Advice please?

[Lonnigan]

I'm having trouble with a few items with regards my warrior. I wanted to see if perhaps you all could give me advice that directly applies to my situations, though I have no doubt that it's been asked a hundred times already.

Armory Profile: The World of Warcraft Armory (http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Eonar&n=Lonnigan)

1. This character was originally created on a PVP realm and then transferred to a PVE realm to be with some old work buddies. They determined that since I was a cow, that meant I deserved to be beat on. I've been accumulating gear as best I can, but I'm often found in the situation where we can clear Kara from Attumen to Chess, but we cannot advance beyond that. So, we typically leave up Shade, Nightbane, Prince, Netherspite, and Illhoof. I think that's more due to a gear check by the guild as a whole rather than just me. Many weeks we don't clear anything, and thus any badge gains can only be found by running a heroic, typically in a PUG situation.

So, my first question, with all that being said, with my current gear and spec, do you all have any suggestions?

2. I seem to handle myself just fine as a MT in Kara, typically with plenty of CC and OT assistance. But I seem to psych myself out when it comes to heroics. It seems anytime I try to run a heroic, typically PUGs, people do not seem to know how to single-target DPS. Thus, I find myself trying to hold five mobs with mouse-over Devastates or Sunders, using Demoralizing Shout and Thunderclap pending the mage didn't Polymorph the mob right on top of me. Even still, I often find myself trying to chase mobs down before they nail the healer.

I know this is supposed to be resolved in the next expansion, so should I bother worrying about it now?

3. I seem to lack a lot of confidence with regards to tanking in five-mans, specifically heroics. Is the general consensus that you should start at a particular instance and work your way up? Or is it preferred that you just tank anything and everything and eventually your confidence will be built up? I'm the type that takes it real personal when the healers die, even though it may not be my fault. So often I find myself with a pyro-happy mage, or a rogue who dropped his feint button, and when the group wipes, I think to myself "What a crummy tank I am!" Has anyone else been in this situation?

In advance, thank you very much for your time guys and gals. I appreciate any and all feedback or criticism you may provide.

[treyu]

To answer your first question: Your spec is normal spec for tanks in Sunwell / BT ( for the most part ). I suggest you take those 3 points from imp def stance and put them in Heroic strike. You really do not need imp def stance at the level of gear you are at and the current content you are doing. Also, I would move one point from imp shiled wall and move it into unbrideled wrath. Me personally I dont find the extra few seconds that it adds to be " worth while " but again its based on pref.

Your second question: All tanks have had this problem at one point or another don't worry. If you can MT kara you should be fine in heroics ect. And it's def not your fault if a group trys to AoE while they have a warr tank, If they die its their own fault at that point. It takes a while for any tank to be able to hold multiple targets sufficiently, so don't worry youll get the hang of it, don't get discourged.

Your third question: I know alot of tanks that think they are crummy tanks, I even think that I am at points during raids. But you also have to take in the account that its not always your fault but your dps fault and also healers at points. Your dps needs to learn to controll them selfs, plain and simple. If you die, it could be your healers fault or yours, it can go both ways. But again bro dont get discourged. And since you do MT kara, there is no real order if which you should start at heroics, atleast I think, Just what you feel comfortable tanking.

And im sure we all been in this situation at one point, its just, are you able to adept and learn from your mistakes / your groups mistake and take everything in stride and do it better the next time around. Hope this helped you.

[Lonnigan]

Thank you very much for your time and suggestions. I'll look at moving those three talent points over to Improved Heroic Strike.

Also, I guess it's just going to take some time with regards PUGs. If I could group with guildmates each and every time, it wouldn't be as big of deal. But, that's really not an option at this point in time.

Thanks again for your suggestions. I'll keep working on making improvements.

[nobel]

Well as far as spec goes i would try to find a way to max out imp BR.. not all tanks have it but there is nothing better then a BR and a shield slam on pull to lock that guy down..

As far as confidance.. we have all been there. You go through cycles almost.. you have highs and lows.. Pugs definally don't help this. Now i know you said your guildmates arn't very willing or may not be on when you want to run these heroics. If you HAVE to run pugs (caps becuase they can be painful) then start a friends list of good players. I use to do this pre BC when i wasen't in a raidin guild.. Sometimes you come across players who are good and may be in your situation.. start the dialogue up. Then when you need to find a group you can start pulling from a nice pool of players, or an orginized pug :P.. atleat you know them.. you know what your going also..

Nice starter heroics would be UB/SP or so.. bring a CC and typically you won't have to tank more then 2-3 at a time.. harder ones would be HmrT or H SH.. those can be rough but definally can be done with a good group..
The starter ones will give your confiadance a boost. Be the leader, set your targets, set the kill order and if people have issues following it yell at them.. tell them to stop messing around and making the run longer.. they will stop, if they continue remove them.

Keep this in the back of your head, "if a dps dies its there fault, if a healer dies its mine" 99 % of the time this is true, the 1% is when a range pulls agro and the retard decides to run or backup or whatever it is they do back there.. they die and since the healer was spamming the crap out of the retard the agro now transfers to him.. he dies.. In any event you will end up getting blammed right?? ah those huntards how a loathe them

Hope that helps.