Guardians & Tanking in GeneralFollow

I cannot, in good conscience, answer the first or second part of your question as I have never played the other classes. I will try to give the best answer I can muster in regard to the third part.



Your actions directly affect a mob's hate toward your character. Multiple mobs that are not group-tagged must be targeted individually in order to taunt them. Your AoE taunts will not work on all of them at once. If someone in your group picks up unwanted aggro from a mob that happened to wander into range, your group member will have the hate, not you. If you want to establish hate, you will have to select that mob and start doing your taunts.



If the mob happens to be grouped, all others in that group initially will focus on your character. However, the mobs you are not attacking will eventually peel off and start attacking other members of your group as they see fit if you are not doing your AoE taunts. Hate is only bulit on the mob you are attacking at the time. Remember, the AI is more intelligent in this game. If a DPS class is assisting you and blasting away at the mob, his buddies will take exception and start attacking the DPS class. Same goes for a healer. It is also important to note, and I still believe this is correct, that damage shields applied to the Guardian via other classes actually add hate to the caster of the shield as opposed to the recipient.

The best way to handle groups as MT is somewhat complicated. First, make sure you are the aggitator. Allow the mobs a few seconds to beat on you, before your mates jump in, to establish some hate. Second, always, always, ALWAYS use your AoE taunts when available. Third, pick your defensive stance and stay with it. You are not the damage dealer. You are the meatshield. Bottom line. Let the classes do their jobs. I cannot stress this enough. Too many times I have been the Off tank, only to see the main tank start throwing blows instead of taking them. A group will stay alive if you do the same. Fourthly, keep a close eye on the health bar of your group members. If they start falling, you know a mob has directed its attention toward someone else.

There is a basic rule when picking a main tank class: If you enjoy not being able to relax in a battle, then a main tank is for you. If you would rather just click some buttons and throw a beat down then you are not meant to be a tank or a healer. Group battles are extremely hectic as the MT. You must be on constant vigil. You cannot take a moment off when you are in the midst of battle. If you can do all of these things and enjoy them, then you are set to be a tank.

I hope this helped a little bit. Good luck and enjoy whatever class you choose.