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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: The tanking shortage
by Allison Robert 
Dec 3rd 2008 at 8:00AM
I've seen several Death Knights already at 80 on my realm (and to my everlasting horror, two of them in my guild beat me to 80), but haven't noticed any real difference in the number of tells in trade and LFG searching for a tank. Whenever I see these, it's hard not to wonder what's going on. While it's much too early for the majority of leveling DK's to have had a big impact on 5-man tanking between 70 and 80, most of the ones I've seen at 80 are rerolled DPS and have continued in that role. Some would like to tank but just don't have the gear to withstand the damage of a high-level dungeon. Others have privately admitted that, while they're willing to give tanking a try, having to learn it at 80 with an impatient group that just wants to get through a dungeon is a daunting prospect. Still others really do just prefer to DPS.
I think I'm watching this more closely than anything else developing in Wrath; I think it's going to say a lot about whether you really need a certain personality to enjoy tanking, what people see as fun in the game, and what was actually causing the "tanking shortage" in the first place.
Filed under: Druid, Paladin, Warrior, Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, Breakfast Topics, Instances, Features, Death Knight
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 12)
Southrncomfortjm Dec 3rd 2008 9:04AM
I stopped playing my warrior tank not because I got tired of tanking but because I couldn't keep up with the respec costs associated with being a tank for instances and raids then going arms for Pvp fun and farming. If dual specs had been in place 1.5 years ago I'd still be playing my tank no problem... and I tanked a lot of pugs since I was on a lot when my guildies weren't on.
Netherian Dec 3rd 2008 11:06AM
Tanking!!!!!!!!! YAY I just did my first run tanking ^-^ Unholy DK spec is okay ish for tanking evidently im good at tanking ^o^! if your bothering to read this thank u! lolz long boring talk.
feldling Dec 3rd 2008 9:04AM
Prior to WOTLK we were always hurting for tanks. Now, i see more requests for "LF Healer for XXXX then good to go". I've worked with a death knight tank or two and so far they've done a pretty good job. I think we were overpowered for most of the dungeons we ran, but as the healer, i was able to throw out some DPS instead of focusing 100% on heals. It'll be interesting to see how DKs hold up in the upper-end of instances. It's nice though, as a healer, to be in demand for instances.
ScytheNoire Dec 3rd 2008 9:05AM
I thought it was healers that were at a shortage?
Personally, I love tanking, but DK tanking needs a lot of work and love.
But most people hit the main issue, which is speccing DPS is vital for PvP and soloing, and who wants to keep switching spec's just to fill a role? It's damn annoying.
I'll definitely have a tank spec on my classes once they put in the dual-spec option, but I find losing the DPS hurts way too much to be a full time tank. It's just not as doable for things like PvP and soloing. Especially PvP.
Perhaps Blizzard should look at Warhammer Online, which has tanks that are useful in PvP. Some changes are needed, although the PvP has always been the weakest part of WoW.
Pfooti Dec 3rd 2008 9:05AM
I think part of it is the lack of free spec-switching. There really aren't dual specs that function equally well as DPS and Tank for either DK or Druid (the two tank classes I have experience with). You can have a hybrid build, but you sacrifice either damage or survivability. Given that there's less of a demand for tanks in 25-man raids, and there's still a ton of solo content to do (dailies, etc), the pressure for tanking classes is still to have a dps/solo/pvp spec rather than a pure tanking spec.
Personally, I'll probably stay in a mostly-DPS spec once I hit 80, one that can tank normal dungeons and maybe the easier heroics given the right gear, and only pick up a full-on tank spec when either (a) my guild all gets to 80 and needs a full-time MT or (b) when dual-speccing arrives.
ubergrendle Dec 3rd 2008 9:11AM
I haven't seen a tanking shortage in many many months, pre-Wrath even. the shortage is, and continues to be, and is getting worse -- healers.
The mechanics for healing are boring, they are generally lousy solo classes, and even if you dual/respec, the groups are loath to give DPS (or tank) items to a class that is healing on the run.
It might improve after several months of 80s on the servers, as people level 2nd and 3rd alts to the end game. Also, people will take the path of least resistance and level healers to get into raids... but at the moment, its piles of tanks and DPS all fighting over healers in guild, and in LFG.
