This game needs new Tanks. Soon

Community General Discussion
1

I’ve been a dedicated Tank in this game since I really started playing. Aside from very early on, when I was convinced I wanted to main a Mage. I’ve always loved the feeling of Tanking in WoW, and no game, not even other MMO’s gets the feeling quite right.

I’m not Blind to the problems however. There are fewer Tank players in this game than any other role, and those few who do play tanks basically never do any content in PUGS. (myself included)

One of the biggest ways to remedy this, is to add more Tank specs to the game. New specializations allow for new and old players to attempt tanking on a class they already understand the basics of, and would be a great first step to encourage new tanks into the population.

Of the 6 Tanks specs we already have, many classic fantasy archetypes are already fulfilled.

  • Warrior: Classic Barbarian, Grit your teeth and fight through the pain.

  • Paladin: Crusader / Knight, Unbreakable Wall of faith and armor

  • Monk: Drunken Master, Beer and Dodging

  • DK: Vampire, Leech Tank

  • DH: Sweet Sweet Edge

  • Druid: Literal Bear

All of these tanks display exceptional class fantasy and have a clear appeal to aspiring Tank players, and that’s what I’m hoping to achieve with new Tank specs in the future.

While I believe you would be able to justify any class having a Tank specialization with enough creative effort, I have 3 examples today that all fulfill fantasies not yet present in WoW.

  1. Shaman: The obvious choice for a new Tank specialization. They are clearly lacking an Earth themed spec, and the fantasy would involve buffing yourself and your weapon with Enhancements to give you enough durability to whether any storm. Much like druid, the class could focus on stacking huge amounts of Armor but only for short periods at a time, while secondary mitigation could focus on restorative powers of Spirit and Water.

  2. Rogue: The archetypeal “Agility” class, all of their abilities are centered around ideas of speed, dexterity, and cunning, and their class fantasy is done perfectly by Blizzard. A Tank spec for them could involve using this speed and wit to be an untouchable target that can dual the mightiest of bosses. The rogue’s unique combo point system could create a fun, and predictive tank specialization. requiring the player to know everything a boss is capable of in order to build up Combo points beforehand to use the correct defensive finishing move, Like a Dodge buff, or recuperate.

  3. Hunter: The Fantasy of Hunter has always revolved around Taming and usage of Pets, and this could translate uniquely into a Tanking specialization involving controlling 2 Tanks at once.
    Similar to the Monk’s ability to Invoke Niuzao, the Black Ox, The hunter would always have a miniature off tank to pull aggro off of themselves when things get too hot. While using tribal medicines and exhilaration to heal themselves as they bounce boss aggro back and forth.

Of course, these are all just crazy speculation. But I hope I’ve made my message clear.
There is plenty of room for more Tanking fantasy in World of Warcraft, and if blizzard is willing to embrace this tanking fantasy, they could easily improve the lacking population of Tanks throughout World of Warcraft.

Sorry for such a Long post, Hopefully other tank players like and agree with my Ideas to aid the dwindling population.

26 Likes
2

They need a murloc tank…yes a murloc tank…

6 Likes
3

New tanks? Nah, new ranged class or spec? Yes.

39 Likes
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Tinker class. Tank spec. Ranged spec.

Stick to the two spec standard they made with DH’s. Win.

15 Likes
5

Please this! It pains my soul that Shaman tanks were never fleshed out!

16 Likes
6

If Blizz makes another tank spec they need to literally copy Riftstalker from Rift.

I still haven’t had that much fun on a tank class in any other game.

4 Likes
7

Or give me a third spec which is ranged.

2 Likes
8

The Two are not mutually exclusive. Adding Tanks to Shaman or Hunter would allow classes with a Ranged focus to Tank, adding more tank to the available player pool.

I do agree, however that Ranged DPS need some love. But tanks are always in High demand.

1 Like
9

A “Fel caster” does sound interesting. You could base it off the sigils?

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GIVE ME TINKER TANKS, OR GIVE ME DEATH.

4 Likes
11

how about a bloodmage type class? seeing alot of bloodmagic. do a bloodmage tank type

2 Likes
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Yea, they was a fun tank to play

2 Likes
13

I always imagined it based off Rain from Above pvp talent. We hurl fel lances. Introduce new weapon type javelin and then give some other class a 4th spec that can also use javelins in some spec.

3 Likes
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I posted something like this before. it ended poorly. Prepare for all the "We don’t need new tank specs, we need " responses and the “There are plenty of tanks, they just don’t wanna group with PUGs”, and “This won’t solve the problem, it’ll just mean more balance issues. we have too many specs and classes already!”

2 Likes
15

I loved Riftstalker. In fact I loved the general Class system of Rift.

That said OG Brewmaster in MoP was close.

1 Like
16

Enhancement should turn tank.

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17

Lack of tank specs is not the reason for the tank shortage for pugs. Just saying.

22 Likes
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I Disagree, Shaman should be given a new, Separate tank spec.

Removing existing specializations to add new functionality is exactly what broke Survival Hunter. Personally I love current survival hunter, it’s a fun and excellently made spec. But it shouldn’t have come at the cost of OLD survival hunter.

11 Likes
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:point_up: :point_up: :point_up:
EARTH SHAMAN. Make. It. Happen.

4 Likes
20

Honestly, at this point we have enough tanks…its the ranged classes we need more of then worry about tanks after that

3 Likes