[Trainwrex]

http://www.wowarmory.com/character-s...dt&n=Trainwrex

Am i doing anything wrong with my gems?. At the current setup my Defense is 491, with my crystal sword of the drenai it is 497. I'm gonna start the chain for the +30stam axe (cant remember name) but i really dont think that extra 90hp is going to make that big of a diff overall.

i dont have a raid guild or group and heroic groups are hard to come by as everyone seems to blame me for wipes (stupid people who don't know how to control threat is really getting to me)

My gear is kinda lacking i suppose. There are a few minor upgrades i know how to get. Ring from arc, autoblocker (trying to save up for leggings first)

any help would be appreciated. I'm trying to get into kara groups with no luck and have yet to finish any heroic due to people giving up so badge collection is slow.

any help is appreciated as i'm getting pretty sick of tanking bad groups and my guildies are barely starting to be geared well enough for heroics.

[Xipe]

I dont think your doing anything wrong really with your Gems. I usually like to have a good combo of aovidance + Stam for gems..or lately..as many +12 Stam gems as I can get away with =D without losing too much avoidance.

[Ekarderif]

Ridiculously Important Information: Socketing - TankingTips.com

[Shortypop]

You've more hp than I had when I started heroics, a couple of probably pretty minor things - look at the socket bonues, +3 parry for example is probably not worth socketing for, unless the gem sockets are decent colours. Can't remember off the top of my head, but how does the aldor breastplate compare to the bold one? Gem in your khorium destroyer is a little odd? Crafted bracers of the green fortress might be an option, as the mats should be ok for you as you're a miner - can't remember their stats off the top of my head, but might be worth considering.

Is the problem in heroics threat or you dieing?

If it's threat then it could be one of various things - trigger-happy dps, your skill rotation, cruelty talented might help a little here.

If it's you dieing, then I'd be tempted to blame the healer, you've 2k more health than i did at the start of heroics.

Hope this helps

Out of interest - which heroics are you running?

[deadwrong]

hey there!

in all honesty, i think you're looking in the wrong place to make improvements! your gear isn't that bad at all. there are a few small changes i would make:

- swap out gems for +12 Sta gems where you can (gun is an obvious first chice).
- if you're having trouble getting hold of a 'real' tanking weapon, augment the one you have as much as poss with the +20 Agi enchant (or Mongoose if you can afford it).
- Get Glyph of the Defender on yout head (if you can afford).

But - all that being said - i think you would benefit most from getting yourself into a guild who is starting out in Kara. The benefits you'll get here far outweigh a few gem-swaps:

- less of a 'blame culture' on runs.
- people looking to progress into the same content.
- hopefully some other tanks to bounce ideas off.
- dps you can tell to slow down and healers you can ask to speed up
- fun times with fun people!

if you're not getting invited on guild runs - why? maybe it's time to look for somewhere where you will get spots on progress runs into heroics / kara!

HTH and GL!

- DW

[Trainwrex]

Well i die if the healer dies or sucks or i'm overwhelmed. threat is only a problem off the start when said stupids use uber nukes or uber heals. sometimes i will lose agro on a mob that has insufficient threat from me to the healer if said healer uses a big heal.

As for heroics. I run anything i can get a group for. I'm trying to farm epic gear, but that stuff only drops of the last boss's and i never get to that point. well, i do in mech, cuz you can bypass that fire tailing wipe machine. Sun eater has yet to drop. Ramps is the only heroic i have been able to get thru with the least hastle. Coilfang Steamvaults seems to be my biggest issue. Bog lords own me if the healer isnt over geared, usually less than +1300 heal gets me dead.

My guild isnt ready for heroics or kara unfortunately and i dont want leave just for the sake of raids, i like my guildies.


ummm how do i get +12 stam in a yellow slot? (talkin about my gun) the reason for the odd gem was to help out a guildie and it was free so it was a bonus for the both of us and it still has the +6 sta

[McBash]

You asked, "ummm how do i get +12 stam in a yellow slot?" You don't need to match colors in gemming items. The only time you need to match colors is if the socket bonus is particularly attractive. For most tanking gear, just use all +12 Stam gems (Solid Star of Elune) as long as you are over the 490 defense marker.

[Wrath]

Source: Trainwrex ummm how do i get +12 stam in a yellow slot? (talkin about my gun) the reason for the odd gem was to help out a guildie and it was free so it was a bonus for the both of us and it still has the +6 sta

The colours from sockets do not force you to put a same-coloured Gem in them.... ! You can put every gem in every socket, but if the colours doesnt match you want get the socket bonus (most of them arent worth it and can be ignored)

[deadwrong]

here's a tip from tankingtips.com:

Ridiculously Important Information: Socketing - TankingTips.com

keep running Mech and grab the Sun Eater (i'm in BT / MH at the mo and was still using this until a couple of weeks ago in my Crush Immune set).

have you read up on shot-rotation and fast threat building? even if you have a spazzy healer who is constantly landing his largest heals, you should be able to keep hold of mobs in your gear. get that auto-blocker for +200 SBV = sweet for threat.

as a rule of thumb, on non-crushing mobs / bosses:

SS / Dev x5 to open.
SS / Rev / Dev x2 as your standard rotation with HS weaved in when you are 25+ rage.

take a look at your talent build also:

iron will = rubbish, junk it
cruelty = nice for +threat
imp. revenge = junk it (if you're going heroic / kara more and more mobs will resist the stun)

- DW

[ebs2002]

I'm not a fan of a 2.6 speed weapon. It's too slow to tank with IMO. Are you able to spam devastate at the start of a fight?

I see you're complaining about big heals at the start of a fight. Most healers will only do this if A) you're pulling before you're at full health, or B) if you take a boatload of damage at the start of the fight and that's the only way they can keep up. What skill rotation are you using at the start of a fight? If this happens regularly, have you tried taunting every mob as you engage it so it stays on you until you've had time to build up enough threat?

Also, you may want to spec 5pts into improved crit. It's better than Imp Shield Bash (unless you want to keep this for pvp, I guess), Imp Defensive Stance (in just about every heroic), and Iron Will. If you want to keep these for pvp, then you will just have to accept that you won't be as good a tank in pve.

[Trainwrex]

oh wow, i didnt know about the slot thing. awesome!!

i always open with a revenge or a SS due to the use of bloodrage after my pull.

also, why do you say imp. defensive stance is a waste?

[ebs2002]

Well, it's not a complete waste, it's just not impacting you in heroics that much. Taking 6% less spell damage won't affect most of the painful things in Heroics: Uppercut from the Felguards in BF is an ability mitigated by armor, Charged Fist from the Destroyers in Mechanar is elemental damage added to melee, etc. Most of the trash-cleared casters' spell damage is interruptable with a Shield Bash/Concussion Blow/Spell Reflect.

There are a few boss fights that may increase your survivability a little if you were taking the damage, but it's such a situational talent that you should only take it if you know you're getting good use out of it (ie, if you were pvp'ing, or your guild was trying to kill Shade of Aran in Karazhan, etc). Otherwise, you're spending 3 talent points for a 6% decrease in 1% of your total damage taken throughout a night.

It's just not worth it for a purely Heroics tank. You'll get far more bang for your buck if you put it where you're weaker (like threat)

[Trainwrex]

hmm good points