How to duo with a Runekeeper?

[Ericgorn]

I'm new to the game. My friend and I have leveled our respective mains to the 50s. Me with my cappy and him with his runescaper. I've fallen in love with this game and find myself in a constant heart to study and understand the cappy class. He's truly amazing in groups.
However, I've hit a wall in effectiveness when it comes to the duo.. I can no longer play effectively with my friend :/
I cannot freakin hold aggro on the multiple mobs that we attack(maybe 3-5 mobs). Which forces me to offtank the horde of monsters on him one by one while he's dying.. I can try to heal him while he tanks them all but my heals don't keep up :/
Sometimes he'll die and I can keep myself alive long enough to kill all the trash. Great for solo-ing, but when I have to support both myself AND him, I can't hold my balance. I can't consistently outtank his DPS. I can't effectively keep us both healed consistently (though this is where I find myself with most success). And I can't DPS to a level where I can keep up with him in any helpful way.
Most of the time we go through quests, fellowship quests, and instances very quickly. It's the elites, epic boss fights, huge hordes that I can't seem to play any role effectively. Where am I failing :[
I've been leveling up a warden to tank with him instead and he's patiently waiting for me, staying in the 50s and I've gotten my warden to 40.. I already miss the captain :[ Does anybody here have any experience in duoing with a ranged DPS? Help a noob.
I give myself On Guard and I give him the crit buff.. (omg it's been so long i don't even remember the names of the skills -_-). Motivating speech. I use banner of hope. Unless I need help with super excess trash mobs then I'll bring my hope herald. I'll put my telling mark on the strongest enemy. Lead with my Aggro shout, then battle shout. Followed by a typical DPS rotation with some of my tanking attacks, shouts, and bleeds thrown in.. My problem is I can't hold aggro. And while my friend is dying I have to scramble to heal him (and sometimes rez). All the while neglecting my other tanking n dps skills. I'm traited red with a couple blue.
Am I not built well for duo? Willing to listen if you're willing to help :]

[Almagnus1]

In order to be a halfway decent tank, you need a lot of yellow traits slotted, so the agro generation is there - I don't know if that's possible until around level 60 because the capstone is key to tanking. Also, you will need enough vitality gear to survive the beating you will be taking, which is going to kill your healing output. While we can tank, and we can heal, we can't do both effectively at the same time - and we also suck at healing ourselves.

As far as DPS goes, the RK is going to (very quickly) outpace anything you will be capable of - the RK is a top tier DPSer, while the captain's DPS just isn't there.

That said, I have had fun just zerging content with an RK, usually 3 mans and the like. Both of you need to be at the top of your game for that to work though, and you must work together to pull it off.

[TinDragon]

Stop trying to tank for him. Focus on improving your heals and just tell him to stop pulling so many mobs at a time. Lightning line is best for him, very quick single-target burns. That will also make it easier for you to keep up the heals, and if you're not dying every pull you can very easily jump from one mob to the next to keep the RKs attunement up.

You could also try Revealing Mark, which will help heal the RK.

If you don't have the Rallying Cry CD on your emblem, get it. That legacy is the single most important legacy for healing on a captain and it should be on virtually any LI you ever make from here on out. If you're going to stick with Telling Mark, make sure you have the legacy for that too.

[Curulanthir]

Since you are not running around alone, I would recommend not using the herald, but a banner. Unless traited for it, the damage of the herald is not very good at all, and you already have a companion to use your brother skills upon, which is the main reason for me to use a herald over a banner. Just carrying a banner makes you a better fighter as well.

I also quite do not understand why you pull such large groups. A captain has not many skills for hitting multiple enemies, let alone trying to build aggro on them. As far a I know, runekeepers are not the kings of taking down multiple targets quickly either. So I do not see the the kill speed increase that might support pulling large groups at once. I know pulling large groups is more fun, both with light armor classes it always put them at increased danger.

In addition, try to use the crit buff on yourself, too. Even without the parry buff, you should not go down fast outside of group content, and having the crit buff helps to throw out more crit heals and damage, which in turn helps with the aggro, too.

If you want to keep pulling large groups, you could improve your tanking by:
-Traiting down the yellow line, especially Intimidation(for improved aggro via your bleeds) and Improved routing cry(forced aggro for emergencies, will improve further by the yellow capstone). The Capstone legendary trait also helps a lot, but you will not get it before level 58 or so (by finishing the epic books in moria)
-Making use of the +percived threat bonus by doing cutting attack first and following with grave wound
-Make use of coordination: use your noble mark on one enemy, which should go on attacking you unless your buddy is actively dpsing that target down immediately. Better have the runekeeper dps one target down first that you completely ignore while you start by noble marking one target for later and hitting the other targets instead of trying the get aggro from his target, which you propably will not unless you are properly traited with the yellow capstone. Your buddy should not die because of that one target, and when he is finished with it, you already had some time to build aggro on the other mobs
-Even if your buddy is only slightly harmed, try to throw him a heal via Words of Courage once in a while, which should help with getting the aggro of mobs he is not focusing at the moment

[Blizzard12]

You could both go dps and make sure you and him do some healing. He just has to use writ of health and he can tank a signature easily, just have him use it whenever possible, you should do some healing too. If you're not using a halbarad yet you could consider that for extra aggro.

[Ericgorn]

Great suggestions. I will be applying them immediately. I want to grow up to be like you guys one day :/

[DelgonTheWise]

If he :

Drops his rock before the fight
Lets you pull
And focuses on 1 target (lightning, no AOE)

It should be good. Between rock, occasional prelude and/or tiered up Writ of Health, he should be able to stand there and take it from one on-level mob, or kite the one mob he is hitting with lightning while you tank the rest. Get PA targets on your LI, and have enough targets to hit all the mobs you are pulling, and you should keep aggro even if he needs to chuck an occasional heal your way. He also can park a mob with shocking touch as long as it has no DOTs on it.

If he wants you to tank (say a big mob), he needs to:
let you use noble mark
give you lots of time and as needed moderate healing to build aggro
slowly ramp up his DPS, but keep WOH T3 on you too...