What makes a bad tank?

Tasear · August 2017

Now that I have two tanks O.O (0 dps 5 healers) I wonder how I do I compared the two. Then going further how do you even compare tanks. What's the difference from a bad tank vs a good tank or even great tank?

Curragraigue · August 2017

Bad Tank - No taunt, squishy does not block heavy attacks

Good Tank - Taunts, can take some hits, knows mechanics

Excellent Tank - Taunts, can hold large packs of mobs in a cluster for AoE DPS, needs minimal heal top ups, buffs group with skills, place and holds bosses in best location and does not die ever

paulsimonps · August 2017

Bad Tank:

Tries to DPS too much
Loses agro of important mobs/bosses
Doesn't use Crowd Control abilities and effects
Doesn't buff the team
Doesn't debuff the enemies
Moves and or positions the boss in bad ways
Doesn't know boss mechanics
Wears only selfish armor sets
Dies often
Poor sustain

Good Tank:

Doesn't lose agro of bosses and most big trash mobs
Uses Crowd control Abilities and effects
Buffs the team
Debuffs enemies
Keeps bosses still
Understands bosses mechanics
Wears armor sets that provides direct or indirect buffs for allies or debuffs for enemies
Doesn't die often
Good sustain

Great Tank.

Never loses agro of bosses and tanks all dangerous trash mobs
Crowd controls most if not all enemies in such a way that DPSs can easily take out the trash with their AoE.
Gives buffs to the group that matters and increases DPS and or Survivabilty
Debuffs enemies in such a way that increases DPS and or group survivability
Moves and positions bosses in a way to increases DPS as much as possible
KNOWS the bosses mechanics and can strategies around it to better the positioning and set up for it.
Wears armor sets that synergies as much as possible with the team to give the best types of buffs/debuffs
Almost never dies.
Amazing sustain.

This is an extremely generalized list and there is way more to it but I did what I could this late

but you can always ask more specific questions and I am sure more better and more detailed answers will appear.

Liofa · August 2017

Assuming we are comparing two different builds played by same player since you want to compare your 2 different characters .

You basically do this . Go into trial with both . If your DDs are doing more DPS with one of your builds , it means that build is better . Tanking is all about boosting group . Survival , sustaining , positioning can be done perfectly with any kind of build with any class , any race . Whichever boosts group more is the better tank build .

Oreyn_Bearclaw · August 2017

What @paulsimonps said.

From a DPS perspective, good tanks are very obvious. When a good tank is in the group, I can spend 99% of the time doing my primary role, aka, doing damage. A good tank means I take little damage because the tank is holding aggro, and it also means my DPS is high because my targets are debuffed, tightly stacked, and stationary.

Want to know if your a good tank? Simple. Ask yourself if good players want you to run with them. Tanks are the most sought after role in ESO. The good tanks on my friends list get PM'ed very often. Ask Paul.