Why Tanks aren't in the LFG queue

[Britter]

So I think it was the OP's main intent here to hear our humerus anecdotes about our experiences with the new LFD mechanic. Bearing in mind that this site is dedicated to tanking as a whole but also that most who come here are raiders or want to be raiders, the level of game play for this audience is probably above that of the average WoW head. (not an intentional reference to another WoW site ).

I have enjoyed tanking from just before the release of BC and have raided in most content as a tank. Enjoy it immensely! I have a warrior tank mid 70's, a paly tank who is running in ICC, a DK in her mid 60's and a bear in low 50's. I love tanking on all of them and have really enjoyed the LFD for that reason. It offers a way to see content at all of those levels.

Funny (at least to me) story. My DK is spec'd mainly for leveling at this point and I have not spent the gold on a dual spec yet but find it easy enough just clicking on frost in order to tank the BC instances. We loaded into Slave Pens and the mage in the group immediately asks, "Will you be able to hold?" I am not completely sure what they mean so I ask, "Agro?" He says "yes, you are not spec'd frost." Druid healer pipes in "you don't have to be spec'd frost to tank, you can tank as blood". I say, "well haven't had a problem so far but lets pull a few groups and see how it goes. If I can't keep agro, I will drop group and you can get another tank." Well, things group great. We clear the instance with decent efficiency and no deaths. Some of that from my ability, I hope, and some from having a good healer. No loss of agro on any of the pulls and my parting comments to the mage are, "Well I hope I lived up to your satisfaction. Thanks for the group!" Recount, which I did not post, had me as top over all damage and dps on all boss fights and for the entire instance.

I found that an enjoyable run and a little humerus given the initial lack of faith. We all play this game at different levels and a geared tank with unbuffed health sitting at 38 to 40k is going to have a different perspective than a newer player who never saw the inside of a single raid instance but is wanting to get some nice purple gear from heroics.

Have fun, enjoy the company of a few strangers and remember,

"Whenever there is a hard job to be done I assign it to a lazy man; he is sure to find an easy way of doing it." Walter Chrysler

Brit

[Darmaul]

In general I have had a good experience with the lfg. I use to HATE pugs because of some traumatizing experiences when I started tanking (TBC).

Anyway here are my two stories:
1) DK instance: Gave time for buffs mana... then started to pull. Noticed peeps are not dpsing my target and pulling aggro... no worries...tab cleave devastate... no biggie but bad sign. About to engage first boss.
Healer: SLOWAAaAASSSTANK...
Healer: SLOWASSTANK
I finish killing the boss and ask:"What?!"
Healer: is it just me or ur slow?
Reste of the group: He's doing fine...let's just continue...we have 7mns before the lock
Me: To healer...well then u can tank it yourself. I don't take abuse from no one...
Left party.

UK:
When i'm in a pug I start by jauging my healer and group before adjusting my pulls.
Pulled the two at the door then proceeded to pull the group on the right. Rogue decides it's too slow and ToT-FoK the group on the left to me.
Finished killing the adds then:
Me: Rogue don't do that again...
Rogue: Sorry but looking at your gear u can handle that easily
Me: It's discourteous towards me and I have my reasons for not pulling the whole room...
Rogue: Ok fine... ur just being a tank... which means controlling.
Then starts yapping in party chat about how I am slowing down on purpose. Lol. I'm not doing that instance for the pleasure of ur company... I wanted it to be done as fast as possible.
Left group there...told the rogue to tank himself then.

Only reason I can see for not pulling the whole room is that you *couldn't* handle it easily. And there's only two reasons you couldn't handle it easily, either gear or skill. Since it's not your gear, hopefully the group you left got in a skilled tank to replace you.

It's also worth noting that since pre-formed groups missing 1 member move to the head of the line, you're petty attitude of "I'm taking my ball and going home" has *very little* impact on the groups you leave. Probably MOST of them are saying "I'm glad he's gone, what a ****!", then select replace member and welcome him with stories about the douche he's replacing.

This is a thread about why tanks aren't in the LFG q, but you illustrate very well why many dps are willing to pay 30g a run to group with a non-douche tank.

One of the things I really enjoy is when I join a Random after a couple of bosses are dead to replace a tank and have the party members say "wow, this is so much nicer than the last guy." In fact, if you weren't Horde, I'd be pretty sure I'd come into one of the groups you left as they were talking about a cowardly, arrogant tank that was afraid of pulling large groups and criticism.

[Theotherone]

It's become some type of Red Badge of Courage to speed run through instances. When I tank I go at my pace and try to keep a quick steady pace - if the dps has an issue, I'm happy to leave and wait 5 seconds for another group. On my hunter I just go with the flow. Frankly, I'm not going to get upset because I spent an extra 10 minutes in an instance - instead of sitting in Dal trolling trade chat. But then again, I guess I just don't have as many important things to do as these other people.

[jworley]

This particular instance I toss up to a bunch of elitists deciding to be assholes......I'm tanking heroic culling of strathome on my DK. The dps and the healer vastly out gear me so I make note of it at the beginning of the run...
ME: "hey guys, I'm an experienced tank and know what I'm doing, but this guy is alot less geared than y'all, please watch ur threat"
RESPONCES: "yea sure, let's just go"

Their idea of watching their threat turned out to be pulling trash, giving me no chance to build agro, swinging for the fences at every possible moment, and talking trash about me the whole instance.

