Am I a lesser tank because I hate doing large pulls and skipping adds?

hcbigdogdoghc · June 2021

You know, stuff like running past 10 groups of add, rush to boss and let the 200+ adds run to you. Things that I know every other CP1000+ experienced tank do.

Sure I've been playing this game for years, but I don't have every add location and every corners of every dungeon memorized, being expected to do this especially in high dps groups is seriously a pain.

Even more irritating are the dps and healers that "does the tanking for me" by running ahead or aggroing additional add waves.

Maybe this is fun for dps/ healers but there's zero way chaining simulator online/stuck in combat online/getting cc'ed online is fun for me.

I still skip through sections in COA2 or RoM mind you, but I just hate being expected to know how to speedrun spindleclutch 1 with 3 pulls only.

jircris11 · June 2021

Its your own playstyle, dont let anyone tell you that you are lesser for it. My friend is the same way as a tank and ppl who want to speed run can quit as she says.

Fennwitty · June 2021

Slow and steady wins the race.

When your group DPS is good, sure it's fun for the group to see a huge swarm of enemies go down at the same time.

When your group DPS isn't good, and/or the players are new to the dungeon, you just create a traffic jam of mobs, confusion, wasted attacks (a player thought you were stopping at one place and dropped an ult, but they were wrong).

If you know the group in advance sure, show off.

With PUGs, I'm not wasting my time or theirs by assuming they can A. Kill that many monsters before I lose initial aggro and B. Know the layout of the dungeon well enough to not get stuck and attacked by stragglers.

Fennwitty · June 2021

If I see a CP1000+ tank rushing the rest of the group along, expertly memorizing enemy locations and choke points, and generally being way out in front ... they're either professionals who've run so many times they memorized the place (maybe a carry seller) ... or they're fake tanks who impose the rushing playstyle on others and are having fun themselves creating a giant fight.

FluffWit · June 2021

If you're running in a pug from the group finder I'd expect you to run the dungeons mechanics as intended.

If you're running with friends/ guildies.... figure out what you want to do amongst yourselves.

CaffeinatedMayhem · June 2021

jircris11 wrote: »

Its your own playstyle, dont let anyone tell you that you are lesser for it. My friend is the same way as a tank and ppl who want to speed run can quit as she says.

Am I your friend? Because we sound a LOT alike...

I know the speed run strats and honestly, most groups that exceed the dungeon DPS reqs come out about the same in time. Even with 100k+ DPS groups in dungeons, doing big pulls is NOT "amazingly" faster. If you find it fun, sure. For me, it's a bunch of possible drops left behind because no, all those adds don't pull up stairways and through some doorways anymore. And yes, I track that, I am the tank, it's my job to know where all those adds are.

Casul · June 2021

If you are taunting adds. Then the DPS isn't high enough. You should focus the boss and maybe a priority target. The rest should be cleaved down.

kargen27 · June 2021

I've been running Arx for a certain chunk of wood. Others also wanting that chunk of wood sometimes skip everything they can just to get to the last boss. I'm not sure skipping helps though. With groups that have good DPS the other bosses fall in less than a minute. With lower DPS groups the DPS often gets stuck behind adds and arrives to the fight late.

Using choke points for one or two groups of adds works decent there. Running to the next boss tends to mean adds trickle in and get in the way.

One thing that kind of bugs me is when we have low DPS and the tank pulls more than what he can keep. If the tank is going to pull three or four groups of adds the tank should be able to control those groups for however long the DPS needs.

CaffeinatedMayhem · June 2021

kargen27 wrote: »

I've been running Arx for a certain chunk of wood. Others also wanting that chunk of wood sometimes skip everything they can just to get to the last boss. I'm not sure skipping helps though. With groups that have good DPS the other bosses fall in less than a minute. With lower DPS groups the DPS often gets stuck behind adds and arrives to the fight late.

Using choke points for one or two groups of adds works decent there. Running to the next boss tends to mean adds trickle in and get in the way.

One thing that kind of bugs me is when we have low DPS and the tank pulls more than what he can keep. If the tank is going to pull three or four groups of adds the tank should be able to control those groups for however long the DPS needs.

Also, if you're skipping the CHESTS you're skipping a major source of the Medusa fire staff. Half of the people I know pulled theirs from a simple or intermediate chest, the rest from the last boss.

bmnoble · July 2021

If they have excessive and unreasonable complaints they are free to wait for the next tank they get in the queue.

