Can someone please explain this . . .

[h0tNstilettos]

I just had an argument with a tank friend who has a low level gladiator that tries saying he has never had a black mage pull from him and says all that tells him is I'm a bad tank if black mages pull frequently. I call BS because it's a common known fact in this game that even a level synced black mage can pull aggro from a gladiator pretty easily if they're doing optimum dps rotation regardless of how good that gladiator is unless the black mage eases up a bit. I know this from experience and it's even mentioned in pro tank guides from level 50 tanks that are good at their job that mentioned what was what through the leveling process. The conversation started when I mentioned how tanks will probably be what I level last because I hate playing tug of war with black mage on aggro. Back when this was happening I even asked on the forums mentioning my rotation and they said I was doing nothing wrong and that that's going to happen regardless. Technically either my tank friend is lying, or the black mage he was with was undergeared, less than optimal dps rotation, or knew what he was doing and eased up on dps. So is he right that it's possible to always keep aggro against a black mage, or was every other tank in the community lying to me with that many bad tanks?

NOTE: I didn't post this in a job role forum since this talks about 2 different roles.

[HeroSamson]

Yes a good blackMage can pull hate off a tank if they are sync and without shield oath.

It's why I used 3 flashes and swap between targets to keep hate, though the answer you want is yes a tank can lose hate to a well geared blackmage.

Even with shield oath later in the game, example brayfox hard mode a black can pull hate with the big spells.

most of the time I use cover on the blackmage and pop my hallowed and keep him alive till they die.

[TheRogueX]

Well, to be fair, a GLD/PLD who is paying attention and alternating their Rage of Halone while timing their Flashes properly shouldn't lose aggro unless the BLM is being overly bursty toward a target not your primary. But, like I said, even in that situation the GLD/PLD should be paying attention and should change targets quickly to prevent loss of aggro.

[Adler]

What happen when you lose aggro to BLM? You panic or get it back instantly?

[Gardes]

It's all team effort. A black mage can easily pull aggro early if the first shot was the wrong target. Either the tank didn't mark or the black mage ignored it. It also depends on the party mindset. If you have one dps aoeing and the other focusing single target in a dungeon, the tank will lose aggro to either depending on which approach he choses. If everyone refuses to talk or ask, someone has to give on their own volition. E.g.: I queue as a black mage. I get a paladin that choses to keep doing the classic tab halone combo and flash in between. I can aoe hard and one of the mobs will go after me. If the tank doesnt see what my aoe is capable of and doesn't change his approach, I will have to switch single targeting. If I refuse to switch, I'll just make progress even slower playing pong with the monster and the tank.

But yea, gladiator tanking is harder because of the lack of tools they get. Best you can do is change your tanking style on the go until it works for the party. Like how much you have to spread your combos over multiple enemies, the intervals of your flash (how many flashes at the start, how many flash between halone combos, balancing your mp with riot blade for next pulls, etc). DPS tend to not listen or take the hint from your target markings so you gotta adjust. Unless you're a mrd/war. Overpower works on every dungeon.

[Dhex]

I'd argue a bad dps doesn't pay attention to their very visible enmity meters nor gauge their hate output or follow markings nor identify priority targets (with annoying abilities/AoEs) in comparison to the tank's ability to output enmity and manage monster positioning.

Black Mage gets sleep to give their tanks and healers more time. Black Mages can stand near the tank - most don't! Many instead move out of a tank's range and actively hamper their ability to tank.

Just food for thought.

[h0tNstilettos]

What happen when you lose aggro to BLM? You panic or get it back instantly?

I get it back. The argument wasn't about being unable to pull aggro back. It was about losing aggro to a black mage regardless of how long it was lost, but there was one case where I could not get it back period using flash and aggro skills/multipliers. It should also be noted neither of us have Rage of Halone yet.

[wicked-one]

In Endgame content, my main is now a i104 BLM, and when I pull of a Double or Triple Flare and 3+ Mobs combined with Raging Strikes, the PLD should make sure he depleted his full Mana Pool, or else, Healer should know i get squished ^^

In pre-50 the BLM is not AS dangerous to pull of hate, as the optimal rotation isnt available yet... most problems are tanks which are not equiped for that dungeon, as Tanks usually should have the best Gear of all to make his life easier...

In pre-50 DDs should be aware of this, and should watch the aggro bar for themselfes...

[Adler]

I'm PS4 player and I don't have space for mark numbers in hotbar nor have I fingers fast enough to set them in the middle of a fight so I just tank without marking and switch targets constantly trying to keep aggro on all targets at the same time. I think as the one blm mentioned before - players able to deal massive damage usually are capable to notice what tank can and can't do and adapt.
I have had dungeons where whole run both dps will always attack fifferent targets but those usually are brain dead people that can't do enough damage for me to lose aggro. Smart and skilled, the truly powerful dps just quickly notice that tank can't keep aggro and adapt to tank playstile very fast.

[Shougun]

It is a two way street. Bad dps will not watch their hate generation, specially in the beginning. Bad tank wont maintain hate generation once the fight carries on.

Recently had a Garuda EX fight where a healer started blowing out a medica II and then blaming my shield lob as not generating enough hate before I could even get into position/do any real hate generator (literally first 15 seconds of the fight). After name calling (me) I just told them good luck finding another tank replacement and left- having waited for a tank replacement before.. I almost felt bad. Anyway I won the fight with the next group lol.


I see you are level 23, you should have provoke. That can help next time. Just keep in mind that provoke puts you at the top of the hate list with 1 extra point, so you have to do something very soon after using it or you will just go back down again.