BCNM Viability

[tdh]

Originally posted by CarbonFibre
Any melee can tank the mandies on Steaming Sprouts really. On my first 3 times doing it, we had MNK/WAR, DRK/WAR, and SAM/WAR (me) and then BRD, RDM, WHM. All three of us shared tanking duties, and it seemed like the extra damage made the fight go faster than the few I've done with a PLD since then. When the BRD had major hate from multiple lullabies, the DRK would usually have to pull hate off with a Last Resort or Souleater since a Provoke by one of us wouldn't be enough.

*Edit: The defense difference in armors in specific is not as drastic at 40 as it gets later on.

I was going to make this same point. I did a large number of BCNM40's as soon as I hit Lv.40. I think I spent 3 days straight where that was the only thing I did. As a DRK/THF with all my gear going into DEX, I tanked a number of the Mandys with no problem. Not be design mind you, but due to the massive amounts of damage I seemed to do against them. But I don't recall taking a brutal beating during all of it. My Drains were really doing the job too. IT was probably a good thing that I went in there with a +1 Scythe, instead of a really good Great Sword. Faster sword would have been hacking away even more hate. Nevermind we won ever last one, even winning three trips with only 5 people. (Our damn WHM kept disconnecting.)