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Do You Prefer To Play The Same Party Role In Each MMO You Play, Or Do You Mix It Up?

Joseph Bradford Posted:
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I am an unabashed DPS-main in every MMO I play. There isn't a single MMO I've picked up where I've tried my hand at Tanking or Healing out of the gate; instead, I tend to gravitate toward damage dealers, specifically Ranged DPS, if I can help it.

It's been the case in nearly every MMO, from my main Hunter in The Lord of the Rings Online, slashing High Republic scum with my Sith Assassin or slinging spells with Final Fantasy XIV's Red Mage. 

This isn't to say that I don't play other roles, though being a notorious alt-hater, it's few and far between when I stretch my healing or tank legs. Very few instances have seen me revive a party member, buff a friend, or stand in the way to heroically soak up damage for a teammate. More often than not I'm pulling mobs, dealing death from a distance and trying my best to not get yelled at for drawing too much aggro. 

I don't quite know why I do this in nearly every MMO. Maybe it's because many DPS classes are rather simple and I often just want to turn my brain off and shoot things with a bow or cut them down with a flurry of blades (or magic). Maybe it's also the anxiety that can come with tanking or healing, knowing the party's success or failure could be the result of a missed taunt, a missed heal, and more. 

I do enjoy it when I am comfortable healing or tanking, though. Minstrels in The Lord of the Rings Online are insanely fun to play, and my Minnie is the highest-leveled Alt I have in any MMO, and for a while during New World's launch I played a Healer in early Expeditions, chucking healing orbs and AOEs at my group while still dealing some decent damage from range with my Life Staff. I'm even in the process of leveling up an Alt in Final Fantasy XIV (despite the fact it's wholly unnecessary) so I can tank for my kid and partner when I finally convince them to play with me (I'd love to run a Gunblade since it's, by all accounts, a very DPS-y Tank).

What about you, though? Do you gravitate towards the same role in every MMO like me, or are you an actual interesting person who mixes it up? Let us know in the comments below.


lotrlore

Joseph Bradford

Joseph has been writing or podcasting about games in some form since about 2012. Having written for multiple major outlets such as IGN, Playboy, and more, Joseph started writing for MMORPG in 2015. When he's not writing or talking about games, you can typically find him hanging out with his 15-year old or playing Magic: The Gathering with his family. Also, don't get him started on why Balrogs *don't* have wings. You can find him on Twitter @LotrLore