Understanding the Main Tank Classes in Final Fantasy XIV

The main tank classes in Final Fantasy XIV are Paladin (PLD), Warrior (WAR), Dark Knight (DRK), and Gunbreaker (GNB). Each job boasts unique strengths, weaknesses, and playstyles, allowing players to choose a tank that perfectly complements their preferred approach to combat and party support. They all share the core responsibility of managing enemy enmity (aggro), mitigating damage to protect their allies, and positioning enemies for optimal party damage.

A Closer Look at Each Tank Class

Paladin (PLD)

The Paladin is a traditional tank and the epitome of a protective knight. It’s a defensive powerhouse, known for its robust mitigation, excellent support abilities, and straightforward rotation.

• Strengths: Paladins excel at physical damage mitigation, offering significant defensive buffs and self-healing. Their magic mitigation is respectable, and they bring valuable utility through cover abilities and party-wide healing. Their rotation is relatively simple, making them a great choice for beginners or players who prefer a less frantic playstyle. They have excellent sustain.

• Weaknesses: Paladin’s damage output is generally considered the lowest among the tanks. While their rotation is easy to learn, mastering their defensive cooldown timing and maximizing their utility requires practice. Their mobility can be limited compared to other tanks.

• Key Abilities:

  • Sheltron: A powerful block that reduces physical damage taken.
  • Intervention: Grants damage reduction to a targeted party member.
  • Cover: Redirects damage taken by a targeted party member to the Paladin.
  • Requiescat: Empowers Holy Spirit spells for significant damage.
  • Divine Veil: Grants a shield to the Paladin and nearby party members upon healing.

Warrior (WAR)

The Warrior is a furious berserker, specializing in self-healing and dealing high burst damage. They are known for their aggressive playstyle and ability to sustain themselves through intense combat.

• Strengths: Warriors possess unparalleled self-healing capabilities, allowing them to recover quickly from significant damage. Their burst damage is substantial, particularly during their burst window. They have excellent mobility and can maintain high uptime on enemies.

• Weaknesses: While their self-healing is strong, Warrior’s reliance on it can be a disadvantage in situations where sustained damage is high or when facing mechanics that heavily punish self-healing. Their mitigation requires more active management compared to Paladin, and their burst window requires careful planning.

• Key Abilities:

  • Inner Chaos: A powerful burst damage ability.
  • Equilibrium: A potent self-heal that also restores TP (Tactical Points).
  • Nascent Flash: Grants a targeted party member a shield and provides healing to both the Warrior and the targeted ally when the Warrior attacks.
  • Vengeance: Reduces damage taken and reflects a portion of the damage back to attackers.
  • Shake It Off: Removes certain debuffs and grants a shield.

Dark Knight (DRK)

The Dark Knight is a dark and brooding fighter, wielding dark magic and a greatsword. They are a versatile tank with a focus on magic damage mitigation and offensive capabilities.

• Strengths: Dark Knights excel at mitigating magic damage with their powerful cooldowns. Their damage output is competitive, and they have strong utility through various debuffs and buffs. They have a unique aesthetic and lore that appeals to many players.

• Weaknesses: Dark Knight’s mitigation can feel less consistent compared to Paladin or Warrior. Resource management (MP and Blood Gauge) is crucial for maintaining high damage and survivability. They can feel squishy if their cooldowns are not used effectively.

• Key Abilities:

  • The Blackest Night: Grants a powerful shield to the Dark Knight or a targeted party member.
  • Living Dead: A unique invulnerability skill that requires healing to avoid death.
  • Dark Mind: Significantly reduces magic damage taken.
  • Grit: Increases enmity generation and reduces damage taken.
  • Blood Weapon: Grants increased damage and MP regeneration based on GCD (Global Cooldown) actions.

Gunbreaker (GNB)

The Gunbreaker is a stylish and aggressive tank, utilizing a gunblade to deal high damage and protect their allies. They are a mobile and fast-paced tank with a focus on weaving offensive abilities.

• Strengths: Gunbreakers boast high sustained damage, making them a valuable asset in dealing with enemies. Their mobility is excellent, allowing them to quickly reposition and maintain uptime. They have strong burst potential and can contribute significantly to party damage.

