Aggro mechanics should be a coordinated effort with the Tank at the center, not just the Tank.

IMO, like the title says, I think aggro management should be a group project not just the Tanks job alone. Some examples:

1) If the DPS drops a huge nuke, or reaches a major damage spike in his rotation, he should know that unwanted attention is sure to come his way. He should have tools in his kit that allow him to coordinate with the tank (and the tanks tool kit) to shed the aggro. If this is ignored in a longer engagement it should result in issues for the party or a wipe. But it should be both parties engaged in this, not just the tank. Shedding aggro should be a part of the rotation. Also the tank should be required to have some situational awareness to know that action is about to be required.

2) Healers should be under constant threat of getting aggro and a majority of the tanking duties should be controlling the battlefield keeping them safe. The healer, in turn, should be aware of positioning, so the tank is able to respond to threats on them and they should know that large healing spikes will then need to be followed by some aggro mitigation (and again, should have the tools in their kit to do so).

Setting aggro up this way will make the longer engagements feel more natural. If I saw something constantly healing my direct opponent or felt the effects of a massive nuke I would instantly want those threats gone too. The immersion level of a fight goes through the roof if it at least delivers the illusion of a thinking opponent. The players satisfaction goes up just as much.

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Ludullu

Isn't this kinda how agro in most games works?

And as for ways to redirect agro onto the tank, I think that could be done through synergy abilities, and I, as a tank, would definitely like to see at least one of that ability with each archetype.

Azherae

NiKr wrote: »

Isn't this kinda how agro in most games works?

And as for ways to redirect agro onto the tank, I think that could be done through synergy abilities, and I, as a tank, would definitely like to see at least one of that ability with each archetype.

Looking forward to Flash-Shadowpin hate on you and running away from the boss like a madwoman in Alpha-2.

More seriously to the thread, @Diamaht, not sure if you meant to put this as feedback for the official thread or if you wanted to discuss it before doing so, but I bring the thread to your attention anyway just in case you like, hit New Discussion instead of Post or... something.

Many people have already given their opinions there, and we've had some other useful threads recently on the matter, in case you want to poke at those too.

My opinion of your perspective on this is 'yes'.

Diamaht

NiKr wrote: »

Isn't this kinda how agro in most games works?

That's really the issue, it doesn't. At least not recently.

Tanks just turn on tank mode, hit Taunt every once in a while or when new adds appear and that's it.

Its always far more about managing mechanics. The boss has a rotation that needs to be memorized and groups need manage their positioning to dodge. From an aggro standpoint its not about coordination, it's more about players individually maintaining their rotation while not getting caught in something.

As far as aggro, it's just about hitting a single button every once in a while, or perhaps the group version of the same button. Not very engaging and not at all group centered.

JamesSunderland

Seems like i was too spoiled by Lineage 2 in this regard, because i always expect that premise as a given, and fail to acknowledge that many MMORPGS(especially recent ones) even Archeage disregarded that aspect and made the mechanic irrelevant and overly simplistic.

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