Where the Meta/Paradigm Problem Applies

[eagledorf]

Right now at level 60 there's nothing you want to wear Fending for except for maybe trash pulls if you're really not geared.

Why? Well to begin with you simply don't get hit very hard or...very much at all in dungeon boss fights or EX Primals. They've designed these fights with long mechanics that don't do damage (like...running around wondering where the birdy's shadow went, running around to hit wind sprites, running in circles around the boss, running around and carrying totems) and no threatening damage on the tank even in minimal gear. Sometimes they've given them soft enrage on top of that (like the stacks on the first boss of Fractal) that mean you actually take more damage if you stack vitality. During these breaks Regen/Selene continue to heal you so there are these short bursts where your HP is going down, then it goes up rapidly for a fairly long period of time.

Even raid content. If you want to wipe on A4 Savage and start again and missed the cleave, it takes forever to wipe because the autos are so weak they won't kill one DPS for a long time even with no heals.

It's not the players' fault or any kind of nasty trickle-down from elitists, it's the devs' fault for designing content that doesn't require a tank.

1-60 is a different matter. Several bosses hit pretty hard and your healer will be cursing you if you don't have a certain amount of HP.