Caster does not have to equal ranged at all, it could but properly built a caster could cast in melee just fine.
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Innovative, yes, but how would it work?
AS tank, the threat you generate would constantly be pulling the tank to you. You’d be kiting constantly. You’d have to be able to cast all your spells while moving, or you’d have to have multiple ways to root your target in place to keep them at distance. Aren’t most bosses immune to root effects?
Essentially you’d have a ranged class that would constantly have your target in your face.
If I had the power, I’d gladly make that trade. Unholy > necromancer.
No, you really havent
I have a ranged tank in the SW MMO the Bounty Hunter. They actually work really well.
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Where did I say 100% of the time? Realistically it would probably have similar results to DHs. Yes, they would be very good in certain situations like this, but this does not represent all situations. Most mobs and bosses will end up making it into melee regardless, and this is true even in games that were designed with ranged tanking from the start like SWTOR. It’s just a few encounters here and there which would allow more flexibility like this.
Also, all tanks already have ranged taunts and I know a few have ranged methods for gaining aggro. The main difference is where one is comfortable doing their rotation. As a warlock player I can tell you it’s not always easy to stay out of the schmutz.
Yes.
Yes.
It is a new class; they could be given a root spell that bosses aren’t immune to.
They could also give the Drakthyr Evokers an ability to fly above out of range of the boss’s melee attacks.
That’s just off the top of my head. I would think the experienced minds at Blizzard could come up with more, better ways to make it work if they were so inclined. Which I doubt.
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If all abilities are ranged then it will be able to hold threat while kiting infinite mobs while not getting hit. You can not currently do that. It’s either a ranged tank or it’s not. What you’re describing now is a melee tank that has some ranged abilities (which they all do).
A ranged tank basically is a melee tank, except that they can maintain a full rotation without being in melee range. That’s really the only difference. It is simply unrealistic for a ranged tank to kite melee mobs indefinitely or else demon hunters would already be doing it.
They can do some kiting, but they can’t base their entire playstyle around it. There’s many other factors to consider such as mob grouping, ally positions and AoEs. Where you’ll see the most difference is against, say, a bunch of spellcaster or archer enemies who prefer to remain at range anyway. The tank may elect to stay in the back with the healers. A caster tank might even have a magical barrier to help protect them or something.
I see a lot of angry healers because the tanks keep using them as a shield.
Star Wars did it in their MMO, that game is designed for ranged tanks because 90% of their mobs are range capable, and stay ranged.
WoW was not intended/designed for ranged tanking. As stated in one of the first handfuls of responses, mobs and bosses that are melee, are going to melee the tank.
Using snares and slows isn’t going to work. If the mobs can’t reach the tank to deal damage, then the healer is gonna be expected to pick up on damage output because the tank won’t even be taking damage. Can we please not go down the road of ranged tank, because I do not see a good outcome.
(I’m all for a healer to pick up some DPS where able, but not to the point that they’re another DPS. Puts too much on the healer.)
We dont need more tanks to get more tanks to play. Blizz just needs to fix tanking from being tag and run like a scardy cat to being able to face tank and better self sustatin. Plus as a tank id hate to be a caster with cast times would be rough and mechanics would have to change a lot i think esp in older dungeons would be a pain to go into like TW
A root does not hinder the mob from attacking …
If the tank is not next to a target while rooted, the nearest player will be attacked.
Is it Sunday already?
Lol. Okay. If you don’t think DHs and Monks already try this, you haven’t been paying attention. And no, they can not hold threat at range while kiting because they have a majority of melee spells. If the sigils could hold threat indefinitely like a ranged tank could, DHs would be the only tank class played and it isn’t close. No matter what you think or say, ranged tanking is and will be bad for the game. Being able to do your full rotation while tanking not in melee would be the most broken thing in the game.
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I prefer warlock pet tank to evoker tank.
Like a dozen people already suggested this.
You haven’t solved anything/put forward anything new.
Sorry.
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A new tank spec won’t fix the tank shortage.
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How is this a new tanking experience? They may have ranged spells, but what stops the boss from just walking into melee range? How do they deal with boss positioning? How does mitigation work? They don’t have shields so probably not blocking. Actually, how does mitigation work at all if theyre staying at range. Most bosses melee, but if they cant reach the tank…
My point is you haven’t really solved anything. It’s just a barebones suggestion.
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all of those examples are melee fighters not range.
that was in melee. He didn’t do that from across the bridge while the balrog was at range.
This is all melee again. When people ask for a caster tank I assume they want the benefit of casters, which is ranged attacks. Most tank mechanics require you to re position rather quickly and wows spell casting rules make doing your rotation and moving a problem. How would you quickly rotate a boss if you’re standing 20+ yards away from it instead of at it’s feet? The idea of a ranged tank is pretty neat but how wow combat works kinda makes this more of a headache than a cool addition IMO
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