As some of you might know I was among those critical about the new tanking changes. Despite that I'm having a blast tanking now.
But does anyone find that their overall tanking prowness has lessened to this? While tanking Heroic Durnholde last night I'd constantly have a mob run loose wasting heals before noticing (perhaps for the best since I go down fast with 4 mobs on me since my Tauren isn't half as well geared as my human was)
We wiped on the 2nd boss 3 times, primary reason being at the time my graphic settings didnt show Concencrates and it took me a while to realize this, but even after that he still does that annoying as stun that keeps you there, and the healer is tided up healing the massive incoming damage due to it so the dispell comes rather late.
A few wipes later I realize.....I can Spell Reflect that bull shit! Old school tanking I would have never forgotten such a thing, but now with this whole charge in, Thunderclap, Shockwave mess I just feel like thats all I have to do and it generally works. I automatically assume all mobs are on me, this is what I despised while tanking on a Paladin (Ret spec lowbie instance) that I just spammed Concencrate all day if some how someone did pull aggro I'd have a ranged Multi-Taunt (which I just realized Warriors have a 20 yrd taunt now also....lame!!!)
The lack of such tools is what I feel made me so great, in harder Heroics with larger pulls I was always on point, every mob accounted for, and how a a universal spatial awarness and take much into consideration.
Now I just faceroll my keyboard and win. I'll probably regain those abilities, but I think it's a point.
Anyone else somewhat experiance the same thing?
I agree...first heroic I did with the new toys was crypts...body pulled each pack, wait for the ghosts to spawn, thunderclap/shockwave....2nd heroic was with not as great a group in BF...felt like I had forgotten every pull, multiple wipes...think about it as a comparison to bringing way overgeared toons to kara...everyone gets sloppy because it is so easy they do not pay attention, more wipes than when kara was new and challenging.
Our tanking team got a little too excited in BT the other night and we each ended up pulling a group of trash...
Wait... wasn't your post about just the opposite of that? Or did I totally read it wrong?Originally Posted by Kahmal
It's tempting to let the new toys we have override our good judgement and experience and lull us into what is being described. Resisting it and using your new toys to enhance your already formidable skills is just a choice.
The increase in wipes or deaths I have experienced are mainly not do to my negligence but to me testing the limits of our new capabilities. Not just tanks either, pulling 2 to 3 groups of trash in Kara and causing a wipe or few deaths is caused by stressing the capabilities of myself, my healers and my dps. Do it a few times get used to the limit then stay there till gear or skill warrants more.
Most Heroics that I step into for the first time after 3.0 result in a death or two right near the enterance as I test how my new cow-self stacks up against the mobs. After that no deaths, no wipes. Full focus on using the new toys to make things fast and fun. That one mob breaks free? Use an intervene like you used to, or charge, or ranged taunt. Our awarness and command of the events around us need not suffer because Bliizard changed the way tanking works.
I strive to make the new lolfaceroll WoW as fun for everyone with me as possible. I stress the healer till they are having fun and pull enough mobs to give the DPS gobs of fun tearing em up while they "TRY" to rip threat off me while disregarding the kill order.
I guess my ramblings here boil down to this: Use the new dynamic to have the funnest runs you've ever had, and that can only be done by combining old skill with new toys. Stick to one or the other and you are bound for frustration or boredom.
Last edited by Kazeyonoma; 10-30-2008 at 10:41 PM.
Blizz have said something along the lines like 'we dont want CC to disappear, we'll probably make it so you can only survive X number of mobs' Come 80 its most likely we'll have to CC, also being very careful not to break them with a TC or SW. We'll likely have to take more pure EH/avoid gear to survive while our PewPews threat goes through the roof with their increased DPS. We have a small window to smash content while get used to playing with our new toys, it wont last long im sure.
I too have wiped on content that I outgear by about 4 tiers
For now that is probably true. I currently, in a mix of T4, Badge Gear and ZA Stuff, rape many of the so called good or decent DPS in my guild. I'm not talking the top dogs but the ones striving to get there. I've had complaints and curses muttered when damage meters are tossed out after ZA where I usually come out in the top 4 or 25's where I easly destroy half the DPS corps in damage.
At 80 when encounters are in tune with our new skills it will be back to something a bit more normal. We may not trail the DPS by HUGE margins like before but I think any dedicated DPS goon is going to out do the tanks. It will definitely give my "you don't come with me no more" metric of doing more DPS than the tank new sharp and nasty teeth.. *Evil Laugh*
Last edited by Kazeyonoma; 10-30-2008 at 10:41 PM.
I ran ZA last night and had a horrible time tanking trash, I couldn’t get aggro on anything, and kept letting DPS die while I tried to make sense of the pulls. We did make it through, thankfully, but looking back I was neglecting to make full use of my abilities. Shockwave is getting in the way, I have to start using it more intelligently, and later, instead of gimping myself at the start with a stunned pull, no rage and a team of DPS going bananas.
I had another really embarrassing moment on Hex Lord, the pally was tanking all 4 adds, and I had to pick up the boss, except it got stuck in consecrate and it took me about a minute to get him out with no rage and no taunt. ><
On bosses, my single target threat is off the charts, I think I have that part down pretty good – catching S+B procs, Heroic Strike on almost every swing, and I’m getting used to the new Shield Block, both as a mini-last stand and a threat booster. Shockwave gets a look-in over Devastate when it’s up. All in all I’m seeing some big numbers in Omen and I haven’t had any issues with boss tanking.
Multi-target tanking is where I’m getting cocky, and just hitting buttons without thinking sometimes. I need to take a step back and make sure I’m still getting adequate threat on the entire group.
Guild had this issue in TK tonight, people getting sloppy on what used to be farm instance, wiping repeatedly on trash...
I'm waiting for LK to hit, to see how things even out, and in the meantime, just trying to keep my skills sharp.
November 23, 2004 8:27:03 AM - Glomgore 10+ Years of tanking? Priceless
We're working in an environment where not only did everyone get buffed, but the content got nerfed. I wouldn't get used to the idea of face-roll tanking, a year from now a combat rogue or arcane mage or something is gonna be riding your ass on threat the entire time. I also don't buy the tanks-as-dps thing. That's an imbalance that won't last past the first few major patches in wrath. We'll be doing damage yes, and that's a good thing. But I seriously doubt we'll be competitive with the actual DPS you bring to a raid. Think mid/late-TBC bear tank damage, that's where my money would be if I were a betting man.
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