A Healer Talks About Tanks

[Zfz]

If the tank marks the targets in an order, you sure can stay on the tank's target.

Try not to rely on those assist macros that target what the tank is targeting, especially when there's a clearly marked kill order.

I don't just rotate, I also "snap" to targets and sneak in a RoH or Savage Blade when I see the BLM or WHM is reapplying Sleep. Now I do it because I have practiced and I know exactly the window of opportunity that will allow me to sneak in a hit without waking the target up. But if the DDer happens to follow my target and use an attack just half a sec too late, the target will be woken up.

Numbers are marked for a reason.

In the end, this is what it comes down to. If the tank obviously knows what he's doing, don't follow his target, but follow the number markings. If the tank obviously have no idea how to tank, then sure, just follow his target closely.

Also there are a lot, and I mean a lot of damage dealers who will only assist at the start of each target. Then they will blindly focus on that one target until the target is dead. They will ignore everything else. Combine that with tank rotating targets and a brainless assist macro, you get those lancers and archers who always seem to choose the wrong target.

So no. Damage dealers, when numbers are marked, it is a clear and obvious attempt at communication, so please co-operate. It is not a demand nor a command. It is a super efficient form of communication. If you cannot stand following numbers because you think it lowers your status, then please voice your concern, and I'm sure some of the tanks will entertain your sense of pride by typing out polite requests on kill order before each pack of trash.

[Bizzybeast]

Its the luck of the draw, tbh, as there are tanks like me (42 warrior) whom first leveled ARM to 50 and BSM to 50, then CUL to 50. I was waiting for a few RL friends to catch me in DOW levels. Anyway, when you get me in a Q, you can be assured you have the best tank humanly possible. Gear my level, HQ'd, with 3-5 materia in each piece, same with weapon, all with a nice overkill food buff. I also grabbed the quick an easy cross-class abilities (second wind, featherfoot). So all in all, im pretty beefy.

EVEN STILL there is a smart way to play my War, I can come out of tank stance- perform massive DPS while healing myself. According to the parser, I am only out DPS'd by DRG and BLM, and even then its close. Reason I point this out is because while im doing this, people take a hit or two from a mob and try to freak out. COME ON HOLD AGGRO! No, single target damage and stop hands free spamming skills. Pay attention, attacked the marked, and learn YOUR role in lowering aggro. I.E- Some quick an easy cross skills!! Worst ive had so far is a MNK who died on a boss adds, yelled and screamed. "Just die and lets try again, you wont beat it.". Then we beat it, longer then normal, but beat it. I hate to say it like this, but there is a reason DPS have long Qs and healer/tanks have instant ones. DPS are a dime a dozen, it requires little concentration to MINDLESSLY play one.


But that wont cut it end game, so dont get lazy mid-game pretending youre some hero who is extra important. This attitude will get noone anywhere. When people screw up in my party, I politely explain what they did wrong. "YOUR DUM STOOPID!" isnt an intelligent approach. So when you get someone like me, who will out damage the DPS classes AND tank, be careful how arrogant you get and be willing to change your game plan to accommodate LOADS more DPS, for softened AOE Aggro.

[Gunblazer42]

I have nothing to contribute to the topic except an anecdote. Back in WoW, I was a Druid focused on being a cat DPS. Unfortunately for maybe one or two random PUGs I did, the tank dropped halfway through and we had no choice but to soldier on without him because we were in too deep to just give up. After some debate, everyone decides I should just bear it up and I change to a bear tank.

Of course, being specced for DPS meant that I was woefully underprepared for tanking. But oh man did I get a crash course on how to tank. We all just barely survived that dungeon run. I've had nothing but respect for tanks who knew what they were doing after that. Having to focus on the aggro numbers so much, and switching targets for the singe aggro-skills constantly...I mean, I know I was unprepared for tanking, but I imagine that even good tanks have to do a lot of watching to make sure everything doesn't go down so fast.

[Issac]

As a tank, I feel that this is nice to see. Fortunately I haven't encountered the dilemmas these days that alot of tanks who use the Duty Finder encounter, but that is probably because to avoid the matter entirely, I just tank for friends, people who appreciate me, and in turn I defend them. If people were less toxic, I am certain that more tanks would use the duty finder.

But yes, treat your tanks nice, and they'll treat you kindly in return.

I have the same policy, except I do use the DF. However, 95% of the time I match with Japanese players, and I prefer it that way. Pretty obvious why.
That toxic behavior is much, much more rampant among NA/English speakers in general.

[Haredin-Hunter]

As a tank I will try my damnedest to make sure I'm the one getting hit and making sure others don't die, because that is my job and I like being good at my job. However if I notice that another member isn't following my requests to stay behind me and follow me. I instantly no longer have a duty to keep you alive, I'll do my job but if I can't pull the damn creature with a provoke and shield lob.... well good luck. This also goes for DD who straight up don't attack the creatures I have marked, if I don't have anything marked then it doesn't matter I can deal, but if there is a giant fucking one on a mob and you are attacking another. Well friend that monster is now yours, I hope he doesn't kill you. I have never left an instance because of bad parties or I didn't like who I was playing with however, I have told the specific member to cut his/her shit out or I will take the other three members and get an insta que. They tend to respond to that a lot better. I actually had a bard drop because we couldn't kill the dragon in brayfox and immediately got another bard and finished the instance without another death. lol

[Seig345]

It seems that people are simply experiencing the issues one can expect if you join a pug and then don't try to coordinate. I've seen players of all classes/roles walk into the first dungeons (though I've seen some in later dungeons) and play like it's a simple continuation of their solo gameplay. I've lost count of the number of tanks who didn't bother trying to keep hate on anymore than one monster at a time, or cnj/thm putting adds to sleep only for another dps to hit/dot them back awake seconds later.

