Taunting in PvP
by Mike Schramm 
Dec 15th 2007 at 4:00PM
Drito brings up an interesting question on the forums: Why no taunting in PvP? I really don't think Blizzard will ever implement any form of taunt in PvP, because at this point the general direction seems to be headed away from players losing control of their characters (as in, all the fear nerfs), and no matter what form taunt appears in, it'll likely mean losing control of the taunted character, no matter for how long.But it is interesting to try and think the dev's thoughts through as to why they didn't include it in the first place. We've heard all along that Blizzard is aiming to make the same spells usable in both situations (so it's not a completely different game when you head into PvP). A Taunt spell in PvP obviously wouldn't create aggro, but it might make the player's next spell or attack target the taunter, or give the taunted player a debuff that lets them only attack the taunter (no other actions for the duration). Distract definitely doesn't work the same way in PvP that it does in PvE, but it does at least work. It's not hard to see Taunt being the same way.
Of course, it's hard to see the devs giving any more cool abilities to Warriors, either-- they're doing just fine as is. But putting in an ability like this would definitely spice up group PvP, and add some extra tactics to taking on human enemies.
Filed under: Warrior, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, PvP, Buffs
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Zechleton Dec 15th 2007 4:16PM
Mountain Giants in WC3... that works on battle.net - why not in WoW? Just make it change the victim's target, sort of like feign death. You don't even need to add a new ability, just enable the current taunt/mocking blow/thatpaladinthing in PvP.
rick gregory Dec 15th 2007 4:21PM
Oh yes, please.. another way for me to not control my toon...
That's the basic problem in PvP - if I'm just running around not in control, I'm not actually playing.
My question is - why does taunt work at all in PvE? I've never got the logic of aggro there. The Prot Warrior can't do crap in damage terms, yet the mob think's they're the most threat? Um...
Goldwolf Dec 15th 2007 4:24PM
They should at least offer some talents in the Prot tree that teach your warrior improved "Your Mom" jokes to maintain aggro/rage efficiency.
TheMinority Dec 15th 2007 7:21PM
A big tauren swinging a huge sword would seem a lot more threatening than a scrawny blood elf in a dress wiggling their fingers and casting spells.
As for being unable to control your character, that's part of the PvP. Any bozo can swing an axe at another guy, but it takes skill to regain the upper-hand once again after being feared. Just as much, it's much easier to PvP when you can always target your enemy. Things like vanish, feign death, and this taunt (if it's implemented) only make taking out that Night Elf even more of a challenge.
Who doesn't like a good challenge?
outforprophets Dec 15th 2007 8:06PM
Eh, I think you're making a big deal about a small issue here. I mean, no one likes losing control of their character, but Taunt wouldn't really do that. Much to my annoyance, there already is a form of Taunt in the game: Grounding Totem! If Taunt were to be implemented in PvP it'd probably work in a similar way. The next attack would target the Taunter instead of whoever was targeted. If it also worked like Distract it'd add another element to the game.
As for duration, I dunno, one attack seems fine. If it were to last longer players can still use AoE or multi-target spells/abilities. Most classes seem to have ones at least.
B Lee Dec 15th 2007 4:33PM
This is coming from a warrior of course, but I think that Taunt really should do something in PvP. Like a rogue's Distract that's used in combat. It sucks knowing that one of your best roles is a tank and yet in PvP, everyone runs right past you and ganks the squishies.
All of you have assumed that, like Taunt in PvE, it would force you to target the warrior for some period. That's tantalizing to me, but I'd be happy if the warrior's taunt just made your target switch to you as their target and look at me. That's all I'd want. It'd cause a bit of confusion, but nothing that a skilled player couldn't recover from quickly. Try comparing that to other classes' abilities that limit or remove control of your character: Death Coil, Fear/Psychic Scream, Entangling Roots, Cyclone - hell how about chained cyclone, Frost Trap, Scatter Shot, Sheep, Frost Nova, Kidney Shot, Blind, Sap, Repentance, Hammer of Justice ...
