Pld Oath's on GCD

[Lyth]

The "tanking" element of the three tanks plays out essentially the same, with slight variations depending on how many cooldowns the fight allows your particular tank. It's just a question of how quickly you can pick up and learn patterns. In terms of rotations, though, tanks, even at lvl 60, generally tend to have even simpler rotations than your typical level 30 pugilist or lancer. While any rotation becomes second nature with practice, it's just nicer to have something a bit more engaging than counting to three... or alternatively, counting to five. If you stuck Rampart, Sentinel, and HG on to a DRG, it probably would be significantly more challenging to tank on than anything we have currently.

[Brian_]

And regarding ShO/SwO vs. Defiance/Deliverance, as a PLD who switched to WAR but still tries to play both, there is no comparison.

I've said this many times already in topics similar to this one but people always ignore the full package that Defiance / Deliverance enable. You can't ignore the strength of abilities that can only exist because of the Defiance / Deliverance mechanics -- skills like Inner Beast, Equilibrium, Fell Cleave, Decimate, etc. They are as much a part of the design of Defiance / Deliverance as the innate bonuses in any tank stance. Not to mention that Deliverance does have an upfront bonus.

The end result is WAR is significantly better at managing incoming and outgoing damage through the use of their stances. They have far superior flexibility, adaptability, and control with their stance usage than the other tanks.

Before HW, I don't think there was any argument to make oaths oGCD. But, since then, the balance of tank stances has changed a lot. To me, the GCD cost of oaths is just another PLD mechanic that is antiquated and balanced based on an outdated standard.

Before, the GCD cost of SwO made sense because they paid that GCD for the AA bonus whereas WAR could drop Defiance oGCD but got nothing and lost access certain skills and their crit bonus. Now, it makes no sense because WARs can swap to Deliverance oGCD, gain a crit bonus, gain a 5% damage boost, and gain access to a TP regen, FC, and Decimate.

Before, the GCD cost of ShO made sense because they paid that GCD for the upfront mitigation whereas WAR still needed healing after swapping to Defiance. Now, it makes less sense because WARs have access to Equilibrium and have much more control over their own HP. What bonuses did ShO receive since? Outside of a slight buff which was needed, none.