Tips for tanking trials?

[Omedon]

So I've been avoiding applying my vast MMO tanking experience to this game, maining the MSQ as a caster class, but the EXP for the daily roulette when tanks are in demand is just too much to resist. I said "I'd never," but honestly, the people have been nice, the early dungeons are relatively intuitive, and today I tanked Titan and came to a rather important epiphany that is supported by some things others here have implied:

FFXIV has managed to make tanking... like... easier than DPSing.

Maybe I'm taking my experience and instincts for granted, but coming from WoW, this is so backwards. Ranged DPS in other games is, by point of design, entry level participation and low responsibility, at least on the access level of content. By contrast, I've found ranged DPSing in FFXIV makes me the target of all boss mechanics, and I rarely get to stand still and cast in, say, a trial fight. Tanking Titan (and I do concede this is literally the second trial in the game so maybe it's a bad example) the mechanics seemed easier because really your only field of movement is around the boss, which the game seems to understand requires that the tank must stay there to keep agro.

Going into shadowbringers I intend change my main class from RDM to DRK, and to trust-run dungeons because NPCs won't care that I take my time when I tank trash mobs, which leaves me tanking only trials for live players. To that end, are there any general tips from other tank players that apply specifically to the singular fight format of trials? Do the mechanics often betray the need for the tank to stay close for threat's sake? Is there a special kind of mechanic a tank has to deal with? Is it all gear checks and facing? What do I need to know going into the game as a tank tanking only trials when it comes to tanking for live players?

I'm not asking for a fight by fight breakdown, just... general tips really.

Thanks in advance for any and all helpful replies

[Canadane]

After reading your post, I don't think you really need any general tips.
Your MMO instincts are right, tanking is one of the easiest jobs in the game. You face bosses away from your mates, your press one of your many "Take less damage" buttons when a tankbuster happens, and you otherwise hack away doing as much damage as possible.

Obviously many fights have more mechanics involving you moving to specific places or what have you, but gosh, it's not rocket science. I think you probably already know what you need to know, you just didn't know it!

[StriderShinryu]

The biggest thing to learn for tanking in 14 outside of the basics and specific fight mechanics is probably to recognize tankbusters and roomwides. In standard trash fights it's generally okay to cycle your cooldowns and rely on arm's length for "passive mitigation." For trials, you need more specific uses of your cooldowns and mitigation depending on what the boss is actually doing, and you can throw in some of your classes special targeted mitigation tools to help healers out for roomwides or when another class is stuck getting hit by a mechanic they can't/don't avoid. This is generally fight specific but pretty much every boss has some combination of these two things.

Oh, and never forget to DPS. Sure you're a tank first but in FF14 every class is expected (and even required) to add in as much DPS as you can. You're never going to outpower a dedicated DPS but fights go a lot easier/faster if you're doing all you can. It's easy to get stuck in the "I'm a Tank. I'm just here to get hit!" but in FF14 that's not the entirety of the job.

[Anienai]

Tips? Play WARRIOR!!!!

jk kinda

Get into the habit of using certain abilities on your teammates (Blackest Night, Aurora, etc)

[Omedon]

in FF14 every class is expected (and even required) to add in as much DPS as you can.

Indeed, this comes naturally as a tank in regards to threat/enmity, but it's also why I am pretty confident saying I shall never, ever heal in this game. I knew beforehand that "healers are expected to DPS" in FFXIV so this isn't new to me, but it's also why I pass so hard on every healing piece that drops haha!

[TheMightyMollusk]

If you're not the main tank, it's still a good idea to flip your tank stance on once in a while just to keep yourself second on the threat list, in case the MT dies. You don't want the boss running off to punch a healer. Don't leave it on all the time, just enough to keep a decent threat level.

[Barraind]

Kill things. Dont die.

Red stuff bad, blue stuff usually good.

Cooldowns exist.

[KatieConnr]

Katie's raid guide:

DPS= hit things
HEALERS= heal people
TANKS= get smashed in the face

Do not stand in stuff, and remember...bosses DON'T BUFF YOU!!

=WIN AND COLLECT GOODIES

[FirstnameLastname]

Opening more random threads on general discussion will surely help.

How about you play the game instead?

[RitsukoSonoda]

Tips for tanking on trials?

1. Actually turn on tank stance. (yes this is actually an issue for some people)
2. Learn positionals. A lot of these have mechanics involving the facing or position of the enemy and poor placing can cause unnecessary party damage or loss of uptime for DPS.
3. Identify tank busters. These come in different varieties. Some are actually an AoE centered on the tank which are then split in 2 varieties. Some are just normal AoE's so you don't want others getting hit by it. Others are meant to have their damage split between both tanks. Then you have the generic ones that just single target hit the tank targeted.
4. Identify tank swaps. Some trials involve debuffs that are designed to promote tank swapping either on the debuff itself or in some cases when the debuff stacks a certain number of times.

Honestly these are probably the most important things. The rest is just keeping these things in mind while maximizing your rotation and staying aware of what's going on so you can adjust if needed due to something unexpected happening.