- Main Tank
- (aka MT) The player, in a group or raid, expected to keep and control aggro. The choices for MT are Paladins , Shadowknights, Berserkers, Guardians and the less commonly used Monks and Bruisers. The MT should be able to handle the damage while the other players kill the mob. The Main Tank is not expected to deal high DPS, except as a way to get/keep aggro.
- Secondary Tank
- (aka ST) The player designated to take over as Main Tank if the MT dies.
- Main Assist
- (aka MA) The player which all the DPS target, so as to focus damage on a single target during the encounter using Indirect Targeting. Sometimes this player is the MT in a single group, but frequently not in a large raid allowing the MT to shift target as needed to maintain aggro.
- DPS
- (acronym for Damage Per Second) Scouts and Mages, primarily, are responsible for taking the target down without drawing agro away from the MT.
- Main Healer
- (aka MH) The healer expected to do most of the healing for the MT. the MH's ONLY job is to keep the MT alive. Sometimes, in raids, all healers in the MT's group are considered MH but may divide some of the work. For instance, with 3 healers one may have primary responsibility for all Cures, while another takes care of debuffs on the target, leaving the third healer free to concern himself only with the MT's health. Not as commonly used as a Main Tank.
- Secondary Healer
- (aka SH) All other healers in the group or raid. An SH's job is to heal any of his group members that become harmed, while keeping an eye on the MT and assisting if needed. Also, SH's are usually the designated Ressurecters (rezzers), when no non-priests with rezzing abilities are available.
Please note that one character often takes on more than one of these roles on a raid. If everybody targets through the Main Tank, the Main Tank is also Main Assist. If the Main Assist takes over when the Main Tank dies, the Main Assist is also Secondary Tank.
The in-game Looking for Group window describes 8 roles, Primary + Secondary Tank, Primary + Secondary Healer, Melee + Ranged Damage, Crowd Control, and Combat Support.