Ummmmm HELP!!!

[Hrithmus]

So i just started to play this game again since like June 2011. Im loving it so far, i picked gladiator since i want to be a tank but this class system seems confusing. What other jobs do i level to help Gladiator out, like does ranger have any enmity abilities? I guess im looking for a guide or some advice on what to level or use to help me tank. Alot has changed in battle mechanics i noticed it's kinda slow, which is fine. Feels more like FF11 now. Or should i just wait until update 1.20 for a guide on what to level? Thanks

[yukikaze_yanagi]

For the levels as now you should level marauder and pugilist to a degree, but it can change in the upcoming patch

[BlaiseLallaise]

Marauder will probably still have a good set of tanking abilities to help out Gladiator, even after 1.20. I think it's a safe bet to level that a bit.

[DeadRiser]

Pugilist also has great taunts. And they also get prime conditioning which boosts heals done to you by 10%.

But like it's been said, things are changing in like 2 weeks.

[Viridiana]

Pugilist also has great taunts. And they also get prime conditioning which boosts heals done to you by 10%.

But like it's been said, things are changing in like 2 weeks.

PGL has crap taunts.

Seriously, Taunt is only slightly more aggro than Disorient, and has a much longer CD. Also, Prime Conditioning is currently only effective for self heals. >_>

[Tenthul]

I'm going to attempt to expand on this and just straight up ask: How do you tank (hold aggro)?

I tanked in 11 with both Nin and Pld back in the day. I've tanked in WoW and Rift at high end stuff, I love tanking and it's just something I enjoy doing in MMO's. It absolutely befuddles me that I can't figure out how to tank in this game. Is it just another broken aspect of the game? I tried looking up guides and the best answer I found just said "Currently at end game, most LS's just throw multiple Gladiators at everything" and I just couldn't accept that as an actual answer.

I can hold single targets ok if the DD's wait and let me ramp up the aggro before they go crazy which is fine and expected. Mostly the issue is groups of 3 or more mobs where I can't even get aggro on something before mobs go after the healer (from requiring heals).

So far this game has been the most miserable tanking experience of any game I've ever played and *really* does not make me want to keep playing (that's not supposed to be a straight burn on 14, just simply a fact of my current experience). I feel like an absolute failure in groups. I can't stress how much it really, really makes me feel like crap to not be able to even protect the healer.

[Viridiana]

I'm going to attempt to expand on this and just straight up ask: How do you tank (hold aggro)?

I tanked in 11 with both Nin and Pld back in the day. I've tanked in WoW and Rift at high end stuff, I love tanking and it's just something I enjoy doing in MMO's. It absolutely befuddles me that I can't figure out how to tank in this game. Is it just another broken aspect of the game? I tried looking up guides and the best answer I found just said "Currently at end game, most LS's just throw multiple Gladiators at everything" and I just couldn't accept that as an actual answer.

I can hold single targets ok if the DD's wait and let me ramp up the aggro before they go crazy which is fine and expected. Mostly the issue is groups of 3 or more mobs where I can't even get aggro on something before mobs go after the healer (from requiring heals).

So far this game has been the most miserable tanking experience of any game I've ever played and *really* does not make me want to keep playing (that's not supposed to be a straight burn on 14, just simply a fact of my current experience). I feel like an absolute failure in groups. I can't stress how much it really, really makes me feel like crap to not be able to even protect the healer.

Well, a few things need to be taken into account. One, at lower levels, your tanking abilities are scaled down to a sucky level. Basically, part of your issue is likely that you're getting screwed by scaling. This is even more annoying because damage doesn't scale down as harshly, so your ability to outpace the DD's aggro is even more hampered.

Now, for AoE tanking, I can give a few pointers. First, to get it out of the way up front, MRD is better equipped for AoE tanking.That said, though, there's some stuff you can do to help yourself. First, use whatever abilities you can to lower the amount of damage you're taking at the start of the fight so the healers don't immediately pull aggro. Second, once you take some damage, heal yourself before the healers can (keeps your aggro up and theirs down). Third, spam the crap out of some AoE abilities. (Skip War Drums, though. It sucks that bad.)

[Fiosha_Maureiba]

To add, if your healer throws Curaga in a large party, you're going to have a much harder time keeping enmity. If the healer uses Curaga twice, enmity is not guaranteed (the fight will be over before you get enmity back or the healer will be dead).

The Cover ability from Gladiator (may be a Paladin ability if read later) on the healer and correct positioning can help in this case. For multiple enemies that use AoE attacks, this can be fatal for the tank (as you take the Cover damage first, then your own damage meant for you)

example: Weapon skills on the bugs in Toto-rak will provoke an AoE attack response. One AoE weapon skill will trigger all of their AoE attacks simultaneously. Natural instinct to use Curaga to recover from this. You use Cover on the healer. Party member does another AoE weapon skill. You now get hit by five AoE attacks meant for the healer, plus the five AoE attacks meant for you, taking double damage (and most likely succumbing at the appropriate level).

The enmity generation abilities such as Provoke, Disorient, War Drum, Warmonger, and Taunt aren't as effective as other MMORPGs. Likewise, enmity shedding abilities such as Soughspeak or Chameleon. Damage and healing seem to be king, while the enmity abilities can offset some, but cannot be relied upon the way they can in DAoC, WoW, or Rift.

i.e. rough numbers at level 50 here...

For One-on-One
A weapon skill that deals 500 damage generates 500 enmity.
Provoke II may generate 442ish enmity.
A Cure III for 600~ HP generates 450 enmity.
A Curaga that heals 400 HP to 8 people generates 2400 enmity (and for me, it seems whether the amount is healed or not, the enmity is very real).

For AoE
An AoE weapon skill that deals 500 damage generates 500 enmity on each target.
Wardrum generates 101ish enmity on each target.
Heal yourself with Second Wind or a Cure for 400 HP, generate 300 enmity on each target (Bloodbath healing doesn't seem to count).
A Curaga that heals 400 HP to 8 people generates 2400 enmity on each target.

source for enmity numbers: http://kanican.livejournal.com/54373.html

Leaving my Gladiator and Conjurer at their current levels to gradually adapt to 1.20 enmity adjustments and may have different experiences after leveling up then.