Low level tanking

[Mirch]

welcome to the family lil tank

[Zadocfish]

I'm a wee little Gladiator hoping to blossom into a fine Paladin. This thread makes me a little nervous to start doing dungeons... So, basically, run to convenient target, flash more than once, use Fast Blade/Savage Blade, switching targets for groups, and hope that the healer deigns to heal me. Still... couldn't I skip Fast Blade and go straight for Savage, since doing damage is not going to be my job? Just get as much enmity as possible on as many dudes as possible? Maybe that's a stupid question, but I'm not that familiar with the game yet.

Also, I really don't like Halone's Rage for... reasons. Is it possible to tank without it, relying on my other enmity skills instead?

[Violette]

Also, I really don't like Halone's Rage for... reasons. Is it possible to tank without it, relying on my other enmity skills instead?

You don't even have Rage of Halone yet.

How can you not like it?

Also because enmity is primarily based off of dealing damage, dealing damage is something you'll have to get used to. Or try WoW.

The enmity from Fast Blade is greater than enmity from Savage Blade alone, but if you combo (use one then the other) fast blade into savage blade, you'll be getting the most enmity for tp/action.

You should also initiate fights by using Shield Lob from a range (never start a fight with provoke when you get it).

[Sida]

... and hope that the healer deigns to heal me.

If the healer doesn't heal you, you can in most cases rightfully yell at them about it. It's sorta their job, as much as keeping things munching you is yours.

[MistakeNot]

I'm a wee little Gladiator hoping to blossom into a fine Paladin. This thread makes me a little nervous to start doing dungeons... So, basically, run to convenient target, flash more than once, use Fast Blade/Savage Blade, switching targets for groups, and hope that the healer deigns to heal me. Still... couldn't I skip Fast Blade and go straight for Savage, since doing damage is not going to be my job? Just get as much enmity as possible on as many dudes as possible? Maybe that's a stupid question, but I'm not that familiar with the game yet.

Also, I really don't like Halone's Rage for... reasons. Is it possible to tank without it, relying on my other enmity skills instead?

Not a stupid question at all - that was my thinking originally as well and it sounds logical, but it is wrong.

Those skills with added enmity works by applying a multiplier to the damage done. For Savage Blade that multiplier seems to be x3. (Some sources say x2, but for this analysis it does not matter - the conclusion will be the same anyway.)

Savage Blade alone has an attack potency of 100. With the enmity multiplier this means it will generate the same enmity as a normal attack (without extra enmity) that has a potency of (100 x 3) = 300.


Now lets do the math for Fast Blade + Savage Blade combo compared to using Savage Blade twice:
FB has a potency of 150. SB comboed with FB has a potency of 200. Together this will generate a total enmity of 150 + 200 x 3 = 750.
SB alone has an attack potency of 100. Using it twice will generate a total enmity of 100 x 3 + 100 x 3 = 600.

So FB+SB will not only do more damage than SB twice, but also generate more enmity.



Rage of Halone is a very nice skill for GLA/PLD that you generally will want to use when tanking.

Not only is it a heavy hitter when used as part of FB+SB+RoH combo, but it also generates plenty of enmity AND it reduces the damage dealt by your target - making it easier for you to stay alive.
What's not to like?

[Zadocfish]

Rage of Halone is a very nice skill for GLA/PLD that you generally will want to use when tanking.

Not only is it a heavy hitter when used as part of FB+SB+RoH combo, but it also generates plenty of enmity AND it reduces the damage dealt by your target - making it easier for you to stay alive.
What's not to like?

It's kind of embarrassing to say, but I always, unfailingly play an atheist in games. I don't like RoH because of Halone's name in it, not a gameplay thing... It's just OCD...

[Fernosaur]

It's kind of embarrassing to say, but I always, unfailingly play an atheist in games. I don't like RoH because of Halone's name in it, not a gameplay thing... It's just OCD...

