Why do you tank ?

[Kaedan]

I've always taken a leader role in group activities my whole life, and Tank is generally the default leader of groups in MMOs. That's how I started tanking.

Actually, it was because our tank in FFXI (when I was playing Monk) sucked really, really bad and I thought to myself "I can do way better than that". So I switched to Warrior to unlock PLD and then mained PLD through Ziliart. I did eventually tire of it and switched to RDM and later Corsair, but I still tanked whenever necessary.

I like playing all roles and always have at least one job I maintain in every role, but I generally enjoy tanking the best as it allows me to lead and control while also keeping party members out of harms way. Instant or near instant queues are pretty nice too. ^_^

[Umbeliel]

Control and responsability basically.

There's a lot of things that bug me while playing dps, but ultimately it'd be pretty easily summarized in the fact that DPS from a strictly gameplay point of view don't really... Matter. If you took out DPS core gameplay wouldn't change at all. While playing a DPS you only rarely if ever have to deal with mechanics, you have no control over the situation and are pretty much relying on your healer to keep you alive and your tank to keep the boss not caring that you exist lest it sneeze on you and you die. Rarely, mostly in raids, DPS mechanics consist of... Kill adds, or maybe stand in this special puddle, or maybe rarely you'll pull a lever because a healer is too busy to deal with it.

There's exceptions of course, and the removal deal could apply to tanks too if boss damage was lowered, but the core point there stands- I'm here to get in a brawl with Titan, not violently carress his love handles and glutes like I'm fighting a dummy with aoes!

Healers have more actual control and a better overall read of the situation, and DPS are hitting harder, but I'm the one who's actually fighting- and our success or failure will largely depend on me and the person healing me more than anything else.

...Which isn't to say anything against people healing or dpsing, I'm doing this part of the work specifically because they can't, or aren't willing to, handle the responsibility as well as I will. It makes everyone's lives easier.

In case you're wondering, being an OT has always driven me nuts too ;u;

[Kumori_Kumo]

This is the first MMO I've ever played. My husband introduced me to CoH before but it never really clicked with me, and Phantasy Star Universe was not, uh... really that kinda game. When I initially played this game, I basically mained Scholar because I couldn't stand the pressure of having to navigate enemies en masse. The very first dungeon I tanked I was nervous as hell and apologizing over and over, and that experience put me off it for months. However after reaching the then level cap of 50, I thought to myself, "Maybe there's something to this." So I asked my husband and FC mates about tanking techniques and decided to give it another try.

I. Loved it.

There's something about having this commanding presence and being the literal center of attention that just rubs my brain the right way, and the close calls and tiers of activities to do make it more fun than just hanging back and managing health bars was for me! Which came as a great relief to my husband, who'd only started tanking because our small FC needed a second one.

So I guess part of it's necessity, part of it is that I just love the feelings and aesthetics. It's just so satisfying.

[BorisDaBlade]

I do it for the queues. I also wait until the timer almost hits 0 to accept the DF. The dps have already waited 30+ minutes, what's another 40 seconds? XD

[saber_alter]

Because there are few tanks i trust and play with regularly, and I would rather be the one tanking if they aren't around.

And I've been doing it four years now and gotta keep with the status quo.

[Evaddaragon]

Because the PLD archetype has always been my favorite FF job. So my first MMO was FFXI and I played PLD, then I tried Aion and I was a Templar.

Then FFXIV and like many others, I was so disappointed I lasted a whole month, maining Gladiator. I came back when Yoshi-P came over with the promise of relaunching the game, the introduction of jobs (including PLD) and the 7th Umbral Ear storyline, gaining the Legacy Status in the meantime.

I always mained PLD ever since, and at ARR's launch up until HW I had all classes at 50. Then came HW and I concentrated my efforts on having a job of each role, which was PLD, DRG and WHM. My plans for SB are to keep that formula which works wonders for me, but switching DRG for RDM.

[Brannigan]

Tank is the role that feels the most like it's actually engaging the monster. DPS is fun, but it usually feels like you're fighting the monster's ass.

[Lewtskie]

Tank is the role that feels the most like it's actually engaging the monster. DPS is fun, but it usually feels like you're fighting the monster's ass.

Essentially how I feel compounded with other ideas. I like to play the brawler/bruiser types. In a theatrical sense, they feel the most like the one that can face down a primal, demon, or an army and survive the onslaught. As a role, I'm indifferent to tanking; every role has its ups and downs and so it doesn't hold sway much more so than DPS(except healer, F that noise). But I like to feel like something brutish, which is why I play WAR. Its the aesthetic and feel. The other two don't much so appeal to me. DRK a little, but def not PLD. I've never cared for the knights in shining armor (unless that glisten was from the fresh coat of blood of their fallen foe :U).

[Heleth]

Instant dungeon queues!
I play casually so being able to do the content when I have the time is a key factor for me....Having to wait 40+ min for a duty to pop up wouldnt be very time efficient.... Also, I come from a 10 year wow tanking background, so tanking feels pretty natural to me... Plus I like the aesthetics of the tanking jobs... Dunno whats my favorite tho.. It was warrior until 4.0, now im not sure... Will get them all to 70 eventually....

[Lannybaby]

I like the idea of being the guy who leads the charge, the one who stands between life and death - victory or defeat. I also tend to really get into the game and imagine myself going toe to toe against a boss, alone. I know I have a party to support my nooby self, but it's a different feeling when you're staring death in the face and your buddies are in the back or the sides of the boss. There's also the fact that the party falls if you die. Think of the fate of the world hanging on your shoulders.