Shortage of tanks a myth - thoughts?

[MirielleLavandre]

Hi all,
I keep seeing more and more posts about how people hope DRK will help out on dps queues, or on how tanks are abused or made to feel terrible, or how people are actually afraid and anxious when trying to tank. This has made me think, and post in some of those threads, about the state of tanks in this game. My theory is this, and I may well be wrong, but based on people I know and have been in FC with across many servers both NA and JPN, it seems that there is no real shortage of tanks... just a shortage of tanks willing to put up with Duty Finder.

Many, many people I know have at least 1 tank classes leveled to 50 and at at least i100 with the UAT 110 weapon -- plenty enough for everything save maybe some SCoB or FCoB - definitely enough for experts and everything else. The thing is - -all of these people, myself included, don't set foot in DF and only use our tanks to help our friends and FC or LS mates who may need tanks. Even people who main tank jobs often only do so for their FC.

So, for new players and others who worry that there are not enough tanks...I would really encourage you all to find a nice FC or LS as it seems, at least to me, that is where many of the tanks are who you will never see as they never go into DF and thus perpetuate the idea that there just aren't enough ^^ Thoughts?

[Svalitz]

I think definitely that the game would benefit from players in DF treating their tanks with more respect and NOT expect perfection or speed runs every time.

If tanks were viewed as group leaders and necessary members (which...they are) and treated respectfully during runs then people wouldn't be so afraid of the responsibility.

It's jerkwads who yell at the tanks and tell them off about not playing the way they want them to (usually demanding pulls of every monster in the dungeon, then getting mad when the tank dies) that have ruined people willing to sign up with random folks.

[Elim]

If tanks were viewed as group leaders and necessary members (which...they are) and treated respectfully during runs then people wouldn't be so afraid of the responsibility.

There's lotttttsss of people who say "you're not the leader just because you're the tank", "you're not the boss of me" and tell tanks what to pull, when to pull, how to pull and when they don't do things their way(or if the tank is undergeared and can't handle it) they freak out. There was a 50 page thread on this forum, with waves of people pretty much posting that. If there ever was a thread to discourage new tanks, that was one.

I main tank on my alt. You just have to grow a thick skin, and/or leave if someone is rude to you. I play to have fun, and if someone is rude to me I leave because it stops being fun at that point.

As for a lack of tanks, there's a lack even if lots of people have lv 50 tanks. Most people get their tank to 50 then stop playing it, or play it very, very rarely.

[Lego3400]

There's lotttttsss of people who say "you're not the leader just because you're the tank", "you're not the boss of me" and tell tanks what to pull, when to pull, how to pull and when they don't do things their way(or if the tank is undergeared and can't handle it) they freak out. There was a 50 page thread on this forum, with waves of people pretty much posting that. If there ever was a thread to discourage new tanks, that was one.

Tanks assumeing they're the boss leads the the oppsite issue of rude entitled tanks. It's a vicious cycle. (PS, unless you're in a premade, there is no boss unless someone is new the dungon. If a DPS is the most experianced member, then let them give out orders that will help the group)

[AsahinaMyLove]

I think definitely that the game would benefit from players in DF treating their tanks with more respect and NOT expect perfection or speed runs every time.

If tanks were viewed as group leaders and necessary members (which...they are) and treated respectfully during runs then people wouldn't be so afraid of the responsibility.

It's jerkwads who yell at the tanks and tell them off about not playing the way they want them to (usually demanding pulls of every monster in the dungeon, then getting mad when the tank dies) that have ruined people willing to sign up with random folks.

This is why I stopped playing as Tank ages ago!! D: <

[Meleoffs]

I think definitely that the game would benefit from players in DF treating their tanks with more respect and NOT expect perfection or speed runs every time.

It's jerkwads who yell at the tanks and tell them off about not playing the way they want them to (usually demanding pulls of every monster in the dungeon, then getting mad when the tank dies) that have ruined people willing to sign up with random folks.

This is pretty much exactly the reason I quit tanking for people in DF. People seem to think they know more about what a tank is capable than the actual tank. Last time I used my tank in DF the healer said I should pull smaller because I couldn't handle big pulls. He proceeded to bitch about my fully melded 110 crafted gear calling it shitty greens and that I was better off with i120 IW gear. Aside from the almost negligible defense increase I had been speed pulling that dungeon (snowcloak) for 3 hours beforehand trying to get my zodiac drop.

To be clear: I'm not bitching about not being able to handle it, just tired of how ignorant some people can be. It's easier to get through a dungeon as a DPS quickly or without trouble than it is a tank. One of my static members got kicked from a group solely for having sword oath on.

[Kosmos992k]

OK here goes.

