Mob Marking and Anxiety

[Masaman]

Hello All,

First time poster. I've been wanting to tank on my warrior since I picked him up again. I actually haven't tanked since BC and then I just did normal dungeons and Karazhan a few times (I think Kara was BC). The one thing that really gives me anxiety is as a tank we are in charge of marking. I always asked if someone more experience would mark but I figure it is about time I did it.

Is there a general understanding of what to mark? For example what are the best targets to CC and what is the kill order? I remember that usually healers/casters get taken out first. I hope this isn't too simple of a question but this really gets me nervous when I think about tanking. Don't get me wrong, I love bashing baddies and protecting my group but this seems to be the thing that stresses me out.

I'm 78 now and figure I need to get my skills down before I hit 85 when things get harder.

Thanks for helping out a rookie.

[Netheras]

The best way to figure out what to mark is to pay attention to what is in the pull. Casters are usually easy to pick out - you usually want those to go first, most of the time. Use skull and X to mark out first and second in the kill order, then triangle if need be. Box and moon are usually CC, moon being sheep/hex and box is hunter trap (in my groups anyway). Be sure to figure out what CC abilities you have and if it is easier to get the casters out of the way with those.

A lot of marking comes down to what is in the pull... and you're only going to know that through experience or from asking others that have done the run before. Get an addon so that you can mark quickly - http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-a...arkingbar.aspx looks pretty good, I'll probably get it myself (for when I get back into tanking seriously). Unfortunately there are a lot of pulls that have unique aspects to them, so it depends on your group and how you handle the sudden abilities that come up. You get it from experience, and making sure that you're paying attention. Go through your combat log if you wipe and see what mob used what ability, and if you think that was what was wiping you, point it out and mark it up.

[klausi]

The question is simple but the answer isn't. You have to learn it the hard way and takes out what hurts you the most (depending on your class/specc) for every trashpack in every instance. You want to mark your focus target and at least one cc target, more with subpar gear or while still learning the instance.

[Nelo'Angelo]

Experience is definitely the best way to learn. I would also suggest thinking about where you are going to fight your targets and how you are going to pull. If you have multiple casters spread out it will be harder to group them up away from CC'ed mobs so I usually have the casters CC. This usually allows enough space between you and them to still uses your aoe abilities without breaking CC. This also helps if you are begining the pull with CC beacuse it allows you to have the melee targets run towards you instead of sit back and cast. For Cata, our guild started running heroics with the understated rule that you mark your own CC. I have found this mutually benifitial because if you have an unexperienced tank alot of the thinking is done for you, and typical DPS classes are forced to learn more about the tanking aspects of a pull. Again, this works great in a guild run setting, not so much in pugs.

As far as specific advice for marking, things i have to remind myself are, the healer is not hit capped so his/her CC may very welll break early so be prepared when marking to have that happen, Some CC can't be reapplied, and atm if you are using MC as a CC it pulls very high threat.

[Masaman]

All very good advice. This was exactly what I was looking for by posting. I just really needed the thought process on how other's mark. Definitely has helped and great advice on placement Nelo. I will definitely try that addon as I remember marking would take a while. I know that wrath was different but when I did random dungeons healing on my shaman it was all gogogo. People wouldn't even loot sometimes! I'll post back after the weekend if I get to tank anything.

[Miraii]

Usually when I enter an instance I look over the group composition to see what CC we have.
Then I assign one mark to each CC, tell the group that skull is a priority kill and cross is 2nd.

As for the the kill order itself, as many has already said you learn by doing.
I usually mark healers for kill and if there are more than one in a pack I mark the other healers for CC.

Of the new Cata dungeons I would recommend practicing by running Throne of the Tides for a while because the packs in there has varied composition.
You got the spiritmenders (Healers), witches (dps spellcasters) and regular melee dps.

[Hamhead]

As a general point I would also put a Sap target within easy reach as this is the only CC that has to be done in melee range so can be quite awkward sometimes (speaking as both a rogue player and the prat that told a rogue to sap a target right in the middle...I paid his repair bill for the whole run as an apology for his complete ganking... :S)

Also the order of cc is a handy thing to learn, sap before trap before casts (hex, poly, repent, bind etc)

[Draegloth]

I have similar problems as I learn the priorities, but I am getting better. As stated, it depends on the make up of the group. I usually focus on CCing second healer (if applicable) and then the strongest mobs that can be CC'd. The problems I usually get are when there are multiple mobs that are ranged. It can be a pain to get them together before DPS are on them. A good example is the first pull in HoO (also a similar pull just after the lift room in HoO). I believe the group consists of a Firewarden (not CCable), Swiftsomething (hunter), Shadowlancer (melee), Runecaster (DPS caster). Most of the time I usually only have 1 CC with me. If this is the case then I would prefer to have the hunter CC'd. I would then Heroic Throw the Shadowlancer, Charge/SB the runecaster (to get him to follow) and use my tinkered gloves on the Firewarden as I run towards him. The problem is usually I have healer aggro before I can get them all up which is problematic. Any better advice on pulls similar to this?

Not trying to derail the thread, just seems to fall in line with marking and kill orders and seemed like a good example.

[spursfanatic]

I have similar problems as I learn the priorities, but I am getting better. As stated, it depends on the make up of the group. I usually focus on CCing second healer (if applicable) and then the strongest mobs that can be CC'd. The problems I usually get are when there are multiple mobs that are ranged. It can be a pain to get them together before DPS are on them. A good example is the first pull in HoO (also a similar pull just after the lift room in HoO). I believe the group consists of a Firewarden (not CCable), Swiftsomething (hunter), Shadowlancer (melee), Runecaster (DPS caster). Most of the time I usually only have 1 CC with me. If this is the case then I would prefer to have the hunter CC'd. I would then Heroic Throw the Shadowlancer, Charge/SB the runecaster (to get him to follow) and use my tinkered gloves on the Firewarden as I run towards him. The problem is usually I have healer aggro before I can get them all up which is problematic. Any better advice on pulls similar to this?

Not trying to derail the thread, just seems to fall in line with marking and kill orders and seemed like a good example.

This is also my hardest pull as a tank. I usually use avenger's shield then run slightly through the oncoming 2 or 3 mobs pulled, pop a taunt, turn and setup for tanking. Immediately followed with a consecration for good measure. If there is a better way I would love to hear it.

[Loganisis]

Typically I like to:

Skull - Healer mob (and I really don't care if they pull off as they don't usually deal much damage, just removing the heals is key)
X - Most dangerous mob

CC priority marking
A) Additional healer mobs
B) Ranged mobs (hunter-like mobs, caster mobs)
C) Whatever

CC is far more important when you are at entry gear level and learning how they interact. A lot of mobs that 'need to be CC'd' actually don't. You need to make sure to interrupt their abilities. The Shadowlancer is one if memory serves... he does a channeled vortex of doom (because it's completely hidden under the Boomkin's exploded shroom) - a well-timed interrupt or group stun makes this far more manageable.

Don't get me wrong, I prefer CC to no CC because I prefer smooth runs to zerg-fests when things go wrong (minimize the maximum possible bad consequence) but at the same time, I've run heroics with guildies in early heroics gear where we had 2 warriors, a pally, a DK, and a Resto Druid. You come up with some creative solutions for CC-ing, letmetelyou ;-) (Yes, AotD was used as a CC on CD XD)