hmmm what makes us choose PLD

[Kurb]

During my long absence i pondered the above question and discussed it with my LS upon my return...But due to recent developments bothe irl and in game it got me wondering ..again.

I origionally believed that a pld player was one who had a certain mind set.
i.e. take on the mob and protect the party at all costs

But while lvling WHM/BLM to tele status I realised in fact the opposite was true.Most of the Paladins i have partied with on whm seem to shy away from danger.
UPDATED:
In qufim one such PLD (lvl22)Stated that he wouldn't tank a Giant or pug because there was no WHM and suggested to the leader that we chain crabs.
After a lecture from a lvl 55 pld<ME> about how we could do it and live with this party set up he dc'd
Then we went and found a war/mnk also lvl22 and we then took out as many giants and when pickings were slim we took out the occasional crab

once most of us were at 23 we went to pugs and killed untill links became a concern then we went to the tower

So i guess I'll have to come up with a new therory.... since the personality theory was a bust

[Eohmer]

I origionally believed that a pld player was one who had a certain mind set.
i.e. take on the mob and protect the party at all costs

But while lvling WHM/BLM to tele status I realised in fact the opposite was true.Most of the Paladins i have partied with on whm seem to shy away from danger.

In qufim one such PLD Stated that he wouldn't tank a Giant or pug because there was no WHM and suggested to the leader that we chain crabs.


Sounds like he WAS protecting the party by not letting them risk death at the hands of a Giant.

You don't necessarily have to fight to protect someone.

[Davitron3000]

I agree, he was suggesting a better alternative to the party wiping and getting no experience. Being a good Paladin sometimes requires that you know your limits, and a dead Paladin has way more trouble protecting the party than one that is not dead.

[Kurb]

Being a good Paladin sometimes requires that you know your limits, and a dead Paladin has way more trouble protecting the party than one that is not dead.

This is true......

[Emurei]

Depends what level was he? I've successfully tanked Giants and Pugs at level 21 no PL and we were chaining 4-5 easy.... and it was funnier when I told them to pull the wrights during the night time lolz alot of O_o "r u crazy?" though I had the best gear a PLD can buy at that level. I should go level PLD again had a blast doing it.

Guess as a PLD I love the thrill of a challenge :o

[Armando]

I play Paladin for its "flavor" as a job, its power, and its control. I have a thing for Holy Knights (especially since FFT.) Also, Paladin is a job that while it doesn't appear to be very powerful on the surface, is a solid, no-nonsense melee. It's not really a matter of wether I like blink tanking or not, but I prefer blood tanking to evasion tanking and blink tanking, simply because it's not situational protection. And, as for control, well...aside from the backline jobs, the tank is the one that controls the flow of battle the most. I enjoy DD'ing, but I enjoy neutralizing the threat of the mob by mitigating damage well and keeping it firmly on me so much more.

And, yes, the PLD may have been doing what's best for the party. Personally, I don't shy away from dangerous mobs if we have proper support (Spiders, Raptors, you name it) but I also try to dissuade the party from overhunting very slowly. Not only is it less fun (with everyone's performance being significantly lower) but it's also more dangerous, and generally results in less EXP/hour even when noone dies. It all really depends on wether the party was capable of taking them and he was just scared of tanking them, or wether he felt the party wasn't prepared for those mobs.

[Kurb]

hmmm very good points and an even better signiture for a White Mage from
Eohmer
You don't necessarily have to fight to protect someone.
^^ NICE^^

[Aeolus]

After a lecture from a lvl 55 pld and tips he dc'd ...hmmm


Your lv55 Pld and still dont have the PTs best intrests in mind, you sound like dieing for the PT makes you a better Pld when in fact avoiding the situation in the first place would be far better for your PT.

[Kurb]

k i seem to be taking a lot of unnecesary heat for this so i am going to TRY and keep the update to this post as shortand as clear as possible we all know how i tend to ramble on and strain your eyes
you sound like dieing for the PT makes you a better Pld when in fact avoiding the situation in the first place would be far better for your PT.

