Vet gamer returning and would like some insight please

[Vicus]

Left the game about a year ago. I played a bard prior to the expansion and then played a bard up till level 54 where we got cast times. Just ruined the class for me and I didn't really have the motivation to level up another class.

But I am back with some motivation but I am the type that can't level more then once or I burn out. I am leaning on going tank because that is what I have spent most of my MMO career as but id like to know the main difference between warrior and paladin in current endgame content, not just raids. I keep seeing warrior being suggested because what it brings to the table and I am curious is that because they help clear dungeons/challenges/ect faster or because they bring more to raids? I have a 50 paladin and know what it brings to the table, gets the job down, but if they are slower/not wanted as much in the majority of content compared to a warrior then id rather take the time and get a warrior up then continue with my pally. (continue to reply)

[Vicus]

The main reason I want to play a tank is because I DO not like cast times...being rooted in place just ruins the flow/feel of any MMO not just this one and not a fan that all the other melee you have to swap positions non-stop like you are playing musical chairs. I fully understand moving around for mechanics/getting out of damage but I prefer to observe the raid and enjoy the fights instead of having to play tunneled to make sure my rotation is perfect. (If that makes sense).

Lastly, is there a class that plays like the above that isnt a tank at endgame that I am unaware of? Bard use to be amazing because you could move freely, observe the raid and provide support while the downside was little lower DPS..but I'm a fan of playstyle>DPS meters. With the changes I want to make sure I am devoting myself to a class that is more "me". Also..open to Dark knight but not sure I wanna have to stare at my mana bar non-stop (not sure if thats an issue still).

Any advice would be great.

[Martin_Arcainess]

So the main differen in PLD and WAR is that WAR can deal more DPS and can inflict Slash Res down on targets and WAR makes a great OT.

PLD on the other deals less damage but not that much less damage. PLD is more a bulky physical deffence tank thanks to it's STR down, shield, and shelltron.
Not to mention it has some nice party support like divine Veil, stone skin and protect.

BUT bear in mind both tanks can easily clear any current content out there some will have there advantages over the other but nothing too big.
It's balanced really well.

So it all falls down to what you prefer to play.

[Kitfox]

PLD and WAR (and DRK) are equally useful in boss fights and raids. However WAR(and DRK) is by far more useful in dungeons and aoe grinding trash mobs because PLD's aoe damage is seriously lacking.

[Hierro]

I find myself staring at my hotkeys a lot when I play DRK. The mana thing isn't such a big deal when you're tanking gritless, so it's not as big a thing. It's the procs and oGCDs that distract you. You can clump some of them in groups to lessen the degree you need to keep track of them, but it definitely makes DRK the most prone to distraction.

WAR is very straight forward with very few oGCDs to worry about, only have to really keep track of berserk use, cause with it, that's when you start popping a bit more oGCDs and get active in your rotation.

[Vicus]

Thanks, very helpful. My wife plays a scholar main and whitemage as her offspec. As a paladin I wouldnt benefit as much from stoneskin and protect. Is there a tank that meshes better with scholar then others at 60? I am leaning toward warrior atm. Thinking I will like situations where I get to offtank so I can not always be locked into tanking the boss 24/7 and get to roam around a bit.

[Synestra]

Thanks, very helpful. My wife plays a scholar main and whitemage as her offspec. As a paladin I wouldnt benefit as much from stoneskin and protect. Is there a tank that meshes better with scholar then others at 60? I am leaning toward warrior atm. Thinking I will like situations where I get to offtank so I can not always be locked into tanking the boss 24/7 and get to roam around a bit.

Even if lustrates wont get benefit from Defiance i would still say go for WAR as its propably most well done job in game besides SCH, there is always room for WAR no matter what content you are planning to do and its gameplay is smoothest of all tanks. If you want to get quick look for all 3 tanks then do some palace of dead so you can "beta test" some lvl60 skills w/o actually leveling up to 60.

[Rivxkobe]

WAR as its propably most well done job in game besides SCH

Hahahahahahahaha! Oh my god!

Haha... Oh wait. You are serious...

Umm. Well besides the fact that WAR is borderline, if not completely, overpowered SCH itself was a terrible idea and a game's balance nightmare. If you truly think they are the most well done jobs in the game I can't help but think you are clueless to how a game's actual balance works and re blind to how much problems both jobs have caused with their screwy kits and power. Being overpowered is NOT the same as being well designed.

This is coming from someone who mained SCH.

[Launched]

Hahahahahahahaha! Oh my god!

Haha... Oh wait. You are serious...

Umm. Well besides the fact that WAR is borderline, if not completely, overpowered SCH itself was a terrible idea and a game's balance nightmare. If you truly think they are the most well done jobs in the game I can't help but think you are clueless to how a game's actual balance works and re blind to how much problems both jobs have caused with their screwy kits and power. Being overpowered is NOT the same as being well designed.

This is coming from someone who mained SCH.

WAR is the standard every other job should live up to. Being well designed is what makes it strong. WAR doesn't have any useless skills, so of course it's going to be better than the ones that have skillslots wasted on trash like Cover and Tempered Will, or duplicate skills like Abyssal Drain, or procs that pidgeonhole them into the MT role instead of letting them work anywhere. DRK and PLD are pretty far from being well designed, and the patch/expansion where they nerf WAR instead of fixing PLD's/DRK's flaws (and you can fix those flaws while still leaving weaknesses, WAR has some) is the patch/expansion where I quit tanking.

[Lyth]

WAR is the standard every other job should live up to. Being well designed is what makes it strong. WAR doesn't have any useless skills, so of course it's going to be better than the ones that have skillslots wasted on trash like Cover and Tempered Will, or duplicate skills like Abyssal Drain, or procs that pidgeonhole them into the MT role instead of letting them work anywhere. DRK and PLD are pretty far from being well designed, and the patch/expansion where they nerf WAR instead of fixing PLD's/DRK's flaws (and you can fix those flaws while still leaving weaknesses, WAR has some) is the patch/expansion where I quit tanking.

The devs disagree with you, if the Famitsu interviews are to be believed. There are a lot of "get out of jail free" cards in WAR's kit like IB and Equilibrium that allow even mediocre WARs to slip through situations reactively, instead of needing to use their knowledge of the fight to play proactively. When you optimise the job gains more depth and you lose the crutches, but you still have a pretty big safety net. WAR isn't popular because it's super demanding and brutally unforgiving. That's rarely what draws people to jobs - it's generally the exact opposite. WAR is popular because it makes you feel good about yourself and feel like you're doing a lot of damage, even if you aren't the best player (and aren't actually doing all that much damage for the job).

I know some people may not be fond of Cover or TW, but playing PLD optimally often requires you to make find uses for these "niche" skills when the advantage presents itself. If you're unsure of the benefit of having a knockback negation move, best to stay away from the job. It's not for everyone.

PLD and DRK aren't "pidgeonholed" into the MT role. If you're stuck playing with a more closed-minded co-tank for whatever reason you may not get many opportunities to actively tank, but if you're playing with a good group the MT/OT delineation isn't really important and you'll each be playing to your strengths anyways. Don't hate the job, hate the player. We're not all big meanies who don't let our WARs tank. But you will be missed. Perhaps.