The problem with having “Tank” as a class name

Hello all, I believe this discussion may have come up before, but I really would like Steven and friends to reconsider the name “Tank”. Overall, they have done a good job at naming the other classes and subclasses, but they ruin the immersion of the game by using the class name “tank”. Tank was a code name given to military vehicles being created in 1915. It has been a slang term for classes and archetypes in many video games given to the role that is used to absorb/mitigate or “tank” damage. Having a class name feels very uncharacteristic compared to the other class names. It’s like naming your cat “Cat”. It’s cute and punny, but is that what they really want for their game? What class do you play? Oh, I play a tank! Yea, but like what class? TANK!! *insert meme of a tank with a face on it... drooling*

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Ryufu

The Tank is actually called Guardian in this case.

Shoximity

Yea, the problem is that tank is used at all to begin with. The definition of “tank”is a military vehicle. We only know the slang meaning of the word as gamers because it’s what we use to define a specific role. They should use warrior or some other Base class name. Tank shouldn’t even be on the list.

Damokles

I vote for Warlord as a new name.

mcstackerson

How is this any different to names like summoner or fighter? Yes, those names have been used for classes in the past but isn't it a similar situation where a fighter is someone who fights and a summoner is someone who summoners?

Shoximity

I don’t know about you @mcstackerson, but I’ve never seen a class in my fantasy RPG games that rolls around and shoots artillery shells in my party of fighters, wizards, and healers.

Ryufu

Cripsus wrote: »

Yea, the problem is that tank is used at all to begin with. The definition of “tank”is a military vehicle. We only know the slang meaning of the word as gamers because it’s what we use to define a specific role. They should use warrior or some other Base class name. Tank shouldn’t even be on the list.

I can see that. Warrior is pretty basic. Might be just to assist the players to better choose their class with a name like Tank. They know what it is from the big class table.

Language is a funny thing. Tank means more than a military vehicle at this point. We know mages in WoW give out conjured water, so they get called vending machines.

Definitely could be a quick fix for them, but there is probably some rationale behind their choice. I wonder what happens when you target someone, will it say Tank or say their actual chosen class of Guardian, Keeper, Nightshield... I suppose that could break your immersion. Not sure if it is a big deal to me.

Beeper

This thread is silly.

Nagash

mcstackerson wrote: »

How is this any different to names like summoner or fighter? Yes, those names have been used for classes in the past but isn't it a similar situation where a fighter is someone who fights and a summoner is someone who summoners?

Spot on

daxiongmao87

Protector

Adlehyde

Agreed. The other archetype names are more or less generic, but are actual class names people are familiar with in other games. Admittedly Fighter as a class name is kinda only a thing in early FF games, (make it warrior or something) but Tank isn't even a class name in anything.

It should definitely be given a proper name. I think you actually steal Knight from Tank/Fighter and turn it into the Archetype, and then make Knight/Fighter into a Warlord.

Nagash

I like Sentinel as a name or Warden

mcstackerson

@Cripsus Yes, but as you said, in the context MMOs we have something else that we call Tanks which is what the tank is. In a MMO, a tank is not a vehicle and instead is a character that "tanks" damage.

Songcaller

daxiongmao87 wrote: »

Protector

Protector is a bad name. However, would love to kill people around the 'Protector' just to prove the point.

Shoximity

Protector would be a better name than tank, imo. The problem is that the term tank is and can be related to something completely different.

Songcaller

In the lore of Verra, Tank could mean 'One who tanks damage' rather than the real world's definition. Though at face value, a real life Tank does 'tank damage'. In terms of DPS a real Tank does more but we're talking definitions here.

Yuyukoyay

I think they should give him a cannon fire skill and then it'll be fine.

Shoximity

If we pull out the lore card for Verra, than it’s a lousy lame excuse and it acknowledges that there was an error and would rather cover it up. Would be cooler if they came up with a new term in Verra’s lore that means “to tank damage” than use an English slang word in modern day video games for “one that tanks damage”.

daxiongmao87

Brute
Shield.
Defender.

Idk

Shoximity

@Yuyukoyay this is the only acceptable fix/answer.

Songcaller

Steven has stated the class names won't change. I merely play devil's advocate and make plausible reasons for why one would choose Tank, albeit for a Primary Archetype which would be replaced when a Secondary Archetype is added.

Its like someone asking why a Blue Power Ranger is called Blue Ranger, or a Red Power Ranger being called Red Ranger...sometimes simplicities are best.

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