Unpopular (apparently) opinion: Tanks use shields

It’s a very common casual/new player opinion on Vanilla tanking. I had it too. After healing Era 2019 all the way through Naxx etc, please for the love of god do not Sword/Board a dungeon.

If you’re going Sword/Board I’d rather have a bear tank. Yes 2H Arms tank (Post 36) is miles above anything a bear can do to the point where it basically breaks all dungeon balance, but if you aren’t doing the 2h Arms SS - WW combo you’re just a bad tank.

As a healer, I want my tank to have instant snap threat. Lets me spam conservative heals on 1 target and have fights 50% faster if not even more fast.

I legit have a 2h Arms tank on HC (Old hc server, he’s still alive though) and even with all pugs the build demolishes through dungeons like it’s Wotlk. Really hard to die in that kind of group and healers essentially never use mana in them since they aren’t react-healing, let alone react healing bad efficiency heals due to tank losing threat every few seconds

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100%.

It also gives dps an easy cue. “Just wait until you see WW and then go ham.”

Healers can also heal aggressively early in the pull and then 5 second rule as much as possible after the switch. Makes for smooth quick runs.

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That’s a great explanation and takes a “best of both worlds” approach I guess.

As long as there’s still a shield involved I can get behind it.

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15 dps? 15 DPS?

I was 2h tanking RFD and did 350k damage overall 150 DPS while #2 did 130K with 55 DPS.

15 DPS ??? YEE OKIEEEEEEEE.

Sorry you have no clue how to downrank your abilities healer… maybe skill issue?

Sword and board all the way baby.

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yeah and chase around mobs endlessly because you have no threat, no rage, and taunt is always on CD.

Grats on that game play bud.

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Or when we quit because TBC is the worst expansion the game ever launched.

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After SS at 30, quintessential “dungeon tank” build starts taking mitigation from prot.

If you’re in a full chad cleave group and ttk is super low, cruelty and axe spec probably saves more mana, but with dual spec it’s moot because that’s likely your leveling build anyway. No reason not to have damage reduction talents when tanking after level 40 other than the 50g cost.

Tanks running with a two-hander means the following…

  • More damage given so the run moves more quickly.
  • More threat so that mobs are controlled more effectively, meaning less damage taken overall by the group.
  • More damage taken by the tank due to a lack of shield.

If a tank isn’t wearing a shield and the healer can handle it, it’s an overall benefit to the group. If the healer can’t handle it, then they need to speak up because WoW is a team game and you play to your weakest party member.

The OP was pretty vague about the scenario this is happening in. If its a dungeon below level 50ish, they really shouldn’t have any problem with a DPS tank unless they’re new to the game. If that’s the case and they brought that up with the group, don’t blame the tanks, blame the crappy people you grouped with. However, if you didn’t raise it and just sat there and seethed the whole run, thats on you bud. You gotta tell people what you need.

I say this as a healer main but also someone who has tanked on both a warrior and a paladin.

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If a healer asked me to put on a shield for a dungeon I would kick them or find another group. They don’t understand the game well enough to provide that kind of insight or even suggest it.

PSA if the tank is getting clobbered and needs a shield for a dungeon, they’re probably too under leveled for it anyways.

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for leveling dungeons, using a shield is overkill :expressionless: it’s not about dealing more dps, it’s about getting more rage. also what “cooldown” are you talking about. there’s no desertion debuff in classic.

It’s easier to heal a single party member than it is to play wackamole healing the group because a tank can’t hold aggro.

Dw is objectively better in classic than sns. There are some encounters that require shield but they are few and far between.

I get it, it goes against the “fantasy” of a tank but it’s just how it is. But people can play how they like; they just need to accept it’s not optimal, for whatever that is worth.

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What does the spec look like for this non-shield tanking business because honestly you’ve got me curious now.

In the interest of keeping up with the latest ideas, I’d really like to hear about it or at least if you can direct me to a proper guide someplace.

https://www.warcrafttavern.com/wow-classic/guides/pve-protection-warrior-tank-talents-builds/

It’s not new. It’s been around for a long time. Just isn’t intuitive to new classic players which is understandable.

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warrior prot tree just stinks in general :expressionless: only good talent there is the +threat one on tier 3

As long as I’ve been playing Classic (since 2019) Ive heard you go sword, board, and full prot with grenades for aoe aggro before you get cleave.

If this actually works then I’d be willing to give it a shot. I have a level 7 warrior on Dreamscythe that I’ve been intending as a tank alt.

Who are you hearing this from and why do they have a platform at all?

You will use Battle Shout for your AoE threat.

This build isn’t something to be tried either. It’s been observed doing exactly what it’s being hailed as doing.

The prot tree offers literally nothing of value below defiance

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Guides and such from back at Classic launch, but now that I search again all I find is stuff about fury tanking from the last year or so.

Yeah cuz if you don’t gear, spec and play exactly how the meta boiz do you cant even kill a single mob.

Somehow I think Ill be alright but thanks for caring.

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