Just pretend it's called Rage at Halone instead of Rage of Halone

Also, the only macro I ever use while tanking is to put up the 1 marker on whatever I Shield Lob. That way if the DPS are observant enough they'll know that's the first target I'll hit. In any case, I always open with 2 or 3 Flashes anyways, and in higher level dungeons it's a bit of a moot point to do so unless you have a party of two well-behaved melees. Using this example, if you start out with Flash instead of Shield Lob because reasons, using the Shield Lob button in the middle of a GCD will put the marker on whichever enemy you want to mark without actually triggering the skill. Just something to note.

[Sida]

It's kind of embarrassing to say, but I always, unfailingly play an atheist in games. I don't like RoH because of Halone's name in it, not a gameplay thing... It's just OCD...

I sort of get where you're coming for. As for me, the skill has just been "that third skill of that combo" which I later learned to call RoH on the forum, never much peeking at its name since the time I'd plopped it into my bar. However, refusing to use it is.. sort of like healer who wouldn't use their best heal because it's name is "Blessing of Nymeia". Tool for a purpose.

Also, well.. in most games and gameworlds, paladin type of class tends to be fairly holy. With your custom it might not be the most perfect choise. In XIV at least we have another tank, marauder/warrior who don't stumble to the twelve all too often.

[Torunya]

Also, well.. in most games and gameworlds, paladin type of class tends to be fairly holy. With your custom it might not be the most perfect choise.

This is indeed most often the case, however I found that in FFXIV it surprisingly isn't.

"Sworn or unsworn, we are paladins true, and the only true oath we swear is the one we swear to ourselves." - Solkzagyl

On the contrary, the player is told that being a Paladin is primarily about following your own path and staying true to it. That you uphold the oath you made to yourself, and to never stray from it. So although the Paladin may carry a skill with a name like Rage of Halone, which is one of the 12 gods, it does not necessarily imply that a Paladin in this game needs to be "holy" so to speak. I believe we can all agree that simply channeling the power of a god does not make someone religious. On top of adhering to the first statement I quoted however, your main task as a Paladin is to swear allegiance to the Sultanate of Ul'dah, and defend the people of the realm. (Note that you, the player, are what's referred to as a free Paladin, and thus do not adhere to these rules.)

In the level 60 HW job quest, the Paladin also returns to their roots. The Gladiator. In the final quest log it reads: "However, when two souls cannot reconcile--when one cannot establish dominance, there is but one recourse: a duel." So not only is the Paladin based around loyalty to his own convictions, but he is also pretty damn competitive. As we see in the last job quest, the Paladin's soul crystal will not rest until a clear victor has been decided.

I tried to avoid job quest spoilers, hopefully I didn't make anything obvious. Lastly, I find the Paladin lore in FFXIV very interesting, so forgive my rant.

[Enkidoh]

Welcome to the path of the sword and shield Zadoc! You pretty much have the basics down, except if I can add a bit of advice - to pull the enemy to you, use Shield Lob on your first target, in dungeons if other mobs are close enough they will link on that first one and follow it to you, then use Flash. I found especially early on, three, maybe four casting of Flash was enough to keep the enemy's attention on me and not the poor healer keeping me alive, inserting the Fast Blade+Savage Blade weapon skill combo between each cast.

And concerning Fast Blade and Savage Blade (and Rage of Halone for that matter too) - you asked why it's important to use Savage Blade after Fast Blade? This is because Savage Blade 'combos' off Fast Blade (a weapon skill combo gains a dotted line around it's icon when it's comboed), doing so will grant extra bonuses to the attack as well as boosting it's damage. Specifically, Savage Blade being comboed off Fast Blade will grant a bonus to the hate it generates, and, once you gain Rage of Halone, combo that as a third attack from Fast Blade+Savage Blade - when it's comboed successfully it grants an even higher hate bonus, but also lowers the enemy's own attack power - using this weapon skill combo repeatedly as your main source of keeping hate will pretty much keep the enemy permanently weakened physically.

Either way, you seem to have a firm grasp of the basics for taking up a sword and shield as a defender of the people, so don't be afraid! Your journey towards knighthood begins here! So step into Sastasha without fear and lead your party to destiny!