BC added 2 tanks ( or well, fully-fleshed them out).
WoTLK added 1 tank
MoP added 1 tank
legion added 1 tank.
the tank shortage problem has never been fixed , or even bulged, by adding more tank… even early WoTLK when every DK spec could tank while DPS and self-healing themselve… we still had tank shortage.
This shortage exists because people prefer DPS’ing ( and to a lesser extent healing) over tanking. you could add a thousand more tank spec and it won’t solve the problem.
Also, while there’s a shortage of tank for 5-man, there’s an abundance of them for raid.
I want a healing Dh spec that’s just the havoc dps spec but with a ysera’s gift proc that heals everyone else instead. Or literally just Moira from OW lol sucking the life out of our enemies and getting everyone pissed at “BUT I HAZ 5 GOLDS”
The lack of tanks in pugs isn’t because of classes or specs. It’s because tanking for pugs is usually not worth the headaches. No, increasing rewards hasn’t been enough.
I’m failing to see the sense of urgency of your post from title to last line. Because of that I’m fairly indifferent to the ideas suggested. I don’t see the tanking collapse.
Making new tanky classes might be a father reach than simply bringing back some more difficult mechanics. Imho.
Gotta admit, I’m on board with a Shaman tank class though.
I talked to a diehard enhancement shaman in a mythic run the other day and they really didn’t want enhancement to be “ruined” into a tank spec. Sometimes you have to respect what people love. It’d be one thing to make a new spec, but enhancement should remain dps. Enhancement to me is all about windfury anyway. Elemental about chain lightning. Restoration about water. No reason we can’t have a fourth Earthwarder spec if shammies REALLY need to be tanks.
Just, try to be considerate of actual enhancement players when you make suggestions for a shaman tank. It would suck if your favorite dps spec got turned into a tank or healer. Put yourself in their shoes.
If you’re taking something away from people without asking them, the thing you give them in return has to absolutely blow their minds or they will be very unhappy.
As much as I want new tanks and especially shaman and mage tanks, I disagree with changing current specs. Enhancement should remain a dps spec, and a fourth spec should be added to facilitate tanking. We do not need to be drastically changing or removing people’s current playstyles.
Same with mage, I want a kinetic tanking spec, but in addition to the current specs, not replacing them.
I really love the idea of having a pet taunt and take a really heavy hit like a active mitigation. Maybe spilt the damage between the player and the pet. Healing the player heals the pet.
Mage - Uses powerful mage armors and shields to take heavy attacks while using a sword and shield. Kind of like a MageHunter/SpellBreaker in lore.
That won’t work. Sure Demon Hunters should get another spec but I don’t see any other class that doesn’t have a tank spec (other than shaman) getting one. I can’t imagine one for the mages or warlocks, especially rogues. Tanks in lore are those that are mighty protectors and leaders of the group. There must be another solution to this whole tank situation.
I actually like tanking as a Dark Knight in FF14. I just don’t really like the game overall. But it has some nice classes. Ya know. Like Red Mage and Dark Knight.
Ideas for it have been shared by craftier people than myself. I’m sure Blizz could flesh it out better. They could even make a questline to “obtain” it as some new knowledge that’s been “unearthed”.
Some people have suggested “Earth Warden” or something similar. I’m not sure I like those variants, but I haven’t come across anything I like better.
Personally I think all the specs should eventually be renamed to be focused around a core element. Water for Resto, Fire for Ele, Air for Enhance, and Earth for whatever name that would become.