I'm not convinced that it's asking much.
rick gregory Dec 15th 2007 4:45PM
What's the CD on Taunt? One of the things I hate about locks is the short CD on fears. As a rogue, yes, I can KS you, but it costs me combo points... I need to build them up and then decide that using them is worth it. Sap has the OOC limitation ( you can't sap an in combat player/mob). Blind is powerful, but it's on a long CD (5 min default, reducible with talents).
I actually don't mind loss of control effects IF they have long CDs... it's the no or short CD fears, etc that annoy the hell out of me. Esp locks... they h ave high stam, a pet to hit me, DoTs AND they can spam an ability that makes me unable to control my toon? And yes, I know about diminishing returns. Make the loss of control effects not diminish, but put them on a semi-long CD (30 secs or better) so that they can't win just by making you unable to fight back.
Cal Dec 15th 2007 5:32PM
Except that actually "targeting" someone is no limitation on doing abilities to someone else. Hell, I hardly have the person I'm doing something to targeted in the first place in PvP.
Now, if you mean when taunted you run up and start hitting the tank, that's a better CC than Fear since it directs the person to a certain position. Taunt-kiting, oh my!
Xerous Dec 15th 2007 6:57PM
Taunt rank 1 (there are no other ranks) has a duration of 3 seconds and a cooldown of 10 (8seconds with 2 talent points 15 in protection.)
Sure thats the same duration as LOlcoil but the cooldown it much short but none of that healing stuff the locks get.
toots Dec 15th 2007 8:50PM
I'll take a CD on fear when Rogues aren't effectively invisible anymore and can't disappear while standing right in front of me.
JP3 Dec 15th 2007 4:39PM
when guarding Drek in AV we would taunt the pets from hunters an lure them inside dreks room, drek would one shot them an then go out an kill the hunter thus wiping any chance to regroup. it was fun :)
Baluki Dec 15th 2007 4:46PM
I agree that Taunt should switch the target's target to the Taunter. No other elements necessary.
Imagine you're a healer back behind your group, and suddenly a rogue appears and starts beating on you. Then, a friendly Warrior comes up and taunts the rogue. The rogue would spend at least a couple seconds attacking the warrior before he switched back to the healer, or blows Vanish and runs away to cry.
Taking this idea a step further, an ability that clears aggro like a rogue's Feint should have a chance to remove the rogue as the target of the opponent.
All of these theoretical taunt/feint effects should be something that can be overcome by hitting TAB.
vlad Dec 16th 2007 12:51AM
i could see a taunt having the same look as a mages invisibility spell so all the characters dissapear except for the one that taunted you. forcing you to only be able to attack that player and making you "blindly" furious at that player
Shotgunbadger Dec 15th 2007 4:58PM
In Warhammer, their Taunts say that they reduce all damage done by the target to everyone who's not the taunter by 50%, sounds like a good system to me.
Werther Dec 15th 2007 5:08PM
What would stop the dps warriors from in addition to keeping us mortal striked, feared, stunned also spam taunt with this system ?
Baluki Dec 15th 2007 7:32PM
Good point.
It would probably be a good idea to add this ability as a Talent. Add it to something that's deep in the Prot tree. Actually, Imp. Taunt would be perfect to receive that benefit. Maybe make it so you can only use it on other players if you have a shield equipped, or something.
Grajen Dec 15th 2007 5:09PM
Why not just make it so that when you taunt someone he automatically targets you and that target is locked for x amount of seconds, meaning you can't change target, but you may still run away and use whatever spells you find necessary.
And by doing abilities such as feint it could either reduce the time left on the "target lock" or maybe remove it.
hpavc Dec 15th 2007 5:10PM
Yeah, give Fade some PvP viability as well ... now you see me now you don't plz or at least untarget the priest or something like feign death.
Taunt would be cool if you did a rogue like distract and forced targeting, lol.
Hunter misdirecting in the same vein would be cute, for you to target the wrong player or an NPC mob.
Starayo Dec 16th 2007 5:34AM
For fade to have some pvp viability, it'd have to have some pve viability, too.
Damn useless spell.
epsilon343 Dec 15th 2007 5:12PM
I like the idea of like all attacks in, say 5 seconds, are directed at the taunter. It'd be nice if that was like a totem for us Shamans as well.