Nobody likes dieing but I dont mind dieing if it saves the party.Obviously I'm not going to let people pull stuff that will kill half or all of the party and in the past i actually booted a thf from the party before the mob attacked
K update done.. hope it convinces people i am sane

[Celeal]

Actual, I do agree with the OP:
"Take on the mob and protect the party at all costs"

However, I don't mean to always take on the mob by PLD himself all time. If getting all the mob's attention is for the best of the party, then I would try to get all the mobs attention. If there are melee /nin in the party, I may use his shadows to conserve MP. If there is SATA WS for closing SC or hate control, I would use it as well. Also be honest with the limitation too. If I think the party has issue xp on certain mobs, I would let the party know.

Besides tanking technique, a PLD should have art in his skill.

[Jarre]

why did I choose Paladin? well i like tanking and as a Galka and my charcters name "Brick s House" tanking is in my blood. A war tank doesn;t have as much defense and less hate snatching tactics and Ninja is overated and too weak on defense especially against double attacking mobs, 1,2 there goes shadows and now your vunrable. I love my paladin and since I have got flash I have improved my hate keeping tactics to an extent that mages can cure 3 and curaga and blm's nuke like hell and I still keep hate.

Provoke, flash, sentinal, provoke, flash and keep swinging while keeping myself alive with cure II's and III's when required which also keeps the hate.

[Kurb]

WOW Brick house nice

[Jarre]

Not forgetting auto refresh now at lvl 35, helps a low Mp race like Galka alot. I use fasting ring and RSE hands to get a decent MP boost to match most humes and mithras, its nearly up to taru Mp standard.

[Vair]

To the OP:

Well, it's true that some, make that most, PLDs will shy away from danger, but not all of us.

In my opinion PLD is a path that can lead a true heroic persona down a path of enlightenment. This can apply for real life as well. When you think about it this game is the closest that most of us will get to being heroes, which most males seek to be in some form. I'm sure that most of us have felt the urge to fight for some cause at some point in life; to fight for somthing greater than ourselves. What personifies this feeling more than PLD? I have put aside all fear (especially fear of de-leveling. It's just a game after all) and do what ever it takes to keep my party alive. Just last night, I was in Caedervia Mire and my healer went away. At level 67 the flies there can pack quite a punch. With the healer gone, everyone else out of MP, and the fly strikeing me down into the red pretty quickly, I did not surrender until I fell. ~.^ b

Anyways, I choose PLD becuase I live my life by this motto, "Live your life, fear nothing. Look into the sky and be truely glorious."

Hope that helps at all.

[DrivenTooFar]

I also picked Paladin because I like to tank. Also like Armando has stated, it is not situational tanking. You are pretty much a brick wall all of the time.

One of the reasons I like it is because of the fact that I can protect others. I don't care about killing the enemy myself, I just want to be able to make sure no one has to worry about getting hurt besides me.

I can't remember what I was tanking at 22 but at any level I always make sure to check what is the best for my party. I am usually not concerned with dying (mainly because I always have an awesome Whm by my side) but if the kill is taking to long then it is inefficient. I would have tried one if my party was compentent enough and I would have asessed the situation from there.

[dirtyclown]

I chose Paladin because I like tanking. I played RO before FFXI, and I managed to make both a Knight and a Crusader. Two tanks, but vastly different tanking style. Anyway, Paladin to me is one of the best jobs because it keeps me busy and gives me something to do in a party. I started playing as a Monk, and well...Yeah. Autopilot 90% of the time. >.>

OP, your tank was a wuss. Giants in Qufim aren't hard to tank or scary by any means, and at that level a Red mage can heal just as good as a White mage. However, I would have agreed with his reasoning that chaining crabs would be faster over time, depending on how many parties are around. Basically I'd go along with it but call him a wuss in my head and laugh to myself.

A good Paladin does not seek death. A good Paladin waits for death to visit and then proceeds to laugh in it's face like a maniac.

[Empedocles]

I originally wanted to be a Samurai, probably because I like the Tachi style Katanas... I leveled it to 15 and then I opened the Paladin job, (was unlocking all jobs at that time on my 32WAR) and decided to give it a go.

The first time I intimidated a Skeleton in the ruins under Saruta (forgotten how to spell it) I actually said "woot" (I know it's lame :huh: ) and then I level'd it some more... and came to enjoy it.

