BLU's circular requirements are yet another example of poor job design

[Liam_Harper]

"Don't die git gud" is terrible advice, because it's perfectly normal to die to slip ups in quite a lot of content. It leads to players getting far more frustrated over deaths than they should be because they assume either they suck or they're not meant to die because the forums said so and therefore it needs nerfs. Dying is part of the learning experience and brain derps happens to literally everyone in all content so lets not ridicule people for it.

That said, this used to be an issue in previous patches, but Enix have done a lot to make it easier with base instinct, 100% chance synched and huge buffs in the chance to learn skills unsync. Your options are generally:

-Solo it with Base Instinct. Quite a fun challenge.
-Reach 70 and unsynch it. Might take a few tries but makes the majority of abilities very easy.
-Unsynch it with a group. Same as above and works for pretty much everything.
-Synch it with half BLU and half healers. Easily done for everyone in 2 runs.

So pick whichever works best for you depending on the content and there should be no problems.

[WoW]

because it's perfectly normal to die to slip ups in quite a lot of content.

And from that you learn how not to die and how to git gud. None of you ever played a souls game before?

[Silica-chan]

Personally I don't think it's that bad, but I can see why people may not like it.
For gaining skills in a full BLU party (8 people instances) I don't think having a res is a requirement. It helps, that's for sure but you can do them without just fine thanks to almost all of them being available in the normal version instead of Ex. And if you struggle there is always the unsync option.

I actually enjoy the concept of getting a higher chance at rewards (or guaranteed for BLU spells) if you complete something the "normal" way instead of going in unsync for an easier completion.

To me the main issue I have with BLU is that there is no incentive to help others get spells, outside of being a nice person putting in the time to help. It took me almost a week in PF to finally get enough people for a few spells, which can get kinda frustrating.
Obviously nothing to crazy should be rewarded, but I think it could help those in need for assistance and helpers would get alteast a little something for their time/effort.

[Nezerius]

Raise is not required... as dps, but it's an important part of any healer's kit, basic I'd even say.

They should just put these cookie-cutter spells like Raise, Aetherial Mimicry, Pom Cure, Chelonian Gate (the tankbuster mitigator) on open world content, or gated behind totems with quest advancement. Those are essential for the roles, like the basic of the basics, they should be more readily available.

None of these are essential for the roles, because the roles can easily be played without them in the content where they're obtained.

• Raise: Most of the spells are from HM trials or 4-man dungeons, both of which are very easy to do, even with a BLU that's only using Mighty Guard. Which is an essential skill for tanking, and obtained using a totem after learning just 10 spells.
• Aetherial Mimicry: Obtainable in a lvl 60 dungeon, which is easy enough to do with a BLU using Mighty Guard, and using White Wind (also obtained using a totem after learning just 10 spells) to keep the party alive.
• Pom Cure: While very useful to have in combination with Mimicry, every BLU still has White Wind to heal with. It's also very easy to obtain, because it only requires killing the CNJ moogle in Thornmarch.
• Chelonian Gate: While it's good for damage mitigation, you'll generally want to use Diamondback for tankbusters like Akh Morn.

Also adding that the tanking game for Blue Mages in Tanking Mimicry is really unnerving for all the wrong reasons:
- ALL of the mitigator spells have a nearly 2s cast time, this makes extremely difficult to properly react to the tankbusters unless you can pinpont precisely when they'll be coming. At least you have Swiftcast, but still it's a 60s cooldown there;

Kudos to people that managed to tank for the Morbol mount, because if this design - as in making a Tank without proper tanking tools THE actual challenge - is intentional then, sadly, isn't for me.

Being able to time your mitigation ability is kind of the point of BLU tanking. Just because it's unnerving to you doesn't mean that it's actually a flaw of BLU tanking.
It's also not nearly as "extremely difficult" as you make it sound, as bosses in XIV generally follow a strict rotation of mechanics. You simply plan ahead, because you know when that tankbuster is coming.

@OP: The pre-60 cap BLU must've been hell for you, given the fact that the job didn't even have a raise spell available back then.

[Vyrerus]

as in making a Tank without proper tanking tools THE actual challenge - is intentional then, sadly, isn't for me.

Blue Mage has more mitigation on demand than any other tank in the game.

Mighty Guard is 40% mitigation you get to have 100% of the time. Dragon Force is 40% mitigation in Tank Mimicry or 20% without. Chelonian Gate is 20%. Diamondback is 90%.

The only limitation on BLU mitigating attacks is its MP, and the "dedicated" cooldowns have recast timers of two or so minutes. Diamondback is effectively invulnerability, because in order to kill a level 70 BLU, the default damage on an attack would have to be set to deal close to 500,000 damage to kill you through it.

Enmity is no concern to a BLU. They may spam White Wind at the beginning of a fight with Mighty Guard up, and it will generate more enmity than a level 80 tank in tank stance.

Beyond that, if a BLU tank doesn't have the MP for Diamondback or its tank CDs are on cooldown, it may use the spell Assail in order to force damage onto the OT, basically a reverse form of Cover. They shouldn't need to, but they can.

BLU doesn't even need Tank Mimicry in order to tank. All Tank mimicry does is enhance a couple of cooldowns, and increased defenses x4. While very practical for a group situation, Healer Mimicry actually allows more power to BLU tanking because of the ability to heal yourself with a lot less MP, as well as apply your own shield with Gobskin whenever you want. Every % mitigator actually gains power when your defense is lower as well, because the more damage that is being dealt to you, the more damage is mitigated. THat's why % mitigation is a top shelf thing. As long as you can keep MP and enmity stable, BLU can tank anything in the game with no trouble at all.