Tanking

Ok, I'm not new to the game but I've really only played dps and would like to try tanking and I need some tips. I'm considering levelling a prot pally to get the hang of it, then using my DK to do heroics and raids. One question I have though is, how exactly does one tank? Do you Tab between all mobs to make sure you have enough aggro? Or do you just try to AoE tank and use single target abilities on the main add currently being attacked? Any help would be appreciated :).|||You can find several guides for your class of choice on the net, even on these very forums, if I recall correctly. The tanking principle is all the same, but the way to do it strongly differs per class. That said, learning the mechanics on one class will certainly give you a benefit trying to learn them on another.

I don't know zilch about DK tanking. I have some experience with a lower level Warrior, but my current main is a protection Paladin. With a Protection paladin, AoE tanking is pretty simple. With Righteous Fury slapped on yourself, just do as much holy damage as you can to keep aggro. Opening with the free protection skill Avenger's Shield and then casting Consecration already makes it quite hard for the others to get them off you. If they do, it's nothing a quick Hand of Reckoning won't fix.

Tabbing between mobs is not really necessary anymore. Even with a warrior, there's a glyph that puts Sunder Armor on nearby targets as well, it's a must have for beginning warrior tanks. Sunder Armor is in the lower levels your biggest aggro skill. I used to tab between the mobs to make sure everyone of them had enough Sunders on to keep them on me. That in combination with Thunderclap (which caused a lot of aggro as well) made AoE tanking very possible.

But as I said, I only have a lower level Warrior and I haven't tanked with him after the talents have changed, so I'm not sure if this still applies.

One principle that a lot of less experienced tanks forget: face the mobs! Always face every mob you're handling, your shield, dodge and parry rating are useless versus mobs hitting you in the back.|||Tanking style hugely differs between classes, I dont know if it is a good idea to practice on your paladin for your dk.

You usualy do both. Spam AoE thead abilities when they are off cooldown and additionaly tab around like crazy and hit every mob with single target thread abilities.|||Quote:








Tanking style hugely differs between classes, I dont know if it is a good idea to practice on your paladin for your dk.




QFT. The mechanics of each class are totally different.

I just got back into warrior tanking after three years. I used to tank in vanilla WoW, but beyond getting her to level 70 in BC, I had been using her as my auction mule. I got her to her early 80s and then got some patient guildies to go with me as I tanked my first instances in awhile. It's been taking some time to adjust to things like ranged taunts and a lot of new tools at my disposal, but I seem to be doing fine and the only wipe came from a small misunderstanding about the mechanics of one of the bosses that was easily fixed. I am getting the hang of using the new tools to hold aggro and keep everyone alive, which is my primary job, of course.

Does this mean I can get onto my druid, respec her for bear and have any real clue what I'm doing? No, because the tools used to hold aggro and peel mobs off people are totally different on a druid. Same goes for a DK or a paladin. The basic concept of a tank is there -- hold aggro, take the damage so others don't have to -- but the mechanics are not the same. It's like telling someone that because I can train to play a mage by playing my shadow priest -- or even better, train to play my mage by playing my rogue, since they are both pure DPS characters.

On a DK, you have runic power. On paladins, you have spell power. On bears and warriors, you have the whole rage mechanic. The abilities and how you generate them are not so easily translated even between the same role.

On one class, you will have more AOE taunt and aggro holding abilities than on another. I can't speak for DKs, but on warriors so far what I am finding is that there are more AOE options than there used to be, but it's not what the class excels at so you need to get a little more creative when dealing with groups.

If you want to learn to tank well with your DK, then tank with your DK. You can't really learn how to tank on one class and have it translate seamlessly to another. You may get a few basic concepts, but play the class first, role second.

...Ren|||Thanks for the info guys. I put the tanking as pally then dk thing wrongly. I meant just to get the basics of tanking and not dpsing. I completely understand all classes abilities are different and each tank will do it differently depending on abilities. Having dpsed for so long I just need some time to adjust to holding aggro. So thanks again :).|||Here are some links to get you started on info and theory.

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/968396860

http://elitistjerks.com/f72/t110102-...e_tanking_4_x/



Also, don't forget to turn on your blood presence when tanking. I often forget to put it on after I switch from my dps spec. The healer I like to run with usually reminds me after the first pull or two.