FFXIV - Tanking Guide For Beginners

[@shenacarter7987]

It took a lot for me to start tanking again and videos like these help me improve as a tank and keep building courage through knowledge. I love tanking as a paladin.

[@DesperiusFFXIV]

Glad to hear that 👍

[@JohnDoe-lj1pw]

@@DesperiusFFXIVyou should mention to lower the particle effects of the party in settings so you can see things easier

[@luden3677]

as a beginner, I was doing a dungeon and there was someone in the party who was clearly very well versed in the game and they kept giving me tips and such and the best skills and it was so cute. I really appreciate them being patient :)) the community so far has been so sweet. (Watching these videos now so I don’t mess up too much again)

[@iamtorryian]

Love that the community seems to be pushing to conquer "tank-xiety" and you giving a shout out to the MAN, Weskalber and his job guides.

[@youngimperialistmkii]

His guides got me onto healing and tanking. I'm a Whm main now.😊

[@iyarahbanahparayam1662]

I suggest make a tank and start in dungeons … you’ll love it trust me I’m the same way but I’m very good at tanking but when I start messing up in high content I feel that anxiety peeking through no lie lol

[@jamoljackson46]

I never took tanking as a main until recently. That tank-xiety is no joke. Especially know that the party is looking for you to guide and protect them. Then I realized it was all in my head. I was so worried about how I looked to the party and thought I had to "play like a tank" so I would second guess my tactics and mob pulls. Once I let go of that foolishness, I remembered it's just a game, a fun game at that with an exceptionally helpful and forgiving community. No ones gonna curse me out or bash me for "playing bad". In fact those who would will be shunned immediately and feel the shame of being the one asshole who everyone is willing to kick at any point in time. Now I cant put the class down! IRL I often find myself wanting to protect and stand up for people anyway so BOOM I fit the role perfectly.

[@mattiemorgana]

Me, the most hyper aggressive wall to wall pulling Demon Lala Warrior watching a video like this: Hm yes must learn to tank. Rejoice in the glory of combat. Wild and pure and forever free.

[@DaKineEli]

Thank you! I just got back onto the game and even watching other guides I felt kinda stressed, but you relieved some anxiety with this video! Much love!!

[@samiplyz2212]

These guides are really motivating me to try tanking, but its honestly scary cause i dont want to burden my parties when i mess up in a pull

[@DesperiusFFXIV]

Don't worry, the Party is patient with you, most of the time 😊👍

[@ArchonIlladrya]

See, this is what scares me, too. More than any role, the tank can fuck a whole pull up when they mess something up. I want to be a paladin, but I don't want that sort of responsibility.

[@kamiln8649]

Well the party has a choice of either bearing your screw ups and being patient or waiting another hour in queue to find different tank

[@NorthernNeko]

Thanks so much for making this guide! You're really good at explaining everything so that it's clear and easy to understand. I've tried watching other videos and I just found them confusing or overcomplicated. I actually think I can give this whole tank thing a try now! 😄

[@DesperiusFFXIV]

I am glad to help. Keep it going, Tanking is amazing !

[@stevetheblobman]

I think I get the anxiety most get for tanking when playing DPS, tank feels so comfy and brain off to play by contrast, pull some relatively bigger packs at the start and then play around the healer for how far I can go. DPS i feel like im constantly judged or not pulling my weight and it bothers me so dang much 😂

[@VinlandicSoul]

You had my attention at the opening FFVIII Boss theme. Excellent video 🫡

[@devak45167]

Same!! Epic track

[@JessRaiden]

I just came back to the game and started playing my paladin again it’s amazing! Thank you for your guide! :)

[@tekkneakz]

Omg this video came out right on time, I’ve leveled every job except tanks 😅

[@dressageponi]

Great video and helpful information! I am new to tanking and took a hit to my confidence when running a roulette dungeon, and at the end, another player complained about it taking too long. I felt it was my fault, and I had messed up somehow. I started only tanking with NPCs to avoid upsetting others, but I think now I might have the confidence to try the duty roulette again.