The shortage is both real and a myth. It is a myth because many, many players have leveled a tank job to 50, and geared it decently. However,the shortage of tanks is very real when it comes to players actively playing a tank job as their main job.

Unfortunately many people I know who play tank and healer roles have become so discouraged that they avoid multi-player content except with good friends, or simply Play DPS or just craft. That is because of the stress of playing the tank (and healer) role. Too many times they have been blamed berated or abused, and too many times forced into an unwanted speed run, or summarily kicked for not speed running. The blame game is probably the chief culprit.

Tanks now have a dubious reputation because a greater number of tanks than before are playing tank for the short Q, and really don't care for playinng the role. Sadly that reputation has taken a nose dive becuase over time, some tank players got fed up with blame and started replying in kind. There are also a proportion of tank players who are simply not nice people, and have no problem with that. Couple that with the re-use of so much content to fulfill personal progression goals in the relic progression and you have a perfect recipe for enough of the tanks playing to be selfish jerks that it affects how other tanks are viewed and treated.

When you find yourself on the receiving end of that, even though you are not one of those selfish, "don't care" tanks, it sucks the fun out of the game even further. That just makes it even more unlikely that people want to play tank. The same is true of healers. The stress of being expected to know every fight perfectly, know every turn of every dungeon, know the best speed route, managing mass pulls when you don't overgear content by 40ilvls, and so forth doesn't help much either.

So, yeah, the tank shortage is a myth, if you look at how many players have PLD or WAR at 50, but it's very real if you look at how many are willing to regularly insert their head into the noose of Duty Finder.

[Kuurei]

OK here goes.

The shortage is both real and a myth. It is a myth because many, many players have leveled a tank job to 50, and geared it decently. However,the shortage of tanks is very real when it comes to players actively playing a tank job as their main job.

Unfortunately many people I know who play tank and healer roles have become so discouraged that they avoid multi-player content except with good friends, or simply Play DPS or just craft. That is because of the stress of playing the tank (and healer) role. Too many times they have been blamed berated or abused, and too many times forced into an unwanted speed run, or summarily kicked for not speed running. The blame game is probably the chief culprit.

Tanks now have a dubious reputation because a greater number of tanks than before are playing tank for the short Q, and really don't care for playinng the role. Sadly that reputation has taken a nose dive becuase over time, some tank players got fed up with blame and started replying in kind. There are also a proportion of tank players who are simply not nice people, and have no problem with that. Couple that with the re-use of so much content to fulfill personal progression goals in the relic progression and you have a perfect recipe for enough of the tanks playing to be selfish jerks that it affects how other tanks are viewed and treated.

When you find yourself on the receiving end of that, even though you are not one of those selfish, "don't care" tanks, it sucks the fun out of the game even further. That just makes it even more unlikely that people want to play tank. The same is true of healers. The stress of being expected to know every fight perfectly, know every turn of every dungeon, know the best speed route, managing mass pulls when you don't overgear content by 40ilvls, and so forth doesn't help much either.

So, yeah, the tank shortage is a myth, if you look at how many players have PLD or WAR at 50, but it's very real if you look at how many are willing to regularly insert their head into the noose of Duty Finder.

Pretty much the gist of it right here, honestly.

[TruebladeNuke]

Snip.

This pretty much describes it all right here.

To add to that with my own words though, as someone who Tanks dungeons more than jumping in as a Healer or DPS, even in PUG's, I know for fact that sometimes, you really do end up with really crappy attitude DPS and Healers.

After seeing Tank players who ARE pricks though, I made it kind of a self goal to prove that not all Tanks you meet via DF are pricks and are even willing to adapt as needed just from looking at the gear of the party. (And fully capable of playing it safe by leaving their Tank stance on as needed) Course, I have no idea if I'm getting anywhere with said goal, as I STILL run into DPS and Healers with bad attitudes.

Still, in all the random PUG troubles I've run across, nothing has compared to that one healer horror story I posted about me landing in a random Garuda HM group as a SCH... yet.

[Risvertasashi]

Unfortunately many people I know who play tank and healer roles have become so discouraged that they avoid multi-player content except with good friends, or simply Play DPS or just craft. That is because of the stress of playing the tank (and healer) role. Too many times they have been blamed berated or abused, and too many times forced into an unwanted speed run, or summarily kicked for not speed running. The blame game is probably the chief culprit.

This line resonated with me. I pretty much only play with static and FC first, LS mates second, unless I absolutely cannot avoid the duty finder. Something about seeing people outside of an instance keeps them civil, and they see me at my best so they don't tell me to go uninstall and DIAF when I make mistakes or have a bad day/run.