Tanking and Small Pulls

[Jojoya]

What is the consensus when a tank does small pulls?

Picture it. Everyone loads in and say their preferred greetings. The tank runs out of the gate and pulls 2 tadpoles.

How do you react?

I kill what the tank pulls (and heal as needed if I'm the healer) then wait for the tank to pull more.

Not everyone is an experienced tank. Many are trying to get a feel for what they're doing and how to use their defensive cooldowns. I'd rather go slow than have an inexperienced tank get overwhelmed so the party dies.

Then there are experienced tanks that go slow at first because they're not certain what the rest of the party is capable of doing. No use pulling wall to wall if the healer only casts Medica, Helios or Succor, or the DPS will only spam their base single target attack. Once they're satisfied they've got a competent group, they'll pick up the pace.

If you're assuming a tank in high level dungeons, trials or raids knows what they're doing because they got the job to a high level, think again. You can level a tank job to 80 without stepping foot into instanced group content as a tank. A lot of players pick up a tank job for the "survivability" when doing solo content. They don't have to worry about healing or use of defensive cooldowns that way even if it means things die slower. Sometimes they'll decide they want to try real tanking after they reach level cap, and they're at a serious disadvantage if roulette throws them into something like Bardam's Mettle for their first duty as a tank.

Be patient. Make polite suggestions if they're aren't wilting under those 2 tadpoles (which does happen when the tank is not only inexperienced but undergeared).

If you're desperate to be in control of what a tank does, then be the tank yourself.