[@devak45167]

Awesome guide, tank you very much

[@ultimatriple777]

As a newish player, the biggest issue I seem to have in the game with tank anxiety is when doing a new dungeon for the first time and being expected to lead the way. Only to have me not know where I'm going or what to do all the time. Also, since I play on ps5 and don't have a keyboard, typing in chat with the virtual keyboard is so slow. So me writing out that I'm new to taking or that it's my first time in a particular dungeon or even just saying hello seems to take forever.

[@TSola-ez2vr]

Im still unable to break through my anxiety for tanking. I just find it tough to go through cuz Im afraid of butchering it up for everyone else. Thank you for the tips though 🙏

[@I.cant.wait.]

I'm new to tanking. I want to play Leveling roulette but I'm too afraid of getting a dungeon that has a lot of different paths and the tank is the one that should lead the others, right? I would just run in circles not knowing where to go xD

[@turnipkupo7263]

Have fun guys, dont be nervous if youre new. Its my favourite mmo role. Just ignore the haters

[@recklesskam3169]

Ahh yes youtube has recommended this video to me. I guess after i clear my first ultimate i'll be worthy of tanking

[@WhaazGoooD]

That intro was hype!

[@DesperiusFFXIV]

Thank you 😊

[@M_aci1006]

approved👍 i like that you highlighted Arm's Lengh as defensive CD👌 ppl forget that button so often but it is "free" extra Mitigation for big pulls😉

[@DesperiusFFXIV]

I guess I should talk about it in detail the another time again 😅

[@caitsiph1]

It also stops push back skills with the orange arrows from actually pushing you, similar to surecasr for mages and addle of course

[@M_aci1006]

@@caitsiph1 sure thing, thats what its primarely made for. but thers barely any Knochbacks in dungeon pulls besides mobs from deep dungeons. and that is the only time where u really want to press it for mitigation purposes since the slow does not work on bosses anyway. Primary action = prevent knockbacks Secondary action = damage mitigation on trash due to the slow effect

[@Atherax]

I've just started tanking today after not doing it for ages in wow, but I've been intimidated since starting ff14, this video put me at great ease

[@delvawolf]

Hey quick question, currently tanking and I'm trying to find the setting to get rid of enemy health bars all being toggled if they're aggroed. Trying to clean up battles.

[@caitsiph1]

Ive recenrly srarred tankimg with the warrior and can say at lvl 29 i got to dungeon level on hunting log and have just played through from sastasha up to naukke manor so far and im really enjoying it for this and look forward to doing some alliance raids as a tank as well.

[@runejensen3321]

i started tanking last week after ive put it off for so long cuz i was afraid and scared but now im slowly gaining confidence simply by doing the tanking and by hearing people saying im doing/did a great job :) im still kinda scared about going into alliance raid/raid at some point simply to learn it :)

[@RVBMichaelJCaboose]

how does one make the macro at 3:00?

[@yanewstepdad1355]

Told myself this would be the year to play certain classes and roles that i usually dont play. Tanking has always been one of them lol Tried the Dakr knight, only liked it for its esthetic, paladin looked good but wasnt chaotic enough, and gunbreaker just wasnt doin it for me. Now its on to see what the warrior is talking about and hopefully i can get the entirety of tanking down lol Amazing video btw

[@sparrowfox6943]

So I just finished the main shadowbringers msq (haven't started post msq yet) and I've been playing the game entirely as dps. However I also want to learn Gunbreaker, so dumb question. I know that I should normally try keeping bosses facing the wall opposite of the party, but if ads run past me after spawning in before I notice them, should I provoke and use a ranged attack on a couple of them and hope my party can handle them? Or move forward some and aoe them before moving back to my previous position, but risk the boss rotating and throwing the dps off?

[@tranl1050]

I think Desperius put a bug in my brain. He knows exactly what I need nearly everytime.

