Trouble Getting DefCap 540 & where to start!

[DarkKman]

Hi... I'm kinda new to tanking and my 1st post here so here's my eu.armory link:
The World of Warcraft Armory

I got myself to Level 80 recently, not really doing any instances, no experience and a bit stuck. So I'm a virgin tank if u like taking the cookie-cutter Prot spec but have not run any dungeons/raids yet for fear of the inevitable "What? You can't tank with those stats" and never getting the experience to learn. So my questions:

1. Could you take a look and see where I should focus to get to DefCap?
2. Where should I start tanking? I'm in a guild which has very few 80's - most leave to join raiding guilds when they hit 80 but I know I'm no where near ready yet.

I'm probably the guy you all hate as I'm a noob 80...
So feel free to shoot me down but help would always be appreciated... And I may throw in a packet of Smarties

Tanks in advance (see what I did there... yes, poor i know)...!

[Strit]

Why on earth are you in frost resistance gear?

Lots of your items don't even have defense on it. Granted, they do have resilience on them, but the items them selves are very badly itemized for tanking as they are PvP items.

Advice: Get some quest tank items (search on wowhead) or use Ciderhelms starter gear guide in the Guides section of this site. Do some normal instances first, to learn the encounters and get some better gear.

I haven't gemmed for defense at all, and I'm over the 540 minimum without doing any raids and only 3 heroics. I also see you have gemmed for strength, why? If you are a tank you should gem for avoidance (dodge/parry/block) or Effektive Health (stamina/armor).

As for what you should tank, I'd say stick to normal level 80 dungeons for a little while, work on your rep through that, and get some new items to replace the non-tanking items.

PS: The Icebane set is basicly just for 1 encounter in Naxx, where frost resistance is really handy. Other than that its pretty useless.

[Theotherone]

Let me see if I can help a bit. Your gear looks like mine did when I first decided to tank. Only you did the right thing coming here for help, ignore the condescending remarks, most here are quite helpful and a lot more knowledgable then me. So I'll take a first stab and I'm sure others will chime in.

As you know your first goal in order to get into heroics is to get def capped and for heroic dungeons you need 535 for raids you need 540 def. (roughly 4 to 1 ratio so 16 defense rating = 1 defense).

I can relate to the Icebane stuff, I did the same, it was purple. Anyway, don't throw it out, it's extremely useful for Hodir when you get there, and you can use it in Naxx on Satharon; but keep it stored for Hodir. You will get to Ulduar.

Now, build up your rep with Argent Crusade, Ebon Blade, Kirin Tor, Wyrmrest and Hodir. Forgive me I'm doing this from memory. Ebon Blade has some nice tanking boots; Kirin Tor has some great gloves and a nice girdle. You can also make the Tempered Belt. Argent Crusade has great pants and Wrymrest has a nice cloak - there's a chest guard somewhere but I forget - Wyrmrest maybe; there's a chest as a quest reward in reg Utgarde Pinnacle. Hodir and Argent Crusade have enchants you want; shoulder and head respectively (both have defense).

You need to enchant your gear - Titanweave on the cloak (16 defense); Armsman on the gloves for now; Defesne on legs (there's a leather attachment forget which one); bacers i think you can make the tempered ones and can enchat for defense same for your chest, you need the defense. Meanwhile save up and get a Titanium Earthguard Ring made and a Titanium Earthguard Chain.

For now stay away from epic gems, your gear will change so fast that they're a waste. Also dont' gem for avoidance espeicially not parry. Gem for Defense, Hit and expertise - in that order. Then if you have room and the other three are capped, maybe dodge.

Run regular dungeons and learn your craft, the fights are generally the same. Also you'll get some drops.

Most importantly, develop a THICK SKIN. I guarantee, you will be insulted, you will be blamed for wipes, you will be told you stink, etc. Ignore it and move on.

As for spec, I can't help; I roll a Frost DK and a Hunter (some other toons I keep meaning to level too); my son has a Pally, but all I ever see are these hammers comming down, and this yellow spot on the ground.

Good luck, keep at it - it really is great fun.

