Gar

Marks are tools for communication. In this game they are very useful. I've tanked in a boatload of other games, and this game's system is its own beast. You can't just go in, AoE taunt, and call it good. My rule of thumb is if I don't mark, I have to hold hate on everything. There are plenty of times when you just don't need to mark. When you're pulling three groups together, its not necessary. If someone gets weird about the tank marking, I don't feel like they understand the game system. We don't have time so sit and type out "Ok I'm gonna hit this one... then..." so its a quick tool for parties that are thrown together. If you're in voice chat with people, its real easy to coordinate without any of that. Its not a make or break thing, but with PUGs especially it keeps things running smoothly.

First, to the whole "Healer DPS" thing, I'm going to advocate more of the other side. I'm a full-time tank, and I have died because the healer chose to DPS then couldn't get me back up. (This is due to big pulls, I don't have crappy gear or anything) The most common I see is "Oh, I'll Holy until they're low then use Benediction." Dead. On a lot of pulls, yes, tanks take little damage and throwing in DPS is fine and hey makes it go a little quicker. But at the end of the day, DPS is not the healer's job. If I have PUG healers that don't DPS, its usually because they're still learning. This game has become needlessly hostile to people actually learning their roles who have the audacity to run without a full pre-made party. Not that I'm against healers ever throwing in DPS, I just don't really care how much they do it or not. But, back to the question of the original post, I can't really decide since the fights are so varied. Like people have said, some early dungeons you can get away with not having a tank. But you can do the same without a healer. Our healer d/c'd and I BLM Physick'd us through the dungeon. A lot of content can be out geared and out skilled without having to fit into the trinity. I think I would have to go with tank, though. The sole purpose being that I find it easier to invest in healers and teach them how to heal more efficiently. Healing isn't easier than tanking, or vice versa. In my experience it just seems harder to teach someone this game's aggro mechanics. I am constantly explaining to newer tanks that Provoke isn't an enmity boost that can be used alone, but most healers get the basic concept of their abilities even if they're bad. So tank, but barely.

I might not be adding anything new to the conversation, but I wanted to throw my thoughts in as well. I started XI:7 during the Beta of 2.0, and since then its been a giant dramatic mess after another. I completely understand your worry of what the people will do once they've left your group. Back in the day, I started the group without really knowing anyone previously. So I went out and tried to gather who I could and to help form the community at large. In the following months I learned the hard way all the lessons we're reading about here. It became exhausting how many people hated me because I had to remove them from the group for the good of the whole. I've had everything from juvenile sex slaves that made everyone uncomfortable to people who refused to voice their concerns with me or officers, but instead sabotaged the group from the inside. Its tiring. Its frustrating. Its enough to make you want to quit. But I'm so glad I never did. Today I have a group of very good and helpful people. I downsized to the people who wanted to be part of the group, and weren't those who sat around waiting for the group to serve them. Things have never been better. There was a general tension from before that's all but gone now. Its fun. No one is entitled to a community. It is a group of people with a common idea of acceptable behavior. There are consequences to every decision. If people choose to be hateful and aggressive, its only natural that they'll find themselves playing solo. You can't judge a group's success by their size. Most people who hold fond memories of groups are the smaller groups that they played an actual part in. Bigger groups can be successful, of course, but its harder for everyone to really have a place. So if leadership is stressing you out, it probably means you're the right one to do it. This community needs good leaders who are willing to take all the negativity onto themselves. If you call it for a while, no one's going to blame you. But as a fellow leader who's just trying to do the best he can for those in his care, I'm proud of the efforts you've made. There will always people out to get you, but just remember there are like-minded people out there, too. Keep your group how you want it, then come hang out with the other smaller groups like us! Anyways. I rant, and I apologize. This is a topic I'm very passionate about. Best of luck with your group. FFXIV, like all communities, has its problems, but its my favorite game in the world and I want to make it successful.

