New to tanking - Failing!

[Junbear]

Hi everyone,

I've just inherited the role of MT for my new guild. Were only small and no way brilliant. However I would like to do my job as well as possible. It's also how I found your site - The guides on tanking the bosses!!

We did our first ever 10man naxx run last night and we only managed to get two bosses in Arachnid down.

My gear isn't brilliant and I know I need to replace my shoulders (as said I was dps with another guild) but I was using a blood spec and struggling to keep agro over some of the better geared DPS. I was using DND>IT>PS>PES(if more then one more)>RS(when available)>Oblit. I was also using my runic power to pop icebound fort when needed and using my 2 trinkets in rotation popping one as the other ended when needed.

How ever, we wiped lots. I know our healers ain't fantastic but I don't wanna say its there fault and not my own. Anyway, a friend suggested the spec im using now :: The World of Warcraft Armory and we're attempting more of Naxx tonight.

Can anyone tell me any obvious flaws in that spec, or suggestions on rotations etc.. to help me a) stay alive longer and b) keep threat.

I've always played a DPS and never tanked. I have how ever really enjoyed my first taster and i'd like to do my best as to not waste another night for everyone who turned up.

Thanks.

EDIT: Also any obvious missing gems / enchants etc.. please feel free. I'm on a bit of a low population server where most my firneds in top guilds just paid migrated away so educated advice is hard to come by.

[Hades]

Ok, since the first thing that pops up in Armory is gear, I'll start there. You're over 540 by a considerable amount, and that's fine. However, you need to replace Seal of the Pantheon ASAP with either Essence of Gossamer (Hadronox, H AN) or The Black Heart (TotC Reg). If you can get through Naxx bosses, you can get through those relatively easy. Also, you'll want to pick up a new belt and bracers pretty quick too. Bracers you can get from the Herald in Heroic Old Kingdom, and the belt I use (But admittedly need to replace) is the Icebane Girdle. There's no def rating, but with the eternal belt buckle you get three gem slots on top of 129 stamina. In my opinion, you can keep those shoulders for better threat, and just through a tank enchant on them from Sons of Hodir for the stam and def rate. On to the talents.

I assume the 23/36/12 build is your tank build, which tells me you're using a two disease rotation. This can be ok as long as you open with DnD and ask your DPS for a bit of a head start to build aggro. The latter part's pretty important because you gotta get your diseases spread around. The downside of this build is you missed some pretty crucial tank talents. Taking the Icy Talons tree is fine if you don't have a shaman in your usual raid party, and the rune tap is ok as well. I presume the healers like the help. The way I'll accomplish this is by teling you what you didnt need (to free up points) and the ones you do need (put the free points there.) In blood, you have 2 points in Subversion and another two in spell deflection. Removing these will also remove Veteran of the Third War most likely. In Unholy, you have two points in Ravenous Dead. Removing these talents will give you 9 points to put into Frost, which is the easy mode, starter tank tree and in my opinion, more fun than the other trees. In frost, talents you'll want to drop are Chillblains (PVP talent) and Icy Reach unless you pull with Icy Touch. Gives you a total of 12 (14 if you drop IR) points, 5 of which should go into Killing Machine. Three more into Glacier Rot. One point into Death Chill (Crit Oblits are purdy, and it procs a LOT), and three into Blood of the North so that Pestilence makes death runes. If you drop Icy Reach as well, those two points need to go into Guile of the Gorefiend for threat bonuses and extended IBF.

Next, we'll talk glyphs. Your minor glyphs are fine, as are the top two majors (Disease and DnD). However, glyph of Icebound Fortitude is kinda worthless because you should already be seeing more improvement than the glyph provides due to your armor rating. Glyph of Dark Death might be something to look into (Add damage, and thus threat to RP dumps) or Glyph of Obliterate could work as well, with the added damage it gives. Hopefully, this wall-o-text has helped a bit! Happy tanking!

[deathdaddy]

Hi Dude

welcome to the wonderfully world of DK tanking, Good isnt it ? lol . Firstly you seem to be running a strange talent build, I assuming you tank build is 23/36/12. I would personaly say may be you have tried to do a half way house, using blood for self heal etc etc.

But he like the previous poster said, you are loosing out on some great tanking talents in the frost tree.

I would choose either 1 route to go down for tanking, either

A. Blood Tank
B. Frost Tank

A mix and match approach, doesnt seem to be the best idea. Have a look at my talent build, there is probably 1 thing that I could change, and that is put 2 extra points in bladded armor, but I havn't felt the need to do this yet. As after playing 3.2 and getting used to the differant play style I seem to hold agro pretty well.

If you do look at my build, then I can say the following does work a treat for agro, again depends on the mobs the situation etc, so you will need to adapt, also thoses dpser's need you a few seconds.

IT, PES, HB, BB

thoses mobs should be on you like flys to shit, I do this a few times to make sure, then back to normal rotation of RS/OB, and HB when the rim , Killing machine babys proc.

Get yourself an addon that lets you know when these proc, so you can get max damage, also bind up runstike in a macro aswell for OB, frost strike, death strike etc.

/cast rune stike

Gear, you have a few str gems, Id get rid of them and gem for Stam. Basicly gem for stam over anything to start, untill you get better gear, this will help you and the healers. Also you have a few enchants missing, grab thoses if you have the gold.

Again this is personaly pref, may be go JC and Blacksmith for the nice big epic gems and extra sockts on gloves bracers and belt. Farm TOC normaly, there is some good tank gear to be had there, also heroics for badges etc.

Everyone is going to blame the tank for wipes, I rember the days when it used to be the warlock that got the blame lol. So if you can do all you can to help yourself, and you are still wiping, then you need to start looking at the healers.

we are hear to help we have all been through the pain. There is 1 thing i must ask , as i have seen some new dk tanks that dont do this, are you in frost presence when tanking ?

hope to hear from you soon

deathdaddy

[copeandtank]

Hello,

I am also asking tank / dk tanking questions. I don't think I needed to start a new thread for this. My questions are almost identical. I have tanked all of the heroics without any problems. However tonight I "tried" to tank 10 man EoE. We failed..all of us..could not stay alive during phase 3. During phase 2 I had a very hard time with keeping threat..from the guys coming in on the disks. So the first question..what do I need to be doing to improve my threat gen? Second..I am def cap (543-552 depending on gear) and started working on becoming expertise cap'ed..is that a wise choice or should I be working on hit cap? Third..pretty much any advice / suggestions to improve my tank..thanks in advance. Armory link The World of Warcraft Armory

[Gearfighter]

i am a frost DK tank, and i am OT naxx 10 but can stand up for MT, my char name is Ilumanchaos on Aman'thul US. i usually find that frost is a really good all around tank build because u can single target and aoe, im not claiming to be the best but i do my job. if you have any questions, feel free to send me a mail