DF Tank Experience

[LegitChamp]

1 - Annoying, happens every now and then but if it happens all the time you should try to move a bit faster between pulls. As soon as a pack is dead I start heading towards the next. Typically the healer knows to stoneskin asap and everyone appreciates a clean quick run. Don't be reckless and keep an eye on the healer's mp, but no need to sit between pulls for a bunch of time either.

2 - Don't wait for mobs to gather, charge into the middle and flash flash (maybe a 3rd). If you are moving ahead quickly enough the dps is still trying to get in range as you flash. You can recover some MP at the end of the fight using that combo whose name I forget. If you are full on MP and are in the middle of a fight with multiple targets think about throwing out another random flash. DPS loss but might help hold onto the guys you haven't been focusing as much.

3 - I rarely experience this, but the above flash flash should be enough to keep it. If not, run out of aoe range and shield lob to keep enmity

4 - As a Dragoon I am constantly watching my enmity and switching targets as needed. Most DPS are too lazy to care, to my mind that makes them mediocre regardless of the damage they pull, but I doubt most would agree. That being said, you should be able to hold single targets with your enmity combo fairly well (low level PLDs do have a rough time I've recently learned). Mark your first target for extra help (hotkey it) if you need to (I never needed to until I started PLD).

5 - The worst.

6 - You should typically be able to hold aggro on two targets even if dps are attacking different mobs. Cycle your enmity combo like 1,2 on target x and 3 on target y, etc. I rarely have a problem keeping the entire pack on me after my initial two aoe pull and cycling enmity combos (or just dps combo). But PLD struggles in the pre-30s so if you have to mark and hope the dps care enough to switch targets. Bad DPS will ignore marks, but DFing you will encounter bad dps, such is life.

7 - Yep, everything is typically the tank's fault. Unfortunately, it is what you signed up for and why you usually get 2-3 comms when the run goes smoothly. Personally, I never let the stupid DPS die just to prove a point. If I am going to do that I might as well drop, tanks don't let their party members die even if they are morons. Again, moving faster between pulls will help a lot with this, most dps are happy to let you pull if you are obviously trying to get the dungeon cleared reasonably quickly.

[Nezkeys79]

7 - Yep, everything is typically the tank's fault. Unfortunately, it is what you signed up for and why you usually get 2-3 comms when the run goes smoothly.

Sometimes I do a whole run perfectly...and I get no commendations. Other times hate will be wonky and I'll get two. In castrum meridium roulette today the other tank was like "I'm MT" immediately. I hate arrogant tanks that do this btw. I put up sword oath and on the first train he died and they went for the healer. I covered the healer and took over. On the first boss he died again. I switched to shield oath and took over. On the next boss I assumed main tank role without saying anything. At the start of the fight he engaged a few seconds later than me and used provoke (sigh). Every time it was up he would use it again and said "ffs this pld...nez use sword oath you're making aggro wonky". There was only me and him at the top of the threat list and there was nothing much between us although every time I used Halone it would put him back a little. At the end he said "nez just quit tanking" and I received 0 commendations.

[Noxifer]

"ffs this pld...nez use sword oath you're making aggro wonky"

Perfect time to respond, "Sure, as long as you quit dying all the time."

And yeah, sometimes you get a ton of commies and you have no idea why (pity commendations?), and other times you don't get any despite doing a 99% perfect job.

(Also, you can type out your entire response, select all the text and cut it out, then type something short in the response box -- i tend to use "Placeholder" -- and post it. Edit the post and paste in the text you wrote. ^^ The post length limit only applies when you make a post, not when you edit it. This is usually more effective, since you also have a posts-per-day limit, based on your main character's level.)

[Nezkeys79]

Perfect time to respond, "Sure, as long as you quit dying all the time."

And yeah, sometimes you get a ton of commies and you have no idea why (pity commendations?), and other times you don't get any despite doing a 99% perfect job.

(Also, you can type out your entire response, select all the text and cut it out, then type something short in the response box -- i tend to use "Placeholder" -- and post it. Edit the post and paste in the text you wrote. ^^ The post length limit only applies when you make a post, not when you edit it. This is usually more effective, since you also have a posts-per-day limit, based on your main character's level.)

Tbh I don't usually get involved with all the childish troll comments. Usually what happens is some moron starts doing that to cover his own shortcomings, and because I never say anything I guess the sheep in the party just go along with it. I always think to myself if I am rude (even if they were rude to me first) I may get vote kicked. Especially with the cancerous band wagoners that are in DF sometimes