Remove PLD Utility?

[ovIm]

Sorry for the clickbaiting title there (;

In the two tank balance threads on this forum, I have read a lot of arguments about PLDs currently cemented position in any raid, with people arguing that PLD is preferred because of his damage AND utility, and others claiming that the utility is just "toys", and nothing really worth arguing about.

So, this is a thought experiment for us all. What do you think would happen if we kept the game as it currently is - except that we remove all paladin utility except for Intervention. Lets remove Cover, Divine Veil, Clemency and Passage of Arms from the skillset of the PLD. Do you think that would change the current Meta? PLD players, how would you feel about this proposal to make all tanks truly equally strong in possibilities?

Please bear in mind that I am not asking for Square to remove those skills from the game - this is merely food for thought and a base for discussion.

Honestly, I believe that if we were to remove the Utility, we would see an equal amount of all kinds of tank combinations in this game, as it would make no difference anymore which class is in the MT and which in the OT spot of a group.

[LadyCeles]

Put the pipe down

[Starkbeaumont]

ignoring that it would take away from PLD's identity of course things would be different.
As long as Tank A has the same damage and can tank as fine as B and C while also bringing something on top of that, you take tank A.
Though people will always check what's best in which situation. If you remove the utility ppl will compare damage. if the damage is equal, ppl will compare survivability. and if this is equal as well, maybe then ppl will choose what they actually like. but then you have others that will likely complain about homogenization...

[Dortharl]

If we remove all PLD utility we also need to make everything else equal, PLD will need to be buffed in AoE and get a gap closer, also the defensive cds will need to re-adjusted as PLD have longer cooldowns. Eventually you will end with 3 classes with identical skill just with different gear and a far less interesting game.

I think that PLD utility will only make a difference in the most cut throat progression meta in very rare cases these skills can help prevent a wipe. If a raid is relying on clemency to get them through a fight they are unlikely to succeed.

[Ekimmak]

Now, I haven't levelled Paladin to 70, so I'm just going by what I see bounced around on the forums.

But as far as I can tell, Paladin has one edge over the other two tanks, and that's the fact they aren't nearly as heavily punished if the boss has to be moved, because their "burst" phase is long range. DRK can't build it's Blood gauge nearly as well when they have to break off, and it absolutely destroys Warrior if mechanics force them away from the boss during IR.

So Paladin, even if all utilities were removed or moved into role actions? Still has a good head start on other tanks.

[ovIm]

If you remove the utility ppl will compare damage. if the damage is equal, ppl will compare survivability. and if this is equal as well, maybe then ppl will choose what they actually like. but then you have others that will likely complain about homogenization...

From what I can see at the moment (im still in the process of leveling PLD, but im taking that rather slow), the tanks seem fairly equal on all grounds except for Utility. Surely, depending on the fight, one tank might be better suited than the other, but that would make people either switch between classes for fights or commit to a class and make it work.

Homogenization is an issue, yeah, though, I believe there should be a way to make every tank play differently while making their performance equal, creating a true "play what you prefer playing" kind of mindset for the players.

If we remove all PLD utility we also need to make everything else equal, PLD will need to be buffed in AoE and get a gap closer, also the defensive cds will need to re-adjusted as PLD have longer cooldowns. Eventually you will end with 3 classes with identical skill just with different gear and a far less interesting game.

Hm, if we give PLD a gap closer for further homogenization, then we might have to adjust Holy Spirit range a bit, but otherwise, you do have a good point there. If all tanks were equal we might as well just throw it all into 1 class and call it a day, that would make the game indeed rather boring.

[Kyrph]

Instead of taking utility away from PLD I think they should focus on making it a bit a better in most cases and give the other two Tank jobs some utility as well.

[ovIm]

Im not advocating the removal of PLD Utility, really, Im on the boat that SqEx should give some Utility back to WAR and DRK to balance the tanks. This here is merely a thought experiment based on some reactions I have seen on the forums

[Heliantheae]

If anything, PLDxDRK would be shipped harder. PLDs already love it when I TBN then, without utility of their own they'd want their own pocket DRK. Without them popping their own CDs, TBN would go off even more which means more Bloodspillers.

[Launched]

You'd still take PLD+DRK for easy, high dps and free Intervention+TBN for every tankbuster.