For the Bears

[Langara]

I need more resources for bear tanking, specifically how to hold aggro solidly. I've spent a lot of time reading up on how to go about bear tanking well, and they all say "Just do this rotation and you won't have trouble keeping aggro." Apparently they aren't running heroics on fresh 80's in store-bought epics alongside a very well geared group of all-star DPS.

Is that the crux of my aggro holding problem? I can't seem to pump out the TPS so my DPS can open up and own face they way they want. Elitist Jerks and Big Bear Butt are handy, but I don't see much for the fresh 80 trying to get geared up.

Kitsilano on Armory clicky (http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Twisting+Nether&n=Kitsilano)

Any suggestions to help things go more smoothly are welcome. Links, resources, etc.

[Agnarr]

Fresh 80 tanks will almost always have problems holding aggro on all-star epic DPS, especially when that DPS is used to the all-star epic tanks they raid with.

At least half of them will be death knights, so they can at least take a hit or two.

Best thing I can think of is to ask them if they can throttle back the DPS a bit, because your gear/threat ratio doesn't match up to theirs.

What is the gear/threat ratio of an unequipped bear?

[Okhu]

You tell them to focus on the target you're on, hold aggro on everything tbe best you can, and if one of the DPS decides to pull aggro off you and get creamed. You warned him. He can bitch all he wants. But you warned him.

[Tía]

In my experience, bears aren't great at frontloading threat. (Or maybe they are and I'm just bad.) If DPS are blowing their loads right out of the gate, you may want to suggest that they keep it in their pants for a few stacks of Lacerate.

[Xenorin]

If DPS are blowing their loads

I admit...I giggled.

And I have been debating on Tanking with my drood. Hrm.

[Langara]

We've tried having them wait for about a count of five or so. That helps but it's still problematic when the ret pally is having to stick to auto attack and can't even begin to try his rotation!

At some point, it isn't the DPS's fault. I want to be the fun, reliable tank, not the one where everyone is sweating bullets all the time and dies because they actually hit something. It's just this awkward gear phase, I guess. Gaaah. Maybe I should just beg to be dragged through heroics as the worst DPS ever, and need on all the tank gear.


If DPS are blowing their loads right out of the gate, you may want to suggest that they keep it in their pants for a few stacks of Lacerate.

-50 DKP for making me snort at work... I'm supposed to be researching training seminars...

[Amoola]

I might not have tanking experience but I do know that if I pull aggro from the tank it is pretty much my own dang fault. If you guys are on vent when doing this then tell them to sit on their thumbs while you get agro. If they don't then let them learn the hart way with a reminder after someone dies that you did ask nicely.

Hope you get the gear you need to drop.

[Villayna]

*knows nothing about bear tanks*

I have some of the same problems with my new warrior tank. Even with vigilence, someone who's doing over 3k dps is still likely to yank things off of me. You just gotta have taunt on a trigger finger, and hope people are hitting the right target so you don't suddenly see 2+ mobs run away.

Do bears get a vigilence-like aggro steal ability? Also, if there's a rogue make sure they are tossing dirty tricks whenever it's up, and hunters are giving you misdirection. Every little bit helps.

[Giselda Firebrand]

It's just this awkward gear phase, I guess. Gaaah. Maybe I should just beg to be dragged through heroics as the worst DPS ever, and need on all the tank gear.

Skip heroics and go straight into Naxx - if you have a willing group, that is. Many are willing to take a good player who simply needs the gear to catch up and with a few solid players it isn't too much of a drag. You'll have 2 pieces of Conqueror's in no time. ;)

[Langara]

Well, got three new epic pieces, and I am doing MUCH better already. Still not perfect, but at least I've hit 30% dodge which is a baseline for tanking.

Thank Blizz for putting out ToC just when I wanted to get a new 80 geared up. That, plus doing the daily heroic, has been a good thing. Naxx is hopefully this weekend.

More than that though, thank goodness that the DPS who are too epic for their tank are also beyond patient with me.

[Amoola]

*cheers*

Awesome! I don't have any glove patterns but let me know if you need armor kits. Like I said unless you need the ones with resist it is cheap and easy.

[Domni]

If anyone Alliance side is working on a newly 80 Druid tank, I'm available as a pocket-healer for Heroics and certain raids.

[Swerto]

Don't ever do heroics with geared DPS as a new tank, you won't hold aggro.

[Keldorin]

Don't ever do heroics with geared DPS as a new tank, you won't hold aggro.

Do you show any tact? Ever?

I am pretty sure this an age old, nice and dead thread. I am also pretty sure, by this point, she out gears you.

Now quit posting useless comments.

[Swerto]

Is any tact required for a statement that simply says 'PEOPLE IN TIER 9 WILL PULL THREAT FROM HEROIC OR PRE HEROIC GEARED TANKS'

It's a fucking no brainer, I read the thread and posted my thought.

When I first started tanking I had trouble holding aggro from the people who completely out geared me because let's face it, all of us DPS are idiots and never pay attention to omen in a heroic, ever. We get too used to raid situations where a tank can hold aggro for an entire fight and we don't ever have to worry.

[Domni]

Ack - sorry! Didn't realize how old the thread was before I posted. Oh well.

[Agnarr]

I've been saying it for years. Raiding makes players bad.

[Swerto]

Oh, just armoried her druid, the gear level is close, she barely out gears me.

[Akuje]

I've been saying it for years. Swerto is a bad.

Fixed it for you.