As a guardian who played the game since 2008, I want to share some views about tanking and tanks. I am not saying I am pro and I must correct, I just want to make discussion with you guys.
The art of tanking for me is not only about aggro lock or dps, i am not saying aggro/dps is not important, but they are just few factors /basic to be a decent tank. Most tanks always top aggro and think they are good, but for me its not. The art of tanking is about how frequently you can swap aggro with another tank, the higher frequency you can swap the more health each tank can regen health in time buffers. If you aggro lock to take hits it wastes the time buffer for other full health tanks to regen health. I won't say you are great if you can top aggro but I will if you can swap aggro with me for every one/two hits from the boss. You may say its crazy or impossible but it actually works. However I think only guardian has the tools to make it possible, it is really hard to control aggro table with only czy dps from DT/conq. In the past I always use another DT/conq as my "human dread shadow", I play the role to control the aggro swap in whole fight. It works very fine, I can get/release very well. However this situation changed after people getting T4 gears, DT/conq's dps start out dpsing guardian's hate tools. In a long run guardian will never keep up aggro with dps spec dt/conq, if you say guard can keep up aggro with DT/conq in long run, it means guardian's coh/call to arm/destroyer buff can generate 1000+dps like hate, however it is not, if our hate tools have 1000+dps threat even a noob guard will never lose aggro. Actually guardian can do fine dps in S&B, but it needs to forgo massive survivability to compete with DT/conq while the best attack is the best defense for DT and conq has bubbles, what guardian remains if go dps spec is just crap mitigation . DT already violates the role of tank, the more dps the longer he can survive but the wider aggro gap between another tank.
And I want to talk about what make this gap between guardian and T4 DT/conq , the initial aggro is actually very balance for 3 tank classes, but the situation will change after DT stack up his vom, his dps will out aggro guardian's hate tools very soon and aggro lock, so the role to control the aggro swap will be changed from guard to DT, if DT does not slow down dps guard will never get aggro unless he goads, and this is a very unhealthy play style because you can't goad again in short if that DT keep doing czy dps and he will die if he is tanking high tier boss and he will still fine with a dread if its lower tier boss.
So what are the causes of this problem?
1. T4 gear:
T4 gears generate a big gap between Dt/conq 's dps and guardian's hate tools, I remember when I am doing T4 progression, my guard can handle the fight with DT/conq very well, but after we down zodiac - entity the thing changed. Dt can health tap enough to make himself alive for his own, even his tap is not enough he can still use a dread as buffer to heal up full health and repeat. imo T4 gears should be turn down abit.
2. Encounter design:
Why people think DT/conq are better than guard is mainly due to the encounter design. Why DT/conq can aggro lock? Its because they can keep dpsing a stupid boss for more than 1min, its no doubt that most fights in game is stupid like that but if you are in a fight that need movements, taking big hits and hold dps you will see how weak a dps spec DT is, such as fort rhino, fort commander, louhi, emperor, wyrm, archfiend of gore. You will see guardian shine in these fights for their better passive defense/aggro swap. And you will see how terrible a guard is in a fight like zodiac that stand still for 20mins to dps. I really hope funcom can create more encounters that need movements to play.
3. AA/buff:
I think everyone knows what is vom, and it is one of the cause. It gives DT so much sustain dps while guard can only hold a short period initial aggro with STA. I am not saying you must use STA, but if you use counterweight, you lose massive survivability and...why not play a DT/conq if you want dps??
The another problem is the guadian's buffs, the usefulness of guardian is definitely his short cd group dmg buff call to arm/battle cry, guardian grants the firepower to group mates and keep turtle/little hate increase for himself. It makes the situation worse cos guadian gives DT the power to do more dps while he is still doing retard dps, it is a really big contradiction, I want aggro but I give you more buffs to dps lol.
Why play a guardian?
Even guardian cannot compete aggro with dps spec DT/conq in 90% stand still fights, but guardian can still hold very good aggro from any other dps classes. The most challenging encounters that need movements, good aggro swap and protection, guardian is still the best tank but I think it is only 10% or less in our game content.
Although the style of tanking nowadays trends to be dpsing, but I still believe the art of tanking is not like that.