How to use the Hate System?

[Axios Deminence 0]

I'm not planning on becoming a tank or anything (since I'm a knife user) but I would like to know how to utilize the hate system. I've been using it in some threads I've participated in, but the skill system (the only place where it's mentioned, but correct me if I'm wrong) just states that it's used to keep damage from being dealt to others. However, I've been thinking about how it's actually used or how it's been used. Does whoever has the highest hate is always targeted, or is there a randomness where they "draw straws" and whoever is picked is then attacked with more hate being a higher chance (more straws picked for that one player)?

I'm mainly trying to utilize it so that if it's ever used in a GM event, then I am familiar to it or if I plan to start a topic then I can further utilize it.

[Noctis 0]

You basically kind of explained it there. The player with the most health will basically be the one sustaining all the damage for the other players. To my knowledge, you seem to know what the HATE does, but don't take it from me. I'm just some casual guy, just wait on a GM, PST, or a veteran player.

[Calrex 0]

Basically what Noctis said, but there isn't really a randomness to it unless you have players that don't have skills designed for them to draw Hate towards them like Howl and such.

 

All players will build Hate if they score a hit on a creature, usually with 1 Hate going to your character per regular hit and 2 Hate on a critical. From what I know there's no way currently to "remove" Hate from a character.

[Axios Deminence 0]

Basically what Noctis said, but there isn't really a randomness to it unless you have players that don't have skills designed for them to draw Hate towards them like Howl and such.

 

All players will build Hate if they score a hit on a creature, usually with 1 Hate going to your character per regular hit and 2 Hate on a critical. From what I know there's no way currently to "remove" Hate from a character.

Sorry, I think you may have misunderstood what I said. I already know about the Hate system and how you can gain it. What I'm trying to ask here is how the target is decided once hate is built up. For example, if Person A has 3 hate and Person B has 1 hate, does that mean that Person A is immediately attacked or does it mean that the Person A is more likely to be attacked but Person B still has a small chance to be attacked?

[Noctis 0]

Person A would be attacked, until he dies, the monster dies, or Person B raises his hate.

[Calrex 0]

Exactly, the Hate system from what I understand is designed for tanking, so that the most durable player is able to draw the attention of the creature towards them while keeping the heat off of the other players. So unless the others are doing a REALLY good job of hitting (aka lots of critical strikes), the tank of the group will be drawing the fire.

[Tyger 0]

Check out my old threads - Hunting the Upper Floors 1 and 2. We used the Hate system extensively, and we're currently using it in our Cerberus thread. Since I play a tanky character, I wanted to get familiar with it for boss fights and the like. I think it's a good representation, as we follow the rules to a T.