[@traskaan]

Just got back after a 2 year break, I already have a lvl 90 tank yet I'm still watching this. Why must I suck at tanking 😂

[@kaito_zephyr5832]

1 year break for me lvl 90 gun breaker and im here too bud as i also suck at tanking but love it to much not to 😂

[@leandroluz8091]

The community are quite kind in my experience even when you do take on too much as a tank. It’s nearly always a ‘no worries it happens to us all’ kind of response So give it a go if you have tankxiety!

[@pikewerfer]

I played ESO for a long time (in fact, still do). But this looks cool, I might give it a go. I love tanking!

[@budus2]

I just started playing the gunbreaker and man, this is fun and satisfying!

[@KalosKitsune]

I loveeeee gunbreaker but I’m so terrible at it. I feel like I struggle in every dungeon when pulling even when I use defensive cooldowns.

[@kosbebot6360]

Why were you killing the Sastasha clam?

[@catmanbig7494]

Desperius, please make a video covering your UI, camera, your gshade preset, because DAMN your good looks amazing at times. 1:30 - 1:09 till 1:24

[@DesperiusFFXIV]

It's basically 4k Resolution and my Gameplay Preset, which you can find in our Discord Server 👍

[@GeekEverythingTV]

Any advice on how to manage a party that keeps rushing forward, catching aggro, dying, and then blaming the tank? I'm lvling tanks now and the amount of abuse they get at any small mistake is wild. I've mained whm for 7 years and the parties were always respectful, but whenever I tank now the parties are always verbally abusive. At this point I understand why no one wants to tank when the majority of the parties they get are really rude. It's especially disheartening in the lower lvl dungeons because those are the ones where we're all just learning but then have to endure abuse for 20 minutes or a penalty for 30 minutes if you don't want to deal with that. Being a tank is the most mentally draining class I've ever endured

[@jordankelly5331]

I know this is an old comment but in case you never got this question figured out I recommend not doing full wall to wall pulls letting the group know that you will only pull at most a couple groups at a time and this should reduce the problem unfortunately most groups are not willing to do single group pulls from my experience but most of the time are ok with going a couple packs at a time unfortunately their isn’t much better options if you do need to reduce the difficulty of tanking in non savage/ultmate content you could slap a butt load of tenacity on and use the extra mitigation it gives to make it feel more comfortable you will do less damage but it will give you a lot more breathing room for mistakes

[@xerolith]

I’d also recommend turning chat off and nameplates for a few runs. Less anxiety for a bit while learning.

[@DH-ew9op]

Just picked up the game and I’m currently starting of as a little baby tank at moment 😂

[@JayCee-ic7qs]

Enjoy your journey! (and don't skip the cutscenes 😼)

[@DH-ew9op]

@@JayCee-ic7qs death before cutscene skips 😂

[@paullee9861]

Can also add 5 sec stun to the mitigation (unless saving it for a mob that casts aoe)

[@mizuhashitsunoka]

It's beyond me why guide makers think adding end game or idk what difficulty dungeon/trial boss content in "beginner" videos is a great idea. Sincerely, a new player

[@Anghroth]

And just a really good tip for every player, no matter which role you play: don't sweat, if your rotation isn't perfect, it really doesn't need to be. As long as you understand the mechanics and do any damage at all, you're fine. Of course, there will always be the hardcore virgin-nerds, who just look at numbers and try to force you to play your role like a machine, but do yourself a favor and just ignore those vermin. An MMO is meant to be enjoyed, not rushed or forced by counting numbers!

[@jet44444]

I’ve been giving tanking a try, I’m pretty much confident to tank everything except 4mans lol.

[@tomasrytir9211]

Like in every MMO, tanks look very complicated, but it's not even harder than a lot of DPS jobs /specs in the game. It's about holding aggro (threat) on yourself and just running and popping up buffs wich give u armor... if you are not a parse rider you don't need to care too much about the right mechanics at least a lot of times people will let you know after first wipe what to do. Those who already play healer before at least on the mid-core level in dungeons and extremes will be able to handle it without problems with tank jobs.