• Weaknesses: Gunbreaker’s mitigation relies heavily on active management and quick reaction times. Their rotation can be complex and requires precise execution to maximize damage output. They can be vulnerable if their cooldowns are not used strategically.

• Key Abilities:

  • No Mercy: Increases damage dealt for a short duration.
  • Heart of Stone: Grants a shield to a targeted party member.
  • Camouflage: Reduces damage taken and increases parry rate.
  • Rough Divide: A gap closer that deals damage and generates Cartridges.
  • Continuation Combo: A series of powerful attacks that utilize Cartridges.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Tank Classes in FFXIV

1. Which Tank is the Easiest to Learn?

Paladin is generally considered the easiest tank to learn due to its straightforward rotation and emphasis on defensive abilities. However, all tanks are viable and rewarding to play with practice.

2. Which Tank Deals the Most Damage?

The ranking of tank damage output can fluctuate with patch changes and player skill, but generally, Gunbreaker and Dark Knight tend to be at the top, followed by Warrior, and then Paladin.

3. Which Tank is the Best at Self-Healing?

Warrior is renowned for its exceptional self-healing capabilities, making it incredibly self-sufficient in many situations.

4. Which Tank is the Best at Magic Damage Mitigation?

Dark Knight excels at mitigating magic damage with abilities like Dark Mind and The Blackest Night.

5. How Important is Tank Stance?

Using your tank stance (e.g., Iron Will for Paladin, Defiance for Warrior, Grit for Dark Knight, Royal Guard for Gunbreaker) is crucial for generating and maintaining enmity. Always have it active unless specifically instructed otherwise by your party.

6. What is Enmity (Aggro) and Why is it Important?

Enmity, also known as aggro, represents how much a monster dislikes a player. Tanks are responsible for maintaining high enmity on enemies, ensuring they focus their attacks on the tank instead of party members.

7. What are Tank Cooldowns and How Should I Use Them?

Tank cooldowns are abilities that reduce damage taken or provide other defensive benefits. They should be used proactively to mitigate incoming damage and prevent the tank from being overwhelmed. Learning the timing of encounters is key to effective cooldown usage.

8. What is “Tanking Stance Dancing”?

Tank stance dancing refers to switching your tank stance on and off. Generally, this isn’t recommended as it can make it difficult to maintain aggro. It might be employed in specific situations for advanced strategies, but new players should keep their tank stance on for the majority of encounters.

9. What Stats Should I Prioritize on My Tank Gear?

Strength is the primary stat for tanks, increasing attack power. After that, prioritize Vitality for increased HP, and then Determination, Tenacity, and Direct Hit Rate for increased damage and mitigation.

10. How do I Handle Multiple Enemies as a Tank?

Use area-of-effect (AoE) abilities to generate enmity on multiple enemies quickly. Position yourself strategically to keep the enemies grouped together for easier targeting by your DPS.

11. What is “Invulnerability” and Which Tanks Have It?

Invulnerability skills make the tank temporarily immune to all damage. Living Dead (Dark Knight), Hallowed Ground (Paladin), Holmgang (Warrior), and Superbolide (Gunbreaker) are all examples of such skills. However, each skill has different nuances and can be used best in specific scenarios.

12. Should I Always Be The Main Tank (MT)?

Not necessarily. In some content, especially 8-man raids and trials, one tank acts as the Main Tank (MT), primarily responsible for holding aggro, while the other acts as the Off-Tank (OT), focusing on support or handling adds. Communication is key to determining roles.

13. What is a “Tank Buster”?

A tank buster is a powerful attack designed to deal significant damage to the tank, often requiring multiple mitigation cooldowns to survive.

14. How Do I Communicate with My Party as a Tank?

Clear communication is essential. Inform your party about your cooldown usage, any specific strategies you’re employing, and if you’re having trouble maintaining aggro. Use markers and waymarks to guide your party’s positioning.

15. Is There a “Best” Tank Class in FFXIV?

There is no objectively “best” tank class. Each tank is viable and brings unique strengths to the table. The best tank is ultimately the one that you enjoy playing the most and that fits well with your party’s composition and playstyle.