World of Warcraft Class Roles: Tanking
WoW Tank Classes - Controlling Aggro and Protecting the Party
Mar 24, 2009
In the World of Warcraft, the tank is a unique and essential component of every party or raid group. Without a strong tank diverting the attention of enemies, the weaker DPS and healing classes will not last long. In WoW, the player has several options for creating a tank class, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses.
The WoW Warrior - Tanking and Threat Management Specialist
The strongest and most natural tank in World of Warcraft is the Warrior. Boasting a high armor rating and hit points, effective shield usage, and threat generating talents and skills, the Warrior is the master of keeping enemies’ attention.
The protection talent tree contains the most useful talents for the pure tanking Warrior, and is where most of their talent points will be spent. Effective use of protection talents, Defensive Stance and threat generating skills such as Heroic Strike, Mocking Blow and Sunder Armor will ensure that the group’s enemies maintain their focus on the tank and allow the healers and DPS classes to do their jobs.
World of Warcraft Alternate Tanks and Off-Tanks – Death Knights and Paladins
While the Warrior is the original tank in WoW, there are always other options available. Protection Paladins and Death Knights can make capable tanks in many situations, and after recent patches and updates many will act as the main tank in high level raid dungeons. For all intents and purposes, a well played and specced protection Paladin or Death Knight is able to handle most situations as the main tank.
Paladins who specialize (or spec) in the protection talent tree make capable tanks. While they lack many of the threat generating attacks available to Warriors, talents such as Anticipation, Redoubt, and Sacred Duty greatly increase the Paladin’s ability to not only take damage successfully, but also maintain a consistently higher level of threat generation.
Death Knights are also quite capable tanks, especially while using Frost Presence which increases health and armor while generating additional threat. There are talents spread throughout the three Death Knight trees that are useful for a tanking Death Knight. Talents such as Anticipation, Bladed Armor, and Nerves of Cold Steel are all quite useful to the WoW tanking Death Knight.
Hunters and Feral Druids as Tanks in WoW
While probably not ideal, in certain situations a Hunter or Druid in Bear or Dire Bear Form can make adequate tanks. Hunter pets, especially those with an area of effect (AoE) spell can tank briefly in a pinch, but are more useful as an off-tank. Feral Druids in Bear Form or Dire Bear Form can also tank. Skills like Swipe, Growl and Demoralizing Roar are all useful as threat generators.
In World of Warcraft, most classes may fill several roles. While Warriors are the most solid and effective tanks, several others may now step up to fill that role. Players making effective use of the skills and talents available to them, and who know what is expected of them can effectively tank with Paladins, Death Knights, and to a lesser extent Hunters and Druids.
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