Tanks Advantage and Deficiencies

**Mr_Grinch** · 07-28-2015 05:54 AM

I want to try tanking, but I don’t have the play time hours to try all 3 to 60. I’m not necessarily looking for the “best” tank, because I assume all 3 can perform at any stage of the game. I am, however, interested in the advantages and deficiencies of each job. I want to know which tank …

1. Generates and maintains the highest threat for single target and AOE?
2. Has the highest physical mitigation and magical mitigation?
3. Has the most single target and AOE DPS (while tanking)?
4. Brings the most useful buffs/utility?

On a side note, what is the most preferred tank duo combo for end game raids?

**GeekMatt** · 07-28-2015 06:30 AM

You're asking at a tough time because DRK is new, and SE is currently touching up a little bit if balancing.

PLD has consistently been the safe bet because the mitigation is top notch, but it's lower DPS/aggro. WAR had it's ups and downs but is currently feeling a lot of love in the community (with the exception of a lot of hate for WARs who don't know the time and place for it's DPS stance from healers) because WARs have excellent DPS over the long-term, have excellent aggro and recently improved survival (which has always been heavily reliant on player ability).

DRK is new and you'll find varied opinions of it. It seems to be designed for additional MDF? But for strict mitigation I don't think it has one-up on PLD there. I've dabbled in it and it's a fun job. Healing DRK through DF has proven significantly more difficult than the other two tanks but could be due to player ability. I don't consider there to be anything special about DRK atm, other than it's fun and attractive. I expect future balancing for the job.

If you want to level something while you decide, level Gladiator because it has vital skills that all tanks need.

**Donjo** · 07-28-2015 07:37 AM

As far as I'm aware, here's how things stack:

Most Threat: Dark Knight, in both avenues.
Highest Physical Mitigation: Paladin
Highest Magical Mitigation: Dark Knight
Highest Burst Mitigation: Warrior
Single Target DPS: Warrior > Dark Knight > Paladin
AOE DPS: Definitely not Paladin, but I'm not sure otherwise.
Utility: Paladin has the best defensive utility, Warrior is a great middle ground between offensive and defensive, and Dark Knight is lagging behind both in this category.

Duo: I doubt that any raid group is going to leave home without a Warrior, with the preferred co-tank depending on the fight itself. Paladin's always a safe bet, but a Dark Knight is right at home when fights are on farm or if magic damage is prevalent.

**Erim-Nelhah** · 07-28-2015 01:12 PM

Burst AoE DPS goes to DRK very easily - as a DRK I can spam a 100-potency point-blank AoE for 15-20 seconds with just 3 mobs on me...With 4-5, I can position the mobs and swap to a 120-potency targeted aoe. With enough incoming attacks, some cooldowns, and a bit of healer coordination, A good DRK can even self-heal through the incoming damage, allowing the healer to go cleric stance and help burn down the pack.

--Erim Nelhah
(Master, Astral Descendants <AD>, Malboro)
(60 DRK Main)

**Xenosan** · 07-28-2015 01:20 PM

WAR AOE is frontloaded, DRK is sustained. If you have competent DPS friendlies, WAR will parse higher - it just depends on how long the encounter. DRK will eventually maybe surpass, but usually trash is dead by then. But then in situations like A3 it's competitive. I've gone both ways with the same WAR

edit: by A3 I meant A2. I can't count pass 2 apparently

**Marxam** · 07-28-2015 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Mr_Grinch

I want to try tanking, but I don’t have the play time hours to try all 3 to 60. I’m not necessarily looking for the “best” tank, because I assume all 3 can perform at any stage of the game. I am, however, interested in the advantages and deficiencies of each job. I want to know which tank …

1. Generates and maintains the highest threat for single target and AOE?
2. Has the highest physical mitigation and magical mitigation?
3. Has the most single target and AOE DPS (while tanking)?
4. Brings the most useful buffs/utility?

On a side note, what is the most preferred tank duo combo for end game raids?

