My hat off to people who play dedicated tanks

[Mistress_Ivi]

I love tanking, it's the one free thing to do. I can go where I like, at the pace I like... and if those around me decide to do stupid things, 9/10 times, they can die for their stupidity. I'm a tank, first and foremost. I lead unless specifically needed not to, and even then... I'm never far behind.

 

DPS in this game are expendable, healers and tanks are much rarer by default. Healers who can't keep a tank alive soon find themselves on the ignore lists of dedicated tanks quickly and dps - heh - you don't even need to do that, just vote kick or leave, go play a warzone and reque for a flashpoint, boom in.

 

I'll make allowences for stupid players, honest. But I have my limits... and we tanks don't like being pushed too much, DPS and bad healers alike should know, you can't get far without the tank and the tank can't get too far without at least a healer.

 

So I thank the OP for taking the time to see what a tanks world can be like, most dps take us for granted - when infact, it is us, the tanks... who don't need you more often ,)

[WaywardSith]

Appreciate the love!

 

My Tanksin is my main, and I've had him since day 1. I leveled him as dps(horrific), and then respecced tanking after that. It's definitely been a pain in some areas, but I love tanking, and being such an integral part of the group does pet my ego just a bit

 

Got my tank to NEAR full Black Hole gear(missing an implant and a lightsaber ), and when you really get that kind of gear it's just awesome to see how much you can do with your companion, or a healer

 

Overall, I love tanking. As you can see from my sig, I've played all three roles, and so far tanking is my favorite

 

Stick with it! Stupid group members can sometimes be the funniest part!

[Petnil]

put the good dps on friends list. I used to only put the good healers on friendlist since dps are a dime a dozen, but i´ve startet to put dps on friendlist too. All dps who kills adds and let me pull and let me break the cc. Basicly any dps that does their best to help the tank and healer. I couldn´t care less if their dps is low. Just do the things your supposed to do and there´s a fair chance of ending on my friendslist.

 

Surely beeing on a tanks friendlist is worth something....

 

Another thing. Please let the tank use exploding barrels in FP. i know it´s no problem realy, but it´s a ton of agro and it realy helps the tank alot to hold agro.

[hunterraaze]

This post, and in particular, this quote, is so full of win, I had to snag it.

 

Great topic all around and shoutout to the deeps and heals who allow us to do our thing!

 

I was just about to do that.

[DiabloDoom]

I don't like to think we healers cause hindrance, it is those pesky dps

[sankalp]

As a dedicated tank, I say cheers

 

To the people that get frustrated with bads, I see a tank as the leader of the pack. Real tanks dont leave in the middle of a FP or OP regardless of that you face.

 

I can prolly count on one hand the number of times I have left a PUG group coz of bad dps r heals. As a Tank, it is our prerogative to make people understand and learn how to play. If that involves leaving the boss on them for a few seconds, then so be it

[AsheraII]

and dps - heh - you don't even need to do that, just vote kick or leave, go play a warzone and reque for a flashpoint, boom in.

Funny how you mention warzones. I actually noticed that in the avarage non-ranked warzone, I have 1 or 2 TANKS and also usually 2 or 3 healers on my team. Some of those were often already paired up before the game, but still.

 

It makes sense though. Pre-50, there are some pretty acceptable items you can get for warzone commendations. You don't really need any dedicated tank equipment before lvl 50, so the rewards from PvP more than suffice.

At lvl 50, there are some good tank pieces you can get from PvP. Even if the set bonusses don't suit your needs, you can always rip out the non-armor mods and put them into your usual gear.

 

And while there are plenty HORRIBLE PvP teams you have to deal with along the way, a match rarely takes longer than 15 minutes, which is quite a bit shorter than a 30 minute instance lasting 40 minutes because some idiot DPS keeps ruining the whole strategy

 

So what I'm saying, is that there are actually more than enough tanks and healers in game, but you won't find many of them in PUGs for flashpoints or operations. They do flashpoints and operations with their guild, where everybody knows his/her role. At the same time, they casually pug warzones, since these don't last as long. The worse either the enemy or their own team is, the shorter the warzone gets. Whatever the case, they always get some comms out of it, no fear of ninja-looters, their rewards are simply guaranteed. Do dailies, play some extra warzones, and that's a new piece of equipment.

[HSFOverlord]

I too, would like to add my thanks to all those tanks out there keeping the baddies from splattering me, and, as a dedicated healer, you'd better know I'm watching your health bar like a hawk.

[Sinapus]

Haven't done much tanking, but I've been in some heroics with some good ones... and yes, I've run into the DPS guy who keeps drawing aggro. From across the room sometimes.

 

[Larity]

Of all my time leveling tanks, healers, and dps toons.

 

The only problems I ever see are people trying to hybrid Heal/Dps (sorcs mainly do this, badly) and chicken tanks.

 

You know, the tanks that refuse to jump into battle expecting someone else to?

