Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn |OT2| Use a security token. Seriously.

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Can someone give me some tips with gladiator tanking? I'm at level 22, and I feel like I'm not doing something right.

When taking on a group of enemies (say, one strong enemy with two minions), I usually do something like this:
  1. Study the enemies, then tag the minions with 1 and 2.
  2. Pull 1 using Shield Lob.
  3. Use Provoke or another Shield Lob on 2.
  4. Use Flash once the enemies have gotten close enough to me.
  5. Target the strong enemy with Fast Blade/Riot Blade combo (er, whatever Blade attack has aggro generation)
  6. Target 1 and then smack with usual Fast Blade/MP regen attack skill rotation a few times.
  7. Use Flash every now and then.
  8. If aggro switches off me, immediately target that guy and use Shield Lob/Provoke/Flash to try to pull it back.

While this is usually kinda okay, I find I lose aggro in the following ways regularly, which makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong:
  • I lose aggro on Target 1 while I'm still solidifying my aggro on the other targets.
  • I lose aggro on Target 3 to the healer.
  • I lose aggro on Target 2 because DPS focuses on them instantly after Target 1 dies.
  • I lose aggro on random targets if one of the DPS decides to spam AOE skills.

This is also an issue in boss fights where adds spawn. While I keep aggro on the boss fine, I'm not sure what the rule of thumb is for a tank if adds spawn. Should I use Flash/Shield Lob/Provoke to get aggro from the adds too? Or should I focus on the boss and leave the adds to the DPS?

Can someone help? It doesn't feel like I should be losing aggro this often, and it's getting extremely frustrating trying to consistently hold aggro when everyone keeps talking about how easy it is.

Always pick up adds. That's the rule, with very very few exceptions.

You're using Provoke too early. It's a safety if you lose threat, or if there's an add. There's no advantage to using it early or immediately, especially if you already have threat on the target (unlike XI). Save it for something that you lose control over, and immediately follow it up with a high-threat ability like Savage Blade or Rage of Halone.

There's also no point in using Shield Lob a second time if the targets are within melee range. Keep in mind there's a 2.5 second GCD, so don't throw a second Lob if the enemies will arrive in a shorter window than that. Start your actual threat combo.

People say to spam Flash twice, but that seems wasteful and lazy to me. 1) it cancels and refreshes the Blind effect immediately, cutting the effectiveness from 12 seconds down to 6, and 2) it bumps the enemy's resistance counter toward it up even faster. There should be no need to do that if you are switching targets in your rotation to mix in some additional threat.

To date, I have never used the MP regen ability, nor have I spammed Flash so much that I ran out of MP. The only time I do agree with Flash spams, or at least a consecutive double-Flash, are adds that come in during bosses when you're juggling 3+ enemies already. Otherwise you should have plenty of time to weave in threat on the new enemies with the normal rotations.

The bulk of your threat should be going to the target that all the DPS are on. If you're marking 1 with the expectation that they are going to kill 1, there's no reason why you should be dumping your first combo on a totally different target.


My usual combo is:

1. Target enemy, Shield Lob
(enemies should close in; if there are ranged/casters, I try to LOS pull them so they cluster together nearby)
2. Flash all of them
3. Start my combo: Fast Blade -> Savage Blade on the main target, switch to a different target for Rage of Halone. If you have Spirits Within, I just use that on the third target.
4. Return to main target, throw Fast Blade -> Savage Blade again, RoH on third target.
5. Recast Flash
6. After this point, I will just focus the main target with the full combo. Every other combo, I will throw one of the two (Savage, RoH) to the other targets (Savage one, RoH other off-target).

Mindlessly repeat while avoiding AOEs and such.

If the DPS is splitting their damage, then I will split threat in the same way, divvying up Savage and RoH between the targets taking damage.

You can switch targets to the next mark around 10% or less. Just ignore it; even if DPS peel it, they can polish off the last bit before it even gets close enough to touch them. That shouldn't happen, but it really doesn't matter if it does. Just start your threat combo on the next target.