As time wore on, I came to enjoy it more and more and my SAM is still at 15. :biggrin:

As to why I enjoy PLD so much? No clue. Perhaps it is the Gallant and Valor equipment. Perhaps it's the "War of Attrition" thing Paladins have going for them in FFXI. Perhaps it's the whole "Serve others and not Yourself" mentality. Perhaps it's the White Magic Spells Raise, Cure, and Protect without the clutter of others...

Maybe it's all of the above? :thumbsup:

Edit: I also love swords. Yay yay Bayard's.

[Kurb]

A good Paladin does not seek death. A good Paladin waits for death to visit and then proceeds to laugh in it's face like a maniac.

lol yes I have a lot of experience in that matter mainly laughing as the puller tries to zone a link or when tour 1 mob away from your lvl and you die.
Or my personal fav your first party in ages and you dc.
SOMETIMES ALL I CAN DO IS LAUGH

[Lmnop]

I have a thing for Holy Knights (especially since FFT.)

Yeah. We know. Play Vagrant Story, there's a nice little reference to Agrias in it...
Actually, it's just your type of game. So play it twice.

I think in my understanding, there are 2 types of PLD:

The Air-headed and the Gallant.

Some play the job because... I don't know why. I know that all humans have a very appreciable point of view and reason for doing what they do, but many players (of all jobs) completely elude me. I have no idea wtf they're thinking when they decide not curing themselves is a good idea. Or why they LOVE paladin so much but truely and seriously fear death (you get a bad pull the moment the mob turns on the blm, the PLD books it for zone??!??).

But I think every good PLD I've ever partied with probably had that desire to help the party. Even my asshole friend that started PLD when he got tired of DRG (lack of) partying really likes PLD and enjoys his purpose within the party. I think it's pretty safe to assume that he likes being "the one with the courage to voke."

[lionx]

Well i would like to say that no one likes to die in general, but if the party isnt stupid in general...then dying for the team is totally a-ok with me. Its just that...outside the exp loss/time wasted which is annoying....the most bad thing about dying sometimes is that...when you die for something stupid because your party is stupid, especially multiple deaths, its going to annoy the $#@% off of you. Thats one of the only things i really hate about dying in this game, and because you are a PLD you die first...

I picked WHM first, its still kinda most like me, healer, protector of the party, however it is also the same for the PLD, except that they are in the front lines. I like being a holy class, to protect, and i guess irl i like to be able to do those things as well, so thats a major draw to me.

Other reasons are that they both use White Magic which are so useful yet overlooked by many flashier spells of offense, PLD uses Swords/WHM uses hammers AND a shield..which i thought was SO cool. I also like being a pivotal party member where i can see myself influencing the party in a huge way...unlike when i lvled MNK i was bored out of my mind. I like being THE tank that was to protect...unlike NIN where you just hide behind shadows...

One of my favorites though is (especially being a taru) tell stories of how you die to my friends, those are gonna be some laughable stuff...all your one-shot kills, your struggle to the death, and the deaths i am so going to get if i am going end-game...X3 Now thats fun stuff...

[heero79]

Well i chose it cos i was going to go drg but decided that pld be better to lvl up first after a longn brake i have come back and i still stand for the blefe that i would rather i died that any oe else in my team i always put my team before my life like last night i tanked 3 monsters just to let every one run away a tank is what i meant to be and that what i am pure to the core

[Kurb]

/cheer reminds me of when i was lvling in the dunes pug killed me hp to the outpost back into the frey died again......and again and again till all the party ran off

[PTT]

Cecil Harvey made me choose Paladin - the hero from Final Fantasy IV, who started along the dark path, repented of his sins, and became the light of justice for his world.

When my friends and I got the game, we had all pre-picked out our jobs, races, character names, the whole deal. Of course, like with most pre-planning, it just doesn't go like we thought it would. The one who was so gung-ho about being a Galka Monk left his job in the dust, and now plays a Galka Summoner, BlackMage, Blue Mage, and Puppetmaster. The one who was thinking of a Hume Warrior now blasts everything as a TaruTaru Blackmage.

