Is it just me...

Or are Tankers seeming more obselete?

With all these soft capped Blasters running around getting aggro and not getting touched, in my opinion I feel less useful on Task Forces.

Is it just me being used to the old way of things, or are the rest of the Tankers feeling the same way?

Quite the opposite.

Anyone can softcap, anyone can do dps.
No one can fake tanker hp, and very few can manage the aggro as well.

I agree with the hit point part, but the aggro part...well...

For some reason, in the ITF I was just on the soft capped Blaster (Fire/MM, not surprisingly), was constantly stealing my Rommy And Friends aggro, even though I was spamming Taunt. I mean, I didn't drop below 50% once during the TF, but I believe it was in part because my aggro kept getting taken off me. Even while using all my AoEs, with Invinc up, and taunt on auto.

I just dont get it. I guess it seems like anyone who's soft capped seems to take the spot of "Tank" on the team.

I see these threads pop up all the time but have never posted myself but in the end it always boils down to what people like to play. For example I just don't enjoy playing Blasters or Scrappers despite trying several times in both cases. And on the flip side one of my fav ATs to play is a Tank, and to me the extra strong defences and the ability to get everything agro'd on me is a lot more fun than just dealing out pure damage.

People thought that certain ATs would become obsolete when GR came out and that didn't happen.

And Ive never come accross a situation where people are being turned away from a TF/Team because of their archtype. Sure Ive seen cases where people have requested "buffs/debuffs" or "DPS" but in those cases they still accept someone even if they don't fit that requirement. Thinking about it the only time I see someone advertising for a specific AT is when they are looking for a Tank!!

If this game was filled with people who only ever wanted to play a toon that performs the best then everyone would be playing certain particular ATs and Powersets, but thats just not the case. People generally play what they like when they like and there isn't any particular situations where specific ATs are needed.

So after my mini-ramble, no in my experience I don't think Tanks are going the way of the Do-do

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwillinger Quote: 16. Has Paragon Studios redefined "player" to require your mouse to subscribe separately from your keyboard? If your mouse has greater processing power than your gfx card, the answer is yes.

There are some AVs that you really need a tanker for, plus not every blaster is running around soft capped. In PUGs, you won't find as many tanking Blasters.

If you're just spamming Taunt, you're not doing your job. If you don't have Taunt, you may have problems w/some AV fights. If you have a taunt aura, attack your target (hey, apply Bruising while you're at it!) *and* Taunt, you should never lose your aggro to a blaster. Ever. Now a brute doing the same might be a different story.

Def-capped squishies still get hit 1 in 20 (or worse, depending on what you're fighting), have far fewer HPs, and will get mezzed on occasion. They also can't control aggro like a tank (or brute), at least a properly played tank. My Son/Son has ranged def cap as well as S/L resist cap (and other high defensive numbers) and partial mez protection (damn sleeps... ). My Ice/Storm has ranged and S/L def caps even before applying powerful debuffs, plus Hibernate for when things get rough. My Fire/Rad has high enough ranged & AoE def (capped w/RI running on mob) + near perma mez protection to solo damn near every AV/GM in the game. All are tough as nails and can stand against some of the worst mobs in the game (they kinda laugh at the BM fight in Apex, other than the Halberds). I don't pretend for a second they're substitute for well played tanks, neither for overall toughness or aggro control, and it's not even close.

I have a thread on the blaster boards about how Judgment may marginalize blasters to an extent. Those guys, I'm actually worried about, at least a bit. IMO, the "support" classes will benefit the most w/I20, but melee are right behind. Tanks are going to be fine.

It's just you.

-> TT MA Arc ID 1755 -> Join TankHQ -> Media -> @AceMACE

No - its HOW you play the tank that needs to change.

The days of walkup taunt a group wait for them to gather and then yell - Ready! and the group attacks is GONE - long GONE.

You must be fluid and MOVE. I assume by the time I am in the late 30's that players can handle a small amount of aggro or know how to shed it - I therefore tank forward constantly.