Shamanhealer Dec 3rd 2008 9:10AM
A number of people have made this observation, but the real shortage is in healing. My guild is inundated with tank apps, but our healing ranks are somewhat thin at the moment. This appears to be a server wide (Bronzebeard EU) issue as well. The refreshingly effective DPS that moonkins and rets can do are not helping abate the healing shortage either.
Obviously different people prefer different roles. Having a healer and DPS character I can honestly say DPS classes abdicate a large degree of responsibility to the success of an instance. This is reflected in the fact that you rarely get people pleading for DPS in /general. Healers are vital to a group/raid getting through the instance, but tanks require a unique set of attributes which make them the true heroes of warcraft. Leadership is an obvious one. Knowledge and understanding of their environment, in terms of marking, timing pulls, etc is also vital. They are the pivotal act about which the mobs and other players revolve and their skill in controlling that environment is the ultimate determinant of success or failure.
Kathleen Dec 3rd 2008 9:11AM
I'm a prot warrior, and have always been; I've never minded not having the greatest DPS so long as I could keep the threat on all the mobs I am currently tanking.
Though recently I have been partying with a pally friend who switches between prot and ret on a regular basis.
The other day we did Heroic Stratholme, and he decided to stay prot.
Our party makeup and the overall DPS was:
Shaman (enhancement): over 2000
Paladin (Retribution): just under 2000
Paladin (Protection): 1700
Warrior (Protection): 900
Druid (treeform healer): N/A
It's the 1800 DPS that our prot specced Pally was outputting that stunned me and began to make me feel rather jealous over Paladin tanks.
Admittedly he had alot of nice gear, but if I had remained prot spec and had donned DPS gear, I know for sure I would never hit those numbers. Our Ret pally did not have the best gear at the time, but has since bettered that (now DPS's H Strat at around 2200 DPS).
Perhaps I am doing something wrong?
Someone let me know if our prot pally is just exceptional or is this something that everyone is noticing?
SimpleSurvival Dec 3rd 2008 9:20AM
I've got a lvl 80 prot pally, my gear is mediocre at best.. pure craftables and faction rewards.
But, you start somewhere... I have tanked hyjal and healed TK/SSC... Leave that at my experience
With this all blue gear, I typically run between 900 and 1200dps, depending on how AOE friendly an instance is... While grinding, I can pull 800-1k single target DPS
Strat is VERY deceiving when it comes to actual damage output... remember those tons and tons of pushover mobs that die from 2 ticks of consecrate? Thats where those impressive numbers come from... I pulled 1400dps in Strat, top of the charts, beat out a heroic geared rogue (the rogue was doing his job and killing the elites, not padding his DPS with the trash)
Kathleen Dec 3rd 2008 9:36AM
My tanking experience is everything from Kara to ZA.
My point still stands, that your prot pally is doing a heck of alot more damage than my prot war :)
It's funny though, 'cos alot of my rogue friends dislike clearing trash cos it lowers their overall DPS- they like staying on the main elite mobs to keep their DPS up.
That will prolly change once they get to spam AoEs much more!
Nao Dec 3rd 2008 9:25AM
I suppose I've been lucky so far, but all the PUGs I've tanker have been pretty understanding. I've played as both blood and unholy so far with a mix of tank and dps talents so I could muck through the lower Northrend instances, and when I respecced I made it clear to my group I'd just respecced so had to work out some new rotations. Instead of giving me grief for not generating enough threat right away or something else that concerns the tank, it was the dps who bore the front of the group's agression because they weren't watching the meters and would get themselves killed. It was very refreshing to hear other players encouraging new death knights and helping me learn a new class.
Vinicius O. E. Dec 3rd 2008 9:17AM
In Tichondrius we have a healing shortage (at least on the Alliance side). Sometimes I believe I'm the only one leveling a healer in Northrend :-(
I keep seem LFM Healer **** in Trade chat all the time. When I join LFG I feel like a bunny among hungry coyotes due to the constant whispers "hey, join my group" or "no, jump mine please!!!!"
Armouredsparrow Dec 3rd 2008 9:18AM
I am a warrior tank, as well as having Mage DPS alt. I believe blizzard have made some real progress in making tanking a more viable spec for most classes.
Gearing up is not too hard; blacksmithing can make a lot of BoE tanking gear all the way through from 70-80. The Northrend dungeons I have run seen to drop some pretty decent start tanking gear, as well as a lot of the blue quest rewards contributing to this.