Edit: at 22, you don't have RoH yet. Just switch to one of the non-focus targets every OTHER combo, and you should be fine, if you periodically add a Flash after 2-3 combos.
 
Really hope they open up Ultros for Character Creation. I know it used to be rolling between available and unavailable, but I had a friend purchase and it's just been unavailable for awhile now.
 
paladin's out there... is there any use for riot blade later after you get the rage of hormones?

barely any skills that use mp.

It's for those tanks that think blasting 5 Flash's in a row like there at a rave
I have seen tanks do this and go No More MP, die due to not having MP for a heal or two for themselves, response is Riot Blade doesn't give me back that much MP...

The Convalescence skill is there for a fucking reason >_<, just pop it and use or 1-2 heals, you will not lose hate at all
The mob will be stuck to you like fucking glue

So what would be the best job for a GLD?

Umm... Paladin

That's the job that unlocks for it

Need 15 CNJ though, have fun with Stone and Aero for 15 levels LOL

____________________________

Also @ Akuun, never do a second shield lob, why waste 120 more TP
Use it on a combo or something, hell a shield bash to stop an AOE or stun the enemy for a few seconds
 
If you aren't LOS, just run at the mobs, aggro them by sight/link, and then use Flash. Don't use Shield Lob to pull a pack of mobs, especially if your casters are DOT/HOT heavy.



MP yield - in the endgame it's easy to blow MP without a BRD in so it's pretty useful.



Enmity in this game isn't a stat, it's based on equivalent HP value type system, so your DMG = Enmity and your "added enmity" skills give a 3x modifier. STR will greatly increase it and Flash also scales with some STR and Determination.

Provoke only puts you at the top of a mob's enmity table - it's always best to follow it up with a Shield Lob.

Yeah, always start group fights with Flash, not lob because you want leading table EHPV on all mobs in that group, not just the shield lobbed one that you pull.
I'm unfamiliar with some of these terms. What's LOS and EHPV? Line Of Sight and... I don't have a guess as to the other one.
 
It's for those tanks that think blasting 5 Flash's in a row like there at a rave
I have seen tanks do this and go No More MP, die due to not having MP for a heal or two for themselves, response is Riot Blade doesn't give me back that much MP...

The Convalescence skill is there for a fucking reason >_<, just pop it and use or 1-2 heals, you will not lose hate at all
The mob will be stuck to you like fucking glue



Umm... Paladin

That's the job that unlocks for it

Need 15 CNJ though, have fun with Stone and Aero for 15 levels LOL

Sorry, im so new to this. I thought jobs were like weavers and miners and such. How do I become a Conjurer? Do i need to make a new character?
 
Sorry, im so new to this. I thought jobs were like weavers and miners and such. How do I become a Conjurer? Do i need to make a new character?

Jobs are ''advanced class'' like Dragoon to Lancer and such.

You can have every Jobs and classes for 1 char if you want.
 
The Convalescence skill is there for a fucking reason >_<, just pop it and use or 1-2 heals, you will not lose hate at all
The mob will be stuck to you like fucking glue

I neglected using Convalescence for so long on GLD. Ever since low 30's on PLD, it's been pretty much insta-used when I dip to around 60% HP. Very useful skill.
 
It's for those tanks that think blasting 5 Flash's in a row like there at a rave
I have seen tanks do this and go No More MP, die due to not having MP for a heal or two for themselves, response is Riot Blade doesn't give me back that much MP...

The Convalescence skill is there for a fucking reason >_<, just pop it and use or 1-2 heals, you will not lose hate at all
The mob will be stuck to you like fucking glue

hmmm never really used heal at all in dungeons. I heal like 100+ hp, mobs do a few hundred there?
 
Sorry, im so new to this. I thought jobs were like weavers and miners and such. How do I become a Conjurer? Do i need to make a new character?

You started out as GLD right?