You're putting yourself in a tough spot since the only real way you can find out which tank is "best" for you is to actually level them and try it out. But to answer you questions imo:

1. Dark Knight. Only needs one Dark Arts Power Slash combo to hold hate for an entire fight. In static/over-geared dps situations, you may require 2 but that's really it. For AoE, WAR since you can spam back to back Steel Cyclone/Decimate and if you know your rotations you can fit 3 into a berserk rotation which is great for burst or mob burn situations.

2. Physical goes to PLD and magical goes to DRK. WAR does both pretty well but doesn't specialize like the other two. Notable moves for PLD include Shelltron, Bulwark, Sentinel and Hallowed Ground. DRK has Dark Mind and Delirium.

3. WAR. End of discussion. It's possible to crit over 5k easily with Fell Cleave with just Maim and Storm's Eye up in Deliverance. It can go higher if other debuffs are applied and the situation is just right. My personal best was 7.4 k in Ravana EX but that was with the i180 weapon. Decimate does exactly what its name implies in trash mob situations like A2. Times that by 3 with Berserk and you may have to change your pants afterwards.

4. This one is up for debate atm. With DRK still being fine-tuned I feel like they all bring something to the table in different party situations. So no comment right now but imo I feel like in terms of utility PLD and WAR are tops. PLD has Clemency and Divine Veil and Stoneskin if you got CNJ at 34. WAR has Storm's Path and the ability to burst dps to help meet dps checks in fights, which is a must for most progression parties. DRK has Delirium but if you have a monk in our party then its useless.

As far as endgame tanking, I've seen mostly PLD/WAR but that's only because they are the most easiest to use. However I have seen PLD/DRK and WAR/DRK occasionally so it really up to the raid as a whole. If you are planning to do end-game then you might as well lvl all 3 when you can as this is the only melee class that you can get one set to gear 3 jobs proficiently.

**dragoelete** · 07-28-2015 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by Marxam

You're putting yourself in a tough spot since the only real way you can find out which tank is "best" for you is to actually level them and try it out. But to answer you questions imo:

1. Dark Knight. Only needs one Dark Arts Power Slash combo to hold hate for an entire fight. In static/over-geared dps situations, you may require 2 but that's really it. For AoE, WAR since you can spam back to back Steel Cyclone/Decimate and if you know your rotations you can fit 3 into a berserk rotation which is great for burst or mob burn situations.

actually DRK is far ahead of war when it comes to aoe aggro because of unleash and abysal drain (which can be enhanced to also heal you ... which farther increases the aggro it generates)

**Marxam** · 07-28-2015 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by dragoelete

actually DRK is far ahead of war when it comes to aoe aggro because of unleash and abysal drain (which can be enhanced to also heal you ... which farther increases the aggro it generates)

Im not gonna deny that but for 0 tp you can't really argue with the results of SC and when paired with maim, bloodbath and berserk it looks to be on par for self heals. I have both war and drk at 60 so I feel they are about the same to me in terms of aoe aggro though I prefer SC over AD for its 0 cost. Unleash maybe a 360 aoe but with good positioning Overpower can be just as effective. Abyssal Drain is great in A2 for when the adds spawn but you really shouldn't be using it outside of DA as you can easily just move to the mobs or stand near the healer and use the much cheaper Unleash.

**Ayuris** · 07-28-2015 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Erim-Nelhah

Burst AoE DPS goes to DRK very easily - as a DRK I can spam a 100-potency point-blank AoE for 15-20 seconds with just 3 mobs on me...With 4-5, I can position the mobs and swap to a 120-potency targeted aoe. With enough incoming attacks, some cooldowns, and a bit of healer coordination, A good DRK can even self-heal through the incoming damage, allowing the healer to go cleric stance and help burn down the pack.

I disagree, decimation is 280 potency that can be used twice in succession with berserk(+50% attack power), overpowered is 120 potency aswell.

**Freyyy** · 07-28-2015 08:12 PM

Yeah best AoE DPS is with no contest WAR. DRK is no match vs. Decimate/Steel Cyclone and Overpower spam.

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