Best class for tank, WAR, DRK or PLD?

[CaptainCake]

I've only been playing this game for about a week, but I played FFXI for a few years when it came out and when it was in its glory days.

I decided to start off with a tank role and after I watched a visual guide on youtube for "The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak" I ended up clicking on an informative video that compares all three tank classes.

After watching the video and reading the comments it's pretty apparent that the consensus is DRK and WAR make the best tank for numerous reasons.

Pretty much the only good thing I've seen people say about PLD is that there's less button management and it's easy to play. There seems to be more flaws with the class than anything else.

So what do you think the best tank class is?

Did SE make any patches over the years to buff PLD?

[Canadane]

There isn't exactly a best class.
It depends on what you want or need, and what content you're doing.
Really, any tank can do what any other tank can do, there's not going to be many situations where you're turned away for your specific tank job choice. Any can fill the role.

So the best answer to give you is, level them all up to 60 and pick the one you like to play.

[BeautifulNerf]

Warrior:
Pros: Heavily stacked with offensive abilities and weapon skills. Has loads of self healing abilities and weapon skills. Can solo most open world bosses, and can solo a small number of Trial Ex Bosses, and Coil bosses because of the self healing. Tank mount looks mediocre, War-bear mount.
Cons: Feels squishier because of less defense, group enmity is heavily reliant upon TP frontal cone aoe ability.

I suggest learning with paladin, then move to dark knight, and finally do warrior. If you do warrior first the other two tank jobs are too boring.

[BeautifulNerf]

I'll break down the main differences between the 3 tank options with the pros and cons.

Paladin:
pros- Best defense, easiest to learn how to tank, easiest of the three tank classes to control enmity on large groups without having to worry about mp or TP. Has a stun ability that can be used repeatedly without a delay. Tank mount looks 'ok'.
cons-This tank class is the most boring of the three tank classes because it is stacked heavy with defensive abilities.

Dark Knight:
Pros: Looks cool, has cool weapon-skill/ability animation. Tank mount is a black and red courel(coolest looking tank mount).
Cons: Stats and weapon-skills/abilities are split evenly between defense and offense. Does not exceed one type of tank role over another. Heavily dependent on MP for abilities. Must be maintain to get loads of MP back to dps.

[bounddreamer]

Sorry, correction, warrior tank mount best tank mount.

To be a career tank you'll want to get marauder to 8 for foresight and bloodbath, gladiator to 22 for flash and provoke, then proceed to Heavensward with whichever tank you prefer through level 50.

It doesn't particularly matter which tank you level to 50 first, because the playstyle will change once you get to 50+ and Heavensward, and unlocking your Heavensward abilities.

Warrior may be faster because all you need to unlock warrior is 15 gladiator. To be a paladin you need to level conjurer to 15. Not required but strongly recommended: leveling CNJ to 34 for stoneskin (and optional unicorn mount).

It's also possible to co level your warrior and paladin in order to share gear, and keep everything you acquire at and after level 30 for your dark knight.

[BeautifulNerf]

... It's also possible to co level your warrior and paladin in order to share gear, and keep everything you acquire at and after level 30 for your dark knight.

Listen to this person. They speak the truth. I have all of my level 1-60 gearsets in case they ever add another tank job to the game. That's a very smart piece of advice. Keep all of your tank gear and stash onto a retainer. I have 60 pld, 60 drk, and 60 war. When they do add another tank job I'm ready for the grind. :3

[BeautifulNerf]

Well, war-bear will be best tank mount if they ever allow all three to fly in HW content And make the war-bear somersault forward comically. xD kekek

[BeautifulNerf]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYkbYZVJeII

There ya go Bounddreamer FF14 Rick astley dedication lul xD hahahahahaha

[bounddreamer]

Also wanted to add: PLD is the Rick Astley of tanks. He's never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down.

The ability for a main tank to stoneskin himself before a big hit, recast protect on a newly risen party member when healers are concentrating on healing him up and party heals, and cover their co-tank to take a big hit cannot be underestimated. A skilled career paladin is still strong at endgame.

It all comes down to what you prefer and it's hard to have an informed choice without getting all three to 60 and feeling how they play at that level. I enjoy them all, but warrior is my main. It's what I take into new content on day one. Dark is what I take into trials and sometimes EX, I play it for fun. And PLD gets hauled out when it works for the fight.

[Teiren]

To be clear, there is very little actual damage dealing difference between the tank classes. It's all perception. Warrior technically does the most, but it's only by about 5% more, which is negligible. What makes it a little overpowered is that it also increases the damage of the other tank and Ninjas in a Full Party (8 party members) because of a couple design flaws.

Also, Dark Knight just plain can't stand up to single, high physical damage hits due to a severe design flaw, though it's good for multiple, medium physical damage hits and is the best at high magic damage hits.

There are no flaws with Paladin except for, perhaps, that Sheltron blocks auto attacks instead of only Ability attacks and that crits are prioritized over blocks. Divine Veil requiring a heal to trigger in addition to Clemency breaking weaponskill combos could be considered a flaw too.