Quote Originally Posted by Frein View Post
I realize that this stat was added to allow tanks to scale up their enmity production in order to keep up with damage dealer gear progress, however, the current implementation is problematic for a few reasons:

1) Tanks are forced to choose between survival, or "tankyness", and the ability to hold hate. I don't think this is a choice most players particularly like to make. Currently all content favours focusing on holding hate because rewards are based on speed (AV, CC), defense isn't needed (Ifrit, Moogle), or because slow and steady makes things harder, not easier (Garuda).

2) +/- Enmity does nothing at all in PVP or other potential future content where hate mechanics are suppressed (such as a boss that completely ignores enmity).

3) As tank gear progression is split between survivability and increased enmity generation, in the long run tank enmity probably cannot keep up with DD gear progression anyway, as for them the sole purpose of every upgrade is to further increase damage output.

I would propose that abilities like Flash and Provoke scale based on one or more defensive stats, like Defense or their primary and secondary attributes. That way tanks can focus on simply being tanks. This would be similar to how WoW solves the problem.
Ahh.... go back to WoW? Where stats are so blown out of proportion that every class in the game has been completely broken at one time or another? FFXIV is not the only game that has these stats

This is not a WoW hate reply but it really shouldn't be used as an example, they are entirely different. FFXIV (And XI) approach stats with a little grace. A little bit goes a long way approach. Even in full +Enmity gear a tank can fail based on Damage output, sorry "DPS" as well as healing and skills. Just like a WHM can over cure their -Enmity stats. Would I rather have more MND or Cure Pot on my WHM? Not really, considering I never have a tank die on me because of shear damage. If they die it is because I am healing/raising other people and usually from the tank losing hate. I would rather never get hit and be able to survive to heal the tank. Especially the tank that isn't going to die because I'm busy healing other people when he lost hate?

In other words, the tanks ability to survive is me, his ability to maintain hate on the boss is him. It's a symbiotic relationship that gear to that approach. Unfortunately there are just as many bad WHMs as there are Tanks and it sounds like maybe you get stuck with the bad ones.

In the end your point is rather moot. It instead is your preference because you want what? 200 more HP from a Vitality meld? That is the equivalent of 1 tick of regen.

Also, if you don't like gearing for Enmity consider using Panacea's to augment it. It may not be a perfect solution but Maddening Potion adds 100 Enmity for a minute every 4 minutes. Mages use one that gives us -80 for the same duration.