The Queue: Mutant turtles are greater than boys in spandex
by Adam Holisky 
May 4th 2009 at 11:00AM
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Adam Holisky will be your host today.
On this Monday morning I have come to realize one important thing: a picture is worth a thousand words.Clearly, TMNT > Power Rangers. For shame Alex, for shame!
Romir asked...
"I just switched my off spec for my Death Knight to a tank spec. However I've never really tanked before, what would be the best heroic to go into to learn to tank? I have an uncrittable set I got from raids/off-spec rolls. I know most of the dungeons, I just need practice. Which would be best to start in?"
Please don't start in a heroic. You want to take baby steps. First, go out to someplace and see that you can successfully control multiple mobs. Make sure that you have the basic mechanics down. After you're confident you can keep things focused on you, then head into a low-80 non-heroic instance. Hell, you might even consider doing a few rounds of regular Violet Hold. Get to know what it's like to be a tank and have four other members not pay any attention to what you need to do.
After you've done some easy 80 tanking instances, head into regular CoT: Strat. Don't worry about doing a speed run in regular, just try to keep a brisk pace and don't die. You'll be challenged the first few times to keep the mobs away from your healer – but that's part of the game.
Once you have regular CoT: Strat under your belt to the point where you can run through it lightning fast, run your first heroic. Something like Utgarde Keep or Utgarde Pinnacle is good for a new tank. It's important to go with a guild group to your first few heroics, because you're going to wipe a lot as a new tank – no matter your gear.
Overall, just be calm and stay alert. You'll do great!
Popesicle asked...
"Is it possible to change our guild's name?"
Nope. Asking or expecting that this feature would be implemented is like expecting sliced bread out of a bag of bread.
A bunch of you asked...
"Where are the Wolvar and oracle orphans as data-mined by MMO Champion? Did they make an appearance anywhere?"
We haven't seen them, and have no idea where you can get them. As far as we can tell, no one else does either. Remember that data-mined data is just that, it's not necessarily a reflection of what is available in game.
Peacebone asked...
"Is there any particular reason why Blizzard and Wildstorm think we want to read about Varian every month in the Warcraft comics? When can I expect for the comics to become... you know... good?"
While I don't think the Blizzard based comic books are the pinnacle of comics, I don't think they're necessarily bad either. And as for why they keep talking about Varian, well, that's because you keep buying them.
(PS Alex: I'm not in Switzerland, I'm in Amsterdam.)
Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider crew is here with The Queue, our daily Q&A column! Leave your questions in the comments and we'll do our best to answer 'em!Filed under: The Queue
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Yeng May 4th 2009 11:08AM
That guy seems to be getting a lil too friendly with Leonardo there.
epic May 4th 2009 3:15PM
easy way to change guild name ...have it reported as offensive...be creative...our 2yr old guild was just forced to change its name why not spread the joy for ppl who actually want it...now my question is is it now possible for the ranking sites to change the name as well. cause getting server firsts from an old guild tag may be ...cumbersome
Yeng May 6th 2009 10:39AM
Well except for the fact that the name would have to be...well, offensive in some way that a GM is going to agree with the complaint.
Todd May 4th 2009 11:08AM
Awesome pic.
Randron May 4th 2009 12:01PM
Don't forget the Pink Ranger! Girls in spandex > Turtles! ;)
Seedcake May 4th 2009 4:37PM
That kid is like, "Whoa, WTF."
Ohtarello May 4th 2009 11:09AM
I'm pretty sure that suggesting Utgarde Pinnacle for a new tank is the height of sadism.
Catiya of Feathermoon May 4th 2009 12:04PM
...exactly. why oh why UP? for the sake of repair bills everywhere, please rethink that suggestion. it is not a starter heroic, particularily for healers and tanks.
nonentity May 4th 2009 12:15PM
Indeed... I had it happen to me... *shudder*...
I had just about finished equipping my paladin for the role of the tank (540 Def etc.) and figured I'd try tanking in some very easy heroic instances or mid to late 80s normal instances.
So I was in the LFG tool for Utgarde Keep normal and heroic, I knew the instances from a the perspective of a DD and they are kinda ok, at least in the beginning. I figured that'd be enough, get through the first few mobs/groups and use that experience to progress further.
Well, some guy asked me if I wanted to tank Utgard Pinnacle Heroic, pretty please, and even though I told him I never tanked before etc. he was like "it'll be ok"...
