So I tried to solo The Aery dungeon as PLD, DRK, and WAR(for various reasons)

[DRKoftheAzure]

So everyone should know by now that Nidhogg uses an ability called the Sable Price(instant kill) which you can avoid just by getting his HP down to under 35%.

My avg. ilvl is 347 and I wanted to get some of the glamour that drops there because it looks better than the some of the re-skins.

WAR can clear because of Inner Release, where PLD and DRK need 1 extra person for DPS to clear.

And if you are trying to do anima weapon for glamour solo then you will have to go through the dungeon normally unless you are a level capped WAR as it is impossible for the other 2 tanks.(or go in with another person unsynched who also needs anima weapon for glamour)

[ManuelBravo]

PLD 360 and DRK 355 Cleared was a bit close but it can be done.

[DRKoftheAzure]

PLD 360 and DRK 355 Cleared was a bit close but it can be done.

Except WAR can clear at lower ilvl than those 2 with Inner Release/Fell Cleave spam much faster... how the hell is WAR balanced compared to PLD and DRK?! I actually want to start maining WAR because of how OP Inner Release/Fell Cleave spam is!

[Tanathya]

You can Salted Earth yourself when he starts casting Sable Price on you.

[ManuelBravo]

Except WAR can clear at lower ilvl than those 2 with Inner Release/Fell Cleave spam much faster... how the hell is WAR balanced compared to PLD and DRK?! I actually want to start maining WAR because of how OP Inner Release/Fell Cleave spam is!

Our gear is different if your average is 347, also if unsync and over melds make a huge difference. DRK is my personal favorite and dark arts make it really fun, as long as you implement dark arts. ( Many DRK that I have encountered really don't know how to use Dark arts properly. ) Salted earth helps and aoe pld dot if timed correctly can overcome floating aoe. As for PLD I would rank it as an even match just a bit easier when you have healing. War makes it easy, besides the only real time you need to have your anima is during final boss if doing dungeons. You don't need to keep spaming it there are easier ones. As for using a tank role you might as well just do it with a group and help out people leveling -.-;

[DRKoftheAzure]

snip

At this point the only reason I would level another class from scratch is if I started leveling another character from scratch(Why are their no dailies quests for before beast tribe dailies, still?) and it is more rewarding for opening your wallet to get a class to 60 that isn't SAM or RDM because basically more Grand Company seals from the gear and Allagan Platinum pieces...

DRK has so many problems that I could open yet ANOTHER complaint thread which I will not start on...

PLD is PLD, enough said on that matter...

Since clearly guaranteed Direct Critical Hits are more optimal as burst damage than what PLD and DRK have right now as seen with WAR, it's no wonder WAR is basically the favorite tank for the devs to change constantly and WAR also lacks a DoT of any kind...

[SummerScorcher]

You can Salted Earth yourself when he starts casting Sable Price on you.

Don't even need to, proper opener and spending MP allowed me to push phase before he even started casting it.

[Tanathya]

Don't even need to, proper opener and spending MP allowed me to push phase before he even started casting it.

Cool, but that's way beside the point.

[ManuelBravo]

At this point the only reason I would level another class from scratch is if I started leveling another character from scratch(Why are their no dailies quests for before beast tribe dailies, still?) and it is more rewarding for opening your wallet to get a class to 60 that isn't SAM or RDM because basically more Grand Company seals from the gear and Allagan Platinum pieces...

DRK has so many problems that I could open yet ANOTHER complaint thread which I will not start on...

PLD is PLD, enough said on that matter...

Since clearly guaranteed Direct Critical Hits are more optimal as burst damage than what PLD and DRK have right now as seen with WAR, it's no wonder WAR is basically the favorite tank for the devs to change constantly and WAR also lacks a DoT of any kind...

DRK could use a few touch ups here and there, however it is not broken. Very few people actually know the true potential. Right now managing MP and being able to PROPERLY use Dark arts is the biggest issue DRK tanks have. It can survive very well with players who actually know how to use their CD. Personally WAR has it's good points but many are blinded by the HP it has. I have all 3 tanks and While WAR may work for most it's one of the few that I really have no interest in and only use it if people request it. ( Really only raised it for achievements and relics ) and even since the update it's a bit boring to me :/..

WAR = People get distracted by HP and make things harder when not in proper stance. ( makes a huge difference and people get over confident. Seen party wipes in old content do to it )

DRK = My favorite tank, it's well balance in my opinion and can do well. Sometimes have to hold back and I have been able to take enmity from other tanks just by using Dark arts properly and not using Grit. Darkest Night is a great tool if use properly and keeping MP Maxed out is not that hard...people make it hard.

PLD = Is more of a interruption ... seen too many people that think that they can tank and can't even stun properly. PLD is a great tank for interruptions, and while it may not be designed to damage as much as the other two it can help prevent a lot of damage and raise LB far faster than the other two.

Everyone has their perspective and I can respect that, however a tank that can make the run smooth without making the healer over work, able to use cool downs, and understands ALL OF THEIR ACTIONS is what I consider a good tank. In most cases it's not the job that is broken, it's more that players have egos and take feed back in a negative way.

All tanks have their strong points and shine if different situations just like any other job can vary. Personally for me WAR is an OK tank if I don't have to try hard, for those really hard battles though I would take DRK or PLD over it.

[Saeno]

Warrior has always been very good for dungeons. Its kit compared to the other two tanks is superior for 4 man content, so when you do content that stacks up the other tanks vs. WAR, WAR will beat out the other tanks every time.

A brief history of tanks in 4 mans:

For all of ARR, WAR is the only real choice. You can't justify a tank that has no AoE damage in 4 man content. Forget the fact that WAR has its own slashing debuff.

In Heavensward, I felt like DRK and WAR were tied for best dungeon tanks. WAR's damage was easily the best of the three and Equilibrium was very nice for WAR's. They still had all of the upsides from before but it was increased two fold. DRK did everything WAR did but weaker, the trade off was that they could sprint in dungeons unlike WAR. It was Sprint and DRK's sustained AoE with blood price (rest in peace) that carried DRK to be as good if not a little better than WAR in 4 mans.

In Stormblood, if you queue up into a dungeon and you're not a WAR, you will be wasting your time. WAR's being able to sprint, unchained for aggro, two oGCD stances, equilibrium as a threat tool and TP tool, access rampart and 5x Direct hit crit Decimates with vengeance reflections on top of slashing debuff makes WAR out of control. No tank can possibly compete with WAR currently.

With that, I imagine WAR would absolutely obliterate PLD and DRK in any 4 man content, not just Aery.