Worst case is when you have one dps blasting single-target and one AoE nuking, you're stuck between two different types of tanking. This is how I deal with that scenario.
- Lob target1 while I'm running in
- Run in the middle of the pack
- Hit AoE macro twice in a row, which does Scorn (off GCD), then Flash (on GCD)
- Spirits (off GCD) and Fast Blade (on GCD) on target 1, then savage target 1
- The rest of the rotation is the 1/2/3 combos, but I will tab over to put the savage or halone on targets 2 then 3, then reverse savage and halone between them on the next cycle. Keeps hate even.
- I also mark mobs 2 and 3 the first time I tab to them, which is after we're engaged a few seconds. If it's a long run to the mobs i mark on the way. It's easy with keybinds.
- I usually do a Flash again after it wears on mob #1, just to keep the debuff up and boost hate some on mobs 2 and 3
When I started in AK I was vastly undergeared compared to the DPS I was with (mostly relic +1 and I had GC sword), and this worked pretty well. I finally got my titan kill on Monday so I'm all glowy now and clearly don't have to work as hard.
I Circle of scorn+Flash+Flash+Flash+Flash+Fast Blade+RiotBlade+Flash+FB+RB+Flash+CoS+Flash etc.
This is in WP.
Use Defensive abilities when appropriately.
I use RoH combo on gobbue, pudding, and tonberry boss. otherwise i don't touch it.
If i use the duty finder, all this shit goes out the window, and i use standard tanking techniques.
lmao exactly this though for all WP speed runs.
Flash will always be enough to hold hate for any number of mobs it can reach consistently. If like stated earlier you have one bursting down one mob, and one AoEing everything. you'll want to keep target on the bursted target Flash > CoS > Flash > SW > Flash > Flash > judge how the bursted mob is handled with hate > Fast blade > Riot OR Rage of Halone combo depending on Bursted mob > Flash > Flash
Honestly 2 Halone combos should be enough for any mob, one will be plenty if you're flashing everything, and if he's not dead by then your DPS isn't heavy enough to be doing what they're doing and you need to slow it down. I had this issue when I did Speed runs in WP with a BLM and a DRG. DRG would burst down one at a time, and the BLM would hit everything.
Thanks for this info! I started doing WP runs on my PLD and had to figure out something similar for myself.. all the random people I'd pick up kept telling me to spam flash which became obvious that it wasn't solid advice. On comfortable parties I pretty much do as you described flashes and riot blades, on less comfy parties it seems like I can aoe tank normally and the dps is not fast enough to pull much off intermittent flashing combined with Halone combos.
There are 2 things that I've found that fuck up Flash spam for holding AOE threat. The first is when one of your DPS is AOEing and the other is Single-Target. Flash isn't likely to hold threat on that single mob, and that DPS is going to end up tanking it if you don't Halone-Combo it. Of course, if you DO Halone combo it, then your AOE DPS is going to overtake the Flashes you've already dropped, and they are going to die very quickly. If both DPS are good, then you can't hold both types of threat at the same time for any significant duration (at least, I can't, it simply takes more GCDs than I have). If I were forced into it, however, then I suppose my best chance would be alternating between Flash and Halone-only (without combo), and have Cover ready for if either of these isn't enough.
The other issue is when there is too large of a gap between the 2 AOE DPS. If you think of a mob's HP as it's maximum potential Damage Enmity, then it's easiest to hold hate when your DPS are splitting it 50/50. If one of your DPS is doing most of the damage, however, then you might simply not have enough CoS and Flashes to hold them. It's the same principle with solo healing an 8man group. It can be difficult to hold 2 Healer's worth of Enmity on one guy without killing himself, especially if there are multiple mobs involved (it's why solo-healing CM was such a pain in the ass). The Enmity splitting concept is also why it's good practice for WHMs to contribute a Holy or 3 to the pull. If they can take 10-20% off the mob's HP bars, then the DPS has that much less threat to potentially pull.
Just a quick question are pld able to stack defensive abilities like rampart + sentinel to get 80% dmg reduction?
I think they do, what I tend to do is use rampart with foresight and Convalesence. For Sentinel I pair that with Bloodbath, probably a much better way to do it but that seems to work for me.
Edit: This is for normal dungeons, not had the pleasure of tanking anything really difficult yet.
They are stackable for sure but I haven't done the testing to see if it is additive or multiplicative. I would assume the latter.
Some people I know were having questions on optimal agro management in Turn 4 so I might as well post my rotations in there here
MT perspective
Phase 1: lol
Phase 2: NW Knight+Soldier
Prep SB/RoH from bugs -> Flash -> CoS > RoH Knight -> SW Knight -> Flash -> Flash -> FB Knight -> SB Knight -> RoH Soldier -> Flash (Knight dies usually here) -> Normal rotation on Soldier
Phase 3: Dreadnaught
If the Soldier is still alive, prep RoH, start with RoH + CoS + SW -> Rampart -> Normal rotation - > Convalescence/Bulwark after Rampart wears
Phase 4: Rooks, Bugs
CoS + Flash + SW Rook + Flash > Normal rotation on Rook, LoS Pox
Phase 5: Dreadnaught
Shield Lob from middle if out of position + CoS + FB + SW -> Same as P3
Phase 6: 2x Dreadnaught
This is where it changes a bit every time but what has worked best for me is
CoS + Flash -> RoH new Dreadnaught + Hallowed Ground -> Rotation -> Switch target, rotation -> Sentinel - > Continue switching targets back and forth - > Bulwark+Rampart+Convalescence -> Sacred Soil (SCH needs to be told to do this) -> The old Dreadnaught really needs to die around this point -> ??? -> Loot
Anyone else's input would be nice, I know I'm not optimal here. I don't have a shitload of runs under my belt. It does work though.