 

If I'm the tank, I play "Keep up with me" and keep attacking things until I nearly die (then I'll use my out of combat heal, and go again)

 

If I'm the healer I play "Screw up and no heals for you" Harsh teaching people pick up fast. (ALSO I am not your baby sitter, use your out of combat heal)

 

If I'm dps, I dont think, I shoot things tank attacks. I cc things tanks dont attack

[Amlici]

Tanking in this game is easy. I found warrior tanking in WoW the hardest. I play a vanguard tank and they are really alot easier. Only problem i find is it is quite hard to maintain threat sometimes because healers seem to get singled out. CC is the best solution to this.

[DarthVenizen]

appreciate the love, i play tanks 95% of the time, while leveling my most recent tank i was doing a red reaper run, we got to the second boss (the pillar changing one) and i asked my dps to get pillars and i would get one, that way 3 would flip, i got my one no dps go theirs, i asked again, and once again they missed their pillars, luckily the healer kept up, leaving me to click on 2 or 3 pillars on my own while holding threat, while the dps just didn't give a **** and kept slashing away. Not a fun run.

 

I just wish more people would realize how annoying tanking is and how they can make it easier on their tanks. However a lot of dps just don't give a ****, which is why if your a dps and you keep running ahead, I will let you die until you learn your lesson

Edited February 6, 2013 by DarthVenizen

[Marshal_Ney]

My alt is a level 50 tank

and i tend to agree with most of you,that during the leveling experience lot's of people,especially DPS and sometimes healers as well don't have a clue what to do,but on the other hand these people might be new in game and so as tank especially if u're experienced in game,have to bring lot of patience.

Things change drammaticaly when u hit 50 and after u done the FP in NM and you start to do them in HM

then the opposite will happen,that if u don't know a single shortcut or u waste a nanosecond someone will start to complain.

So yeah,it' a bit of pressure sometimes for the Tank:)

Edited February 6, 2013 by Marshal_Ney

[Aelther]

I had a commando and a shadow that kept using their punt skill to knock mobs away from me which in turn made it difficult to retain threat.

 

Oh I know the feeling. As a tank I hate those push abilities so much. Whenever I use my force sweep or something some commando or consular always tries their best to push all mobs out of my aoe. I wish I was able to silence those abilities as a tank somehow....

 

But the good thing is that stuff like this only happens in pugged flashpoints, not Operations with my guild.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Aelther

[robopup]

I had a dps sage that kept running ahead and pulling aggro, so the third time he did it I pulled back and dps's (running a

vanguard). When he died I said "If you wanted to tank all you had to do was asked". He rage quit and we got a good dps to replace him. I when i dps, I will let the tank draw first aggro and burn down targets from low to high targeting thru the tank when the trash is gone.

 

As and note, a guild tank told me to start with an alpha strike ( my heaviest rotation) and he would pull it back and hold aggro. he said that the taunt takes the highest aggro on the list and adds 110%, and that i the tanks aggro number. I find that I don't pull aggro off him once he gets it.

[CaptRavenous]

If I'm running with a PUG group, and they are making things difficult, I will stop them, and politely ask them to do/not to do certain things. Usually I get a positive respone, they follow my lead, we get things done fast. If they don't listen, or they get upset about me being "bossy" or any negative flak for trying to be helpful, I just drop group and return to what I was doing. Its just a game, and nothing here says I have to put up with rudness or unappreciative players. If they try to verbally harass me, /ignore works every time.

 

I love being a Tank, because I love helping other players, and Tanks find a lot of work doing so. That doesn't mean I'll put up with people who make my job as a tank difficult. Either cooperate as a team, or get used to doing your group missions solo only when you've outleveled them.

 

Simple.

[AshlaBoga]

I've got 3 main characters.

 

My Sorc healer,

My Jug tank,

and my Sent dps.

 

Of all them I find the Jug tank to be the most challenging in HM FPs/Operations. Although it's possible that might have something to do with Jug tanks - but I suspect it's really more because tanking is more challenging than dps or healing.

[Kaedusz]

Tanks have it easy.They never get kicked even if they are morons cus its hard to find a tank.The group finder queue is 1 min max long.They have in their hands the whole flash point.

 

Juggernauts and powertechs are the easiest classes to have the best gear for their level,while leveling.How?Respecing is free for subscribers,want flash point?respec to a tanking spec,3 sec queue,bam,there you go.Also they will never kick you,you can demand things of them,threatening them with leaving.ect,ect

When i tell noobs what to do ,they listen.When i tell them what to do with my sniper or deception assassin,they ignore me and continue doing the wrong things at boss fight,,ect.

 

Tanks have an easy live.Since i began my juggernaut i am having a blast.It helps if you are a good tank,but as i said,no1 will kick you if you suck ,cus its hard to find a tank.

 

Once i entered some flash point in which they waited for a tank,after their previous tank left for 3 hours almost,they praised me as a god.Which by the way they very often do after a smooth flash point run.

 

If the group is stuborn in their moronic ways,you can leave and requeue ,and have another group in 2 seconds.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Kaedusz

[AshlaBoga]

Tanks have it easy.They never get kicked even if they are morons cus its hard to find a tank.The group finder queue is 1 min max long.They have in their hands the whole flash point.

 

Your post completely ignores Operations.

