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[Tanking] Respec vs Leveling from Scratch
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Post by
SkyLynx4
Hello
What do you think is the best way to go into tanking? Get some tank gear, respec high level hybrid and go for it mastering tank craft on the fly? Or level new toon from scratch learning all the curves from the first dungeon to the top level? Wouldn't rushing into dungeons on 85 make you underskilled for tough environment of endgame dungeons? On the other hand would leveling in LFG experience really play a noticeable role in preparing you to tank on 85?
Please, elaborate your answers and feel free to post your personal experience of going into tanking.
I want to ask for advice for myself. I have pre-raid geared DPS Paladin. There is no option to start off in 'safe mode' (i.e. with friends or guild).
Thank you
Post by
Thror
First and foremost, this very amount of thought you are putting into tanking sets you miles apart from all the horrible noob tanks you can encounter in the horror which is called the LFD tool.
Starting to tank at 85 might not really end up as such a fiasco, if you approach it with a fair bit of responsibility and common sense. The tanking role is demanding, but it is not extremely demanding.
The best option for you would be to do a few heroics as DPS, and get some plate gear for your off-spec. There are tons of tanks that can not stand the fact that DPS might dare to roll need on their precious gear, ignore them. Where else are you supposed to get gear that would be at least semi-decent, to be able to start tanking responsibly.
Try to get justice points for most of the tanking items that you can get for justice points, and while amassing the points, keep an eye out for tanking drops. You should be able to tank pretty fine with at least 1/2 or 2/3 of tanking items (provided that your other items are not green quest gear, but you did say they aren't). The correct spec is a very important element, so make sure to get that right.
The first character i have ever levelled was a tank from scratch, so i can not really imagine how hard it is to learn to tank at the level cap, but i know many people who learned it, and they are not all Stephen Hawkings.
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567203
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Post by
Atik
Tanking from scratch, in my opinion, is a much better learning experiance. Sure, you CAN just respec at 85, and learn as you go, but any tank who leveled from scratch will be miles ahead in terms of skill.
As you level through tanking, you have to do without many moves. By end game, I had a bunch of tanking moves I had to move onto more useful macros.
The reson is, you get your moves slowly. You don't tank BRS with shockwave, and you don't tank Wailing Caverns with warbringer. You learn to taunt pull, you learn to pull with your ranged weapon, you learn the dos and don'ts of your AoEs.
From a paladin perspective; you learn when to drop conscencration, you learn how to use avengers shield for a picture-perfect pull.
Simply, you learn how to tank.
My first DK was a respecced tank after I hit 80, and it went horribly. Even with all T9 tank gear, I was even failing hard core in normals. So I speak from both sides of this fence.
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565756
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Post by
Jeremypwnz
I was in a similar boat as you. In patch 3.3 I had a level 80 Boomkin. I decided to tank on it. With tank gear I had about 4.2k GS, I was utterly horrible, for like 1-2 runs before I decided I should have researched beforehand. Started going in heroics, spamming my Maul and Swipe like there was no tomorrow. That allowed me to destroy everyone in the threat department.
When Cata was released. I wanted to level a tank character. I have a DK, which got boring, my Dad has 3 pallies on my server and I'm not allowed to delete them... :/ And with the Druid.. I chose a Warrior. I was specced for Protection right from level 10. I researched, planned out what gear I needed. With this character, I was to level only from LFD. Except for the early BC, Wrath questing for gear pieces. Most, and by most, 99% of them loved me, even when I did my first dungeon at level 15. The only times I have trouble is when the DPS chain pull when I'm already tanking mobs; When DPS try to tank, then yell at me when I decide not to pull off them, letting them die on purpose; And a few others I can't quite recall right now.
Basically, either path works if you do the research, pay attention, and have fast reactions to those jumpy DPS.
Post by
SkyLynx4
Thanks for responses. Great opinions. I think there's more psychological thing to it. If you tolerate situations and filter emotions, take it easy, but don't go crazy, then you'd do well in any scenario.
Post by
HoleofArt
Tanking is fun. I do enjoy it and I do recommend starting from level 15. Get yourself Heirloom, throw some enchants on em, a decent shield, and just start. You'll be significantly geared the entire time due to drops and the Satchels, so that won't be an issue.
I find this method to be my favorite way to level.
Post by
pezz
It will take you a lot less overall time to learn to tank serious content if you start at 85 than if you start at 1.
Post by
Azrile
Leveling dungeons are NOTHING like heroics. Honestly, you will learn very little. While leveling, dps have no need to worry about pulling aggro, because in most cases, the won´t even get close to dying. The only ´job´ you really have is to keep stuff off the healer. The dungeons are just too fast and chaotic to learn much. If you try and slow things down so you can get practice, you will end up with dps who are rushing ahead.
My personal opinion would be to get to 85, get a decent set of tanking gear.. then start with the cata NORMAL dungeons. Run each one at least once or twice starting with BRC and ToT so that you know where the pats are coming from. If you have not done so already, you should definitely also run each heroic as a melee dps. One of the hardest things to learn is which big attacks you must eat, which you can interrupt, and which you can avoid by moving (and won´t cause the boss to spin and wipe your party).
Maybe tanking BC or WOTLK dungeons while leveling might be a little useful, but even then, you probably will never find a group of dps that even worries about pulling aggro. I am leveling another druid tank, and I stopped even trying to act like a tank. The only thing I do is make sure if something gets to the healer, I have growl ready.
Post by
inthane
Get geared via JP, rep gear,
Tol Barad trinket
, crafted gear (the crafted shield is 2nd BiS for the tier for Paladins, and the girdle is 2nd best too. Crafted chestpiece is decent but the T11 piece is much better, BiS in fact) and whatever you can pick off of dungeon runs. Get gemmed, get enchanted. Don't bother with expensive gems/enchants except on purple pieces, unless you're unlikely to raid. Don't bother with expensive enchants or gems on anything less than a 346 ilvl item. Practice your rotation on target dummies; the Paladin tank rotation is bloody easy. Once you have it down, it's time to tank NORMAL dungeons. Not heroics, NORMAL. Read up on the strats, then go to town. If you have enough rep/JP/crafted gear, they'll be relatively easy mode, and the DPS and healer will be overjoyed to see you drag them through the instance, enough to forgive you your minor mistakes.
This is your training, padawan.
Once you've gotten the "normal" instances down, it's time to move up to heroics. Read the strats for one dungeon, run it until you clear it, then start with the next one. Do this until you're feeling secure in your tanking abilities.
Post by
682479
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