Inside any conventional Remaining Fantasy XIV social gathering, there are three roles to fill: one Tank, one Healer, and two DPS in a light-weight social gathering or double that in 8-man teams. For a very long time, I checked that final field as a strictly DPS-only participant. It wasn’t till years into my adventures that I’d stray from my consolation zone, thrust headfirst into tanking.

I’ll always remember my first correct tanking expertise in FFXIV. My FC (Free Firm) mates on the time, whom I’ll actually by no means forgive however all the time be grateful to, insisted I give the function a attempt. They promised to go simple on me and promised I’d be tremendous. Reluctantly, I agreed. I used to be amongst associates; it couldn’t be that dangerous, proper?

Fallacious. However earlier than we get into that, let me clarify one thing. I had tanked earlier than, however by no means with precise folks. I’d clawed my means by the degrees utilizing Responsibility Help and a seemingly endless record of aspect quests and, ultimately, by avoiding folks in Eureka, the Bozjan Southern Entrance, and Zadnor. My Tank Job, a Paladin on the time, sat comfortably at degree 80, and I used to be completely satisfied by no means to by no means reprise the function till the decision of peer stress.

Then, the chief of our ready-made mild social gathering dropped us instantly into Paglth’an. Actually, it’s certainly one of my favourite dungeons of all time now, however again then it was a horrifying hellscape that I used to be fairly completely satisfied by no means to go to once more. After I inform you that I tanked that dungeon whereas screaming each internally and externally, shaking like a leaf and nearly hyperventilating, I’m not exaggerating. It was, in equal measure, probably the most enlightening and terrifying expertise I’ve ever had in FFXIV. I used to be horrified on the considered main the social gathering in that means.

For some time, I refused to leap again onto Paladin. I by no means needed what felt like a lot accountability once more, a minimum of not with different individuals who would wish to endure by my errors. However then I noticed the blasted Amaro mount, the reward for reaching degree 80 in every class. 

The Amaro is, to this present day, my favourite mount. I name mine X-Wing and it ties me irrevocably to the one primary story character who has touched me most deeply in my journey all through Eorzea — Ardbert.

So, in fact, I needed to have it, and that meant I had no various however to choose up a sword, axe, and gunbladeto get there. This was the beginning of my deep dive into tanking, and thru this, I’ve grow to be a tank primary. I overcame that depressing tanking anxiousness, and it wasn’t simple, however it’s taught me a lot. Principally because of X-Wing, however helped alongside by the tank titles and rewards. They gave me one thing purposeful, one thing actionable I may work towards to really feel slightly happy with the newborn steps there.

I threw myself in with full pressure, studying a laundry record of vital MMO expertise — just like the significance of frank communication. I misplaced depend of the variety of instances I instantly introduced that I used to be new to an occasion, asking for slightly endurance and charm. Typically folks simply dropped with out saying a phrase, which I understood to imply they didn’t need to play with a rookie tank. I can’t say I didn’t take it personally at instances, however I pulled up my pants and gave myself a pep speak whereas we waited for a alternative.

More often than not, although, folks have been unbelievably understanding. They’d give suggestions, inform me I used to be doing a superb job, and assist me alongside the best way. It’s this sort of behaviour that saved me going. It’s additionally this sort of behaviour that drove me to grow to be a mentor, to assist others with those self same anxieties.

After I met my fiancé, I strove to assist him attempt different roles one and solely Job — Summoner. Not towards his will, I ought to add. Summoner had simply been fully overhauled with the Endwalker growth, and he was complaining that he was bored. After my very own experiences, I used to be already getting a knack for educating, and now he’s received a full roster of degree 90 jobs, together with Tanks, and mains Healer. Sure, we’re the dreaded healer-tank couple, however attempt to not choose us for it. 

That was two and a half years in the past, and it’s laborious to imagine it’s been that lengthy since Endwalker dropped. However now right here I’m, a Darkish Knight primary, and I can’t DPS with out losing interest. After all, I’m going to degree all the pieces after Dawntrail releases, however I’ll all the time return to tanking. 

Tanking did greater than train me a brand new function, too. It gave me perspective on fights I didn’t have earlier than. I get why and when a Tank will transfer so early in some boss fights, so it doesn’t catch me off guard. I see the significance of a wall-to-wall pull in sure dungeons and the way a lot time the DPS need to mild the mob up earlier than, effectively, the mob lights the tank up.

That’s to not say that I’m an ideal Tank. I’m fairly removed from excellent. I overlook my tank stance greater than I’d prefer to admit, I nonetheless handle to lose aggro on stragglers in an enormous pull, and I nonetheless get slightly aggravated after I’m watching the opposite Tanks battle it out for aggro throughout an Alliance Raid, however I’ve realized to not take it too significantly. 

What’s the worst that may occur? We wipe? That’s not so dangerous. If another person needs aggro in an Alliance Raid, I’m completely satisfied to provide it to them and switch myself right into a blue DPS. If I overlook to activate my Tank stance, I snigger it off and ship a fast “effectively that might have gone higher” in chat. Humor helps, and folks appear to understand it. 

Consider me, I understand how petrifying Tank anxiousness, or anxiousness over any function, might be. Even when it’s not within the Job description, your social gathering typically seems to be to you as a de facto chief, and that comes with stress. However should you’re uncertain about it, or really feel like you’ll be able to’t do it, I’m right here to inform you which you could. It could not come simply at first, however speaking your fears and inexperience is a part of venturing out of your consolation zone on a brand new Job. Giggle it off; persons are, normally, extra understanding than you suppose. Give it just a few runs, and I promise you’ll not solely be a greater participant for it, however perhaps you’ll decide up a brand new primary Job, too.