I’ve played wow on and off for years and always mained Dps classes, particularly warrior. However whilst I am very much a casual player and therefore know I’ll never be able to commit time to real raiding I do really enjoy mythics and atleast seeing the raids in RF. My problem is I now feel like I want to try something new and tanking seems really positive move as it isn’t just about pumping out numbers and also tanks always seem in short supply so it’s kind of two birds one stone.
My concern is I’ve never tanked and it seems kinda scary in a way. I’d hate to ruin the experience for others by being bad. As a dps if you suck it’s not the end of the world but a bad tank can ruin a dungeon and waste peoples time. So could anyone share any tips that may help me transition into this new role? I know I would have to learn all dungeon tactics and what not before running them off but is there other things I should know? Add ons I should use? And maybe even what class is good for tanks starting out? I have heard warrior tanks are nothing special at the min so I was considering making a pala and levelling as prot by mainly running dungeons so that I can learn as I go… unless this is a bad idea?
Go to YouTube and search for Shadowlands Tank and you will very quickly find more than you will ever need to know about addons, routes, builds and so on.
None of it is the same as practice. And practice with a friendly group is a lot better than practice with people who are playing for their hit of anger.
Watch how a tank does a dungeon, then do one yourself, start with easy ones even if you overgear them greatly so you know no matter how bad you do (you wont but in worst case scenario) you will be still carrying them
So i would just go normal —> hc —>m0 —>m+2 to get used and build confidence
Some people say prot pally is a difficult tank to learn on, but I learned on it (before switching to DH as my main) and didn’t find it difficult. It just doesn’t fit my style of play so well, which is why I didn’t keep it as my main.
As someone who also came to tanking after playing solely dps, here are my suggestions:
Disable your damage meter while you’re learning. Some tanks do amazing damage (for a non-dps role), but that isn’t the main reason why you’re there. Getting rid of the meter will help you stop unconsciously competing with the dps, and let you concentrate on doing your job.
Practice your rotation by killing mobs out in the world before you try to go into a dungeon. Unless you pull big and/or pull packs of elites, you won’t need to use much mitigation, but try to remember to use it regardless. (This is one reason why I think pallies are good for players coming from dps roles - shield of the righteous does damage as well as being the main source of mitigation so it’s easy to remember to press it.)
If you decide to level a new character through dungeons, pick an expansion you know really, really well. Knowing the dungeon like the back of your hand will mean you can focus on your new role, and you’re less likely to get dps running ahead while you’re trying to figure out what’s next.
Some great advice in here - whatever class you end up going with just make sure it’s one you enjoy playing (you can try them out with the class trial feature before committing to anything!).