Once you are 10, your are allowed to shift classes
You have to go to that class guild and join and are give the level 1 weapon, equip it and you change into that class

Classes being, their location

Gladiator, Ul'Dah
Marauder, Limsa Lominsa
Conjurer, Gridania
Thamaturge, Ul'Dah
Archer, Gridania
Lancer, Gridania
Pugilist, Ul'Dah
Arcanist, Limsa Lominsa

You have to reach a point in the main story line to visit the 3 alliances areas
Then you can go unlock everything if you please

Once you hit 30 in a class and 15 in another class, you can unlock a job, which brings new abilities into the fold, you will lose some from others and get hard locked into certain ones for jobs

So 30 GLD + 15 CNJ gives you 30 PLD, which then starts it story quests every 5 levels, @45 you get 4/5 AF and your body piece @50 as the final trial of your job
You will get locked out of skill/abilities from 6 classes, only share with 2, those being MRD and CNJ

To become a Black Mage you need 30 THM and 15 Archer
The 2 classes you can share with are Archer and Arcanist

hmmm never really used heal at all in dungeons. I heal like 100+ hp, mobs do a few hundred there?

Your not healing for healing sakes, it's a tool to keep hate

Sometimes a PLD doing their own heal helps them keep the hate on them

Remember as a tank your motto should be "All Eyes on Me"

Hell Convalescence boosts heal 30%, you can gain some fine hate, if you do it twice, try it
More you heal, the more the mob will be looking and fucking with you and not the rest of the party
 
Thanks for all the help, everyone. That clears up a lot.

One last question though: When are good times to use Shield Bash? I know it's an interrupt, but so far I think bosses have resisted it every single time. so I'm not sure when I should use it. Should I just pop it on occasion to reduce damage taken on myself?

I neglected using Convalescence for so long on GLD. Ever since low 30's on PLD, it's been pretty much insta-used when I dip to around 60% HP. Very useful skill.
I've been using Convalescence in dungeon runs whenever my health gets low to make life a little easier for the healer. Not sure if it helps.
 
I have a lot of respect for good tanks and healers. I know a lot of people complain that these jobs are boring, but when you have a person who does it well, they really stand out imo. Thanks for protecting my squishy ass.
 
So I'm finally going to get my arcanist to 30 and CNJ to 15 tonight if all goes as planned. With that said, what is healing like with SCH in a dungeon? Do you need to tell your fairy who to heal, or is the AI good enough to let it be for the most part?

Can you set up macros to send your fairy to heal a certain party member? Any scholars out there want to share their current macros?
 
I have a lot of respect for good tanks and healers. I know a lot of people complain that these jobs are boring, but when you have a person who does it well, they really stand out imo. Thanks for protecting my squishy ass.

I always appreciate tanks who lead and mark targets, White Mage + Bards who play off each other. I just do my thing as a Lancer without problems.
 
Last night I beat Titan...sorta. I couldn't dodge its pillar attack in the second half (after the heart comes out) fast enough and got thrown off. But, the rest of the party finished him off and I got credit for beating the quest. Feels bad man. :( Also to add insult to injury I had to lay down there dead at the bottom of the cliff for 5 minutes.
 
Last night I beat Titan...sorta. I couldn't dodge its pillar attack in the second half (after the heart comes out) fast enough and got thrown off. But, the rest of the party finished him off and I got credit for beating the quest. Feels bad man. :( Also to add insult to injury I had to lay down there dead at the bottom of the cliff for 5 minutes.

Hey at least you got to hear it's kick-ass music for 5 minutes right... right?
 
Last night I beat Titan...sorta. I couldn't dodge its pillar attack in the second half (after the heart comes out) fast enough and got thrown off. But, the rest of the party finished him off and I got credit for beating the quest. Feels bad man. :( Also to add insult to injury I had to lay down there dead at the bottom of the cliff for 5 minutes.


It is a really broken mechanic. You should survive the fall and have to run up and have it take a half minute or something. Being totally knocked out of fight is just silly.
 
FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn |OT3| I wonder what these 4 Pillars in the Garuda fight are for... Oh!

It is a really broken mechanic. You should survive the fall and have to run up and have it take a half minute or something. Being totally knocked out of fight is just silly.