Hello RPC! XI:7's Coil Static is currently looking for a Melee DPS to fill our last spot. Monk or Dragoon, doesn't really matter. We run on Saturdays at 6 PST. Life happens, and we don't expect everyone to make it every single time, but we do need someone who can keep to a commitment and be there. Once we find our 8th, we'll be downing Turn 5 then going into the Second Coil of Bahamut. We're a bunch of RPers so we don't expect perfection, but we do expect everyone to be willing to learn and adapt to eventually down the fights. If you have more questions, feel free to post here or send me a message, or contact me in-game on Garryson Shipkeeper.

I'm tempted to go into the point that most relics aren't unique, but that's really not the point so I won't ramble. I just wanted to agree with Freelance in that you should just use whatever model you like. We're limited to what we can use. We yank what people can use for the game and use it for the world we immerse ourselves in. I might even go as far to say that someone assuming something about your character based on something they can see on your model is dangerous grounds. If someone comes waddling up and making a fuss about Curtana ICly or OOCly, you can just tell them its not Curtana, and if they continue after that then congratulations! You found an easy method of finding out who you probably don't wanna hang around with.

I read the first few posts and the last one, so I apologize if there was more in this thread that I'm not addressing... or something. But I sympathize with your plight. For whatever reasons, it can be hard to find good, solid RP in the community. I don't think its really anyone's fault, just a circumstance. I'm not 100% sure if my LS is what you are looking for, but I will offer it. My FC is a small RP group, and we're currently on the upswing of RPing more and having more IC stuff happening. Our OOC LS has us and a few friends and allies, and is used to find RP and dungeon buddies. You're more than welcome to come RP with us and have fun. I'd love to have some more dedicated RPers around. But in either case, I do hope you find some people to connect with. They are out there, I promise, the search can just be a little work.

Let me know if you'd like an invite to XI:7's LS. We actually bought a house in the same ward as you guys, so we've started RPing there more ourselves. I totally understand the whole RP hermit thing. While the game has been out a while, the RP community it still sort of settling and shifting. Its hard to figure out how to find more RP sometimes. But, once again, if you'd like to have some more people to interact with I gladly offer my group to ya. You can find me in game as Garryson Shipkeeper, or just drop me a line here.

The lore behind Warriors has actually been one of my favorites. Most people will focus on the berserk and bloodlust aspect of the Warrior, but the storyline was actually one of control. They fight like beasts, and harness a primalistic energy, but Warriors were supposed to strive for control of their inner beast. Losing control meant that you had to be taken care of. Because Warriors have been pretty scarce and just coming back into the scene again, I don't think much of the citizenry understands that Warriors aren't really supposed to turn and attack them. Even in the quest, some of the citizens that are being saved are like "F*** this, I'm outta here." So to me Warriors are a very interesting story of self mastery and control. Pushing base desires and emotions to the edge before they become harmful.

Welcome to Final Fantasy! I could be totally wrong, but it sounded like you wanted to make a Black Mage, but wanted to be clear she wasn't "evil." A lot of the jobs in this game have really interesting lore behind them. I won't tell you anything about the job quests, but I will say that although some people see thaumaturgy and black mages as dark, evil people, its really not always the case. They just use the aether to blow things up, as opposed to healing like conjurers and white mages. But the game's made it clear that even white mages used their magic for selfish gain, so really its all in the attitude of the holder. If that's not what you meant at all, ignore that. I just know its a little tricky when you're first coming in to get a sense of how everything fits in the lore. Heterochromia happens in Miqo'tes, and somewhere in the game text they mention something about them seeing it as a good thing. I'm sure someone knows better on that one, but point is it'd fully fit if your Miqo'te had mismatched eyes. And there are loads of Miqo'te of both tribes in Ul'dah, and really all the major city-states. A lot have gone away from traditional tribal life for a more city-oriented life. I hope you enjoy the game! If you need help with anything, really don't be afraid to ask. A lot of people, like me, sit around some days hoping someone needs help with PvE or RP or whatever. The community is pretty helpful as a whole. Your character sounds like she'll be fun to play. Maybe I'll run into you in Eorzea.