As for me? I had my heart set on being an Elvaan Redmage, in homage to Final Fantasy 1's redmage (my favorite class from that game). Well, I got the Elvaan part down, but I had gotten it in my head that in playing a spellcasting class, that spells were pretty expensive, so I'd level up Warrior first to be able to farm for a spell fund.

So, a bunch of levels of Monk later (my to-be subjob, back when /MNK was the standard, not the exception), I took Warrior all the way to 40, and started unlocking all the subjobs I could. I didn't really have the drive to switch over to RDM like I did before, and that's when my Galka friend points out how much I loved FFIV and Cecil, and how as a WAR I had tanking experience.

I don't know what to say, everything just clicked. I enjoyed protecting my party, I loved the whole gallant knight role, I loved our 'look,' especially in AF. I shot up to 40 in the blink of an eye, and continued strong straight into the upper 70's. I had a purpose, and it seemed I was a natural.

I've yet to duplicate this out-of-nowhere drive for levelling or ability with any other job. WAR still sits at 40, and everything else is 14'ish, with RDM at 29, and WHM at 33-4.

I guess I just am what I am, and that's the Elf in the platemail.

[SamuiFuyu]

I started out a DRG. It's why I started playing FFXI in the first place. But i've always loved Knight's. And nothing is more Knightly then PLD. I didn't start out with it because I didn't feel I had what it took to do the job well. Always fearing I would end up killing the party, being a more immportant job and deciding factor in party survivability. But while lvling WAR for a subjob, I found I was tanking anyway. And found myself dead for the party on many occasions. I never had a problem dieing. And felt pretty good when I was saving others.
So now, I just casually xp on PLD as my second job to 75.

Oh, and the AF looks great. Probably the best looking armor in the game IMO.

[WishMaster3K]

RDM AF is the best looking armor in the game.

I choose to raise PLD because it seemed AWESOME as a subjob. Once SE bestowed Auto-Refresh and Shield Mastery, I was sold.

It was initially a choice because there is no way on this planet that I could cap Shield and Parry as a RDM in a timely manner. So... I decided to raise PLD and knock out two bird in one stone.

Oh, I also wanted all that cool gear like Crimson, you know: The stuff they give to PLDs that they honestly have no real need for? Yeah, that gear. I wanted it as a Red Mage.

But honestly, once I started playing the job, I had so much FUN. I LOVE MicroManagement. Timing of spells, spamming hate, taking pleasure in having melees go all out and not stripping hate (except for those effin Dark Knights. They are the friggin Enmity whores....).

PLD to me is an easy transition from RDM, especially since I've been doing a lot of soloing in my RDM Career.

I'm level 38 right now, but after I finish up some subjobs, I plan on having PLD as one of the jobs I'll take to 75.

[lionx]

Hey...Crimson pants help when kiting..>_>;;...

[WishMaster3K]

Yes because as all of us greedy people know, PLDs are definately the ones that should be kiting, especially when Kirin has En-Bind and all those other fantastical moves that can be absorbed by shadows.

Honestly, with more enmity at thier disposal, WAR/NINs are better kiters. But that's besides the point.

I was being sarcastic, cause I don't blame anyone who wants the Crimson Pants... they're friggin awesome. But at least be truthful about it.

Saying, "I need it for kiting" is a lame excuse. I told my LS that I wanted them cause, "running around faster is Pro-Leet." And hey, I'm not too far down that list :P

[lionx]

o_O....um i think you need to read the part where you said sarcastic, i was only half joking, NINs and WAR/NINs are better kiters, but PLD could still do it in a pinch. I dont think i said "need" anywhere...chill man.. @@

[Davitron3000]

Yes because as all of us greedy people know, PLDs are definately the ones that should be kiting, especially when Kirin has En-Bind and all those other fantastical moves that can be absorbed by shadows.
Honestly, with more enmity at thier disposal, WAR/NINs are better kiters. But that's besides the point.
I was being sarcastic, cause I don't blame anyone who wants the Crimson Pants... they're friggin awesome. But at least be truthful about it.
Saying, "I need it for kiting" is a lame excuse. I told my LS that I wanted them cause, "running around faster is Pro-Leet." And hey, I'm not too far down that list :P

The truth is that Paladins are great kiters and that Crimson Pants should go to them because it will be in the best interest of your Linkshell. They do help Paladins to kite and giving them to a Redmage so they can run around faster instead of giving them to a Paladin would be a mistake in my opinion. I definitely don't think that War/nin are better kiters. (they both can do a great job) Also, Ninja can be great kiters, but one thing to think about is that with Fast Pants, a Paladin has a movement boost all of the time and Ninja will have a movement boost only at night.

