About co-tanking

[Bright-Flower]

Again, doesn't matter pre-70.

I'd argue it doesn't really matter at 70 either in casual content. It's not really a big deal in normal mode raids/trials/alliance raids if the PLD pulling isn't optimal. Only really in EX/Savage when there's a strict enrage timer to beat.

[Derio]

For lvl 50 and below content you will be the main tank as your only combo as a PLD is your aggro combo.

Realistically it doesnt matter for anthing outside of Ex/Savage content. Welcome and I hope you enjoy Heavensward and Stormblood

[Noldornir]

For lvl 50 and below content you will be the main tank as your only combo as a PLD is your aggro combo.

That's the point. For what i can see and understand i'll want to use a LOT my later combos further on (goring blade/royal authority) but at LvL 50 dungeons it's Rage of Halone or Riot Blade.

[Neela]

For lvl 50 and below content you will be the main tank as your only combo as a PLD is your aggro combo.

because War rage in his dps stance and shouldn't take advantage of inner beast and unleash here!!11 oh wait.....

tbh in lvl 50 content the player who pulls first is the main tank - cls doesn't matter at all here : /

[Bright-Flower]

Oh so that explains why sometimes I could have sworn I had shelltron up and didn't get s shield swipe proc.

Kind of odd that shield oath has no reliable way to build oath gauge until we get holy spirit...I mean in an aoe pull you can hit bulwark sure and get lots of procs but on a boss its usefulness for that is limited.

[Noldornir]

Thanks for the in-depth explanations Nedkel and Phoenicia!

As for the idea of Main Tank / Off Tank, you should forget this concept, it is bad to limit yourself to it. Think Main Tank is simply the tank that is "tanking right now" or "pulling the boss". It is much better to think of the tank pairs as a 1 entity of tanks, so instead of 1 HP bar, you have 2, instead of just having 1 set of defensives, you have 2, and instead of 1 provoke, you have 2, etc.

Even tho i do like this idea and think it's actually the best available route... but is it doable in a duty finder with another random tank?

My problem is (for the time being at last) when i'm with a random tank; I won't know how he plays, what he's about to do, if he's going to shirk on me etc.

Is there any "unwritten rule" which is generally used by good players in a random dungeon?

To be more clear, ler's say I go in a trial (hard). I'll get another random tank. Let's say he's a very good player. How would he behave? What would he expect of me (in terms of role OC).

Should I just beat the boss as hard as i can without caring of how much enmity i generate (and if i get aggroed who cares as long as i'm not standing with/in front of DPSs)?
Should I just focus on generating damage WHILE helping him to keep the aggro? (Like before but i could use shirk in case i get aggro or provoke->shirk before it happens)?
Should I just do something else?

Of course i expect this might change depending on content (in a fight with many adds the OT probably stack em while the MT keep boss at bay, in a super-strong boss the MT could use skills like cover etc. or OC) but as a GENERAL rule how do the two tanks (should) behave when they do not know each other?

[Megguido]

Even tho i do like this idea and think it's actually the best available route... but is it doable in a duty finder with another random tank?

My problem is (for the time being at last) when i'm with a random tank; I won't know how he plays, what he's about to do, if he's going to shirk on me etc.

Is there any "unwritten rule" which is generally used by good players in a random dungeon?

To be more clear, ler's say I go in a trial (hard). I'll get another random tank. Let's say he's a very good player. How would he behave? What would he expect of me (in terms of role OC).

If the other tank is MT, then you're just a blue DPS. If you know that there are no tank swaps in the next 2 minutes, you can provoke + shirk (or just shirk if you're getting close to their aggro). The "unwritten rule" in 8-man (non-savage) duties is : first tank with tank stance on pulls. Other than that, just do mechanics and keep DPSing.

[Neela]

There are not much unwritten rules how so ever...

u can make a checklist...

- always enter on dps stance proactiv
- see if War or Drk are going to pull/set timer in tankstance
- Never use enmity just to raise your score it doesnt matter if burst monster like Sam/Blm are higher than u while beeing Off-Tank. But be sure how to use provok/ultimate just in case.
- Sticking to your dps/dot rota should prevent you to run into enmity-battles with the MT
- If u claim enmity by accident slow down and hand the mob over again / with or without shirk

Nothing more to do actually ^^

edit: on higher lvl u also can assist with shieldskills, debuffs or emergency heals - if u like to ;3

[Phoenicia]

Neela and Megguido pretty much summed it up.

Don't entertain the thought of aggro battlers, it's bad for the over-all team DPS, mitigation and healing (not only do healers hate not knowing which tank is actually taking damage, but a tank taking a tank buster move unexpectedly most likely will cause a tank death. Oh how I hate eating a tank buster because my co-tank died or slacked and my aggro caught up to his just before it started casting and I didn't have enough time to react fully... even if I survive it lol).

The most important thing to note is: Anything that people are willing to do in random duty finder is easy enough for it not to matter who does what. In high end content (Savage, latest extreme primal and Ultimate) people will set rules beforehand that you will know exactly what to do and when. Just enjoy all features of tanking until then.

[jadan2000]

i feel you on this. especially in the 24 man raids in Sb. i dont feel like there is much reason for more then one tank in any boss fight. Im just sitting there in DPS stance 90% of the time, but its not like that any major DPS. I dont feel like im really contributing to the fight.