Is there a learning curve for tanking *alliance* raids?

[Kemiko]

On the top of player expectations at certain levels, let it be known that's true of all roles and if you plan to play with other people experience is only the best teacher. Get in there, do it and learn. If you're anxious about being judged poorly, let them know it's your first time. No one is required to treat you less harshly because of it but most tend to be more understanding because of it.

The skill expression across the playerbase is already going downhill anyway and most tanks barely utilize the minimum of their kit in casual content regardless (I can't remember the last time I saw a roulette tank even use Interject, Reprisal or Arm's Length. It's surprising to see a non-WAR use anything besides Rampart or for WAR to use anything beyond Bloodwhetting).

Sure, tankxiety is a thing that exists, it's just a silly thing that exists as tanking has never been easier and tanks have never had as few responsibilities as they have now in all content. The amount of weight on their shoulders in ARR & HW would cripple tanks of today.

You don't even have to gun for MT in 24-man raids. Just don't turn your stance on until after like, I dunno, 4-5 GCDs. Make sure you DO turn it on though, in case the MT goes down for whatever reason so the boss doesn't just start murdering everyone else ('cause the other tank may just be like you and not want to tank and never turned it on either).

Personally, if I'm playing tank I'm there to tank. I want the aggro, I want to mit myself, and everyone else. I want to keep the experience smooth for everyone involved and to laugh when I inevitably get 0 comms for my efforts. I'll also twitch whenever I'm MT and dome other tank amongst the crowd of DPS Provokes as part of their "rotation".

[Lunalepsy]

Just memorize the script, and you will be fine!

[Saraide]

I came from a game where the unwritten rule of tanking is "don't be new on other people's time," an ethic that FFXIV is not immune to. The role ultimately isn't "hard," but it does come with high expectations from the entrenched, experienced playerbase, where their vaunted and legitimate kindness sometimes translates into passive-aggressive "just FYI, this is what's expected at this level" type language... which I can personally attest to being subjected to. Duty support goes all the way up now, so literally any level can be a tank's first dungeon among live players and their """expectations""". So no, the gameplay ultimately isn't hard... Its responsibilities, much like healers, just add another layer of "tanxiety" once the community's """expectations""" are put into play.



Case in point. People can be learning at any level, and they walk into a group with experienced players and are not guaranteed to know what they are doing as it relates to community """expectations""".

So I agree with you, Saraide... to a point, but there's nuance when you have a community as hyperfocused on "don't waste my time" as MMORPGs can be... and the FFXIV community is absolutely not immune to this, they just phrase it more kindly.

Tanxiety is not real. It's you being afraid of something you made up in your mind because you refuse to learn how to tank. Worse, you give up before you even begin. Tanking is extremely easy. I say this because there isnt even a lot you can do as tank. There is nothing to learn at a basic level. The skill floor is so low anyone using their brain and paying attention already clears it before even going into their first duty as tank.

[PercibelTheren]

Tanxiety is not real. It's you being afraid of something you made up in your mind because you refuse to learn how to tank. Worse, you give up before you even begin. Tanking is extremely easy. I say this because there isnt even a lot you can do as tank. There is nothing to learn at a basic level. The skill floor is so low anyone using their brain and paying attention already clears it before even going into their first duty as tank.

Tanxiety is very real. It took me a while to overcome it. I tried tanking in other games and was flamed for pulling too slow, too fast, not the right way, everything. NOT advised. Just cursed at constantly. Thus, I became scared to even touch the role and it took me months of playing XIV to even touch the role. No, tanking isn't hard, but it's a lot of responsibility and if you come from games where people yell at you for every small mistake, being anxious is perfectly understandable.

[Koros]

Tanxiety is very real. It took me a while to overcome it. I tried tanking in other games and was flamed for pulling too slow, too fast, not the right way, everything. NOT advised. Just cursed at constantly. Thus, I became scared to even touch the role and it took me months of playing XIV to even touch the role. No, tanking isn't hard, but it's a lot of responsibility and if you come from games where people yell at you for every small mistake, being anxious is perfectly understandable.

grow a thicker skin

[Saraide]

Tanxiety is very real. It took me a while to overcome it. I tried tanking in other games and was flamed for pulling too slow, too fast, not the right way, everything. NOT advised. Just cursed at constantly. Thus, I became scared to even touch the role and it took me months of playing XIV to even touch the role. No, tanking isn't hard, but it's a lot of responsibility and if you come from games where people yell at you for every small mistake, being anxious is perfectly understandable.

Then you probably didnt even bother to learn how to the tank in your previous games either. I hate the idea that tanking is so much responsibility in ff14 because it paints it like dps have no responsibility at all when there is no functional difference between on pull of a boss taking 30 minutes because the dps are insanely bad or 2 attempts 15 minutes each with one wipe because the tank is bad. If you bothered to learn how to tank at a basic level (which is something you can do before even entering any duty in this game) then you wouldnt have to be scared of demons you made up in your head.

[EgilTheStressedMage]

No. All Alliance raids are extremely easy with some being less easy.

[Banriikku]

Hmmm.... honest question what regarding tanking is hard ?
Because it is : Tankstance plus hit some Buttons.
Yes some or any, not even combo just damage,hit a couple of times this alone will hold aggro. Except somebody starts the "provoke is part of my rotation" game. Maybe turn the boss away from the party but if you need get told this with level 60 and above you never read or played tank in the MSQ or any other content.. maybe PVP but then that would be something else.

[TheMightyMollusk]

The biggest challenge in tanking alliance raids is dealing with the other tanks who also want to be the main character.

Pro tip: The rest of the party doesn't really care who's MT, just hold the boss still.

[Brightamethyst]

Hmmm.... honest question what regarding tanking is hard ?

Real answer to your sarcastic question: Not everyone likes, or is good at everything. Just because it's easy for you doesn't mean everyone else feels the same.

Some people don't like the pressure of setting the pace of the pulls, or have anxiety about messing up in a much more visible and potentially party wiping manner, or are worried about not knowing what they don't know, etc. Most things are easy once you have experience and already know what you're doing, but as a new tank who's never done a given fight and doesn't know mechanics, what the tankbusters are, when to use CDs, etc. Tanxiety is very real for a lot for people and they're not wrong to feel that way. Especially since "/fc O... M... G... why is this tank only pulling one pack at a time!?!?!?!" is 100% a thing that happens.