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       #Post#: 580--------------------------------------------------
       Tank Troubles: Why Tanks Aren't Working in AEQ
       By: Dolmir Date: February 17, 2019, 5:03 pm
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       There are major issues surrounding damage mitigation that are
       preventing tanks from functioning appropriately. I believe that
       tanks will not work within the game engine until all three of
       the following problems are addressed. Alternatively, major
       changes to the game engine could be applied but changes that I
       can think of would be very difficult to implement (such as
       completely replacing damage mitigation formulas) or totally
       ham-fisted (adding more innate damage mitigation to designated
       tank classes).
       AC Barely Matters
       I addressed this independently in another thread and I won't go
       over the raw numbers again, but based on my analysis of the
       stock EQEmu combat engine, there is a pretty narrow range of
       parameters within which AC makes a noticeable difference in
       damage mitigation. These factors include: enemy attack rating,
       enemy base damage, enemy variable damage, and player AC. Much of
       the content available does not hold these factors in the
       delicate balance required to reward the player scraping together
       every last bit of AC possible.
       Defensive Stats for All
       This is surely the biggest factor involved: defensive stats are
       not only available to all classes without much effort, but they
       are applied to gear that does not demand significant sacrifice
       in stats that improve the character's power level in other
       areas. The issue is not simply restricted to AC: even Avoidance
       and Shielding make an unexpected appearance on items that
       already have very good stats for characters not primarily
       concerned with survival. This leaves tank characters who mainly
       prioritize defensive stats barely ahead of melee DPS, priest,
       and even robe casters in damage mitigation.
       Healing Spell Inflation
       Certain healing spells are so fast and mana-efficient that it is
       nearly impossible to identify a combination of offensive stats
       that make healers sweat without being completely unfair to them.
       Almost every time character death occurs it is because the mob
       does so much damage that heals cannot come in time (and with 2
       second cast times, this basically means one round of combat).
       Rarely does the tank die because the healer has run out of mana
       or because the average damage taken by the tank over a long
       period eventually outraces the amount of healing that characters
       can produce. Access to mana regeneration items and abilities
       surely plays a part in this but the core issue with heal spell
       balance is the astounding mana efficiency of fast heals
       available to all priest classes.
       #Post#: 586--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Tank Troubles: Why Tanks Aren't Working in AEQ
       By: Nefemunia Date: February 18, 2019, 1:20 pm
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       this is a great post. Ac does matter. It just doesnt matter on
       targets whos min and maximum damge is so close, on a npc that
       has a minimum damage of 350 and a max of 1250 for example poor
       old second would get waffle stomped why the mighty Demodread
       would only be clutching his butt cheaks
       #Post#: 587--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Tank Troubles: Why Tanks Aren't Working in AEQ
       By: Dolmir Date: February 18, 2019, 2:59 pm
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       If variable damage is high enough to make the advantage in AC
       that tank classes enjoy matter then surely the enemy has the
       potential to do enough damage to kill any character in a single
       combat round if it gets lucky enough. Yes, AC does make an
       observable difference, but we have observed that the difference
       is barely relevant.
       #Post#: 594--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Tank Troubles: Why Tanks Aren't Working in AEQ
       By: Nefemunia Date: February 18, 2019, 5:51 pm
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       next reset it should be more obvious
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