Guide to the Trinity

SanguisCorvus

Guide to the Trinity

Summary: Within your standard MMORPG there are three roles that are referred to as the trinity, the same can be said with ESO, they are listed in the order of necessity:

1. Tank - Me take damage, me get punched, me punch back, Yay!
2. Healer - I asked an apothecary in Skyrim, and it appears you have the rattles, here's a heal!
3. DPS - My kind sir I'm here to kick butt, and cry, and I'm all done crying!

Before DPS players begin mashing their buttons, foaming at the mouth, shouting "mY nUmBeRs BiG!", continue reading. The order of the roles is based on the universal impact of the role itself, and it's need overall, essentially how often it is needed to have minimal success. More often than not a tank and healer combination can get through just about any situation through shear resistance and heals, a battle of attrition, DPS don't have resistances. But this isn't just a post on hating DPS and their button mashing that they call a playstyle, this post is as you could probably have already concluded, completely unbiased...lets get going.

Chapter 1: Tanking

"The Commander"

Summary: A tank has arguably the most visible role in the trinity, whether a pass or fail, it is noticed without hesitation. This role is also the singularly most technical role in the trinity, with the most responsibilities towards the party's survival. It is also a thankless role, no one ever says good tanking, get used to it, you're a punching bag just take your candy from the dentist after he's done fixing your smile.

1. The commander must be able to survive any foe he faces, even his kryptonite. Meaning, he must find a way to overcome his weaknesses to overcome the boss.

2. The commander must be able to learn and adapt, to understand the mechanics of the dungeon and the boss room. The tank must learn when a boss will use a cone or aoe, and if possible position it away from his or her party. They must also learn the boss's obscure mechanics, and how to beat them, essentially mechanics which aren't as visible as a bosses signature move. These are easier said than done, because a certain role in your party is so focused on their role, that they tend to walk in the path of where you have diverted, dont worry they'll let you know about it.

3. Being the shield of the party, he must be open to criticism and their flaws, understanding what he can and what he cant do.

4. The commander controls the tempo of the dungeon. It is on the tank to decide which path to take. It is on the tank to decide which enemies, and how many of them to pull then fight. This responsibility is yours because you have to survive the fight, if you die, the party might die. Therefore, you need to direct everyone on to you, primarily the boss, and position them accordingly. Remember, the fate of your team, primarily in difficult dungeons, is tied to your fate as the meat shield and the guy getting his face pummeled. You Must Engage First.

5. If they outrun you and engage the enemy/boss before you, let them die, the commander is not responsible for wayward team members. If a party member outpaces the tank and engages combat without their tank, that party member's death is on that party member. See Rule 4 as to why

6. If possible the commander should make life easier for his supporting roles, yes i said roles with a plural s, DPS is a supporting role for the tank. You can assist them with the following, self heals to ease the healer's burden on keeping you alive, enemy debuffs to assist the DPS. Remember this is a group effort.

Chapter 2: The Healer

"The Fortifier"

Summary: The first of the supporting roles, and the lifeline for the party.

1. The fortifier must watch his teams health, never letting it drop to a percentage he cannot save them from when possible. Example, below 50%.

2. The fortifier must not just focus the tank, he must ensure himself, and the DPS survive aswell. If it is up to the tank alone, it will be a very very very long battle.

3. As with the commander's fifth rule, do not save those too foolish to survive. You're not responsible for party member's that outpace your tank, you are not responsible for party member's that go where your tank doesn't want them. If your party member's are knowingly, and willingly getting themselves killed, just let them die and if possible replace them.

4. Watch for adds, the commander might be the controller of the boss. But the healer is his eyes, direct DPS to keep adds off the tank. Notify the tank when things he cant see are about to introduce themselves in a less than diplomatic manner, namely 100 maces to his faces. You know that thing called communication, try it out.

5. The fortifier isn't limited to heals, assist your party with debuffs, buffs, and yes even DPS. Do more than heal, if you buff your tank's resistance that makes your life easier, if you debuff the bosses that makes your DPS's life easier, and the fight is shorter.

6. Do not rush in before your tank, do not focus adds you're not the DPS. You're meant to keep your party alive, that's difficult to do if you're dead.

Chapter 3: The DPS

"The Diva"

Summary: The most dramatic of the roles, the first to quit, and the first to pin blame when they die. However, they're also the difference between a fight taking an hour, versus a fight taking 30 minutes. They bring the pain to the field, as well as kill all the pesky minions a boss may have.

1. The diva must always remember, they're not necessary. As aforementioned a tank and healer can get through most things through attrition alone, but I'm going to expand on this. Everyone plays your role, it is hands down the most popular role in the trinity and is therefore easily replaceable. Tick off your team enough, and they may just replace you.

2. The diva must understand his job is to drop the boss and mitigate the existence of adds. Your healer can only heal so much damage, and your tank can only resist so much damage, adds are force multipliers, and will stack damage until you wipe. You are a DPS otherwise known as a Damage Per Second, start doing some Damage to everybody's seconds!

3. Numbers are not everything. Yes we know you have leaderboards to rise up, but those boards do not decide whether or not you win a dungeon. Stop treating dungeons like a speed-run, not every dungeon should be handled as such, and when you do you leave your healer behind to die. If you're making life harder on the party you're an issue, a party already has to battle the dungeon, they shouldn't have to battle your ego.

4. It is the tank's job to hold the boss and defend the party. It is your job to defend the healer from any adds that might want to ask him where he got his medical degree, with axes and fireballs.

5. Do not out pace the tank. enough said, see tank rule 4.

6. Dying isn't the end of the world, get up and try again.