I think saying a tank can be 'incredibly useful' is one heck of a stretch, though. Unless you're a tank/dps, there's really very little utility for a tank in PvP, other than to get one or two random dudes to attack while you wait for your buddies to come and snipe them from stealth when you're running small groups.

RadioheadSh0t wrote: »

I think saying a tank can be 'incredibly useful' is one heck of a stretch, though. Unless you're a tank/dps, there's really very little utility for a tank in PvP, other than to get one or two random dudes to attack while you wait for your buddies to come and snipe them from stealth when you're running small groups.

Actually from my own experience over the past year I think most really good players simply don't try tanking in PvP, at least not for long and against really good groups.

Satiar wrote: »

Templar tanks best tanks. Most viable in terms of group play too

Imo, NBs can survive the most, DKs have the best CC with Talons and Templars can burst heal their group members (don't forget sap essence heal). So these all have something useful going for them. Sorc tanks... wouldn't recommend that. In 1.6 I think NBs are by far the best tanks, because you die too easily with DK or Templar.

But we are getting a bit offtopic with this extended discussion, too, so if there's nothing more to say anymore, I'll not comment on that further.

WRX wrote: »

See I think what people are confusing here is a tank and a tanky player. IMO all players should be tanky, but a tank is utterly useless.

Unless you can somehow "aggro" the opposing players, you don't need a tank. Especially in 1.6 where most people expect fights to last 20 seconds or less, the team that can keep pressure without dying will win.

Call it whatever you want - I mean someone who is focusing on protecting his group members and controling the enemy by focusing on defense and putting himself in the line.
In order to force enemies to attack him he can use CC, support, rez group members, or anything else that helps his group/hinder the enemy from playing their game without the need of high offensive stats.

ToRelax wrote: »

WRX wrote: »

See I think what people are confusing here is a tank and a tanky player. IMO all players should be tanky, but a tank is utterly useless.

Unless you can somehow "aggro" the opposing players, you don't need a tank. Especially in 1.6 where most people expect fights to last 20 seconds or less, the team that can keep pressure without dying will win.

Call it whatever you want - I mean someone who is focusing on protecting his group members and controling the enemy by focusing on defense and putting himself in the line.
In order to force enemies to attack him he can use CC, support, rez group members, or anything else that helps his group/hinder the enemy from playing their game without the need of high offensive stats.

Smart groups avoid attacking tanky players, unless they're also good dps or healers, and in a gvg, teams will already have selected their targets before the match even begins, so no amount of standing "in the line" is going to stop them from coming for your healer or highest dps.
Aside from that, pure tanks, that is players who are tanky but do not also put out high dps or good heals, are a waste of a dps/heal slot.
What you're thinking about is more likely to happen in a 1v1, where one player just turtles down and can't be killed, but is doing negligible damage to their opponent. Then you just have long, boring battles.

WRX wrote: »

See I think what people are confusing here is a tank and a tanky player. IMO all players should be tanky, but a tank is utterly useless.

Unless you can somehow "aggro" the opposing players, you don't need a tank. Especially in 1.6 where most people expect fights to last 20 seconds or less, the team that can keep pressure without dying will win.

I agree. Without a taunt skill that reduces opponents' damage, or a guard skill to protect friendlies there really isn't much point to a PvP tank.

Minnesinger wrote: »

Xiphyla wrote: »

6v6 is good too.

lol this is great

Tanks aren't good in a GvG tournament.

However they are very useful in everyday AVA. The other day while I was emperor I came across a 24 man in open field and solo tanked them for 2 minutes all the way to empire tower, where I secretly had 2 friends waiting with flaming oils who killed them all. As well as grouping up enemies in siege, I would delay sieges until reinforcements arrived winning the war of attrition.