Tanking, Shields, Taunts, and Archery/2-Handers

I've tried to play as a traditional tank but have not had much luck. By traditional, I mean Heavy armor, Shield and a one-handed weapon. What I'm noticing is two big problems with that load out:

1) I can't generate enough threat to hold aggro, even with spamming Taunt every time it is dealt.
2) I don't need to tank, as an archer in full plate can hold aggro and survive boss encounters like the Dragon, Deamon, Shock Monkey Boss, without any trouble. Our archer can achieve 60% avoidance fully buffed. (The same would apply to a two-handed melee in heavy armor)

I don't see a place for shields right now, and I'd like to see this load out be viable. I think the following needs to happen to give one-hander/shields a place in the game

1) Taunt needs to increase threat with level. 75 threat just isn't enough, it should scale up as you level it up. Or Taunt should combo with shield active skills for major threat generation.
2) Move Heavy Armor's "Glance Blow" skill to Shield. That skill turns anyone wearing a heavy chest piece into a very effective tank as they can achieve high avoidance. Moving this skill into Shields would limit your high avoidance loadouts to folks who are giving up big dps by using a shield. Also, if there is concern wand/shield users would be too tanky, make Glancing Blow increase the avoidance gained from armor rather than a flat amount - the more heavy armor worn, the more Glancing Blow increases avoidance.
3) Give DPS more incentive to use light armor, with better DPS related buffs. Attack speed is a great buff for melee DPS, but archers don't seem to like it. Perhaps add in a ranged crit chance or ranged damage buff in the Light armor tree?

I welcome thoughts to making Shield Tanks more viable in this game.

 

I think the biggest take away from everything you wrote is the taunt dynamics in this game. We need skills and equipment that truly alter taunt in players to help cement roles in parties.

Sure that archer can tank but a full plate build with a shield would be much better even in the current system. I play a healer and I would love to see changes to the taunt system.

There should be a taunt stance too and they need to improve the taunt and escape skills. Enchantments and mastercrafting that increase or decrease taunt would be great also.

 

They are suppose to be adding a firefly in the moon tree that is suppose to help dps know their targets better which should help a ton but you are right taunt does need higher aggro at lower levels and a much wider range.

 

one of the biggest problems with the balance in this game, at least in my mind, is the fact that more than 50% of the possible mitigation is available OUTSIDE the heavy armor and shield trees.

the "tanky skills" are simply far too accessible to everyone, which really negates the need for a dedicated tank. especially considering that a dedicated tank couldnt possibly dream of holding aggro to begin with