If your playing an actual tank doing your job they should count themselves lucky they didn't get a fake tank.

I clear room by room on my tank I don't pull half the dungeon, for some speed runner in PUGS because 90% of the time you only have the one speed runner the rest of the group is either low level or has low damage and can't handle those kinda big fights.

If I am with people I know can handle it and they want to do the run that way fine but don't expect it in a PUG group.

That and I personally hate speed runners in PUG groups(want to do that form a group of your own) had annoying experiences with the types that rush to the final boss and if you can't keep up they leave you for dead, at one of the other bosses that they skipped, solo the final boss then leave, if I see that kinda crap I vote to kick or just leave.

Castian · July 2021

I"m a CP 1495 tank, and I don't skip adds. I find it obnoxious for a swarm of adds to catch up to the party and not always are the dps capable of grinding them out before they become a problem. I've always considered it a nuisance to not clear your path as you go.

spartaxoxo · July 2021

I prefer when adds are pulled in big groups. And tanks that can do that and have everything memorized are better at the game. That doesn't mean you gotta follow suit. You can play however you want, so long as you're fulfilling the minimum expectations of your role, people shouldn't get mad in pugs.

If they want elite raid tanks, they are free to queue with them.

As far as I'm concerned if your tank taunts the boss and holds it still, your healer heals you, and your dps pass any dps checks...they have done all you have business expecting in a pug.

Folkb · July 2021

Yes.
No.
Maybe.
I dunno 🤷‍♂️😐

B0SSzombie · July 2021

This is a not so great way to be a Tank.

Because there's always that ONE enemy you ran past that got stuck on a rock and you can't open a door because you still have aggro.

Grandchamp1989 · July 2021

Dungeon runs are not a one size fits all.

-If you pull half the dungeon in a Vet DLC good chance you'll all wipe.
-If you pull half the dungeon in a low dmg vet dungeon good chance you'll all wipe
-If you pull half the dungeon in a pug 3dd run where the other two dd doesn't know the healer is fake and thus hasn't applied self heal - good chance you'll all wipe.

I only do drag pulls if I know I'm in an experienced group, with good dmg, and people know how to keep up with the tank - and not stay 10km behind the rest of the team to find 2 adds in the background.

ApoAlaia · July 2021

I am just happy to have a tank in a PUG, however they choose to fulfill the role.

Specially on the daily random dungeon is not even remotely a given that I will land in a group with one.

Jazraena · July 2021

Rushing through saves you a minute or three if it works, at best.

Rushing through also has a high risk of people dying, being stuck on doors, missing out on loot, quests or even the endboss kill, and thus ruining someone's fun or needlessly lengthening the affair by more than you would save if it works, or both.

If you don't have the time to run for 3 minutes longer and do the dungeon properly you probably shouldn't queue for dungeons, IMHO.

jircris11 · July 2021

CaffeinatedMayhem wrote: »

jircris11 wrote: »

Its your own playstyle, dont let anyone tell you that you are lesser for it. My friend is the same way as a tank and ppl who want to speed run can quit as she says.

Am I your friend? Because we sound a LOT alike...

I know the speed run strats and honestly, most groups that exceed the dungeon DPS reqs come out about the same in time. Even with 100k+ DPS groups in dungeons, doing big pulls is NOT "amazingly" faster. If you find it fun, sure. For me, it's a bunch of possible drops left behind because no, all those adds don't pull up stairways and through some doorways anymore. And yes, I track that, I am the tank, it's my job to know where all those adds are.

Dont think she uses the forums nut nice to see a like minded person

TE_Noodlefox · July 2021

I definitely understand why people who have been playing for a long time and have done some of these dungeons many times might want to rush through quickly, skip enemies/bosses/mechanics where they can, but I personally hate that style of play in PUGs.

In almost every group I've had that tries this there's always at least one player who's new or isn't as confident or as skilled that ends up getting left behind and, having been that player myself, I know just how awful and unfun that can feel, even if someone stays behind with you and helps you try and catch up.

Not to mention that, for me personally, skipping actually makes the tedium of some dungeons worse. I find running through everything to be far more boring than just doing the fights and at least having the little thrill of pressing more buttons than just forward.

Inaya · July 2021

hcbigdogdoghc wrote: »

You know, stuff like running past 10 groups of add, rush to boss and let the 200+ adds run to you. Things that I know every other CP1000+ experienced tank do.

