Radical thought...remove the off-tank?

[Xerek]

With all the talk of tanks and DPS and all, I had a random thought. Do we really need an off-tank? Yes, some battles require tank-swaps, and a small number of times you need to tank two things apart (Bismark), but in truth 99% of the time an OT is just locked in DPS stance, DPSing. Now, there are a shortage of tanks, and we all know how bad DPS queues are. So I was wondering, what if SE designed future 8-man content to instead require one tank, two healers and five DPS? Not only would this help even out queue times, it would avoid sticking a tank in the role of second-hand DPS. Yes, you would lose tank swaps and mechanics like Twin Bolt, but would that really be so great a loss?

Like I said, just a random thought that came to me.

[Aylis]

I'd be for it if not just for the sake of stopping one thing I've run into from time to time

Tank 1: I'm the tank.
Tank 2: NO I'm the tank!
Tank 1: NO!!! ME!!!
Tank 2: ME!!!

*fight starts after 10 minutes of tanks arguing*
*tanks proceed to try and out tank each other, mess up positions, dps and healer rotations and wipe the group*

Tanks 1 and 2: HEALERS FAULT!!!

[jarlmcqueen]

I'd be for it if not just for the sake of stopping one thing I've run into from time to time

Tank 1: I'm the tank.
Tank 2: NO I'm the tank!
Tank 1: NO!!! ME!!!
Tank 2: ME!!!

*fight starts after 10 minutes of tanks arguing*
*tanks proceed to try and out tank each other, mess up positions, dps and healer rotations and wipe the group*

Tanks 1 and 2: HEALERS FAULT!!!

If I am main tanking, and the off-tank won't stay out of tank stance and keeps spamming their agro combo, I'll drop out and let them have it. I refuse to fight another tank for agro.

[Avatre]

If I am main tanking, and the off-tank won't stay out of tank stance and keeps spamming their agro combo, I'll drop out and let them have it. I refuse to fight another tank for agro.

That's why I always start off in DPS stance until I know the other tank isn't going to go all "I'm the MT now"
*insert "I'm the captain now" meme*

[Airget]

Nope. The whole reason the 2 tank and 2 healer party comp exist is because if one falls you always have a backup. It allows the party to recover. Think about how much more frustrating content would be if because the tank died you had to wipe and start over because you have no one to pickup the slack from their death.

[Xerek]

Nope. The whole reason the 2 tank and 2 healer party comp exist is because if one falls you always have a backup. It allows the party to recover. Think about how much more frustrating content would be if because the tank died you had to wipe and start over because you have no one to pickup the slack from their death.

That's why you have healers who can rez and burst heal. MT outright dying should bring a panicked flurry of activity to recover, much as it does in current 4-man content.

[kikix12]

That's why you have healers who can rez and burst heal. MT outright dying should bring a panicked flurry of activity to recover, much as it does in current 4-man content.

Except, resurrecting the tank brings him up weaker than he was before. Not to mention, the boss can cause massive havoc (up to a wipe) in the couple seconds it will take to recover. If there is a second tank, then he can just get the enmity lead instantly and avoid all that, while the previous tanks waits his penalty out.

[Skivvy]

Except, resurrecting the tank brings him up weaker than he was before. Not to mention, the boss can cause massive havoc (up to a wipe) in the couple seconds it will take to recover. If there is a second tank, then he can just get the enmity lead instantly and avoid all that, while the previous tanks waits his penalty out.

Weakness only lowers sTR, DEX, INT, and MND by 25%.Strength now - MP and HP are no longer affected.

[Nezerius]

Weakness only lowers sTR, DEX, INT, and MND by 25%.Strength now - MP and HP are no longer affected.

Which doesn't really disprove his point. 25% lower STR still makes the tank weaker, due to the fact that they'd be doing less damage.

Whether it's a big deal or not being beside the point. I personally don't think it is, since the offtank can just shirk and help the main tank getting an enmity lead.

[Felis]

That's why you have healers who can rez and burst heal. MT outright dying should bring a panicked flurry of activity to recover, much as it does in current 4-man content.

With no off-tank, who catch the adds, the 2 healers have to tank the adds themself and will not have the time to heal the tank