A blog about being casual, and sometimes about how good orcs look in plate.
Gearing your Secondary Spec
Posted 04-01-2009 at 09:05 PM by Corisa
Updated 04-04-2009 at 12:33 AM by Corisa (My friend called me out!)
Updated 04-04-2009 at 12:33 AM by Corisa (My friend called me out!)
So I'm going to have a DPS spec as my secondary. It just seems like the most intelligent and progression-minded option. Regardless of whether the guild wants to call me a main tank, there are encounters the Death Knight or Paladin tanks are definitely better suited for.
(Edit: My friend tore me up for not including druids in that last sentence! No disrespect to the bear tanks intended! Our guild just has no active feral tanks at the moment.
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That is all besides the point though, when I'm out pugging to gear the last few slots of my secondary spec I run into an immense amount of resistance from plate DPS. Most of this comes in the form of "You're a tank, you can't roll on that."
I get it - for the past couple of years, we have all held a defined role in a group and did instances with the intent of improving our gear in that role. How hard is it to grasp that this system is changing?
So what if I'm tanking for the group to get my alt-spec gear? Would the same ret paladin crying about the tank rolling on a DPS ring be crying if he lost it to a mediocre arms warrior? Actually, I don't think he would... if I was gearing as my DPS spec he'd instead be somewhere else crying about how there aren't enough tanks on our server.
(Edit: My friend tore me up for not including druids in that last sentence! No disrespect to the bear tanks intended! Our guild just has no active feral tanks at the moment.
)That is all besides the point though, when I'm out pugging to gear the last few slots of my secondary spec I run into an immense amount of resistance from plate DPS. Most of this comes in the form of "You're a tank, you can't roll on that."
I get it - for the past couple of years, we have all held a defined role in a group and did instances with the intent of improving our gear in that role. How hard is it to grasp that this system is changing?
So what if I'm tanking for the group to get my alt-spec gear? Would the same ret paladin crying about the tank rolling on a DPS ring be crying if he lost it to a mediocre arms warrior? Actually, I don't think he would... if I was gearing as my DPS spec he'd instead be somewhere else crying about how there aren't enough tanks on our server.
Total Comments 8
Comments
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I've run into this same problem many many times!!! friends, guildies and even some PuGs recognize me as a tank and expect me to tank. so when i DPS they throw hissy fits. in an old guild it was a huge argument (that lead to guild split) aobut gear piece x because i took it when i dps'd that week, when i usually tank. in the not so censored version. its bulls@#t when my class can fill multiple roles but i'm only allowed one type of gear because thats the role i choose to start as. Asshats need to get their head out of the f@%$ing gutter and realize i can do more then tank. /end rant.Posted 04-01-2009 at 10:55 PM by Jivatma 
Updated 04-04-2009 at 01:21 AM by Corisa (Just don't want anyone in hot water over language! :)) - I suppose it is about setting the right expectations before you even do the first pull. I've done a boatload of heroics both in TBC and Wrath on my warrior. If there's a dps item I want (I can remember doing about 25 runs for the hourglass of the unraveler) I just declare it at the start. Then before the boss that drops said item I remind them again.
That works some times.
Most of the times people appear to discard that as long as you tank well and all hell breaks loose when you actually roll on the item.
I suppose, for the strategic ones amongst us, the best option would be to recruit a priest healer, and thee caster dps to run those instances with. That way there simply cannot be any discussion about who gets the plate/leather/weapons suit for a physical dps.Posted 04-02-2009 at 12:20 AM by Aethelas 
- I just let people know ahead of time what I plan to roll on, if they don't like it they can find a new tank.
Posted 04-02-2009 at 07:45 AM by Tatt - I actually don't plan on doing DPS for PVE once dual spec comes out. I have recently been bitten by the PVP bug as Prot Warrior, and plan to have my second spec talented approptiately. I have a few epic pieces for BG's and such already, and can't wait to be able to respecc for improved spell reflect (sooooo funny seeing casters crit or morph themselves...brings tears of laughter, honestly).
Posted 04-02-2009 at 08:17 AM by Kilrum - This is the tactic that worked for me in PuGs. Guildwise - they supported my collecting dps gear in 10s and later 25s because I said that I needed a break from tanking and it was either raid dps to make tanking appealing again, while continuing to give sage advice to the up and coming tanks...or probably get tired of the game so much I burn out and quit.Quote:I just let people know ahead of time what I plan to roll on, if they don't like it they can find a new tank.
Granted, that does require some stature and entrenchment as 'lead tank' in a guild.Posted 04-02-2009 at 08:23 AM by Conreeaght - The dual spec is going to change the dynamics of loot a bit. I plan on stating what I'm rolling for as my main spec before I start a PUG or even a guild run and will ask others to do the same. I think it's the double dipping that tends to tick people off. For example, tanks that roll on DPS gear for their main spec... and also expect to roll on tank drops for their main spec in the same run. Pick one and feel free to roll off-spec for the other.
Posted 04-02-2009 at 08:33 AM by Mammoth - I get plate drops kk? just kidding :P
This is going to become the norm pretty soon, I honestly wouldn't sweat it. It's kind of weird how similar this seems to WoW classic. Eventually Warriors, Paladins, Death Knights, and Druids will be expected to gather a solid DPS set and know how to play it. That's not a bad thing, not a bad thing at all.
Good luck!Posted 04-02-2009 at 09:15 AM by kolben -
I caved and passed the ring after winning the roll, I just wasn't going to make as big a deal out of it as he was. It kind of feels like having a "geared" main spec creates a disadvantage in pugs like this. There is almost an expectation that you have your off-spec totally geared out regardless of how far from the truth it may be. Run heroics that you don't need to gear out other people's main and off-specs, and do it all out of the kindness of your heart.
I genuinely like pugging, but consideration needs to be a two-way street. There ARE a few things I still need for 3.1, and I should not be made to feel guilty for rolling on them.Posted 04-04-2009 at 12:28 AM by Corisa
