rip crafted accessories

[Instrumentality]

Fairly certain a large number of Tank skills on all three scale directly with Attack Power. So regardless of how that number is calculated VIT STR or otherwise that stat will need to grow. If its STR it needs to be included in our itemization if its shifted all onto VIT they will have to include diminishing returns towards HP growth or Damage growth.

You could leave tank strength exactly where it is now forever and ensure that tanks never lose threat even if DPS gain a trillion main stat points by changing enmity modifiers your combo attacks.

So, no, stats don't 'always have to grow' to keep enmity generation in check. Though it is silly that increasing stats would be something anyone in a vertical MMO is concerned about.

[Ralvenom]

Frankly, I see this as a good thing. People shouldn't have to feel, in the future turns of Alexander, like they have to spend millions of gil to do well. I also think Alex Savage needs a rework in 3.2, but that's another topic.

[SpookyGhost]

Yea, Gryphonskin was largely popular during the start of SCoB, Ruby/Topaz popular in 2.3 all the way to 2.5 since most people weren't buying Platinum. Crafted/STR was also great for T9 OT if you weren't doing the solo tank strat.

[Nadirah]

I highly doubt they'd make a split.

We'd be the only role to have one, and we'd still be taking gear from dps.

[Alahra]

we'd still be taking gear from dps.

Not if the split is done properly. Essentially, if it's set up with the proper ratio, the STR on the left side would contribute to damage, but since VIT would have a higher contribution, tanks wouldn't want Slaying accessories. So there'd be no taking gear from DPS. It's simply the math of it. For example (with artificial numbers), if 100 VIT gives 75 attack power and 100 STR gives 25 attack power, there would be no need for Slaying accessories (except maybe in rare corner cases where someone's VIT accessories are so low level that a random Slaying drop ends up providing more DPS).

As for being "the only role," going full VIT makes tanks "the only role" to need only one primary stat, too. Tanks are currently "the only role" that even wants their non-assigned primary stat beyond what's on left-side as it is. Since they're already unique in some regard, they're likely going to end up that way in however they choose to handle this.