[@Zickzy.]

do you have a video like this for every role?(if not you should make)

[@DesperiusFFXIV]

Yes, they are from the Shadowbringers Era, but not outdated. Most facts presented, still hold true 👍

[@zerolp8831]

as a healer i love wall to wall pulls

[@puppylord5459]

i like the ff8 boss music you got playing

[@InsanoRider777]

Note about "wall-to-wall" pulling: early dungeons, namely from ARR to HW, don't always have "walls" between bosses, which means an over-eager tank can easily be overwhelmed and there's nothing the healer can do to stop it. In those dungeons, manage your groups judiciously and only pull 2 - 3 groups depending on your confidence. And for all non-tanks watching, please DO NOT run ahead of your tank. Let your tank run ahead and pull mobs; they DO NOT need your "help" and a second or two of patience won't kill you.

[@Porcelainbowl]

Also note: "You Pull You Tank" (When you leave players to die because they pulled something you as tank did not) or any variation thereof, is considered greifing. Will result in a ban if you get reported. If other party members are pulling ahead - it means you need to move forward and continue pulling. Consider it as a friendly nudge to continue pulling forward, rather than as an insult. ESPECIALLY if the healer is doing it. Wall 2 Wall pulling is expected on any dungeon 51+ They are simply designed to be done as so. In earlier dungeons not so much, like previous comment said.

[@silque_brigandess]

​@@Porcelainbowl Yeah no. If the tank does not feel comfortable with pulling more, whether it be lack of knowledge or if the healer has proved inadequate, there is nothing right with "nudging" them forward. I'd rather my tank pulls pack by pack on say Haam Island than suffering a wipe. Ban worthy perhaps, but there's common courtesy to be had and knowing your place. (This is coming from a WAR main tired of reapers dashing ahead to pull the next pack while he is barely done aggroing the previous one.)

[@Porcelainbowl]

​@@silque_brigandess Warrior main and reapers pulling ahead bother you? oh my. that's an issue.

[@AquaMusica305]

I kinda want to see what order and combined defensivos are used in wall to wall pulls. There’s 2 pulls I attempt the first one gives me a harder time The 75 dungeon after very first monster to pull everything afterwards up till the next same monster all at once 79 dungeon pulling before you fight the mini boss before 3rd boss; all the trash pull up till the mini boss area Oh and another one I need to practice is the I think 65 (azim stepp dungeon I think?) u pull everything wall to wall in beginning before first boss I find that one to be challenging especially for Drk

[@harrygraham5810]

I've tried every job and tanking as WAR is the most fun I've had

[@DesperiusFFXIV]

WAR Tanking is amazing. I still Prefer the Dark Knight 😅

[@harrygraham5810]

@@DesperiusFFXIV hey dark Knight is a fun tank too but I prefer warrior coz randoms can't always be trusted to heal XD and WAR has enough sustain and mitigation to match a 4 or 8 man party 😂😂

[@rightful4973]

i have yet to do a duty roulette as a tank because I'm so paranoid about being flung into a random dungeon and having no idea what to do. its why i watch a youtube video everytime the MSQ wants me to do a new dungeon or trial. i know im WAY overthinking it but still 😅

[@mad_skittles87]

I remember playing as a tank on this and one guy got so mad at me cause I wasn’t doing well as a tank and I felt so bad about because I was new at this game and just thought the class looked so cool I did t realize that the aoe attacks were meant to just keep the mobs on me . But after that I learned my lesson and did my part lol

[@Circaman8]

Maybe it's just my world, but I have never experienced fast tank queues. It's generally 5m during normal hours if I'm a tank or DPS.

[@butiliketacos]

Do you ever world travel?

[@bencochrane6112]

I get more worried when not tanking. Just keeping everyone's attention on you is easy compared to knowing what thing to kill or who to heal. If the enemy is hitting me, then I'm doing my job - no one complaining about me not doing an optimal rotation... even though I still try for one.

