Interesting points raised in this thread! I always do find it puzzling when players ask for class identity yet demand that all classes have exactly the same toolkit. Templar doesn't have access to same feats (although everyone has access to guild and weapon lines), but they have other things that other classes lack, such as abundance of heals, group resources, strong shields etc.

The majority of players get frustrated with tankplars because they don't build them correctly. While most tanks should either be truly hybrids or place more emphasis on their stamina, the tankplar needs to invest more in its magicka, as all its utility spells use or scale on magicka (or health). Tankplas have extended ritual and rite of passage, which scale off the highest resource, repentance, on top of vigor. If you need more self-healing than that to survive, then it means that the group doesn't have a healer. If you have invested in magicka you can even use prayer/BoL for extra group utility. It's overkill, really. And chains or aoe cc are universally accessible, you just need some stamina for them.

I think that the public opinion on what a class "can" or "cannot" do is shaped by score-pushing guilds, elitists, or min-maxers, and as such have little applicability to the average player who should be able to clear most content without major struggle.

BejaProphet wrote: »

Athan1 wrote: »

Interesting points raised in this thread! I always do find it puzzling when players ask for class identity yet demand that all classes have exactly the same toolkit. Templar doesn't have access to same feats (although everyone has access to guild and weapon lines), but they have other things that other classes lack, such as abundance of heals, group resources, strong shields etc.

The majority of players get frustrated with tankplars because they don't build them correctly. While most tanks should either be truly hybrids or place more emphasis on their stamina, the tankplar needs to invest more in its magicka, as all its utility spells use or scale on magicka (or health). Tankplas have extended ritual and rite of passage, which scale off the highest resource, repentance, on top of vigor. If you need more self-healing than that to survive, then it means that the group doesn't have a healer. If you have invested in magicka you can even use prayer/BoL for extra group utility. It's overkill, really. And chains or aoe cc are universally accessible, you just need some stamina for them.

I think that the public opinion on what a class "can" or "cannot" do is shaped by score-pushing guilds, elitists, or min-maxers, and as such have little applicability to the average player who should be able to clear most content without major struggle.

Am I to understand that your argument is thus: Templars aren’t lacking, they just need to spec into max magicka and slot multiple heals instead of one.

Because it feels like an argument contrary to your intentions.

Since when is having magicka "lacking"? It depends on your style and preference, you can have multiple steady hots or just one-button heals. You deliberately misinterpreted my point, I was only listing the numerous healing abilities they have, in spite of which people still complain that Templars lack good heals.

It seems to me that Templar tank’s panic “heal” is intended to be Radiant Ward, which scales with Max Health. In practice I don’t think it’s a great option because shields don’t get block mitigation, which instantly makes it half as effective as a heal of equal magnitude. Shields also don’t benefit from healing bonuses, so are even weaker in comparison. And if you did want to run a tank shield, Bone Surge is often a better option because it is similar strength, protects allies too, and gives Major Vitality.

Radiant Ward should be buffed significantly, 50-60% max health shield would still be weaker than options like Green Dragon Blood, but it would help Templar tank survivability. It would keep their playstyle unique, while giving an option to deal with high incoming damage.