I suppose for an LS it comes down to if they create job priorities for Abjurations. Give it to a Paladin and increase the abilities of one of your tanks to kite? or help a Redmage run faster to the AH. The choice is pretty clear to me. Note: I am not saying don't let Redmages have it, I just think the item is more useful on Paladins.

[WishMaster3K]

Either way, I'm going to have capped Shield and Parry.

Oh and Divine. Flash is such a fun spell, it can make Whirl of Rage a total Whif-Fest.

Who was a PLD before Auto-Refresh? I don't think I could have done that...

[Armando]

Well, I was 52 when Auto Refresh and Shield Mastery came out. It wasn't bad at all (but then again I drank Pineapple juices practically non-stop) but the patch made it soooo much more awesome.Yeah. We know. Play Vagrant Story, there's a nice little reference to Agrias in it...

Actually, it's just your type of game. So play it twice.Strange, I could've sworn I replied to this. I've been meaning to play that one for the longest time, but now I definetely have to. Thanks :D

[Lmnop]

I probably brought it up before. It's hard at first, and the game doesn't throw you many bones (much like FFXI), but it has some of the most in-depth combat and character development (in this case, equipment development). Oh, and did I mention the best storyline of any game I know of? Play it 3 times (or be like my brother -- I think he's close to 10 times through now).

[Armando]

Sounds epic (hurray for equipment development!) Man, it seems I can't post in the PLD forums without derailing the thread XD Back on topic (sort-of), how many expansions do you think it'll be before they give us Ultima Weapon? ;P

[Lmnop]

you mean the weapon or the monster? Ultima and Omega are in the game already (the monsters, not Cloud's ultimate).

I'm kinda surprised Calabolg (or however it's spelled -- Tidus' ultimate weapon in 10) hasn't made it's way in.

I was gonna put something about people choosing PLD here but... heh I can't think of anything.

If it's any consulation, when I get war to 75, I think i'ma give in and level PLD next. It's always attracted me greatly, but I have this thing where since one of my friends is extremely dedicated to PLD, I didn't wanna diminish his PLD-ness by being just like him -- and since I can't do a job w/out pushing it to the edge, I'd end up just as dedicated as him... yada yada he quit now. I feel like maybe I should play PLD now to fill the void.

[BurningPanther]

To add an Ultima Weapon into the game might require a complete undermining of the Excalibur, which is believed by some to already have been done by the Hauteclaire.

[PTT]

Either way, I'm going to have capped Shield and Parry.
Oh and Divine. Flash is such a fun spell, it can make Whirl of Rage a total Whif-Fest.
Who was a PLD before Auto-Refresh? I don't think I could have done that...

I was. It was difficult.

I did however, have it easy in other ways. When the Eisen/Kampf set of gear came out, I was just above the correct level to wear it. When the Aqueducts missions and Brygid's 2nd quest (Parade Cuirass) came out, I was level 55 or so, and didn't proceed to continue levelling until I got it. When Tav.Tacos came out, I was at a goodly level for it. Chivalry and the other Group 2 merits came out just as I hit 75 and started earning merits. It's kinda like Square was following my career, really.

But the MP, yes, that was overall difficult to deal with with just a Dark Staff. I don't think I'll be willingly giving back all our spiffy new options for rationing it, that's for sure ^^

All the patch love Paladins have been given has made all the work worth it. I'm proud to still be one.