Sure I've been playing this game for years, but I don't have every add location and every corners of every dungeon memorized, being expected to do this especially in high dps groups is seriously a pain.

Even more irritating are the dps and healers that "does the tanking for me" by running ahead or aggroing additional add waves.

Maybe this is fun for dps/ healers but there's zero way chaining simulator online/stuck in combat online/getting cc'ed online is fun for me.

I still skip through sections in COA2 or RoM mind you, but I just hate being expected to know how to speedrun spindleclutch 1 with 3 pulls only.

You are exactly the kind of tank I prefer to run with

JanTanhide · July 2021

Nah, play as you wish. I don't skip anything including swimming across the lava in COA2. It takes longer to avoid the adds in COA2 than it does to just kill the Ads.

I never skip anything. Now if I'm running with friends or guildies and we are all in voice chat that is a different story. We don't skip anything but boy oh boy we do pulls to the bosses.

I especially like Darkshade Caverns 2 in Vet pulling everything in the area before the final boss fight. I go in there on my Tanks and pull em all. It's a rush. My Tanks survive that fight easily and never die in that fight. That is a rush!

But yeah, I agree with you. I don't skip anything nor do large pulls unless the group asks for it.

alberichtano · July 2021

hcbigdogdoghc wrote: »

You know, stuff like running past 10 groups of add, rush to boss and let the 200+ adds run to you. Things that I know every other CP1000+ experienced tank do.

Sure I've been playing this game for years, but I don't have every add location and every corners of every dungeon memorized, being expected to do this especially in high dps groups is seriously a pain.

Even more irritating are the dps and healers that "does the tanking for me" by running ahead or aggroing additional add waves.

Maybe this is fun for dps/ healers but there's zero way chaining simulator online/stuck in combat online/getting cc'ed online is fun for me.

I still skip through sections in COA2 or RoM mind you, but I just hate being expected to know how to speedrun spindleclutch 1 with 3 pulls only.

"Things that I know every other CP1000+ experienced tank do."

Nope. I do not, despite closing in on the 1800s. I hate speedrunning, I hate when DPS-ers just rush off with no concern for the rest of the group, as if it was some kind of race to finish first. No consideration for if someone is new to the dungeon, or if others perhaps do not have all CP focused on speed.

Sometimes, when I am in a mean mood, I wonder how these rushers perform in bed, if they are as focused on "fast and winning" with no care for the other party. ;-/

Zodiarkslayer · July 2021

As a tank, you are in the lead. You decide what to do. Pull, run or fight. It is your decision.
As long as a Tank keeps Aggro he is always right.

alberichtano · July 2021

B0SSzombie wrote: »

This is a not so great way to be a Tank.

Because there's always that ONE enemy you ran past that got stuck on a rock and you can't open a door because you still have aggro.

Especially in certain rat-infested sewer dungeons this is a huge problem. Often someone rushes in from the stairs-boss to the lich... and locks everyone else out in the process. Very uncharming, to be sure.

Agenericname · July 2021

I dont normally skip adds. In most cases Im there for certain achievements, specifically slayers, as well as the pledge. Thats not always the case, but usually is.

The last time vCoA2 was a pledge, we timed the run. All of the adds and HM was 18 minutes and some change. I think thats a reasonable amount of time. After what seems like hundreds of runs, I still dont have the flame attro slayer there.

In most cases its cleaner and hence faster if the tank pulls. Tightly packed adds boosts the group's damage, easier to apply certain buffs when everything bunched up, and less chance than someone dies.

Thats not normally the way it plays out, so I avoid PUGs for the most part.

amm7sb14_ESO · July 2021

I'm glad I read the OP, because I definitely misunderstood the subject line.

No, it does not make you a lesser tank. I don't skip trash pulls period, and while my own personal preferences are that I enjoy the larger pulls, and pulling multiple trash pulls together, or pulling them to the boss, it by no means makes another tank "lesser" because they don't do it. And to be truthful, I have only recently started doing the larger multiple pulls or pull to boss, and it's only in dungeons that I am more familiar with, and I also pay attention to the performance of my group leading up to it and make sure that it is a group that can handle it (if it's PUG's. If it is with my guild, then I know we can and I can call it out in Discord).

So don't worry. You tank your way, however is comfortable for you, and whatever you're good at. If someone else doesn't like how you're tanking, they always have the option of making their own tank to bring into a dungeon to tank how they want to.