I only ask this because I ran across this thread in the class forums:

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=741869

 

I recently came back to the game. Currently leveling an operative (because I keep hearing it's the best story in the game), but I'm almost done, and my next step was GOING to be an assassin tank (currently have one at level 34, my first alt from when I played at launch). Already have a 55 vanguard (who has some pvp gear from my last bout of SW:TOR) and 51 juggernaut (just stopped him after I finished the Chapter 3 story). I was going to use the assassin to pug Ops and FPs at first, but ultimately maybe look for an endgame raiding guild. As someone who raided hardcore in WoW as a monk tank, I was looking forward to always being needed, but this thread paints a fairly grim picture, that aside from leveling all I'll be able to do is Ops with an established group. I was hoping that the tanks in this forum could enlighten me to the true state of the end-game situation, and maybe pass along some tips?

Edited July 16, 2014 by xyrmagus

I only ask this because I ran across this thread in the class forums:

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=741869

 

I recently came back to the game. Currently leveling an operative (because I keep hearing it's the best story in the game), but I'm almost done, and my next step was GOING to be an assassin tank (currently have one at level 34, my first alt from when I played at launch). Already have a 55 vanguard (who has some pvp gear from my last bout of SW:TOR) and 51 juggernaut (just stopped him after I finished the Chapter 3 story). I was going to use the assassin to pug Ops and FPs at first, but ultimately maybe look for an endgame raiding guild. As someone who raided hardcore in WoW as a monk tank, I was looking forward to always being needed, but this thread paints a fairly grim picture, that aside from leveling all I'll be able to do is Ops with an established group. I was hoping that the tanks in this forum could enlighten me to the true state of the end-game situation, and maybe pass along some tips?

 

That thread is false. All HM FPs require a tank. It is possible to completely overgear the HM FPs, but 90% of the time a group finder pug isn't going to be smart or geared enough and needs a tank to take them through.

 

As for operations, all current lvl 55 Operations require 2 tanks because of mechanics. So rest assured, you will still be in demand at lvl 55.

 

For lvl 55 PvP tanks are also useful, though Powertech or Juggernaut are preferred because of their group utility.

There actually seems to be extreme tank shortage in lower tier of FP's and ops. I have been begged to tank a FP and offered money even at some point. Also I know at least of one pretty good end game guild that only has 3 tanks capable of high end content. To be fair my guild has to plan progression around tank availability as well.

I only ask this because I ran across this thread in the class forums:

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=741869

 

I recently came back to the game. Currently leveling an operative (because I keep hearing it's the best story in the game), but I'm almost done, and my next step was GOING to be an assassin tank (currently have one at level 34, my first alt from when I played at launch). Already have a 55 vanguard (who has some pvp gear from my last bout of SW:TOR) and 51 juggernaut (just stopped him after I finished the Chapter 3 story). I was going to use the assassin to pug Ops and FPs at first, but ultimately maybe look for an endgame raiding guild. As someone who raided hardcore in WoW as a monk tank, I was looking forward to always being needed, but this thread paints a fairly grim picture, that aside from leveling all I'll be able to do is Ops with an established group. I was hoping that the tanks in this forum could enlighten me to the true state of the end-game situation, and maybe pass along some tips?

 

That thread was silly. In PVP, tanks are less suited for Arena than they are for war zones (although exceptional players still continue to do well), and the two latest flash points don't have 55 hard mode versions available yet. Using that as his basis, the OP decided that E/A was going to remove tanking from the game.

 

Pretty unlikely.

My 2cents as a player with a main as a tank;

You are always needed. That topic seems to me to speak more about PvP. Yeah sure I will be the first to admit that I know nothing about PvP, not my thing. But I can see the appeal to bring 6 Dps and 2 healers vs 2 tanks, 4 Dps, and 2 healers. Especially since taunts work fine for DPs classes with them to reduce outgoing damage to others.

 

But from a PvE sense?

Tanks will always be needed. Dps have no mitigation stats at all, so they will take the full brunt of a boss' damage. Since the poster of that topic is a tank himself, he may be thinking that this damage is what a Dps would take to? Highly doubt it, and I highly hope not as I only semi-read the topic, but would reflect really badly on him and call the whole topic into question.

And his comment about raid groups making their raid around a tank(s) schedule. Not all groups are like this, but when you get a seriously good tank... Like a tank that can be half asleep during NiM Council or NiM Brontes (2 of the harder fights in the game IMO) and make the fight seem like its a joke? Yeah. You WANT to raid with them as your tank. So if the choice is moving raid night to a Wednesday over a Thesday so you can get your stellar tank and not take a chance with a PuG tank that might be completely pathetic by comparison? Many go with moving raid night. Hell my guild just did this last week, we used our Optional/Alt night (Thursday) as a main group raid night so we could not have to cut our normal raid time an hour early as my cotank had a flight the next morning. What happened? We kicked butt and took names dropping 2 bosses for the first time on NiM in DP. Would that have happened without my cotank? Maybe, but it would have been a huge gamble as the tank we would have been with may not be one we know at all.

 

 

So my conclusion;

Tanks = always needed in swtor.

Edited July 16, 2014 by ZentheSecond