I will leave the last 2 or 3 in a group to head off and start on the next one. Be more aggressive and far less timid. If you die - so what? Rez and start again. I see these threads pop up every year or so and people say tanks aren't needed - don't do enough damage - walk with a limp or whatever.

Tanks are a chewie lump of hit points and may be wrapped in either a hard candy shell - Stone tanks or a caramel soft outer coating - Fire tanks.

You can't just stand and spam taunt and expect to hold aggro now. People have fully kitted and IO'd toons that are capable in some cases of solo'ing an AV. So your job? Plan ahead and keep moving - you do one thing better than most take an alpha strike - if one comes and so you need to make your team a more efficient and safer place to work.

In a BIG group if I see we are going to die - I jump into the middle pop self-destruct and then Rise to Battle! Now a BUNCH of the bad guys are dead. This has repeatedly saved the teams I am on. They then see I am paying attention and if I log my tank on I can bet on an invite within 30 minutes of play (usually doing my 5 Tips - solo).

Also, to add, if blasters are getting aggro ahead of you and surviving, that means you're likely not pushing the pace enough. Don't dawdle on the last boss; grab the alpha and if your team is able to survive on its own, just jump into the next spawn and set them up for your teammates' AoEs. If your blasters are able to survive fights w/o you, your job switches from keeping them alive, to maximizing their AoE potential. Adapt how you tank based on team makeup.

As one of the blasters you have probably teamed with lately....no, tanks are still important in many TFs and trials. I may be running around taking aggro and killing stuff but it doesnt mean I can "tank" everything or last when I try.

I also play tanks and can say that those tanking blasters don't really bother me. When the team reaches the AVs or GMS...you don't see them chomping at the bit to run in and tank alpha..lol.....usually.


Lachlin
"Kupalo"

If you lack knowledge or have a low level of expectations then the Tanker may look obsolete.

Every AT can be made to fill a role of another AT. I was a blaster with Lightning Field the other day and due to having two defenders assumed point well.

What AT can't we team without ingame? Honestly we can team without any of them.

A really good tanker could out tank a bad tanker whilst playing on a brute. That don't mean doom. That good tanker is even better on a tanker.

The pace will be set by the team makeup, not the tank. If people are going ahead and surviving, then that is the pace....if they are going ahead and dieing or getting overwhelmed, the pace will adjust back and forth based on the teams ability and survivability.....as a tank, worrying about being obsolete is not nearly as important as asking yourself if I should be staying *with* the pace of the teams ability.

My 2 cents: Not obsolete but certainly different from a few years ago. I was just talking about this to some friend and I do believe that a Tanks role has been marginalized. I have tanked LR as a scrapper and as a Ill/rad. I've tanked all the TFC TFs as well as Tin Mage and Apex with my scrap (AAO is a great aggro magnet and I have Provoke). I admit I had wonderful buffs and a smart team but I can't think of ANY reason that a tank would have been better in those situations. I wish they would increase the aggro cap on tanks to keep them relevant. Don't get me wrong, I've got many tankers and still enjoy them (and of course a scrap can't really tank hami) but its not like the good ol' days. As someone mentioned a tanks role is more to gather the mobs to maximize AoE damage these days.

Ok, if you're taunting Romy and attacking him there's NO WAY a blaster will get aggro from you; even another tanker would be hard pressed to accomplish that. As a guess were you using Taunt on the puffballs and Roman ambushes and depending on your aura to hold Romy? That's not a reliable method for two reasons... first because of the 17 mob aggro cap and secondly because all auras, even normally autohit ones, must roll tohit against AV class mobs.

As a tanker you need to get there first and get the attention of the mobs. If you do this and keep up taunt on the AV I guarantee no blaster will pull the AV's attention away from you. On CMA even an Ice tanker can't pull aggro from me if I'm focused on keeping it and get there first. Of course the reverse is also true, that's why it's so important for the tank to get there first.

If the team is beating you to the mobs then you must pick up the pace.