I very much feel where you're coming from. Its been a very unique experience trying to find a place in the RP community of this game. I think part of it is just because it takes time to form the RP "places." Yes, there's the Quicksand, but it leaves a bad taste in plenty of people's mouths. Hell, even trying to get in contact with other people or groups seems to be harder than usual. I made a post similar to this at one point, and never could get a hold of anyone who had responded so I just let it drop. So I'm not gonna drop an ad for my group or anything. If you want to meet my character or any of my friends ICly, let me know. I'd love to get to know your character. I miss getting to know the complexities of people's characters. But if we never do meet in the game, I seriously with you the best of luck. There's a lot of great times to be had in this game. Just gotta dig for 'em sometimes.

You won't go wrong with any of the options already mentioned, but thought I'd do my due diligence and offer my group, as well. XI:7 is a good-aligned corporation who uses its profits to rebuild Eorzea and bring about the Seventh Dawn. We're going through a bit of a rebuild, so our page on this site is out of date. Even if you find another FC, we have an OOC LS you're more than welcome to come join. We do a lot of random game content, whether its helping people level or getting people their relics. Good luck finding your group! I know it can be equally exciting and frustrating.

Warrior pulls from Gladiator and Pugilist. Provoke, if anything, is a mandatory cross-class. A lot of content requires you to either pull hate, or swap tanks which requires Provoke. Warriors basically have three combos: Heavy Swing>Skull Sunder>Butcher's Block (Enmity) Heavy Swing>Maim>Storm's Path (Lowers target's damage output) Heavy Swing>Maim>Storm's Eye (Lowers slashing resistance and healing) Its because Warriors don't HAVE to build enmity that sometimes you find Warriors with aggro issues. I suggest getting more intimate knowledge from those here who endgame Warriors more than I do, I just wanted to give you a couple basics. General rule of thumb, start out with Butcher's Block combo so you know that no one's going to pull off you. Once you have enough aggro, then you can play with the others. Lowering their damage output takes priority since you don't want to take damage, but if you have the time Storm's Eye can be nice since your self-heals will do more. (Bloodbath, Inner Beast, etc)

I had a big long response typed up, but then I read Merri's and decided to start over. In a nutshell, he's got it right. Warriors are viable for anything, you just have to put the work into knowing what you're doing. I hate to say it, but most times we get a PUG Warrior, my group groans. Its really easy to be a bad one, but being a good one is a beautiful thing. Having both a Paladin and a Warrior in a party really lets them synergize. I, personally, will always love Paladin. I don't find the fun of tanking in combos, but being an effective tank and keeping the battle running how I want. I will always truly believe Warrior was made to be an Off-Tank. And that's not a bad thing. Its for that reason that the two classes can merge together well. You're on the right track, though. You're asking questions about your class. Know your stuff, and you'll be just fine swinging that big 'ol axe around. Have fun!

Welcome to the game. MMO RP has always been a favorite of mine because I get to play dress up with my character on top of RPing. I lead an LS and a FC full of people who'd love to RP with you. I'll try and get a hold of you in-game. Let us know if you have questions or need anything. I know how daunting it is trying to step into a new community.

I almost tried to RP with you the other night, actually. Add me to the list of people, here. In fact, I'm going to be vulturing this thread to get a hold of some of the other people who are looking for more connections. See you in Eorzea.

Freelance is correct, XI:7 is doing both Crystal Tower and Binding Coil of Bahamut these days. If you'd like an invite to our OOC LS, let me know. The FC is RP, but the LS is just for chatting and setting up RP/PVE/etc. We are currently on Turn 4 ourselves. We're just sort of getting people geared up enough to tackle it at the moment. While a lot of us love doing end game stuff, we're not super in a rush to clear everything. In either case, hope you find more people to do what you're looking for! I've always been a big fan of endgame content alongside my RP, so I know why you'd want to look for a like minded company.

Thanks to everyone who's responded thus far. I'll be looking for you in-game to get something set up.

Hello RPC! Garryson here, leader of the XI:7 LS and FC. I hope everyone's been enjoying their Final Fantasy experience since launch. I hate to admit, but I haven't been checking this site much in the last couple of months. Since the launch of 2.1 I've been having fun with the new content and the Holidays (I figure real life can be okay from time to time, right?) My eyes are getting set back onto RP, and I realized... I'm not sure how to expand my and my group's RP horizons. So, my question is: Does anyone want to roleplay with us? Our storyline has us coming back to the city-states, and I figured it'd be the perfect time to get in contact with more RPers and get more things going. If you're looking for more RP, post your info here or send me a message. I look forward to meeting more of you out there and to get to know you better.

