[Megathread] Final Fantasy XIV

[Kazgrel]

I'm wondering if the tokens or whatever I got from the events around Costa Del Sol will be used this year. I had like 60 of those things left over, and I had bought every item available from the vendor (yep, every one of those swimsuits I've never used). Stupid easy to do since I was leveling a bunch of jobs in the 30-35 range at that time.

Heck, if they use a new token, I still have MCH and NIN in that level range.

[Katchii]

I have a dilemma. My main class is a tank. But I don't like large pulls and AoEing everything down. I like just going along steadily, doing each pack as they come. This never used to be an issue. But lately, dps run ahead, grab the next pack and drag it back to me. I find this very annoying.

Is it reasonable for me to want to play like this? Should I just give up tanking dungeons, or switch to another role/game?

Hard to say. If you're really averse to doing large packs, tanking in this game may not be for you given the mind set of a large part of the DPS (and even healer) population. If you like tanking and just dislike this, stick with it, you'll get used to it.

I personally like large packs as it makes the pull and the subsequent "burn down" phase of the battle interesting from a tanking PoV as it requires you to hit more than just a few threat buttons and you end up using far more of your tanking kit, but I don't like HUGE packs that really test the healer and push the limits of my survivability...way too easy for something stupid to happen and end up wiping the group and wasting time(lag, the healer hitting the wrong button, you not grabbing aggro IMMEDIATELY due to 2+ mobs being able to practically 2-shot anyone other than a tank, someone not stunning/ silencing/ interrupting that ONE mob that has a tank buster type attack).

[Granyala]

I personally like large packs as it makes the pull and the subsequent "burn down" phase of the battle interesting from a tanking PoV as it requires you to hit more than just a few threat buttons and you end up using far more of your tanking kit,

In big pulls I'm mostly using Unleash, that DA-Dark Passenger and dance like crazy (esp funny if you pull 6 mobs that do circular voids as opposed to cones).

Once thing is awesome in large groups though: No mana shortage as DRK.

[Katchii]

In big pulls I'm mostly using Unleash, that DA-Dark Passenger and dance like crazy (esp funny if you pull 6 mobs that do circular voids as opposed to cones).

Once thing is awesome in large groups though: No mana shortage as DRK.

I do the same, my favorite thing is to pull a big pack that has very limited or no AoE abilities, pop Blood Price, spam Abyssal Drain (higher DPS/ MP spent than Unleash on more than 2 enemies) and keep MP up until Blood Price reaches ~4 seconds left, then use Dark Arts + Dark Dance followed by Dark Arts + Dark Passenger. After that, your threat is so high it's ridiculous, you've got high evasion and the enemies are all blind so nothing can hit you, damage is low so for ~20 seconds you can drop Grit, pop Blood Weapon and spam DA + Souleater combo for higher damage and you end up with near max HP and near max MP before you have to pop Grit again...usually by which time the pack is dead. Move on to the next pack and rinse repeat, it's super fun IMO.

Never really understood how people who have played DRK can complain about being OOM constantly.

[Granyala]

Never really understood how people who have played DRK can complain about being OOM constantly.

Well you are supposed to be near oom if you were to max your DPS single target because you spam DA-SE.

I don't have much trouble with that, because my gear is too crappy to drop grit on bosses completely.
Even with DA-SE combo, DPS catches up quickly, forcing me to turn grit back on.

[Kazgrel]

Ah, nothing like an afternoon off of work, so you log in, start putzing around...then boom, servers explode.

Aether DC currently down for maintenance as a result.

- - - Updated - - -

Once thing is awesome in large groups though: No mana shortage as DRK.

*switches to WHM*
*spams Holy on all the things*

[Granyala]

*switches to WHM*
*spams Holy on all the things*

*puts on sunglasses* Go ahead, knock yourself out.

[Remilia]

This be historical moment.. got through first door in Aquapolis, but failed to reach room #3.

You won't like that me and my friends got through to the end 3 times. >.> and when I get back they'll have a lot more maps I think.... D:
Also laggy free roaming in Japan. Can't do anything.

[Katchii]

Well you are supposed to be near oom if you were to max your DPS single target because you spam DA-SE.

I don't have much trouble with that, because my gear is too crappy to drop grit on bosses completely.
Even with DA-SE combo, DPS catches up quickly, forcing me to turn grit back on.

Most people I hear complaining about being OOM don't know how to use Blood Price, don't use the Delirium/ Souleater combo enough to regen MP, and don't pop Blood Weapon when not in Grit... basically just not playing the class correctly. People who play correctly and use their MP to the point of being low all the time don't complain about being OOM as they know that's how the class is, they're supposed to be low and then refresh it by using the combo or popping a cooldown and either taking or dishing out damage.

