Why did PLD get such a buff

[Launched]

DRK is still ahead of PLD in DPS in OT and MT slots, and is the potentially highest MT DPS. DPS isn't the problem with DRK. Utility is, at this point.

Look at the balance of the melee DPS for guidance. Its arguably perfect:

MNK: best DPS, worst utility
DRG: high DPS, high utility
NIN: worst DPS, best utility

Why SE seems incapable/unwilling to strike this balance with the 3 tanks escapes me.

Currently DRK is the DRG of tanks on DPS, but the MNK of tanks on utility. Come now.

Nah, if you want DRK to be considered the DRG of tanks, it shouldn't be able to outDPS WAR in any situation. But it does.

[SwordCoheir]

Nah, if you want DRK to be considered the DRG of tanks, it shouldn't be able to outDPS WAR in any situation. But it does.

Yeah, but it's arguable when you work in WAR's utility too. I think it ends up working like this for Tanks.

WAR: Best OT DPS, High MT DPS, Best Utility
DRK: High OT DPS, Best MT DPS, Worst Utility
PLD: Worst OT DPS, Worst MT DPS, High Utility (And I'm being generous with utility for Pally's)

Only thing they got going for them equally is defensive capability with minor advantages based on specific situations that happen to cater to their strengths.

[Instrumentality]

Nah, if you want DRK to be considered the DRG of tanks, it shouldn't be able to outDPS WAR in any situation. But it does.

What situation would this be?

[Syzygian]

Nah, if you want DRK to be considered the DRG of tanks, it shouldn't be able to outDPS WAR in any situation. But it does.

Let me get this straight.

Its okay for WAR to be the MNK of tanks on DPS and the NIN of tanks on utility at the same time with none of the drawbacks. But its not okay for DRK to have at least DRG level utility?

WAR and DRK each get a +1 for their top DPS in OT and MT respectively, but on utility, its more like 2:0.5 WARRK.

DRK should have equal utility to WAR.

Anyway, I'd happily sacrifice the one niche situation where I can outDPS WAR for better utility, because that one situation where I can outDPS WAR requires an extremely co-operative WAR (one that is willing to sacrifice BB spam) and requires me to tank out of tank stance for 90% of an encounter, otherwise it ain't happening.

[SpookyGhost]

DRK should have equal utility to WAR.

Personally (and I've posted this before), I've always felt like to separate the tanks all 3 should have equal damage and mitigation, but be separated by the utility they bring. Make it so that any composition can clear it, but certain jobs unique utility can be complimentary to the fight, or maybe even have all 3 have some unique contribution to the fight. It'd be min/maxed by world first raiders, but it'd be very small gains in only certain aspects of the fight that would be trivialized by anyone not racing for world clears (even then if it's a small enough difference people might not care at all). Some could argue that this would be homogenization, but you could definitely make the utility pretty unique while still making them all equally beneficial. I dunno, I always thought it was weird that WAR did more DPS - maybe if it had horrible mitigation, but that seems like a really poor trade off for a y'know... tank.

[Syzygian]

snip

I mean, it can be totally different utility, and I'm all for that. The balance of DPS is fine IMO. Hell, even PLD could still use some utility buffs. They both could, because neither of them can bring the personal DPS contribution that WAR can, unless the DRK is lucky enough to have a group that is willing to cater to Gritless MTing, which requires a lot of sacrifices, and may not even be a thing this tier.