Is it true that holding aggro 100% of the time isn't possible at low levels?

[Thrashemup]

At low levels i normally with 2+ enemies do OverpowerX2 then get maim up on the priority target and start going for skull sunder. This is of course if you're not high enough lvl to already have flash available from lvling GLD

[Sarcatica]

It's only normal that lowbie tanks lose aggro if you don't spam the hell out of your aoe skills for aggro, Flash for GLA and Overpower for MAR. You can drop anything else because that's just how it is. If you expect 1 Overpower is enough, you are immensely wrong. You want at least 3 of those before deciding if you want TP/mana for next pull.

The real reason why it's harder for low level tanks to hold aggro is because your aggro generation is limited. It gets way easier when you have your tank stance. Do remember that your tank stance weighs more for aggro generation.

TLDR: Spam dem Flashes and Overpowers.

[SpookyGhost]

If you want to not lose aggro on MRD:

Level Archer to 4 and level Pugilist to 12. Crossclass Raging Strikes and Internal Release.

Internal Release is less necessary now, but you'll eventually need it as it's the only offensive crossclass for WAR. Raging Strikes, on the other hand, is only usable by MRD/GLD but is a really nice boon for damage (and consequently aggro gen), especially on single target where you really only have Skull Sunder until much later.

MRD doesn't have as much trouble as GLD, but I found Raging Strikes to pretty much alleviate any issues I had. All the other tips in this thread are equally spot-on, I just didn't see anyone mention this. P:

[Cabalabob]

Tanking low levels is good in this game cause it's true, you're not gonna keep hate if you don't know what you're doing, this in turn prompts you to learn how to do it better or experiment with your skills as to what generates more hate. While at the same time, the mobs are so weak it doesn't actually matter if you hold hate or not cause anyone can tank.

So by the time you get to higher levels and get all you enmity goodies that make tanking a breeze, you'll be proficient at it.

[Claire_Pendragon]

Factors you may or may not realize.
(1) a Job has higher stats, and those few points can really make the difference at certain level ranges. (u get 1 more flash worth of MP as WAR compared to MRD)
(2) threat is the biggest issue in Halatali, and if you're a WAR, in Totorak as well. (Once u have a tank stance, u can literally just spam your weakest attack, that has no threat, and still hold hate. I dont even use my threat combo as WAR unless im trying to maximize my DPS)
(3) If your DPS is really good, and they dont miss a beat, they will surpass your enmity per second in those 2 dungeons. (excluding PLD or DRK in totorak)(done a lot of tests on this to prove it)
(4) if your gear isnt syncing down to the dungeon your gear will be weaker than any teammates who are syncing down. (A change made back in 2.x) So if its a Lv20 dungeon and you have an HQ Lv20 weapon, it will be out damaged by a Lv24 weapon synced down for the dungeon. (Which matters a LOT for threat. a single point of weapon dmg is DRASTIC)
(5) your threat combo currently generates less threat every 2 GCDs than your AoE (overpower) does every 2 GCDs. so if you use that instead of your combo, you can get a lead back in enmity. (Also if the DPS is TOO bad, the fight drags on, and u use more AoEs to hold hate over healers, which leaves u with less next fight too. But this happens rarely now, but was common in 2.0 when AoEs generates MUCH lower threat, and PLDs had a 3.5s GCD instead of 2.5s GCD)
(6)use VIT food. Seriously makes a difference in your dmg/threat if you're new to a dungeon and still need to get its gear. (not as much as a new weapon does though)
(7)be the 1st to hit a mob. in Halatali, as PLD, the average enmity per second you can generate with a threat combo, is something like 95-98% of the threat a DPS can generate (depending on gear and such factors) Which means, if you both hit at the same time, you will only get further and further behind. But if you get a full GCD ahead of them, it will take them many many GCDs to catch up to you. in most cases, the boss dies right as they are a few GCDs away from pulling threat. (This can only be tested with 1 DPS not participating in the boss fight)
So make sure to always be the 1st there, but if a DPS gets to a mob, pulls, and gets a full GCD ahead of you, the ONLY way to hope to get threat back is provoke, and hope that they arent perfect in their DPS rotation.
(8) you can not beat a WHM/CNJ in threat if they go full DPS. Cleric stance and stone2 spam is unreasonably strong, and if they are equally geared as u, or worse, CNJ with raging strikes, blood for blood, etc, there's nothing you can do. (They will of course be tanking, and I can hold 100% threat, if i know for a fact i wont die w/o receiving heals on the boss)

