The Best Single-Player Western RPGs For Playing As A Tank Character, Ranked

Summary

• Tank characters are crucial for covering weaker party members and drawing enemy aggro in Western RPGs.
• Tank builds are essential for efficient combat strategies, especially in games like Mass Effect 2 and South Park: The Stick of Truth.
• Having a tank in games like Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3 can make battles more manageable and protect other party members.

Most people are familiar with the concept of a tank character that can withstand enemy blows and attract attention. These characters are mostly useful in squad-based games where they need to cover for weaker party members who are better off using their ranged attacks instead.

It’s imperative to use tank builds in certain Western RPGs to implement efficient strategies in combat, especially on higher difficulties. The last thing anyone wants is for their ranged glass cannon to become a target of enemy attacks, and a tank is perfect to serve as cover for such party members in battle.

Games will be ranked on the basis of how helpful a tank character is in combat.

8 Mass Effect 2

A Tank Becomes Unstoppable In Battle

Mass Effect 2 did a great job of making combat more action-packed and dynamic compared to its predecessor. This means that players can utilize unique builds that feel different to use in combat, with the combination of combat-heavy classes and powerful gear turning Shepard into a powerful tank in no time.

Ensuring that the Commander’s shields are as high as possible helps them rush at enemies and draw most of the aggro. For the most part, Shepard’s squadmates are competent enough to hold their own in combat without dying too easily, but it always helps to guarantee their safety with a tanky Shepard who can charge into combat without a second thought.

7 South Park: The Stick Of Truth

A Tank Can Protect Vulnerable Party Members

The Stick of Truth is the best South Park game ever made, faithfully recreating the style of the TV show to let players embark on a goofy adventure with all the South Park gimmicks they’ve grown to love. Players who want to enjoy a tanky character at all times can use the Fighter class to make things easier for themselves. They can also use the services of Butters the Paladin to draw aggro and heal.

However, in terms of a pure tank, the Fighter build is the way to go and turns the New Kid into the strongest combatant in The Stick of Truth.

6 Dragon Age: Origins

A Tanky Protagonist Is Easier To Lead Into Battle

Dragon Age: Origins was a huge step in the right direction for BioWare propelling them to the very top of the video game landscape as one of the best RPG developers around. It was hard not to feel this way when players got their hands on a detailed RPG with meaningful choices that show off this feature from the very moment players pick a race and their unique origin story.

Players who want to turn into a protector for their allies should turn the Gray Warden into a tank. This can be achieved by either giving them a shield and using abilities to draw enemy attention, using the evasion stats of a rogueish character to dodge most attacks, or utilizing heavy two-handed weapons to clear the battlefield and wipe out enemies by charging into the fray.

5 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

A Jedi Knight Who Can Attract Enemy Attention Will Save Their Allies With Ease

Players who want to experience what is probably the best story told in a Star Wars game will love what Knights of the Old Republic brings to the table. This iconic BioWare game lets players control an amnesiac Jedi, who slowly uncovers his origins in one of the best plot twists in gaming history.

As one would expect from a squad-based RPG, it’s quite viable to enhance a player’s defenses and hand them a lightsaber to turn them into a powerful tank. Using heavy armor and investing in both Strength and Constitution is a must for players to achieve this build and protect their friends in Knights of the Old Republic.

4 Tyranny

A Tank Can Lead Party Members And Draw Aggro

CRPGs feature combat that is quite tactical and rewards players for using a varied party in combat. Such is the case with Tyranny, where players get to bring four party members in combat to smash their foes.

While the Fatebinder themself can employ a build that lets them tank enemy attacks and dish out heavy damage, characters like Barik and Kills-In-Shadow can serve as effective frontline combatants too if players wish to opt for an objectively superior Mage build instead.

3 Pillars Of Eternity 2

The Lower Party Count Compared To The First Game Makes Tanks More Viable Than Ever Before

Pillars of Eternity 2 is an excellent sequel where combat is more tactical than ever before. The reduction of party members from five in the first game to four means that having a tank in battle is downright necessary for players to boss most encounters.

Turning the Watcher into a tank makes it easy to rush into battle head-on without worrying about drawing aggro on a mage or ranger build. The focus on multiclassing means that players can enjoy the benefits of a tank along with abilities from other classes that can synergize well with this high HP and damage build.

2 Baldur’s Gate 3

Enemies Can Spend Turns Trying To Whittle Down A Tank As Other Party Members Rely On This Safety

Combat in the CRPGs made by Larian Studios feels like a chess match at times, making it important for players to move their party members around optimally to get a strategic advantage in each battle. This is especially true in Baldur’s Gate 3, even if the game is a bit forgiving in comparison to the Larian title that preceded it.

However, there’s no denying that having a tank in Baldur’s Gate 3 makes battles quite manageable. Players won’t feel like they need to accomplish a ton of mental gymnastics to optimally finish each encounter, since an aggro-attracting tank will ensure that enemies waste precious turns having less of an impact in battle as they’re slowly demolished by the player.

1 Divinity: Original Sin 2

A Tank Can Handle Physical Attacks With Their Armor To Save Mages, Rogues, And Other Weaker Members

One of the hardest modern CRPGs that players can get their hands on, the importance of Physical and Magical Armour is something players must familiarize themselves with in Divinity: Original Sin 2 if they want to make an efficient tank character. More often than not, players need to have two specific kinds of party members around. One should have high Physical Armour and the other should boast a lot of Magical Armour to keep their bases covered.

This is because party members with a ton of Constitution still won’t be able to draw aggro for too long after their Armour is depleted, but having tanky characters is still a must to succeed against tougher encounters. As long as players can use two specialized party members to exploit enemy AI and make them waste their attacks, they’ll be able to make the most of the action economy and eliminate most threats before battles become too long.