Not really hard to dodge Landslide, you get a fucking bowling alley lane appear on your screen, just move away from it

Stupidest thing you can do is be in that lane, move and jump thinking it will save you, even though if you jump your location is still where you jumped from, not the place your landing at
So some fall do it
 
Hey at least you got to hear it's kick-ass music for 5 minutes right... right?

I was rocking out.

It is a really broken mechanic. You should survive the fall and have to run up and have it take a half minute or something. Being totally knocked out of fight is just silly.

Yeah it did suck. Especially since it goes to the cutscene with everything that happens to your character, then it cuts back to you dead at the bottom of the cliff. It's also impossible to get raised so I had to wait the 5 minutes.
 
It is a really broken mechanic. You should survive the fall and have to run up and have it take a half minute or something. Being totally knocked out of fight is just silly.

No worse than 1.0 where one death usually meant a full wipe on harder primals, getting booted out of the instance and having to lay dead for a while outside while everyone was weak and gear was super damaged.

I'll take a quick restart over that any day.
 
Know what's annoying? I cleared Sunken Temple of Quarn twice but was dead both times when the first boss died - no Maelstrom entry for me, and that's the last one I need to complete the second rank. :-/
 
I have a lot of respect for good tanks and healers. I know a lot of people complain that these jobs are boring, but when you have a person who does it well, they really stand out imo. Thanks for protecting my squishy ass.
How easy or hard is tanking in this game, anyway? I keep getting mixed messages about it.

Some people say it's super easy and never have any trouble, I'm having problems personally, and some people talk about how hard it is to find a good tank.

It makes me wonder if I suck at tanking or if having some trouble managing aggro is normal.
 
I posted last week that I lost my SQEX Security Token and that I raised a support email by following the advised channels.

My advice for anyone in the same boat: DO NOT DO THIS.

The advised path that SE's websites have you follow is:
  • At log-in, click the Forgot your ID or password? button
  • This takes you to the SE Account site, where you're advised, If you have lost your Square Enix ID, please contact us through the Square Enix Support Center, with the underlined section being a link.
  • That link will take you to a SE Support Center page which will ONLY let you raise a 'Contact Email' support request.
Aaaand... No!

SE are taking far too long to respond to these (and there's copious tales of them just auto-closing after seven days). Don't raise a support request through email. Use the livechat support request.

It took me some trial and error to figure out how to access it.

  • Go to your region's Lodestone and, across the horizontal navigation bar, use the 'Help & Support' drop-down to access the Customer Service Suggestions & Feedback Bug Report section.
  • Click Get Support, enter your appropriate categories, then hit Next twice.
  • You'll then have a page which allows you to select between 'Email Support' and 'Chat Support'. Proceed to Chat Support!
  • After filling out all your details, you will be given a page with a unique Support Reference number. However, there will not be any 'Start Chat' option!
  • To make the 'Start Chat' button appear, you need to copy the URL of the page you're on, and paste it back into your browser! (Or hit refresh?) The page will now magically have a new button. Start Chat!
  • When I did this half an hour ago, I was immediately 1st in the queue and I was talking to a very helpful SEE Agent five seconds later. She resolved my lost SQEX token in just a few minutes.


I assume the above doesn't just apply to lost tokens either. Use livechat if you want something resolving.
 
How easy or hard is tanking in this game, anyway? I keep getting mixed messages about it.

Some people say it's super easy and never have any trouble, I'm having problems personally, and some people talk about how hard it is to find a good tank.

It makes me wonder if I suck at tanking or if having some trouble managing aggro is normal.

IMO the most important thing is crowd control since you get multiple mobs at a time in dungeons.
 
How easy or hard is tanking in this game, anyway? I keep getting mixed messages about it.

Some people say it's super easy and never have any trouble, I'm having problems personally, and some people talk about how hard it is to find a good tank.

It makes me wonder if I suck at tanking or if having some trouble managing aggro is normal.

It's easier than WoW, but it's not braindead either.
 
