

At the moment I have cure on my gladiator as a replacement for pots (as they have a cooldown I can't stomach when I really need health). If my health drops below 50% I get on the cure wagon ASAP. At the moment Cure gets me a relatively quick 120ish HP back, and the casting time isn't actually that long at this level. But I imagine later in the game I'll have to give it up.

Thanks for the heads up on those skills, I'll study them and get on the Marauder class soon. Protect I really only carry when I'm going solo for a while (hunting logs, etc), because yeah, my healer buffs me plenty.