IMHO if the half the people who complain that there are no tanks rolled a tank then there would not be a problem. Blizzard have upped the DPS on tanks so its easier to level and even introduced another tanking class already at 55. DPS re-rolling tanks is the only option I think.
I admit that sometimes it’s hard to get the will to join a pug (once bitten and all that) and I prefer to run things with friends but I do pug when I want a drop.
Tlatzeotl Dec 3rd 2008 9:18AM
I play a priest (lvl 65, shadow tree) on Aerie Peak, and almost every time I play I am whispered by people looking for a pick-up healer. Often the dungeons they want me to heal are well above my level and current gear, which speaks of desperation on their part. The level issue often couples with the fact that, as many others have stated, PUGs can be difficult to deal with for healers and tanks alike. Its no surprise that so many groups are lf1m - healer in the general chat; a lot of people have unrealistic expectations of what a healer or a tank of x level is capable of.
Ircasha Dec 3rd 2008 9:19AM
There are plenty of tanks on our server. Just not that many of them are willing to pug (I know I won't). There isn't anything Blizz could do to make me want to have to go through the pain of dealing with PUGs.
h8rain Dec 3rd 2008 9:19AM
I have not yet seen any that will to tank either. My main is a bear tank, and even after the starting area, I just kinda feel overwhelmed with abilities with the DK. It's hard to figure out my 'oh $hit' button and when to press them without practice. I was kinda afraid of this, and maybe it's just me, but you can be "inexperienced" at playing and DPS fine. If you are not 'seasoned' at playing your class and you are the tank or healer, it will show.
I guess I just need to spend more time with it, but I know my DK will be another tank, because I *hate* melee DPS.
saxamaphone Dec 3rd 2008 9:23AM
I have been tanking on my feral druid since around the time BC started. When Wrath came out, I decided that I would level my druid, and when I felt like playing around, roll a DK.
Well, the tables turned and I have been enjoying my DK to an extent that's indescribable. My goal was to do my part and tank again. I settled on an unholy build, which has been really strong and still lets me solo and dps if needed.
Much to my surprise on my server, there's just a glut of tanks looking for healers. Every group in LFG and trade chat is looking for a healer. I'd say about 50% of the tanks are prot pallies, 25% are DK's and the rest a mix of warriors and druids.
So, at least on my server, I think the tank shortage has been (at least for now) solved. Now if we can go find those pesky healers...
Dearmond Dec 3rd 2008 1:07PM
My realm's problem isn't finding tank anymore like it was with TBC, it seems heals are in a higher demand right now, in pugs heals are always the last thing added our my groups. Just makes finding a stable guild that much more important.
EpochAWOL Dec 3rd 2008 9:24AM
Funny thing I've noticed. I respecced Prot Warrior after having spent all of TBC as Fury. With the new Prot goodies, I can solo and tank beautifully all with the same spec. I may not kill the mobs as fast as a Fury warrior and I still am totally confused how to use Prot in PVP, but the lack of a need to respec everytime I do something is a godsend.
That being said, I've seen a huge drop in the number of warriors just hanging around.
Anuine Dec 3rd 2008 9:22AM
Maybe I could add my 2 cents here.
I'm a druid. I levelled as a boomkin to 70 (mostly healing in dungeons), then respecced as a real heal when at 70, and I just loved it. Healing is fun for someone like me. (I love the point that in healing, it's all about guessing what will happen in the 5 next seconds)
I did lots of dungeons or raid I wouldn't have been to do, being a late adopter of BC, and so being under-stuffed, regarding dps standards at least.
However, levelling as a healer is just a pain. I've leveled 70-72 as a boomkin, then switch back to heal for some guild dungeons to 74, and now, I am back to boomkin.
Now, I can aggro 4 mobs, and kill them at the same time. As I kill them lightning fast, I don't take too many damages => I level faster, I don't use mana for healing myself, and my repair costs stay acceptable.
Considering that, why the hell would I go back to heal for levelling ? I love healing raids or groups, not myself when being it my some random ridiculous bear.
Now, I may give all the dps reading this a hint : when you see a healer, help him to quest, and even better, group with him.
I've done some questing with a death knight back to when I was a healer : that's just crazily powerful. He did not had to think about his health, I did not bother about not being beaten, and the added dps I provided made questing a breeze.
If I add the chance to meet dps willing to help (it doesn't cost them anything), I would have stayed a healer. However, lots of people would let me die instead of being helpful.