When it comes to Tanks, Guild Wars 2 does not have any dedicated classes, instead letting players make their own builds to utilize within the system. In general, the enemies and Bosses will target the character with the highest Toughness stat, making every class hypothetically viable to be built like a tank.
But of course, some classes can deal with the incoming damage much better than others. Some can overheal themselves, as well as the party, while others are able to block and even counter incoming attacks. The Taunt mechanic is very sparse within the game, with only a handful of classes even having access to it. But when there is a will, there is a way, and there is nothing stopping the eager players to take on the hardest-hitting bosses with the strangest builds on the squishiest characters.
9 Reaper - Necromancer
Reapers are notoriously difficult to kill. With a great health pool and numerous life-steal mechanics, these necromancers take their practice of undeath very seriously. Reapers can reliably take on bosses and large groups of enemies, without having to worry too much about their health going into the danger zone.
While it can be a somewhat greedy class, with not much utility in terms of teamplay, it is still a reliable tank to have in the party. With extra health pools, self-cleansing, and a decent DPS output, it is a very underrated class when it comes to tanking. Paying attention to cooldowns is very important, as wasting all the sustaining abilities may leave the player vulnerable for some time.
8 Scrapper - Engineer
This Engineer Elite Specialization in Guild Wars 2 is a very effective tank due to its versatile defensive capabilities and supportive tools. The Scrapper can utilize its medium armor and high toughness to withstand incoming damage, while spraying the teammates with boons and heals. It also has access to a plethora of defensive abilities, such as blocking, evading, and healing, making it highly resilient in battle.
Scrapper's unique gyros provide valuable support to allies, including condition cleansing, boon sharing, and regeneration. It can bring some much-needed utility through crowd control and damage mitigation, making it a valuable asset in group content. Once a player figures out the kinks and details of playing the Scrapper, it becomes a very fun and rewarding class to play.
7 Spellbreaker - Warrior
Aesthetically, it's a great class with a deep lore that is deeply rooted within the world's history, building on the mysterious Mist. The Spellbreaker's abilities are tailored towards tanking, allowing them to effectively soak up damage and protect their allies. With access to powerful defensive skills, such as "Defiant Stance" and "Riposte," they can block, evade, and reflect attacks, effectively mitigating damage and protecting their team from harm.
Spellbreakers bring versatility to players with their ability to swap between different roles. They can switch from tanking to support or damage-dealing seamlessly, providing flexibility in various situations. This adaptability makes them valuable in a range of content, from dungeons to raids and beyond.
6 Druid - Ranger
Druids are a stellar choice for those interested in Healers, but it is capable of much more than that. Their rejuvenation abilities can easily sustain them, should they decide to brave the enemies’ onslaught for their team. It is also a good fit for raids, as they can provide many powerful boons and buffs unique to this class.
They also have some of the best utility skills in the game, ranging from simple CC to pushes and revives. While their defensive prowess isn’t that great, with tankier trinkets and gear, they can overheal the incoming damage for themselves and the team alike. They do have virtually no damage, but that’s why this is a great team composition pick.
5 Herald - Revenant
The Herald has many tools to thrive as a tank. With its Facet of Nature and Facet of Chaos abilities, the Herald can effectively mitigate incoming damage, increase its survivability, and control enemy movement. This allows it to protect its allies and take the aggro in group encounters.
In addition, the support capabilities are invaluable. Its Legendary Dragon Stance abilities provide healing, condition removal, and boons to allies, enhancing their survivability and effectiveness in battle. The Herald's support skills also synergize well with other professions, making it a great ally to have. On top of that, Herald is one of the few classes to have a dedicated taunt ability.
4 Untamed - Ranger
The Untamed is a very interesting spin on the Ranger, adding a lot of much-needed utility and defensive skills, which make it a very decent tank. With great damage mitigation and access to stability boons, the Untamed can take a hit and keep on swinging.
It is a self-sufficient dps-tank breed, with not too much direct utility for the allies in the group. However, with Ranger’s access to Pet taunt skill, Untamed can reliably pull aggro if things get out of hand. It is a good cornerstone for a party, with its good dps and protective abilities.
3 Firebrand - Guardian
Firebrands are very powerful when it comes to group content, with incredible healing and great buffs, they have been at the forefront of many raiding parties for quite some time now. With the heavy armor, Firebrands have a lot of defensive stats to begin with, which makes them much more resilient than the Light and Medium armored classes.
Guardians were always one of the tankiest classes to begin with, and the Firebrand adds so much to the kit that it is easy to take on the designated Tank role. On top of that, they have a ton of healing for the party and themselves, making sure that their squishy backline is well protected.
2 Mechanist - Engineer
The Mechanist is a very powerful support with a lot of burst regeneration, shield generation, and sustained healing. However, with just a few armor and trinket tweaks they absolutely shine as a tank. With access to Aegis, they can effectively mitigate almost any attack in the game, shielding themselves from harm.
The pet Jade Mech can also help out with incoming attacks, as well as generate buffs around itself and even provide a defensive barrier to block all incoming projectiles. The somewhat lower range of the healing abilities makes the Mechanist a great tank-healer, as they can stand in front of the boss while generating barriers and continuously healing the party.
1 Chronomancer - Mesmer
The Chronomancer was a highly sought-after tank for a very long time, due to its unparalleled versatility and unique mechanics. They always brought exceptional utility and control to the battlefield, oftentimes to the point of certain bosses almost requiring a Chronomancer in the party. Its ability to manipulate time and space allowed for powerful crowd control, boon generation, and damage mitigation.
It is a very dynamic and active playstyle that asks a lot from the player but is very rewarding when mastered. With unique abilities to create copies, teleport, and block, the Chronomancer can control the flow of the fight, while acting as a literal shield for their allies to stand behind.
Guild Wars 2 is available on PC.