So, I have seen many talk about making a tank character, and for some reason, I keep seeing people ask "which is better, Templar or Dragon Knight?"

Why is that?

Let's think outside the box: why not sorceror, or nightblade tanks?

A sorceror or Nightblade with 1H-Shield and heavy Armor, can soak up damage as well as a Templar, or DK, no?
(Skill source: http://eldersouls.com/elder-scrolls-online/skills)


SORCEROR

Lightning Form gives nice temporal bonuses to both defenses, and bound Armor would give you a more permanent boost.
Surge can provice a form of self-healing.
Dark Exchange might have limited use for self-healing, though you would be using your stamina to block.
Conjured Ward would give you a nice damage shield

Blood Magic passive might be interesting as a self-heal, combined with Daedric mines: When an ennemy hits you it takes damage AND heals you.




NIGHTBLADE

The Consuming Darkness ultimate ability seems to have potential for tanks: AoE snare and a big boost in resistance for yourself.

The options for self-heals are multiple: Strife (HoT), Siphoning Strikes (Morphed into Leeching Strikes), Drain Power (Morphed into Sap Essence)...

Blur gives a nice defensive bonus for 20 seconds...

The Fortitude passive gives you a bonus to max HP per slotted Shadow ability.
The Shadow Barrier passive gives you a nice bonus to armor and spell resist after you come out of invisibility or stealth (and with Shadow cloak, you can become invisible in combat)



.. Combined with some out-of-class skills, I see some potential..

Let us not limit ourselves to DK and Templar tanks!

my nb will be a tank

We've already seen these sorc/nightblade tank threads as well.

All classes can take up all roles.

People asking for the best are the people who will spend hours upon hours of reading their meters to find the class/skill combinations that will give them that 0.05% performance increase they want.

I've been poking fun with all those topics, by ranking all classes at #1 (and the same for best race btw).

My NB will be a healer.

Even if this is true no other class can make a better assassin/rogue than a Nightblade.

I've already made a post where I pointed all the useful tank abilities for all 4 classes (according to my standards)... but here it is again:

... not counting the ones you are stabbing in the back, I assume?

I think you could take any class and tank fine. I think the fact that http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Armor+Skills exist makes it so.

Cas

I think we will see the "that class is only good for this and not that" mentality broken in this game.

I agree with the premise that in this game, any class can perform just about any role. In fact, it has me flummoxed as I really can't figure out what I want to play in this game.

Every day I keep thinking I will play something different.

Each class is pointed at a certain role. DK tank, Templar healer, mage RDPS, NB Mdps.

Just because they are pointed in that way doesn't mean they can't do other roles. Now that said I truly believe when people start data mining they will find these "off role" builds will be effective to a certain degree but not as effective as the primary class for that role.

Example would be main healer as that is my chosen role. By going Templar I can heal using my class skills leaving my weapon slot open for bow for added dps or sword and board for survivability.

All other classes can main heal with the resto staff but they are forced to use the staff to main heal. Forcing them to use class or armor skills for defense and survivability.

By going Templar I'm left with more weapon options since my class skills are my heals.