In general, I’ve had a blast revisiting Tanking. I tanked all through Legion as Prot Warrior (different toon - I wipe them all every few XPACS to get that “new game smell”). I focused on Hunter and Mage through most of BfA, although I did Raid Tank a bit because the guild I was in was desperate for a tank.
I make an announcement in Party chat at the beginning of each M+ before I drop the key that outlines my needs and expectations (based on my skill level, my familiarity with the instance, and the affixes for that week). If I need specific help from a specific class (like Hunters during Necrotic - an always available Tar Trap is a good last resort for getting out of Necrotic Wound stacks), I have a macro message ready for that and I use it.
I’ve had 4 people in about 20 runs take offense or ignore the requests, and I generally reform my group with every run, so that’s mostly all unique PUG members (wth a couple of exceptions).
I find that clear communication up front about expectations is very helpful to define the needs of players.
I even had one pop back with “And please pull the bosses all the way out of ground effects, not just far enough that you’re personally clear” which I thought was perfectly reasonable and I did my best to accomplish on that run.
As a healer, I just accepted that half the dps are derp mongrels who don’t understand game mechanics. Try asking some about the 110/130 rule…especially the arcane mage sitting in melee range. I just have to heal through their dumb. As far as tanking…adopt the you pull it, you tank it mentality and ignore chat. Like they’re gonna leave…ha!
Believe it or not you should try tanking for “scrub” groups. Fresh or newer 70s. It may take a little longer to finsh but its a cake walk for even the worst tanks.
Avoid joining groups that advertise theor group with stuff like " pumper dps group looking for tank" and ecspecially avoid joining any group that says " need tank, geard group fast run". Any group that advertises as “geared” is most likely a group of idiots that are going to try competimg with each others dps. Thats a headache for you. Same thing with " fast run" .
This issue you are talking about is also blizzes fault. They didnt give new tanks a way to out threat higher geared dps unless you are really really good.
It gets fixed in wrath. Tanking becomes a joke. Sad and it was the reason i eventually stopped playing. But now i see why they did it and i think it was the right thing to do.
Where there is a market there will be providers to supply that market and there is nothing wrong with this. I would much rather tip a good tank than to sit through a 2 hour blood furnace because the tank is crap.
Exactly this, Unless you are a super geared tank i would highly suggest ignoring the Pumper/geared groups looking for a tank. Some of them may go smoothly, but as poster above, more then some will be a disaster,
You’re kind of right. But here is the thing. TBC is not designed well for tanking. Neither was classic.
DPS classes have to wait for tanks to build threat(especially if tanks are new or don’t know how to threat). This isn’t good game design and fly’s in the face of player goals.
Except it doesn’t, it just promotes being annoyed not more people are tanking. Which then gets turned back onto the tank when the group eventually gets one.
This is horrible perspective imo. Why would I tank your heroic or whatever as a full T6 prot paly? I get nothing I need nothing even my OS holy and ret gear is useless out of heroics. Badges? Common I get lots. So if you not gonna give a tank like me as example gold/the shards/ or some incentive why would I help you run what you want? In the real world do you wake up piss excellence and go out of our your way to help people every day out of the goodness or your heart? I bet the farm you don’t and wouldn’t expect you to either because they probably wouldn’t do the same.
It depends on the setting. However, the issues being discussed don’t all seem to be the same things.
Some people are claiming there is an overly toxic attitude towards tanks. This thread is titled, “Tank Abuse.”
Some people are claiming tanking for gold isn’t a service, but a role - or trying to make a claim that tanking, regardless of gear level or need of items for particular content is part of playing the game.
Some seem to be claiming that there is a tank shortage, though it seems as though guilds are very rarely seeking to recruit tanks.
Having content that requires communication to complete does promote community and socialization, imo. Regardless of myriad unrelated items that someone would like to bring to the discussion.
Socialization does not solve other issues like tanking specs generally sucking in other content. Or that tanks are generally expected to have a higher responsibility for the group’s success.
Keep in mind we are not talking about progression content, we are only talking about grinding out 5 mans.
This is very relevant, and I suppose the point I was trying to get around to above. The “problem” may not have anything to do with most of what is being discussed, but rather that some people want/expect random strangers to help them run content that is relevant to them, but not others, and are assuming it is their right, because “it’s a game.”
At least, that may be how I’ve interpreted some of the comments here. And I suppose the poster who said that isn’t good game design may have a point from a perspective that could be gleaned from that.
Anyway, if nothing else, the people who are complaining that they cannot find strangers who play tanks to help them with content they’d like to run can use that as incentive to roll a tank for themselves, imo, and that is a large part of the Classic experience.