 

While I've seen overgeared Mara's tank Tier 1 content, I've never seen a "moron" tank Tier 2 HM content (HM EC, HM TFB).

 

Tanks have it easier in HM LFG true, but when it comes to Operations there are some fights that are require more skill to tank than to heal.

Edited February 6, 2013 by AshlaBoga

[Kaedusz]

Thats true but usualy when you do operations you don't pug them,you do them with a guild or something,which many of the problems mentioned in previous posts here,don't apply.

I was talking mainly about pug flashpoints ,specialy while leveling.

 

Also tanking isn't *that* hard in general,even if dpsing is easier.Unless you have no experience in mmos.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Kaedusz

[Obiben]

Tanking is a joy, I'm not even bothered by pugging, as he's pretty well geared I usually ask healer to DPS and heal if I fall below 60%, which they tend to do, I also had a jug tank and gave up on him as the grind is practically impossible but I switch him to DPS which made it more pleasurable to do so, but I love my Tankasin would never trade him and will always be my main,

[Fornix]

Your post completely ignores Operations.

 

While I've seen overgeared Mara's tank Tier 1 content, I've never seen a "moron" tank Tier 2 HM content (HM EC, HM TFB).

 

Tanks have it easier in HM LFG true, but when it comes to Operations there are some fights that are require more skill to tank than to heal.

 

Must be the fact that I've been a dedicated tank in MMO's for pretty much most of the past 10 years, but personally I don't think there's a lot of skill required for tanking at all.

 

There's just the sense of panic and insecurity which many people suddenly get if they're starting to tank or asked to tank. As their death could suddenly mean the end of the fight.

 

However, none of that is even a valid concern. As the death of a DPS or healer can have the exact same effect. In particular a DPS death too many can instigate an enrage timer. Whereas the death of a single tank? Well, in such a scenario if you have another skilled tank in many cases it's far from the end of the world.

 

And the latter imo is the only part where skill as a tank comes into play, during the period of death of another tank. For example dealing with both zorn & toth at the same time, handling firebrand & stormcaller yourself, taking on 2 bosses in Ciphas, Heirad, & Kel'sara, etc.

 

But beyond that? It's all just part of a simple dance anybody can learn. Imo if you can learn to ride a bike, you can most certainly learn to do the basic tanking routines sufficient to pull you through HM and NiM content.

[kirorx]

I love to tank, its the only way I play really.

 

As far as PUGing, it can be hit or miss. Alot of people have done a flashpoint one way and feel that that is the only way to do it.

 

There are more complaining whiney players in PUG PvE groups than anywhere else IMO, and I PvP alot

PvP complainers usually just say one or two lines, i have seen PvErs go bananas on someone that pulled a MOB we tried to skip, it was insanly rude.

 

That being said you can get some good groups as well, so its a trade off.

 

As a tank just need to learn the fight before hand, there are websites for stuff you have not done and of course have a tough skin. Dont drop group if the group is bad or something, i just learn to deal with it. I think it makes me better in the long run to deal with the more difficult situations.

 

Just ignore the whiney complainers those people are usually inexperienced and just looking to blame someone.

[Saliq]

I mainly play tanks when I play MMO's.

I would happily provide a few tips.

 

1. Bad players, people who doesnt listen etc, try and get them kicked from the Party. Dps are easy to come by, so is healers most of the time, thats one of the great things about playing a tank.

2. You pull it, you tank it... My motto.. I hardly ever take breaks in my pulling, but as soon someone else starts to do it, well I don't really care With that said, of course I don't let people die (all the time), but I tend to give them a scare.

3. For anyone who has played MMO's, it's pretty common sense that Tank's are usually the leaders, the rest follows.

This of course is easier if you play with people you know, friends, guildies etc, so I highly recommend making your own groups at least a majority of the players so you can kick if need be.

4. Leave the group... plain and simple, if it sucks, leave.. take the penalty, and rejoin when you can. Tanks got instant queue's most of the time, so don't sweat it.

 

 

Someone will probably call me elitist, or some other name, but in all honesty I just can't do "Bad", it's a waste of my time, I am after all spending my time and money on my hobby.

I don't play to endure others, I play to have fun, and I usually have

[Fornix]

3. For anyone who has played MMO's, it's pretty common sense that Tank's are usually the leaders, the rest follows.

 

Personally, I disagree with that statement. Yes, a lot of tanks like to take lead, but ultimately imo the healer is the one who decides whether the group is ready to continue or not. Sure, a few trash mobs are no big deal. But if you run into a tad too much the group can pretty rapidly die if the healer isn't ready yet.

 

Beyond that, dps frequently have their own set of tactics involved. And personally I can't be bothered with reading up on all the DPS' tactics. So if someone is absolutely clueless in general, and then also starts acting for what to do during a boss fight, I'll often initiate a vote-kick as I'm not there to do the explaining for him, nor do I feel like waiting for someone to learn the tactics from a youtube video whilst they could perfectly have done such in advance.

 

The only leading which remains, is merely walking ahead, but there's little to no leadership involved in that. Any DPS in a PUG who expects me to do otherwise, can get a kick in their behinds to go do their homework .