[Anzaman]

You won't like that me and my friends got through to the end 3 times. >.>

Got into room #6 today, sadly door failed and we couldn't get into last room.

Kept laughing how "rainbow saved us" 4 times in row, healer kept "having heart attacks".

[Remilia]

Got into room #6 today, sadly door failed and we couldn't get into last room.

Kept laughing how "rainbow saved us" 4 times in row, healer kept "having heart attacks".

Haha yeah. We got rainbow on all 6 doors on the 2nd clear I believe. We stopped caring or go /huh. Lol

[Granyala]

Most people I hear complaining about being OOM don't know how to use Blood Price, don't use the Delirium/ Souleater combo enough to regen MP, and don't pop Blood Weapon when not in Grit... basically just not playing the class correctly.

Well, the beauty of DRK is that you CAN miscalculate and get into trouble (mostly when stuff adds unexpectedly).
That's not really possible with the other tanks.

EG:
For long pulls, I always deactivate Dark side, so I can use Unleash while running (blood price regens mana, since them mobs still hit despite me running away). So much easier, since I arrive at my target destination with max mana and the healer can heal worry free. Screw the 15% damage in that moment.

[Aruhen]

Ah, nothing like an afternoon off of work, so you log in, start putzing around...then boom, servers explode.

Aether DC currently down for maintenance as a result.

How disappointing. Its a holiday in Canada at the moment and the servers are down...

All this talk of DRK and here I usually have my Grit turned off because there's no need in 4mans. Endless mana spam.

[Granyala]

All this talk of DRK and here I usually have my Grit turned off because there's no need in 4mans. Endless mana spam.

Sure if DRK is your main and has ilvl 230+.

Mine has Ilvl 210 and tanking against well geared DPS w/o grit is virtually impossible.

[Aruhen]

Well 226 but yeah ;P. Don't forget though that more often than not the DPS in DF are... something special.

[threads]

accidentally uninstalled ACT awhile back. forgot how annoying it is to get all the cool overlays working

[Granyala]

Well 226 but yeah ;P. Don't forget though that more often than not the DPS in DF are... something special.

Dunno. I get many a good DPS these days. At least I think they do good because if I don't pay attention they grab them aggro even in AoE situations. That typically only works if they do decent damage.

Single target obsessed melee are a bit of a pain though. Even when I pull 2 groups they tunnel one mob till kingdom come.

- - - Updated - - -

accidentally uninstalled ACT awhile back. forgot how annoying it is to get all the cool overlays working

I play in windowed mode, so I don't need to bother with that. Never displayed recount in WoW either until after the fight. DPS meters are way too distracting during combat.

[Kazgrel]

Servers were down for about 2.5 hours...but once they came back up, /mogdance acquired.

[Katchii]

How disappointing. Its a holiday in Canada at the moment and the servers are down...

All this talk of DRK and here I usually have my Grit turned off because there's no need in 4mans. Endless mana spam.

In my experience, any additional damage you do as tank could usually be more than made up for by the healer if you were tanking in tank stance and using cooldowns etc... to keep your damage low and therefore damage to a minimum so the healer is free to DPS for a bit. Regardless of any of that though, the amount of time you're saving is very small, usually only ~20 seconds or so in my experience (average, I have been in groups where the DPS were just... worthless, but no amount of tank damage is going to speed up those runs by any significant margin).

I've been the healer and/or DPS in several groups where the tank felt it was OK to drop tank stance and go in DPS stance and the runs are never any smoother, and many times they're downright aweful. Your job is to tank, which is to have the enemies attention and mitigate the incoming damage as much as possible, not deal damage. As I stated before, in most cases any extra damage you do saves an insignificant amount of time and if you were in tank stance, mitigating damage you would require less healing which allows for the healer to spend more time DPS'ing and that usually makes up for any damage you aren't doing.

[Kazgrel]

I more often than not run roulettes with a RL buddy, who's ilvl 235ish DRG, so I don't really have the luxury of grit-less tanking opportunities. No complaints from me, though; I'd rather him be able to go ham, because that'll more than make up for me doing 20% more damage.

Right now I'm currently at 218 on my DRK set, which is a major reason I have to stay full-on tank mode when running with my friend. My ilvl will start to jump up as of next week, though...I'll pretty much have all my upgrades done for my BLM set by then, so I can actually start upgrading lore pieces for my tank set, as well as pounding out the anima weapon, since my 240 will be done by next week also.