PLD viable for speed runs?

[Alderton]

First, Sentinel boosts enmity from weaponskills, not abilities, so don't pop it before Provoke, Flash, or Rampart, because it won't help them.

Here's what I do, ideally, if the party will listen:

Provoke+Flash (and from then on every 30s)
Pull to position
Divine Veil
Sentinel
Phalanx -> Spirits Within
Tell everyone to gather on me and get on hate list (if safe). All it takes is an auto attack or a heal.
War Drum
Rampart when everyone is close.

Rampart gives you more enmity the more people it hits, but you generally have to explain the plan to the party ahead of time. Even then they seem afraid to come near on most bosses, so you may or may not get the extra several hundred points of enmity there.

I'll generally start the fight the same way, it is just a strong way to build enmity at the start.

After the first Spirits, however, I'd actually use sentinel for your Goring Blade combo. The reasoning isn't really the enmity, but the fact that you're layering two defensive abilities on top of each other instead of spreading them out. I'd rather pop Divine Veil >> Phalanx >> Spirits, wait for DV to wear, then do Sentinel >> Goring combo. You should have enough time to slip in a Flat blade combo as well before sentinel wears.

That said, I'm kind of curious if anyone has actually tested the Sentinel enmity boost with WS that give additional enmity as well. I would assume Sentinel only increases the enmity of the raw damage, and not the adjusted enmity those WS get, but that is only a guess with no testing whatsoever.

[Godking]

Awesome, thanks a lot for that! I don't know if this still applied or if it ever did, but I heard I have to hit the enemy first before using provoke/flash. Is that true at all or can I do them right off the bat?

[Judge_Xero]

Awesome, thanks a lot for that! I don't know if this still applied or if it ever did, but I heard I have to hit the enemy first before using provoke/flash. Is that true at all or can I do them right off the bat?

This is true. If you pull the mob with Flash or Provoke, then you lose that Enmity. The first "Move" on an enemy only generates 1 ENM. So if you can, attack the mob first, and then Flash/Provoke.

[Brannigan]

This is true. If you pull the mob with Flash or Provoke, then you lose that Enmity. The first "Move" on an enemy only generates 1 ENM. So if you can, attack the mob first, and then Flash/Provoke.

This is NOT true. It was fixed a long time ago.

[HoolieWho]

Awesome, thanks a lot for that! I don't know if this still applied or if it ever did, but I heard I have to hit the enemy first before using provoke/flash. Is that true at all or can I do them right off the bat?

No, you get full benefit of provoke/flash even if you haven't performed any previous actions on an enemy. I think the only time you have to be concerned about who is on your targets hate list is when using rampart on a party member and probably curing a party member.

[Aceofspades]

I think its important to note, you should not rely on gear builds to hold hate, it is entirely possable to keep hate well without gear built to that condition reguardless of how hard your dd hits, that being said, enmity+ is certainly the best stat for the belt slot, i would argue against adding it anywhere else if it calls for the sacrafice of defensive or regenerative stats. But my stance on that is strongly disputed. to each their own i suppose

[Molly_Millions]

I think its important to note, you should not rely on gear builds to hold hate, it is entirely possable to keep hate well without gear built to that condition reguardless of how hard your dd hits, that being said, enmity+ is certainly the best stat for the belt slot, i would argue against adding it anywhere else if it calls for the sacrafice of defensive or regenerative stats. But my stance on that is strongly disputed. to each their own i suppose

where could you put enmity that would be better suited for defense? Enmity can go on your sword or you belt. On your belt, the only other real option is HP, which loses out to enmity by a long shot. So that leaves your sword, where you've got the option of VIT, MND, DEX and STR or enmity. The only two good options are STR and MND out of those for PLD. VIT is only minimally usefull on PLD, DEX is just about worthless for PLD, which leaves MND and STR. Depending on what kind of actual numbers you get back as far as enmity per damage dealt and how close you are to the stat caps for those tow stats, I could see going with either one, but those are offensive stats.

So what defensve materia is even in competition with enmity for PLD?

[Alerith]

I think its important to note, you should not rely on gear builds to hold hate, it is entirely possable to keep hate well without gear built to that condition reguardless of how hard your dd hits, that being said, enmity+ is certainly the best stat for the belt slot, i would argue against adding it anywhere else if it calls for the sacrafice of defensive or regenerative stats. But my stance on that is strongly disputed. to each their own i suppose

Try and hold hate against multi and triple melded BLMs or DRGs. If you don't have any enmity+ you will lose hate. Your first sentence says that it's possible to keep hate regardless of how hard the DD hit.

That is entirely wrong. There is a point where your DD's damage will exceed your ability to hold hate and if you're trying to tank without any enmity+, then your DD are being forced to hold back when they should not be.

That being said, the slots you can put enmity mainly apply to waist and sword. Having a double meld of enmity in both isn't going to murder you on Defense.

There's also Earrings, neck and wrist, of which you can use Stonewall Earrings, Militia Choker and Coral Armillae +1. There's really nothing better for your ear slot or neck slot, and I wouldn't waste the wrist slot on a minor HP boost.

[SwordCoheir]

I believe Sentinel was tested to give +100 Enmity per action across the board, I don't remember if it was +100 points of threat per action or +100 Enmity like with Enmity gear however.

[Alderton]

I believe Sentinel was tested to give +100 Enmity per action across the board, I don't remember if it was +100 points of threat per action or +100 Enmity like with Enmity gear however.

When you say "across the board," you mean strictly damaging abilities (AA/WS), correct? For a long while, sentinel didn't increase enmity from actions, such as provoke/flash/rampart/etc, but only damage, unless this has since been tested and found fixed. I haven't seen any updates to that, though, so I've assumed it is still this way.