My Armories:

The World of Warcraft Armory (left the server this morning in my shoddy dps set, I run dailies in that set to kill things faster - it's a work in progress)

The World of Warcraft Armory

[Griff]

Anothrer option would be to buy a couple stacks of saronite bars and grab your local friendly neighborhood blacksmith and have her cook you up the Tempered Saronite set. Its blues, and basically only itemized for defense, but its decent starter gear and can cover your defense problems pretty readily.

[jimbabwe]

Yes the best way I've found to start is to get as much crafted gear as possible. Order of quality is Tempered Titansteel > Daunting > Tempered Saronite (the lowest). Also look at buying the crafted ring... I'm drawing a blank on the name of it at the moment.

Next enchant what you have. There are defense enchants for the chest, shield and cloak you should get.

Thirdly gem defense where you can but try to keep your socket bonuses (especially if they're defense). This will mean using a lot of orange, green and purple gems.

Once you've done that look up the quest drops for the normal dungeons on wowhead. There will be a few that drop items with defense. Do those.

As far as faction goes I'd say start with argent crusade or wyrmrest. Wyrmrest has a few decent blue tanking items, and argent crusade has a really nice helm enchant. Whatever you choose get the faction's tabard before you begin running level 80+ dungeons.

As an addendum if you can get someone to run you through normal ToC there are some nice tanking gloves, boots, belt and trinket there.

If people give you guff about your hitpoints or armor simply ask them to give you a chance. I got a lot of bad reactions when I started (21k life, 19k armor) and I just told them I'll gladly step down after the first wipe if it's my fault. Luckily I ran with some decent healers it seems or I did a decent job but I was never booted from a group and never had to step down. I guess the key here is learn to get good at using your cooldowns, keeping up threat and making pulls.

Edit: also look for items on the AH with def. Sometimes you can get a steal on a ring or cloak that has def on it. Sadly most def items are extremely overpriced though.

[Rokbal]

The guides section is your friend. There is a guide in there called Polar's easy 540 defense pre-naxx gear list. Read it.

First, get yourself revered with Wyrmrest accord. They have a great defense cloak, chest, and boots. The crusader's resolution helm from the argent crusade quest line in icecrown is easy to get. Craft yourself some tempered saronite bracers and belt. socket the gloves and bracers. There are BoE shoulders and a neck you can get on the AH for cheap, the crusader's square pauldrons and betrayer's choker.

Once you get honored with Argent crusade, you can pick up better pants and a thrown weapon.

Get the defense enchants for your shield, chest, and cloak. gem defense/stam or straight defense in your yellow sockets, and some combo of expertise/defense stam in your red and blue sockets.

Finally, find a strong dps group and a good healer, and get them to carry you through regular ToC. There is some good gear that drops out of there. Also, regular hall of lighting drops a trinket with a ton of defense.

[DarkKman]

All... thank you for you speedy responses. All very helpful... I knew I'd come to the right place...

I think I had the Icebane stuff as I could make it myself and it boosted my HP a fair bit (wasn't too fussed about the Frost Resistance) and tried to make up for the lack in Def with gems - obviously unsuccessfully. I have now geared in near full Tempered Gear - with helm and boots being Titansteel, and with Daunting gloves and legs and now find myself Def:531 - almost there! I took about 3k hit in HP though (now down to 21k) but figure this will be fine for 'normal' instances while I get Reputation up in Wyrmrest Accord and Argent Crusade.

I'll be getting the Def Enchants for Shield and Chest (already got Cloak of Peaceful Resolutions enchanted) to reckon that might just do it. I guess when gear alone starts getting u to DefCap then gem/enchant can boost my Stamina again.

So gonna start running some regular dungeons and just try and put into practice what I have learned reading through this site and see how well I actually tank...

Thank you all again - I really appreciate all the advice and look forward to being hailed the hero thanks to you chaps.

[Rokbal]

Dark,

If you have time and haven't already, watch the new video guide posted up yesterday by Ariedan. Watch and read the transcript. There is some great info in there for new tanks.

[DarkKman]

Cheers Rokbal... I checked that out yesterday - great info for a newb like me. Been practicing my tab/SS on multi-mobs just to get used to the key-actions and keeping aggro. Will be trying out these techniques over the weekend (if I can persuade someone to group with me)

Thanks again chaps... Glad I found this place... :-D