The unfortunate problem for tanks is, their job is far more easy to scrutinize than the others, except possibly healer, though the healer's job is slightly simpler. The majority of a run can be split between health meters/status effects, and aggro. While Health meters and status effects (friend/enemy and buff/debuff alike) are basically divied up across the healer(s) and DPS, 'dat aggro' more or less falls to the tank, and is far more noticable than a gradually moving health meter.

I've played as healer, dps, and now recently, tank, and I've found that I'm more likely to get berated as a tank. it definitely isn't karma, at least not from within this game ;p because I've never done that to others. I only ever provide patient suggestions, even when they laugh in my face for it. Heck, my first time in sastasha I had a healer using fluid aura every chance they got on monsters that were in front of me, focused on me, and would run away in crazy directions when he got aggro'd for casting stone way ahead of me, and laughed at me when I suggested he run to me so I could pull the monsters off of him.

(also to my credit, I've done about 20 dungeon runs as a tank now and only had a wipe once, on a mid-boss, which we succeeded on the second attempt after I suggested we focus on aoe'ing those spriggans in that first mid-boss encounter in Copperbell, so while I'd never say I'm a pro, I'm not too shabby either ;p)

[Overon]

I run into so many BAD (LEET) Tanks its unreal .
Most Bad Healers, don't just run off or throw a Diva Fit everytime something Bad Happens .

When I am in group Healing and the tank only gains hate off the 1 Mob in a group of 2or more , and I end up tanking the other mobs ...............I do not go off and Rage all over the Tank and Leave the Group..........
I had a Tank tell me I was bad because 6 Mobs killed me as I was spamming heals to keep him and myself alive and he never once tried to get the mobs off of me the entire fight even with me standing right behind him in attempt to get him to do something.......

Had a Tank this week Leave AK because he said the DPS where Bad during the first Boss fight..............Jesus , they killed the Priest almost before the Boss came in , the Boss was dead before the Giant Stat used its second AOE ...........ADDs died so fast I did not even feel that they were there .............NO ONE DIED ................

[Overon]

No one in this game is Perfect .......

I am currently 43 BLM , I seen some bad Healers too........
Heck Bad DPS ............
Sick of people who only play DPS acting like they know how to play other jobs , sitting there PEW PEWING all day is not hard nor Special.........You should know that by how long you wait in Que when Tanks and Healers get in asap...........

DEMON wall .................why are Tanks just tanking the wall ?
Seen soo many Tanks just leave the Bees to attack whatever (HEALER) Player they can ..............The Wall hits Random People , Rarely the Tank........................TANK THE BEES PLEASE !
I know ...........DPS need to LB the Left Bee...............seems in the PEW PEWING they get lost on Strat and MOST TANKS can think outside of tanking...........

[Avalon_Albrook]

Try not to rely on those assist macros that target what the tank is targeting, especially when there's a clearly marked kill order.

I don't just rotate, I also "snap" to targets and sneak in a RoH or Savage Blade when I see the BLM or WHM is reapplying Sleep. Now I do it because I have practiced and I know exactly the window of opportunity that will allow me to sneak in a hit without waking the target up. But if the DDer happens to follow my target and use an attack just half a sec too late, the target will be woken up.

Numbers are marked for a reason.

In the end, this is what it comes down to. If the tank obviously knows what he's doing, don't follow his target, but follow the number markings. If the tank obviously have no idea how to tank, then sure, just follow his target closely.

Also there are a lot, and I mean a lot of damage dealers who will only assist at the start of each target. Then they will blindly focus on that one target until the target is dead. They will ignore everything else. Combine that with tank rotating targets and a brainless assist macro, you get those lancers and archers who always seem to choose the wrong target.

So no. Damage dealers, when numbers are marked, it is a clear and obvious attempt at communication, so please co-operate. It is not a demand nor a command. It is a super efficient form of communication. If you cannot stand following numbers because you think it lowers your status, then please voice your concern, and I'm sure some of the tanks will entertain your sense of pride by typing out polite requests on kill order before each pack of trash.

...okay, I'm confused about what you're trying to correct about what I said when (1) we're both tanks (2) talking about doing the same thing.

Edit: Also, @Avalon_Albrook, YOUR SIGNATURE IS FREAKING AWESOME!

<3 you.

[Sub-Xero]

So either the OP is the luckiest DF user ever or... I don't know what. All I do know is that I have encountered far too many ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE players whilst using the Duty Finder to even keep count of them. Seriously, people are bad at this game. I never encountered this many "bad" players in 1.0 or FFXI for that matter and I knew a whole slew of bad players in both of those games.