Group Aggro

tiffy961 · April 2014

Hey there.
I'm not really a new player. Played beta etc but there is one thing I don't really get: Group Aggro.
So here is the thing. My brother plays a Dragonknight with Sword and Shield and heavy armor to tank. I'm a Templar with Resto/Destro Staffs and light armor for healing and dd.
So far so good.
While we were questing yesterday we noticed a really really annoying thing.
He runs into the group of enemies while I stand back, not doing anything yet but still the enemy npc run straight past him to me.
We tried that out a few times, He attacks, I stand far away in the back not doing anything but they still run straight to me.
Why is that? Is it because I wear heavy armor and attract more attention to me becaue of it? Would be kind of stupid if that was the case while in any other game people with heavy armor attract more attention.

I just think it shouldn't be supposed like this. Especially as long as I don't even attack or heal yet when they run to me.

What re your thoughts? Or maybe someone found a way around?

Help would be appreciated!

Syntse · April 2014

They are programmed to spread out a bit to attack different targets. Tank job seems to be trying to draw them back, lure, block etc to keep them from running past him and going for the healer,caster,archer.

Many times seen also that while tanking, 2 enemies run towards me and I hit them both so they would aggro me but the other one just runs past me towards the caster behind me.

tiffy961 · April 2014

Fir enough I guess. But shouldn't the tank then maybe have a passive ability (maybe in the sword and board tree) which gives him more threat towards enemies?
It is alright in a big group that they attack different enemies but we quest in a group of two and basically all the enemies he didn't attack run towards me (was especially bad in crows wood) standing far away in the back, not moving or attacking. It doesn't make sense to me.

matthewameluxenub17_ESO · April 2014

I know it doesn't really answer your question, but I wouldn't worry about it much. The tank isn't supposed to hold everything like in other holy trinity games, and only exists to absorb the bigger blows and/or take the initial wave of damage.

In fact, I'd argue the game is designed for the damage to be spread around. Most heals in the game are heal-over-times and are much more effective when the damage is spread among all players, rather than all on one player. Tank or not. It is much easier in this game to keep several people healed rather than one player taking massive damage.

tiffy961 · April 2014

I understand this. And it all makes good sense, I guess. But if we attack a group of five and four of them bash my head in (I'm wearing light armor) then I have no chance of survival. I can't heal as fast as they knock me down.
So I guess the only option is for him to run in and attack with the skill Dark Talons to attack all of them for a moment? Because there are no other aoe skills or skills that attack more enemies as Dragon Knight with Sword and Board are there?

cromica81_ESO · April 2014

You have to be able to take care of yourself in a fight that is the way ESO works.

tiffy961 · April 2014

Alright. Thanks for all your answers guys.

ElliottXO · April 2014

I read that mobs also go for the weakest target, meaning lowest HP.

Tadhg_Longhouse · April 2014

How I see tanks working in this game is through a combination of crowd control damage mitigation and taunts.

Cc melee mobs and taunt casters/ranged while dpsers burn them down. All players will need to be able to take a hit though as even taunted enemies change targets and some targets will be immune to cc.