[@Djedu5674]

I'm afraid to tank honestly but I will give it a go

[@b1ngnx33]

HARDEST PART OF TANKING : STAYING AWAKE!!!!!

[@TG-oq2jx]

i had a healer yank me away from some mobs to tell me there was more over there lmao

[@poptolla]

Ive mained dps, and did a lot of healer but ive never touched tank. Just anxiousness i suppose 😂

[@Nebbli.45]

I wanna tank but my sense of direction is bad 😭 I will get lost

[@MintMantras]

Ironically enough, tanking helps you get better at navigation. After realm reborn, most dungeons are pretty straightforward in which way to go and whatnot, making pack pulls pretty easy. Goodluck ^^

[@VVVidmO]

800h only do tank jobs. Iem still not sick of it. On the contrary. I feel dirty playing dps or healer

[@MrChrommeur]

Well, I tried and it was the most painful and miserable experience I had ingame. if you are a new player, do dungeons with Npcs, at least they will not judge you, be rude or impatient. Never again with real people, that's for sure!

[@Lala-kr9ng]

Awe nooo! Its so rare for ppl to be jerks in ffxiv, trust me i fk up all the time lol u just had one unlucky run, dont let one ahole discourage u :)

[@InsanoRider777]

Yeah, people can be huge douchenozzles towards tanks. You're never pulling fast enough, the healer complains you're not using mit when they're the ones too busy DPSing to keep you healed, etc.

[@MrChrommeur]

Well, 3 months later I now have paladin lvl70, warrior lvl50 and dark knight lvl50. Did the levelling with NPC dungeons, I can count on two hands the times I did it with real people. I just can't do it with real people, it's just a terrible feeling/experience everytime.

[@steveaustin4118]

I got enough confidence to do the 4 man dungeons but it's the bigger ones that I'm not confident to do

[@AndrewSmith-nj8zh]

Actual raids and alliance raids are a piece of cake compared to dungeons for tanks, imo. Unless you eat avoidable AOEs like me at a buffet, it’s actually kinda hard to die as a tank outside of extreme/savage content. (I’m mainly a tank player)

[@strawberrydialectics]

​@@AndrewSmith-nj8zhagreed. i almost never tank dungeons since im not confident with pulling trash. raids basically require you to just turn boss 180, stand there & take busters, and the usual alliance add spread on A B C- west n/s east

[@A_Wzone]

IF THE OTHER TANK IN AN 8 MAN HAS THEIR STANCE ON MAKE SURE YOURS IS OFF

[@Grrimhildr]

no

[@Aptonoth]

I tried doing a level 50 dungeon as a Dark Knight and got clobbered. Didn't even make it past the first boss. I've tanked in 6 different games in my life and FF14 has the most complicated tanking to learn as a new player. It's the fact each dungeon has SO SO SOOOO many gimmicky one dungeon and dumped mechanics. I just can't seem to wrap my head around it. Tons and TONS AND TONS AND TONNNNNNS of weird mechanics and positioning and I think tanking will soon become a dying job unless they do something about the sheet quantity of random one off mechanics. As new player's won't want to open up a 7 days of you tube tutorial's trying to learn EVERY boss and it's mechanics. I also just don't really feel like there's a tanking class I love they are all a bunch of dumb idiot's in ESO I main a necromancer my god super cool and powerful end game tank that has crazy high health and regen due to it being dead. The tank I was sort of liking is dark knight but it's a terrible tank for a newb to learn.

[@AcidSnake87]

:O!

[@FUall19956]

Tanking is a piece of piss in ffxiv, i just tanked in wow classic for the first time ever in Deadmines, one of the first dungeons in the game and it honestly felt way better, i felt more involved and that my gameplay actually mattered, i could also tell that it seems like stance changing could be a thing, in ffxiv all you need to do is activate tank stance and make sure you hit enemies and boom you have threat 24/7, also my paladin and drk feel the exact same, i really hope they make holding threat in ffxiv tougher