Which Tank is Better Off MT?

[Msugi]

I currently have WAR dan DRK at Lv. 60, and my Lv. 57 PLD is going to be there as well.

Just curious what role should I assume in case of three/two men tank scenario if I were to play one or the other. What I currently certain is that WAR will always be the best OT as its best ability can only be unlocked in Deliverance (Triple Fell Cleaves FTW). I need more opinion about DRK/PLD.

Also, if you have two WARs at one run, which one should MT? I always think it's the best geared since they don't require as much heals but they can be a better OT too.

Please enlighten me,

Michael

[Lambdafish]

WAR/PLD - PLD MTs
WAR/DRK - DRK MTs
PLD/DRK - highly dependant on whether the fight is magic damage or physical damage, though generally PLD MTs
WAR/WAR - either can, though probably the better geared MTs because it is safer for them to stance dance.

[Msugi]

WAR/PLD - PLD MTs
WAR/DRK - DRK MTs
PLD/DRK - highly dependant on whether the fight is magic damage or physical damage, though generally PLD MTs
WAR/WAR - either can, though probably the better geared MTs because it is safer for them to stance dance.

So basically if I queued as PLD then I should expect to MT, OT as WAR, and as DRK I may have the option depends on my tanking partner right? Thanks a lot, that just confirmed my doubt!

[Lambdafish]

So basically if I queued as PLD then I should expect to MT, OT as WAR, and as DRK I may have the option depends on my tanking partner right? Thanks a lot, that just confirmed my doubt!

Pretty much yeah, though as Rongway pointed out these are optimizations, and if that doesn't happen and your WAR partner wants to go MT in DF, then they can.

[Saeno]

WAR/PLD - PLD MTs
WAR/DRK - DRK MTs
PLD/DRK - highly dependant on whether the fight is magic damage or physical damage, though generally PLD MTs
WAR/WAR - either can, though probably the better geared MTs because it is safer for them to stance dance.

I'd have to disagree. There is no sound argument for PLD to MT over a DRK in a PLD/DRK comp. DRK gains too much being hit and PLD only gains blocking, which they can give to the DRK with the use of cover. PLD having extra mit is not true either. They take physical damage better than any other tank but DRK also does well on physical due to parries, reprisal and they take magic better than any other tank

Reprisal alone pushes DRK over PLD in the MT slot.

[Ilan]

I'd have to disagree. There is no sound argument for PLD to MT over a DRK in a PLD/DRK comp. DRK gains too much being hit and PLD only gains blocking, which they can give to the DRK with the use of cover. PLD having extra mit is not true either. They take physical damage better than any other tank but DRK also does well on physical due to parries, reprisal and they take magic better than any other tank

Reprisal alone pushes DRK over PLD in the MT slot.

And DRK and especially WAR beat PLD in the OT slot. You can MT with what ever tank class you want in every content in final fantasy.

[Lambdafish]

I'd have to disagree. There is no sound argument for PLD to MT over a DRK in a PLD/DRK comp.

It doesn't matter how much a DRK loses, PLD mitigation helps the healers a lot more if the fight is suited to it. Fights like Thordan and Sephirot (synced) stand a lot to gain from having PLD MT because their tank busters and mechanics can be handled far more easily with moves like sheltron and hallowed ground. DRK being a bad OT is not a reason to disqualify PLD from being the better MT, because the fact of the matter is PLD is far better in some fights, and the real problem is that PLD/DRK setups are just bad in general.

[Lyth]

It doesn't matter how much a DRK loses, PLD mitigation helps the healers a lot more if the fight is suited to it. Fights like Thordan and Sephirot (synced) stand a lot to gain from having PLD MT because their tank busters and mechanics can be handled far more easily with moves like sheltron and hallowed ground. DRK being a bad OT is not a reason to disqualify PLD from being the better MT, because the fact of the matter is PLD is far better in some fights, and the real problem is that PLD/DRK setups are just bad in general.

Mitigation advantages only matter if they can be translated into increased time out of tank stance. Most competent tanks are capable of designing cooldown rotations that are capable of handling the opposite damage type from the type which they specialise in. Nobody cares in the slightest if you mitigate 4k additional damage on a tankbuster as long as you can survive it and still push your dps. The mitigation requirements on extreme primals are so trivial that double WAR is probably the optimal comp for most if not all of them. In fact, I suspect that the erroneous assumption that A9S-A11S were "PLD fights" simply because they involved physical damage was possibly one of the deciding factors in the world-first race this tier.

This is one of the reasons why I think that PLDs who push for their job to have an even bigger mitigation advantage instead of seeking out dps parity are making a really big mistake. You either need a fight that is so physically demanding that only PLDs can MT it effectively (thankfully non-existent this expansion), or it's not going to make a difference and people will go with the MT which offers the most dps. It makes much more sense to completely scrap the idea of PLD being the "defensive tank" and balance mitigation and dps independently of each other.

[HyoMinPark]

PLD is generally the default MT in duties. Because, even in Sword Oath, it will deal less damage than a DRK, and definitely less damage than a WAR.
WARs make the perfect OTs because of their high damage output (and their Fell Cleaves <3).

Some (uninvited) extras:
If you're paired up with another PLD, as Lambdafish said for WAR/WAR, the better geared PLD should be the MT, while the lesser geared takes the role of OT.
For DRK/WAR, the DRK will generally MT so the WAR can OT. Because WARs will deal more damage than a DRK.

[SpookyGhost]

Technically WAR should be pulling regardless of composition and a tank swap should happen after the Berserk window.

But if you're just going to do DF stuff then: PLD/WAR = PLD MT, DRK/WAR = DRK MT, WAR/WAR = whichever has better gear is MT, PLD/DRK = imo PLD should MT simply due to part of their threat combo being a part of their DPS rotation which can lead to threat issues with DRK as MT.