Well.
It wasn't.
Switching from Mage and Ret Paladin to Prot Paladin with all the different attacks, the rotation, the aggro managment... after a few trash groups the group disbanded and I was left shaking and doubting myself.
My tanking "career" very nearly stopped right there. Luckily the next day some guildies had me tank an instance, lotta better atmosphere, nice talking on TS while doing the instance, it went smoothly.
By now I have tanked all of Naxx 10 and parts of Naxx 25 (it's a twink after all so I don't get to use him as a tank as much as I want, because I avoid doing PUGs/PURs).
Kaevex May 4th 2009 12:29PM
Why? I've tanked at least normal Utgarde Pinnacle on my first try tanking and we only had 2 wipes. ^^"
Catiya of Feathermoon May 4th 2009 12:48PM
@Kaevex
...ok? We're discussing heroic UP. If you wiped on regular there's no way you could get through heroic. They're two entirely different monsters.
Aigarius May 4th 2009 1:06PM
I'll guess he meant Utgarde Keep.
fridaymacfay May 4th 2009 1:15PM
It is a sadistic suggestion. But for new tank training, a good one. I think Adam made it pretty clear he wasn't talking about a *brand* new tank. "I've been ret for years, but oh look I got some nifty tank gears and dual spec, I think I'll... Tank! LFG H UP! PST!"
It's definitely a situation where you'll want your healer to be able to come down the hall to the office and say "Sweetheart, you didn't pick up that ranged guy again and now I'm dead. Better next time, k? kk."
But for training a newish tank? UP's got everything a new tank needs to learn. Piles of it. The instance is all about tanking. Pull here, position there, stay alive here, smash face on keyboard and cry there.
That's what tanking is like. If you can't do it, or don't like to do it, better to find out in H UP. /shrug It not a terribly difficult (and is a loads of fun) dungeon, it just requires a good tank. If you're not a good tank, it'll make ya or break ya. Go in with friends and plan to stay awhile and learn. It's a good suggestion.
-Fri
Cyrus May 4th 2009 2:01PM
I'd say the best place to learn to tank is heroic VH. (Among heroics, that is. As others have said, master a couple normal instances first.) There's one trash mob spawn point where line of sight is an issue, on the upper level to the left of that rubble pile, but that's perfect for training because the mobs don't go for your healer if you fail to pick them up, they just go for the door. There's a mix of ranged and melee mobs to fight. The bosses are a grab bag, but between them all you'll see a little of everything that you'll ultimately have to deal with. Just as importantly, VH is very close to a graveyard and it's physically small, with all the combat taking place in the same room, so you don't have to run alllll the way back up to the top of Utgarde Keep if you wipe near the end.
Only a couple downsides of VH come to mind. For one thing, there are no mobs that run away, so you won't get any practice with that. (Although come to think of it, those are very rare in Northrend, aren't they.) And if you wipe at any time from the first boss on, you have to start over from the beginning. That's not all bad because you get more rep that way, but it is still something to be avoided.
Kayri May 4th 2009 4:15PM
hmmm, I leveled my DK in the purpose of being a tank. after i hit 80 i threw on some AH-epics, quest-blues and rep-blues and tanked naxx. had never tanked before in my entire wow-career. tanking is just ridiculously easy.
Bob Dewane May 4th 2009 11:11AM
Who would tell a new tank to go tank the UP gauntlet?!?! Maybe its just because when I do it, I do it on heroic but to this day that is still one of the most stressful experiences I have tanking. The insane mix between ranged (which always shoot at the healer first) and melee mobs topped off by a boss that will one shot your healer if you don't control him right away seems like a sure way to send the new tank straight back to DPSing his way through the game.
The first part was sound...start slow with non heroics then do like H UP, H VH or H NEX. Just my 2 cents.
Alanid May 4th 2009 11:13AM
how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?
Also, is 3.2 the definitive point for the next stage of the argent tournament? And if so could the new 5-man perhaps be INSIDE the tournament?
BulletzBill May 4th 2009 11:21AM
Doubt it. My guess for the new 5-man is Uldum.
Moonduh May 4th 2009 11:51AM
Actually, Blizzard has already stated that the Argent Tournament will include some kind of instance. Plus, I highly doubt they'd do MORE Titan stuff with so much lore and story to use for it.
mike May 4th 2009 3:48PM
As much wood as a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.