The Tank’s Oath

by Andy/Betancore

I will get hit in the face, and ask for more
I will protect my comrades at all costs
I will be first among the fallen
I will strive to ease my healer’s burden
I will humbly lead my party to victory
I am the Tank

Words for every meatshield to live by. Let’s delve a bit further into the proper tanking mindset.

I will get hit in the face, and ask for more

It takes a special kind of person to be a tank.  The tank’s job is at the same time the most and least important in the game.  As a tank, you don’t have a particularly active role in killing the boss, or in keeping the group alive.  However, you’re the figurehead of the group, making sure that those responsible for the DPS and healing can do their jobs without a dragon breathing fire in their face.

I will protect my comrades at all costs

The bad tanks I’ve raided with usually weren’t particularly squishy, or inept.  Instead, what made them fail was the lack of a defensive mindset.  They would root the boss in place, despite the fact that the melee DPS was struggling to avoid pools of bad on the ground.  If a warlock ripped aggro, they would yell at him over Vent or chat, then taunt the boss.  As a tank, your first and last thought must be for the safety of your group.  With a few exceptions, it’s your job to move the boss away from bad as much as it is the melee’s job to not stand in it.  Always put your group’s safety ahead of yours, even if this means waiting another GCD to blow an important cooldown just to get a taunt off in time.  And as for overzealous DPS?  Taunt, then bitch.

I will be first among the fallen

As a tank, you are going to die.  A lot.  Accept this fact.  Even if the boss can be reset, when a wipe is called, you will most likely die.  Often, it’s your death that will trigger a wipe.  The tank is the canary in the coal mine.  When your face caves in, it’s time to leave.

I will strive to ease my healer’s burden

If your first and last thought must be to the safety of the group, all the ones in between must be to your own survivability.  Cataclysm introduced a new limiting factor to fights besides the ubiquitous enrage timer: your healer’s mana pool.  When this dries up, unless you have some serious tricks left in your bag, it’s game over.  Thus, it’s your job to make your healer’s mana last as long as possible.  Use avoidance and short cooldowns whenever they’re up, save long cooldowns for periods of high damage.  And DK’s, stack shields like it’s your job, because it is.

I will humbly lead my party to victory

I’ve said before that the tank is a leadership position, especially in a PUG.  Does this make you God Emperor of the Group, Highlord of the Holy Halls of Healability?  No.  No one likes a diva.  If you go into a group and start ordering people around, all you’ll do is make people less inclined to listen to you.  Speaking from personal experience, if you ask me to do something, I probably will.  Order me to do something, and I’ll spit in your face.  You need to keep this in mind as you lead the group.  Before General Umbriss in Grim Batol, ask who will be crowd controlling the Malignant Trogg.  You set the pace, so don’t start the encounter until you have an answer.  If no one speaks up, ask a specific group member to do it.  It’s better to let people volunteer than it is to order them around.

And don’t forget to mark, and explain your marks.

I am the Tank

Figurehead, protector, punching bag, sacrificial lamb.  These are the roles you take on when you put on your tanking hat.  Be prepared.  And remember your oath.

~ by Andy/Betancore on April 1, 2011.