New Pally Questions

[Griffon23]

Hey all, I've been playing WoW since MC as my main(a rogue) and have had many alts but for some reason never a Pally. I recently got him to 80, started getting some tanking gear, and have tried running some heroics. I've encountered afew problems though.

Other then merciless DPS giving me a hard time when we start due to my gear, I've been having some problems picking up multiple mobs and keeping them on me. I'm doing the rotation correctly but it seems like on some big pulls I have one that'll get away from me. I usually pull with Avenger's Shield into a Consecrate I already have down and then start the rotation from there. Is there anything else I should be doing? Here's my armory: The World of Warcraft Armory

Also, my gear seems to really be a hindrance. I've been trying to run regulars and easy heroics for upgrades but so far I've noticed that it gets harder to keep myself Def capped when I get new pieces. I just recently got the Legguards of Abandoned Fealty and while everything was a nice upgrade, the Def went down from my crafted Daunting Legplates. I know I have horrible trinkets and rings which I've been working on, is there anything else I should do?

I really want to start doing randoms but think it'd be unfair to everyone if I got TOC or any of the ICC ones, so I just do some of the easier specific heroics currently which means no Frost badges . Are there certain Triumph pieces I should get first that are good upgrades? Also, my main can buy the Valor bracers with Triumph badges, but I wasn't sure if all those Triumphs were worth that piece that may easily get upgraded.

One final thing is I don't mind going DPS instead of Tanking for awhile to build up some pieces, but my Ret gear is even worse(since I leveled 70-80 Prot), all greens and no decent 2h weapon.

Tanking is the one aspect of the game I haven't experienced yet and would love to give it true go. Any advice?

[the27thvoice]

Seems to be a gear thing. Judging my your specc I assume you use 969 rotation and your pulling routine seems fine. Your gear seems the only thing holding you back.

ToC and Heroic ToC is nowhere near as scary as you make it out to be, it is the gearing grounds of new people. Go grab gear. Chain farm normal mode until you have all items that can drop. And unless you're gonna start farming the heroic ICC ones soon, I'd recommend the Valor bracers.

Tanking is the most unforgiving place to have low gear. Healers with low gear can be compensated by a good tank, DPS with poor gear is no problem outside of raids, but a poorly geared tank will limit DPS and wear out healers. Getting all craftables and BoE stuff will greatly help you.

[Griffon23]

So I just did afew more normal runs with mixed results. I've been doing normal ToC without any problems and today on my first run two people in the group don't know what to do during the joust so the healer and another bail. Ok, whatever. Next run we complete the joust, then the healer looks at my gear and I get kicked. Now at this point I had about 27k health and 542 def, I've completed normal ToC multiple times but I just got kicked without even a warning. Definitely frustrating.

Then I got into normal FoS. The first large pull with the casters went alittle rocky, I'm not sure if there's a trick for a Pally to pull that many casters, but I'm using Avenger's Shield on the farthest ones and trying to group them up. One caster never came to the rest I had piled up and started casting at a group member. After this the healer and a DPS left.

I think I have most of the craftable gear that isn't ridiculous to make. I have 2 Titansteel pieces, the shield wall, and the rest are from the Tempered Saronite set. I've been running reg HoL like crazy to get that trinket but still no luck. I've only seen it drop once and a DPS Deathknight rolled need and snatched it.

Another thing I noticed is that sometimes I'll get low on mana. Everyone tells me to use Seal of Vengeance but often I find myself using Seal of Wisdom even with Blessing of Sanctuary active. Is this correct?

Any other tips are appreciated. Thanks!

[the27thvoice]

Then I got into normal FoS. The first large pull with the casters went alittle rocky, I'm not sure if there's a trick for a Pally to pull that many casters, but I'm using Avenger's Shield on the farthest ones and trying to group them up. One caster never came to the rest I had piled up and started casting at a group member. After this the healer and a DPS left.

[...]

Another thing I noticed is that sometimes I'll get low on mana. Everyone tells me to use Seal of Vengeance but often I find myself using Seal of Wisdom even with Blessing of Sanctuary active. Is this correct?

That pull in FoS is a pain, yes. You did right in using Avenger's Shied to round them up, you should consider putting a skull on the one you couldn't get to have him burned down fast, and snapping his attention to you a few times with taunts. Or have him CCed, silenced or death gripped by some DPSers...some of them actually know how to play and appreciate you asking for help.

As for SoV, you should use it. Mana should be alright with Divine Plea up, and Spiritual Attunement and BoSanct feeding your blue bar. If you're low on mana, consider dropping Consecrate from your rotation for a few rounds.

[BlazeDale]

The second* pull in FoS, I assume you were not having trouble with the first, is a pain. Many healers/dps mistake the group damage as poor tanking but these mobs do damage to everyone it seems. Definitely a good test of the healer and tank.

I can explain what I do with my pally for cases of multiple casters that you cannot group up and situations where DPS are pulling off me.

Do not pre-lay down a consecrate. Just run in , Avenger's Shield the caster furthest from you, Shield of the Righteous a mob that wasn't hit with your AS, then once you are in the midst of them lay down your concecrate. Many pulls in the FoS are spread out and this is the best tactic I have found. If you still have a caster that is away from the group and just standing there nuking the DPS/Healer, then Throw a Hand of Reckoning on him as available. Also with the number of undead in the new instances Holy Wrath is your friend.

Get Tusker's Vitality on your boots. This will help you keep ahead of the group.

You might consider specing into Divine Sacrifice and Divine Guardian. These abilities combined with your Divine Shield will make healing seem easy. Think about it like a group wide cool down for pulls where you might not have agro on everything. I use it all the time with AOE pulls just to help me get back mana(more healing on me = more mana).

You also might consider taking points out of Reckoning and putting them into Seals of the Pure in the holy tree. Most pally tanks will tell you Reckoning isn't that great of a talent.

This is a spec I might use if I were having mana issues. Benediction and Glyph of Shield of the Righteous will definitely save you mana. and the Seals of the Pure to increase damage/threat. You might take a point out of Improved Judgments and Benediction for Reckoning if you really think it helps. Glyph of Vengeance is okay but Expertise isn't that great of a threat stat for pallies. You are better off stacking Strength and getting hit capped. Our unbuffed Hit Cap is 262.32
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent#sVZV0...sIufdEb:NpLczV

Mostly just keep trying. You have the gear to tank heroics. I was in the same boat as you not more than 1 week ago with my DK tank. 25k health and not holding agro very well. Just keep trying, getting badges and the upgrades will come. And these hard times will just make you a better tank in the long run.

If people kick you , oh well. Getting into randoms as a tank is quick and easy. Also as long as you know the fights in the new instances you should be able to tank them. Reflections may be the only exception I think you have the gear to tank it but finding people that are coordinated enough to pull it off with a tank that isn't overgeared just isn't going to happen.