So in theory, as long as you play perfectly, you have a very high chance of holding hate 100% of a run. But if you have BLM/WHM who sprint to the next mobs, to make sure they attack before u, there's nothing u can do to keep up with that. (most dont do this anymore, but was pretty much the standard back at release of 2.0. I think ive seen this happen only once or twice since 2.2+, excluding the times ive done it, just to prove to some tanks who claim they can hold perfect hate against me.)

[ADVSS]

oh the glory days of levelling mrd, with invigorate, and never ending overpowers. if 2 isnt enough do 3, and keep a good watch on the aggro tables anyway! make sure you unlocked tomahawk, what you do, you tomahawk. close in, overpower turn the mobs, overpower 2 more times, then do whateer you want. if the blm is only single targetting then watch their target, same as brd, those two early on generate crazy enmity. it would
REALLY benefit you to get provoke the level 22 gladiator skill if mobs keep escaping you, however its not really necessary till you hit 50

the advice about shield bash can be translated to brutal swing in your case, it isnt spammable biut it will stop an escaping mob, if you have provoke you can simply use provoke and tomahawk it to bring it back to your location after it shakes off stun. often times more dangerous to chase the healer with cleaving adds, than to stop them in their tracks and then bring them back to you. as a new tank you might feel panic for losing hate, but eventually youll grow used to not panick, react snap fast, then continue, the mobs will come back, Also and decent dps or healer should bring the mobs to you instead of running to the entrance. Alot of good suggestions here, hopefully youll get better more relaxed and comfortable, panic less, and just laugh at those red line "dings" as you grab aggro back instantly(seriously provoke will make that a non issue)

forgot to mention Flash, the gld version of overpower, it uses mp, but if you are pacified after berserk, it can be a life saver to holding aggro on multiple enemies while youre recovering from pacification.

[Nutz]

They adjusted level sync gear a bit (upward) since I leveled MRD/ WAR, so there might be a bit more strain, but I'll give you the very simple advice that was given me around Halitali or so: Overpower is your friend. Don't run in and use it once. Use it at least twice right away, mark a target (actually if you're marking it's best to do this ahead of time), get maim up at least (or complete a combo if high enough level) and OP some more. If you get low on TP you still have a flash or two that you can pull out.

Ordinarily 2-3 overpowers are sufficient to secure threat on the entire group as long as DDs don't go attacking completely different enemies making you cycle through them. You should be able to secure the whole group and then work each one down.

I should say that I have much more experience (incidentally I suppose) tanking with mostly single target DDs. More aoe from DPS = more aoe from you. Of course once you've got WAR up to 45 Steel Cyclone is another great aoe tool, especially to grab intial threat (paired with Berserk preferably, and/or unchained if possible). I haven't gotten back into tanking since HW (my 3rd combat job, but I also prioritize it behind half a dozen gathering/ crafting jobs) so after 50 I don't know. At 50 though, holding threat become more or less a non-issue/ forgone conclusion. If you're playing at all competently at 50 and someone pulls a mob off of you then they're doing something very special (or they're also a tank).

[Reynhart]

Ok, maybe I haven't read all the posts properly, but I haven't seen this advice : At low level, put a kill order.

Since you don't have your tank stance, it can be painful to keep enmity on several mobs if your two DPS attack different targets than you.
By setting a kill order, it will go much smoother since your AoE enmity will just have to keep the healer safe.

[Launched]

Flash/Overpower are 600 potency, way more than any dps can do even in single target at low levels. Keep your gear up to date and use those two skills a lot and you shouldn't have aggro problems.

[PrincessNuri]

WAR tank is best tank