[heero79]

I probably brought it up before. It's hard at first, and the game doesn't throw you many bones (much like FFXI), but it has some of the most in-depth combat and character development (in this case, equipment development). Oh, and did I mention the best storyline of any game I know of? Play it 3 times (or be like my brother -- I think he's close to 10 times through now).

played and completed quite a few times it's fun going agansed the first boss and basicley one hitting him :D vagrant story is a good game but meh my ps1 memmory cards gone missing *looks* meh

pld who refused to tank should be shot

[Arajaden]

I love the idea of tanking. i think theres nothing better then being the guy on the frontline protecting the rest of the party. Like stated by so many other people earlier We control the flow of the fight. I do hate the fact the most people prefer blink tankers but you can never deny the fun factor to go one on one with a mob and have it beat on you and you just laugh back in its face as your hp just keeps going up as its goes down.

[Timian]

It's funny to see all these low-lvl PLDs stating that "I love tanking as a brick wall" and stuff like that... Endgame there are only three *good* tanks, and the only PLD of those 3 is pld/NIN. Yes, that's right. One of the most awesome endgame tanks is a blinker. /WAR sub becomes outright stupid once you reach a certain level of "professionalism". That goes for NIN too - as another of the top-three endgame tanks is NIN/DRK (spamming Stun for hate).

So you see, you may "get by" with your brickwall mentality for a while.
Heck, you may even pull if off endgame, if your HNMLS is non-elitist,
but in order for you to be "The best Paladin you possibly can" you will need
to think outside of blood-tanking sooner or later.

[Davitron3000]

It's funny to see all these low-lvl PLDs stating that "I love tanking as a brick wall" and stuff like that... Endgame there are only three *good* tanks, and the only PLD of those 3 is pld/NIN. Yes, that's right. One of the most awesome endgame tanks is a blinker. /WAR sub becomes outright stupid once you reach a certain level of "professionalism". That goes for NIN too - as another of the top-three endgame tanks is NIN/DRK (spamming Stun for hate).

So you see, you may "get by" with your brickwall mentality for a while.
Heck, you may even pull if off endgame, if your HNMLS is non-elitist,
but in order for you to be "The best Paladin you possibly can" you will need
to think outside of blood-tanking sooner or later.

I have "gotten by" using mostly Pld/war for most of my Paladin career and done just fine. I do think that working towards Pld/nin should be the ultimate goal, but there are lots of endgame activities a Pld/war can do. (I have tanked as both Pld/war and Pld/nin). I actually prefer kiting as a Pld/war (if the mob isn't lightning fast).

/WAR sub becomes outright stupid once you reach a certain level of "professionalism".

What does this even mean? I suppose I will never be at your level of "professionalism" because I still use Pld/war, but as long as I am having fun I suppose I am fine with that.

[Timian]

What does this even mean? I suppose I will never be at your level of "professionalism" because I still use Pld/war, but as long as I am having fun I suppose I am fine with that.

Meh, "professionalism" wasn't the best term to use perhaps,
but I couldn't think of a better way to put it.

Like I said, PLD/WAR will work just fine with the right support.
I never said it was useless.

What I did say (and still stand by) is that PLD/WAR (and also NIN/WAR) are not
optimal. There are other job combinations that can hold hate just as fine (and better)
that will also be alot better at migating damage.
This is good for obvious reasons, such as MP consumption, and the sheer size
of your needed support group.

What I'm getting at is that while PLD/WAR will work in most cases,
there are better options available. And after all, most people who play
any job to 75 aren't interested in being "ok". They want to we *good* at their job,
and PLD/WAR - while it does work - doesn't hold a candle to PLD/NIN.

As a final note though, I will say that I agree with you too.
Playing for fun is, and always will be, the most important reason
to do anything at all in this, or any other game.

The whole point of my first post in this thread was really just to
tell all the people who kept saying stuff like
"I love PLD because I'm a brick wall, and I
love blood-tanking. There's nothing better than taking a good hit!"
that there are alternative ways to play the job.
Someone with that much love for PLD should definitly be open
to the possibility of trying alternative ways to play it.
They'll be all the better tanks in the end, if they can pull of the
change from /WAR to /NIN.

[DrivenTooFar]

The title of this thread though is "What makes us choose Paladin". I don't think many people chose Paladin because of how good they blink tank. /NIN may be superior in the end but when most people choose a job they don't think about that.

[Kildem]

I chose paladin because a girl i really loved and miss was paladin, because i want to protect others and because paladin is shiny. Yes, stupid but noble decisions.