On a related note, for those who use the security token smartphone app, remember to write down/otherwise store the emergency unlock code that shows up on your square-enix account page.

This code is needed to remove your security token in case you lose your phone, or if the smartphone app explodes for whatever reason (which, according to reviews on the Android store, sometimes happens).
 
How easy or hard is tanking in this game, anyway? I keep getting mixed messages about it.

Some people say it's super easy and never have any trouble, I'm having problems personally, and some people talk about how hard it is to find a good tank.

It makes me wonder if I suck at tanking or if having some trouble managing aggro is normal.

Tanking is about prioritizing the party to fit your needs
You have to command to a point, like with dotting numbers on mobs in which order to kill them
You have to survey the area and at least learn on the fly (if in dungeons) on how to best keep hate and always on you

Most tanks think a flash here or a provoke there and call it a day is the way to keep hate, this isn't XI, far from it

You will get hit, a lot, you have to keep trucking through and keep the mobs on you, that is the main point of the tank
Just bunker down and keep that motherfucker from turning (some bosses will turn for AOE), can't do anything about that

You have to learn the right set up combo, which you think benefits you as a tank

I should show you my layout

Give me a few minutes, taking pictures
 
How easy or hard is tanking in this game, anyway? I keep getting mixed messages about it.

Some people say it's super easy and never have any trouble, I'm having problems personally, and some people talk about how hard it is to find a good tank.

It makes me wonder if I suck at tanking or if having some trouble managing aggro is normal.

If you're running along with Archers, it is normal you have trouble. They attract a lot of Aggro. You shouldn't have much trouble with other classes. What I always do is launch a couple of AOE attacks and repeat if I start losing aggro. If everybody is nicely attacking the same enemy, no problem. If there are a lot of adds, it gets trickier. In certain dungeons I try to ad them, but only if they're strong. I let them slide if a DPS should be able to handle them with 2-3 attacks. But I'll need a bit of training to become good enough for the harder dungeons, I might just switch to something like an attacking class for those levels.
 
My PLD setup

Set 1
bKrrN8rl.jpg

Cross > Square > Triangle > Circle
As you can see my combo goes clockwise

c3XKAZIl.jpg


Set 2
YtnPkoHl.jpg

Z574E5ml.jpg
 
Kinda wishing I wasn't a tank so I could run into this asshole and give him a piece of my mind (borrowed from the official forums):

[3:56 p.m.](Shu Ouma) i charge 7000 gil 4 me 2 be a good tank
[3:57 p.m.](Shu Ouma) u cant progress without me
[3:57 p.m.](Shu Ouma) so blow me poppycock
[3:58 p.m.]Action canceled. You are under attack.
[3:58 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) quarn
[3:58 p.m.](Shu Ouma) die mr healer
[3:58 p.m.](Shu Ouma) die
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) so why do you ask for payment?
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) doesnt make much sense
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) this guy refuses to tank so you might as well leave
[3:59 p.m.](Shu Ouma) 2 make some gil
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) wasting my que
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) anyone who pays you is an idiot
[4:00 p.m.](Shu Ouma) isnt dps que fun
[4:00 p.m.](Pain Train) what's the deal?
 
If you're running along with Archers, it is normal you have trouble. They attract a lot of Aggro. You shouldn't have much trouble with other classes. What I always do is launch a couple of AOE attacks and repeat if I start losing aggro. If everybody is nicely attacking the same enemy, no problem. If there are a lot of adds, it gets trickier. In certain dungeons I try to ad them, but only if they're strong. I let them slide if a DPS should be able to handle them with 2-3 attacks. But I'll need a bit of training to become good enough for the harder dungeons, I might just switch to something like an attacking class for those levels.

I guess it depends. When My Dragoon unleash what I call his '' DPS boom Combo'' I often steal the aggro from either a PAL or a WAR. It's not WoW (well, last I played was Catclysm) where the Tank just have to spam Devastate to never lose aggro ever.

DPS needs to use their DPS buff sparingly and not at the same time, they can take aggro and even momentarily can be a Pain. from what I experienced.
 
