Do Not Engage: Warriors Vs. PALs/SHDs

[Lagaidh]

Originally Posted by quellren [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I can pretty much pull aggro at will with a T_rg_r's Insects on something above 85% HP.
I've gotten in the habit of just rooting the damn thing before I even bother with slow. Anything else, and I wear it.

I've been an EQ paladin forever and this simply will not happen in my group unless I've already died.

I really can't answer the question of "better". The only time I ever think there is a "better" is the instance of a WAR standing up to a raid target. When grinding and working on raid trash, it's all situational.

It's also dependant upon the whole group... not just the tank. Some fools will always try to burn their entire mana pool on incoming before a tank can even cast a spell or push attack.

A lot of times, the reputation that PALs and SHDs are superior tanks in the every day situation is because the DPS contingent of the group wants to play lazily. If the PAL or SHD gets that snap agro early (and they will if they know their class at all), then the DPS can just go into nuke and stab mode and not think about any other tactic of play.

However, if the group knows their classes as well as that PAL or SHD, then you can put a WAR in there and never notice the difference in efficiency. I know the number crunchers can make a case against this, but shit people, why do some folks insist upon being at the bleeding edge of efficiency in a pastime? Really?

This conversation always boils down to that: concrete roles and maximum efficiency. I've always bristled at this viewpoint even if I respect it. I've played in all manner of group combinations and the times I've always had a blast is where the mix wasn't ideal and we still kicked ass. That is a sign that you are with good players and not just in a paint-by-numbers grindfest.

Play the game. Play the game. Advancement is a side effect.