01/14/2014 Update: Put in some basic information for the new "Watcher" model. The Company's overall RP took a hiatus due to the Holidays, letting people live in the real world for a while. Now that the new year is here, we'll be redoubling our efforts to create RP and enjoy Eorzea to its fullest.

Before I say why I think Dragoons are viable, let me say that I agree with everything you've said. Its a tough life for a Melee DPS, but since 2.1 I honestly think its worth it if you can master it. In my own personal opinion, I think part of the stigma with Dragoon is just its player base. We all have seen the Derpgoons. Flocks of them flooding the queues in AF gear (Not inherently evil) then standing in every sort of mechanic that can and will hurt them. My main class is Paladin. That's where all my myth tomes have been going and it'll always be my first love. I've been working on getting relics for all my other DPS classes, and my Dragoon was my first DPS relic. (Point is, my opinion comes from a Relic/Full Darklight Dragoon and not any further) So anyways, I think they're perfectly viable. I won't go into all the encounters saying why they'd be good in each instance, so I'll just use an example from last night. We were tackling Titan HM to get some LS mates their relics. I was there as Black Mage (around i62, not horrible but not great). We couldn't get past the heart. So I said "Screw it" switched to Dragoon, and we got past the heart without needing to LB. This isn't to brag, I promise. I'm not some el1t3 uber DPSzorz. Its just to show how much more Dragoon was doing. Even though you have to move out of things, a lot of the time you're right there with him and not losing too much DPS. The casters are constantly having to break cast to pull up their skirts and run. Not only that, but the gaols were being broken much quicker. They've got some nice burst damage that can save some time in a pinch. Last thing I'll rant about is the LB. A single target LB is invaluable in A LOT of fights. Not only that, but with how the LB builds slower if you have more of the same classes, having a bunch of ranged isn't always the best choice. I wouldn't say this is the only reason to bring a melee along, but it still is an advantage they have. So, yes. Its going to be hard to master Dragoon. But I think that's part of the fun for me, at least. I love all my ranged DPS friends out there, but I love it when I out survive them as a Dragoon. Its possible. Its viable. They're a good class. Oh, and Monks don't always have the DPS advantage. In a lot of fights with mechanics, their Greased Lightning drops forcing them to rebuild it up. Their full potential isn't always able to be met. Sorry for the long post. As one who's constantly making fun of the Dragoon stereotype I thought I'd chime in. If you love it, play the hell out of it. You'll be pulling off more DPS than people expect you to.

11/17/2013 Update: Due to evolution of XI:7's story, the page has been completely re-hauled. Much more information will be added in the coming days. We found that our model and themes from before began to suffocate RP in the group. XI:7 had a large NPC power to pull from, so much was done off screen. It became easy for players to have no role in the company. So XI:7 has gone from a corporation to a relatively small band of heroes working to rebuild their power in order to change the world. With the new change, we will be reaching out to the larger community and especially to those who are in dire need of places to RP and people to RP with. XI:7's new base 7th Heaven will be turning into a RP destination for day to day RP. More information on our community efforts will be coming out shortly.

XI:7 present and accounted for. Going through some reforms, but still very much alive and well.

Hey there, just wanted to add my group to the consideration pool while you look around. I hope you find what you're looking for, I know I've had troubles in the past finding what suited me best. I am part of XI:7, A Shinra-esque company that has six Divisions (Trade and Manufacturing, Research and Development, Security, Intelligence, Medical, and Entertainment) The company basically earns profits through different means to funnel back into the betterment of Eorzea. We are also allied with two other Free Companies (Blades of Nald'thal and Mysterium) If people don't find a fit with us, I send them to those two next. Both are full of great people. If you want to check out our site, its at xi7.enjin.com Just let me know if you end up having questions or anything. But otherwise good luck in your search man!

Yeah I'm sure we'll do something similar again. We're hoping to eventually have our own little RP hub that we can host get togethers so people can meet other RPers and have some fun.

It looks awesome! Thank you so much!