I ignored it and did the instance (hell I'm gearing the DK up, don't really give a damn about stupid ppl), but I did have to shake my head after the fact. People can go out of their ways to be such assholes....it's sad really.

That's prolly the one main gripe I have about the whole cross server LFG business, it has really brought the stupidity and simple meanness out of some people it seems like.

[Malaegis]

I have been loving the LFD tool; I use it more on my DPS alts, though, as it was never tough finding an instance as a tank or healer. As for problems tanking, I don't really have too many complaints. I have been in the random where I was leading DPS on my warrior tank, and I have been in ones where every dps was doing over 5k and starting to hit things before I get to the mobs. Each pug has its challenge, and I find that part of the fun.

About the only bad time I have had tanking was in HoR. We got past the first 2 bosses fine, and one guy even said he was pleasantly surprised, since he had bad experiences with warrior tanks in there before. I just said thanks, and we moved on to the gauntlet, which was going well. At the last section, the DK pops army as the first mobs come in. Long story short, when the army went away, so did the group. (No rage and no threat + mobs everywhere and more on the way = bad times) I asked the DK not to pop army, and we go through again. Army came out again, exact same spot, and we wipe. Third pull I managed to convince him not to use it, and we won.

I honestly don't mind just about anything a DPS or healer can do in a heroic. For some reason, though, Army of the Dead makes me die a little inside every time it gets used...

[Bladesong]

Only reason I can see for not pulling the whole room is that you *couldn't* handle it easily. And there's only two reasons you couldn't handle it easily, either gear or skill. Since it's not your gear, hopefully the group you left got in a skilled tank to replace you.

It's also worth noting that since pre-formed groups missing 1 member move to the head of the line, you're petty attitude of "I'm taking my ball and going home" has *very little* impact on the groups you leave. Probably MOST of them are saying "I'm glad he's gone, what a ****!", then select replace member and welcome him with stories about the douche he's replacing.

This is a thread about why tanks aren't in the LFG q, but you illustrate very well why many dps are willing to pay 30g a run to group with a non-douche tank.

Heroics are the shallow end of the pool and there are going to be people there both gearing up and learning how to tank/heal/dps. If you're not willing to deal with that, then you shouldn't run them. Ironically, you have displayed the exact Me Me Me attitude that most of this thread is dedicated to laughing at

[Chamenas]

Lets keep the tone of this thread where it's supposed to be, please. And thank you for the people posting stories

[Rominoodle]

OH, the epic fail. DK DPS pulls out AoD on every boss in Nexus. Over vent, I said...if he pulls out AoD....stay out of the dragon's way. I'm not doing anything. He did, he died, then I grabbed the dragon. THAT dps realized the error of his ways, and apologized.

I did an ICC rep run one day with a pug because I was bored and I figured that since I've cleared most of icc10/25 that a rep run would be cake. Somebody activated a trap in the first room which is not a big deal, i picked up the big dude and faced him away from the raid and a DK decides to blow his army. Mob turns around and cleaves...there goes our melee. DK has the nerve to say, well I thought he had enough threat...Ones like those are what creates the DK stereotype of "Nub Class"

[orcstar]

I did an ICC rep run one day with a pug because I was bored and I figured that since I've cleared most of icc10/25 that a rep run would be cake. Somebody activated a trap in the first room which is not a big deal, i picked up the big dude and faced him away from the raid and a DK decides to blow his army. Mob turns around and cleaves...there goes our melee. DK has the nerve to say, well I thought he had enough threat...Ones like those are what creates the DK stereotype of "Nub Class"

Did the little ghouls outdps you or are those big mobs only immune to taunt from tanks?

[Dark]

Only reason I can see for not pulling the whole room is that you *couldn't* handle it easily. And there's only two reasons you couldn't handle it easily, either gear or skill. Since it's not your gear, hopefully the group you left got in a skilled tank to replace you.

It's also worth noting that since pre-formed groups missing 1 member move to the head of the line, you're petty attitude of "I'm taking my ball and going home" has *very little* impact on the groups you leave. Probably MOST of them are saying "I'm glad he's gone, what a ****!", then select replace member and welcome him with stories about the douche he's replacing.

This is a thread about why tanks aren't in the LFG q, but you illustrate very well why many dps are willing to pay 30g a run to group with a non-douche tank.

One of the things I really enjoy is when I join a Random after a couple of bosses are dead to replace a tank and have the party members say "wow, this is so much nicer than the last guy." In fact, if you weren't Horde, I'd be pretty sure I'd come into one of the groups you left as they were talking about a cowardly, arrogant tank that was afraid of pulling large groups and criticism.

And you sir illustrate the kind of person I wouldn't run with.
No matter what my reasons are... being gear or skill (both of which I have believe it or not), they are valid. Tanks are also responsible for not causing stupid wipes by overaggroing an entire room.
And if you bothered to read my answer carefully, you would have seen this: When i'm in a pug I start by gauging my healer and group before adjusting my pulls
Regarding my "petty" attitude. I didn't leave the group to make them wait in queue, I left because I expect the same respect I offer my peers be it irl or in game.

And your statement:"Cowardly arrogant tank" is out of place boy.

[Kazeyonoma]

Thread closed.

There isn't really much point to keeping this thread open anymore. Yes some pugs are bad, yes sometimes you need to grit your teeth and go through it, but yes, some pugs are fine and occasionally you get the good one too.