Dwarf Warrior- Need tanking advice

[Snerty]

Hello

I am looking for some advice on how to improve my tanking spec/rotation/style

My main spec is a Fury Warrior, but have duel spec'd as a Tank to help my guild. I have read many guides online and have based my tanking spec and rotation upon these.

My spec is 15/5/51 including cleave, as I found this was helpful in keeping the trash mobs under control.

I have been able to successfully tank Heroics until last night when I came across Halls of Reflection, and could not get past the first stage. No mater what I tried they made a dash for the healer, and I would have to use Challenging shout and an emergency measure to get them off the healer, and then would lose this on cooldown, and we would wipe on the next spawn of mobs.

One thing I did notice was that the healer was placing HOTS on me before the mobs got close enough me to get a hit in and get the aggro. They would then sail by me, and I would only get a couple of them in with the thunder clap. This would mean the healer would get a kicking and die, and we would all wipe.

The Healer (restore nightelf druid) insisted that this is how it is done and that he heals ICC, so he is far more experienced than me, so I doubt he's wrong.

I had placed Vigilance on him, but this did not seem to help.

My rotations are as follows:

Charge -> Thunderclap -> cleave -> Revenge -> Shield Slam ->Devastate (when sword and board procs I go back to shield slam) I also use Taunt to try and get lost trash back to me.

Here is a link to my Armory page (although it is showing my fury spec at the moment, but I hope this will update soon)

http://eu.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Lightbringer&cn=Snerty&gn=Four+The+Win


Any advice gratefully received.

Many thanks

[bondetamp]

HoR is a right bastard until you've learned its ways, but as you have taste and good sense enough to roll a dwarf warrior in the first place, I'm confident you'll be able to handle it in time.

There are various strategies for the first two bosses. I tend to have my group snuggle in a corner of the alcoves behind one of the bosses. It's important to look around and see what kind of mob are awakened at each spawn as all spawn at the same time, but their distance to you vary and so they tend to arive one after the other with enough space between them that you can fit in the gcd of a devastate or shield slam or what ever. If two arive close together, use TC, once you have all of the melee, use shoickwave and then start charging arund to get a handle on the ranged. You can charge the mage, shield slam and intercept back, and you should have enough threat to keep it on you with spell reflects. It's not dangerous to run around on the floor after the mobs have spawned, and you should use the warbringer talent for what it's worth. Some times, you'll get a team member that cc's a ranged mob or LoS's it into melee range, but at least in my experience, that's the exception, not the rule.

I use my Shield Wall on the first boss and then on the last pull before the second boss as I tend to take a lot of damage on those.

But the most important is to look around as the mobs spawn and adjust your tactic then.

[Sky]

HoR is a right bastard until you've learned its ways, but as you have bad taste and terrible sense enough to roll a dwarf warrior in the first place, I'm not confident you'll be able to handle it well.

[Snerty]

Thanks Bondtamp

I am glad to hear that tactics are the route of the problem. I was a bit concerned about my gemming of gear, as a lot of tanks seem to like stamina...stamina...stamina.

I felt that this would make me harder to heal, and I would miss out on some of the avoidance abilities.

I have Warbringer, so will make use of that more, as I never really use intercept, so have moved that down my bar to make it more accessible.

I took my guild through pit of Saron Heroic last night, with little trouble, so feel a lot of this is down to practice and understanding Tanking dynamics. I just wish Public groups were more forgiving, as it would be nice to be able to practice without the guild without getting abuse for not running through dungeons and missing half the bosses.

Thanks again for your advice, I will keep at it and fingers crossed will master Halls of Reflection shortly.

P.S.

Blueskies.......Could not see any tanking advice on your link??

[Meccha]

I know an answer has been said, but just to add some small amount of information:

Gag Order effects your Heroic Throw, making it a long distance silence. With Hall of Reflection, i get the whole group to hide in that corner to los the mobs coming. I always tell the healer not to heal until i have atleast used one thunder clap (Shield Block on each wave). One heroic throw can silence that pesky mage.

The rest is all grouping (thunderclap, use a Shield Bash on close casters) then Shockwave while holding a Taunt on that mage (if he isn't close enough). After that shockwave charge the mage, shield bash, intercept (or intervenne the healer) back. And every mob is grouped up. Easy to hold and tank. But it can hurt even the best warrior tank around.

[Snerty]

Thanks Meccha

The healer always puts HOTS on me before I go into any battle. Do you think this could be why they all make a bee line for him?

Thanks for the extra info, will try that later on.

[Meccha]

Yep. Any heals done creates a small amount of agro (0.8) i think. Which is more then you have at the start (0.0). So they go straight at him. Just tell your healers not to heal until you have done 1 thunderclap. That shield block will keep you alive.

[Griff]

Also, don't forget to keep your spell reflect on cooldown. You can definitely range tank caster adds with spell reflect in H-Hor if the dps isn't aoeing them or some rogue isn't off slicing them up.

Also, if you have CC in your group, don't be afraid to have them using it. Hunters can drop freeze traps on folks for ex.