I guess it depends. When My Dragoon unleash what I call his '' DPS boom Combo'' I often steal the aggro from either a PAL or a WAR. It's not WoW (well, last I played was Catclysm) where the Tank just have to spam Devastate to never lose aggro ever.

DPS needs to use their DPS buff sparingly and not at the same time, they can take aggro and even momentarily can be a Pain. from what I experienced.

Really all you have to do is spam your main aggro rotation and there's no way someone should steal hate from you.
 
Kinda wishing I wasn't a tank so I could run into this asshole and give him a piece of my mind (borrowed from the official forums):

[3:56 p.m.](Shu Ouma) i charge 7000 gil 4 me 2 be a good tank
[3:57 p.m.](Shu Ouma) u cant progress without me
[3:57 p.m.](Shu Ouma) so blow me poppycock
[3:58 p.m.]Action canceled. You are under attack.
[3:58 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) quarn
[3:58 p.m.](Shu Ouma) die mr healer
[3:58 p.m.](Shu Ouma) die
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) so why do you ask for payment?
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) doesnt make much sense
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) this guy refuses to tank so you might as well leave
[3:59 p.m.](Shu Ouma) 2 make some gil
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) wasting my que
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) anyone who pays you is an idiot
[4:00 p.m.](Shu Ouma) isnt dps que fun
[4:00 p.m.](Pain Train) what's the deal?

Holy shit, I really hope GTAV gets these people OFF these servers. Goddamn.
 
Kinda wishing I wasn't a tank so I could run into this asshole and give him a piece of my mind (borrowed from the official forums):

[3:56 p.m.](Shu Ouma) i charge 7000 gil 4 me 2 be a good tank
[3:57 p.m.](Shu Ouma) u cant progress without me
[3:57 p.m.](Shu Ouma) so blow me poppycock
[3:58 p.m.]Action canceled. You are under attack.
[3:58 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) quarn
[3:58 p.m.](Shu Ouma) die mr healer
[3:58 p.m.](Shu Ouma) die
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) so why do you ask for payment?
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) doesnt make much sense
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) this guy refuses to tank so you might as well leave
[3:59 p.m.](Shu Ouma) 2 make some gil
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) wasting my que
[3:59 p.m.](Okabe Rintarou) anyone who pays you is an idiot
[4:00 p.m.](Shu Ouma) isnt dps que fun
[4:00 p.m.](Pain Train) what's the deal?

hey now, when the economy is shit, people have to do what people gotta do.

/tank

*takes notes*

I'll offer you only 5000 gil!



But seriously, playing a few dungeons as dps... i'll throw some gil your way if you tank worth a damn.

it really isn't that hard.
 
then all tanks I played with where poor in their rotation? I always attack the same mob as the tank, unless needed.

Probably. Unless you're unloading at the start of the fight (which you shouldn't) they should have no trouble keeping aggro.

Both PLD and WAR have a 3 combo attack rotation that does a shit load of aggro.

Only other explanation is if they were undergeared.
 
Probably. Unless you're unloading at the start of the fight (which you shouldn't) they should have no trouble keeping aggro.

Nah, I wait before unloading everything at start.

EDIT: And I don't unload everything at the same time, I use them in '' a rotation ''. Pretty much the same DPS overall.
 
My PLD setup

Set 1
bKrrN8rl.jpg

Cross > Square > Triangle > Circle
As you can see my combo goes clockwise

c3XKAZIl.jpg


Set 2
YtnPkoHl.jpg

Z574E5ml.jpg
Thanks. I don't have a lot of those skills yet, but it helps to know which ones are related.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I'll try to keep this stuff in mind when I play tonight.
 
Nah, I wait before unloading everything at start.

EDIT: And I don't unload everything at the same time, I use them in '' a rotation ''. Pretty much the same DPS overall.

I can see a tank lose agro if he's managing many guys at once for a bit, but if your party properly binds a few guys... you pretty much need to do about 2-3x the damage of the pld to overpower the aggro, but most likely something is off with the rotation.
 
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