Gearing For Current Content Or Future Content?

[Bluespirit]

This is really a question of how high end tanks are gearing vs a tank like me. Im pretty realistic in the content I can run, which is 5 man heroics and 10 man raids. I just wanted to understand the thought process of how tanks gear, are tanks gearing for future content, future content being new raids, Vs gearing for content that you are running right now.

I personally am gearing for the content Im running right now, what I mean by this is the first thing I was focused on is survivability, and now I'm honestly happy with that for 5 man heroics and 10 man raiding. If Im happy with my survivability the next stats for me to look for is threat, hit and expertise, expertise being my main focus. So thats how I've been gearing which is basically gearing for the content I run, and the way I think is best for me.

My real question is, what is the thought process on how the top guilded tanks are gearing, and how does the thought of new raids change the way they gear today? The reason I ask is because most of the successful guilds I see stack stamina on there tanks above all other things. Are they doing this because they need to for the content they run, or are they doing something completely different and gearing for future, harder content that will be coming later?

Any response is welcome, and thanks.

[Alent]

Always gear for the future, with a threat set on the side for current.

I mean, it is our job as tanks to outgear content as soon as possible.

[Bluespirit]

Always gear for the future, with a threat set on the side for current.

I mean, it is our job as tanks to outgear content as soon as possible.

Yeah, I figured thats how most competitive guilds were gearing there tanks, thanks for the feedback.

[Tnar]

the way i see it, is as a tank you can never be "over geared" so i take every upgrade i can get and am constantly wanting more of everything

[Omok]

Also, like other people have said previously, take every upgrade you can for every set of gear you can. People may perceive it as being a loot vacuum, but they don't understand tanks and gearing for progression. Every tank should probably have a survival set, damage/threat set, and trash set. As you get into harder content, you will fall back on the survival set to clear new content. As you become more comfortable, fall back on the damage/threat set. And the trash set usually just has a bunch of block rating and value to help with AOE threat.

[Firstprime]

Imho if you're not a packratting loot whore you're doing it wrong. I try to pick up every possible upgrade and even side grade, and occasionally a downgrade if its particulary unique in some way.

[Bluespirit]

Also, like other people have said previously, take every upgrade you can for every set of gear you can. People may perceive it as being a loot vacuum, but they don't understand tanks and gearing for progression. Every tank should probably have a survival set, damage/threat set, and trash set. As you get into harder content, you will fall back on the survival set to clear new content. As you become more comfortable, fall back on the damage/threat set. And the trash set usually just has a bunch of block rating and value to help with AOE threat.

Thats actually a really good point.

[Kedearian]

Sets currently defined in outfitter
DPS - damage set (solo/repec)
Heroics - High threat set, also trash set lose a bit of avoidance for a lot of AP.
Raids - Avoidance set, should really be named "boss" but meh.
Resist - My frost resist set, i'll probably have to make another one sooner or later.
Gloat - This is my set that is setup to give me the biggest avoidance numbers possible, never really used but its nice to be able to say "oh.. yeah my offset is at 65% avoidance.. yours?"

Ked

[Captain Fizz]

Yep - I'd have 3 lvl's of gear (or more, with a plethora of trinkets)

-Full Mitigation/Survivability - One that you go to "big spangley new boss who hits like Patchwerk"
-High Threat - For trash/heroics etc.
-Mix - For bosses that hit like girls / on farm content - But still with high survivabilty.

So for Patchwerk, or a hard hitting boss, forgo threat... Staying alive is key.
For trash, getting through it asap, and ensuring you miss as little as possible is required.
Having a mix of gear for when you want to do high enough threat that you can move the boss, get to the other side of him etc (heigan/Thaddius) without worrying about your threat rotation too much. (Execution > Tank Dmg fights)

So yes, like the tanks above, due to swapping gear on a boss by boss basis - prepare to have 2 or 3 bags full of gear just for tanking/DPS'ing