Tanking as ret

[semp]

The main issue with ret tanking is threat. With CS and DS both being non holy damage, it really hurts our threat a ton. Concecrate pretty much becomes your greatest thrat building ability, so i suggest using the concecrate SP libram.

[vschiano2008]

I tanked Nexus last night as ret in my prot gear. Nobody noticed till I told them after we were done.

Only issue is if someone else pulls on accident, its not as easy as with prot to grab all of the mobs.

I couldnt find taunt on my bar, and I since I made my UI I didn't bother keybinding it lol.. I keybound it last night ..

I think ret tanking would be easier using a spell damage weapon to make up for having zero spell damage. Not sure, I used my tank wep.

Crusader strike = decent threat (compared to other spells as ret), and JoL = awesome threat cause there is a ton of aoe damage in nexus on certain parts.

[majiben]

The only issue with ret tanking in the lack of a good pulling tool.

[daemonym]

so tanking as ret, do you put on all your tank gear and sword/shield? i'd love to burn through some aoe tanking with a fat 2h sword ^^

edit: also, how liberal are you with CC as a ret tank or do you just not even bother?

[uke]

I think ret tanking would be easier using a spell damage weapon to make up for having zero spell damage. Not sure, I used my tank wep.

That doesn't make sense. I have more spell damage via Sheath of Light as ret than I do in full tanking gear/spec. (600 SP in PVP ret gear/spec vs about 300-ish SP in prot spec/T5/badge tanking gear)

Also keep in mind that if you have a decent dps 1 handed weapon, you should still put out sufficient threat with crusader strike, divine storm, and judgements (holy dmg) given that RF still gives physical damage a decent threat multiplier as well. If your ret gear is halfway decent, the sheer damage from the above abilities should give you a leg up.

Are there still tankadins who still think a low dps spell damage weapon is the way to go? Doesn’t that severely gimp HotR which relies on the weapon’s physical dps rating?

[daemonym]

personally i just use my sso shield and tanking mace if the mob hits relatively hard or it there's more than 2-3. otherwise i put on my beefy 2h sword and go to town with rf on.

[Taoden]

When I tank as ret, I wear my full prot gear and use my 2h. The only thing different is that I switch out any prot items that focus on block rating/value for something with more avoidance.

At 70 I used this spec for ret tanking: http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=sZ0xVZxcbxbIucMsxzAo

This gives me the exact same avoidance as I would have as prot, however I lose quite a bit of mitigation.

Threat on the otherhand is not an issue at all. You do nearly twice as much DPS as ret even in tank gear. Consecration scales better with AP than SP anyway so you get great AoE threat from your RF anyway.

My tank gear is decent, but nothing special. I still have a few kara pieces, but it is mostly badge gear and ZA gear with a handful of T6 pieces as well.

[Trueth]

My guildies have tried to convince me to bounce specs as needed for instancing right now. Heck no. I am doing just fine tanking as a ret pally while leveling.

I slap on all my tanking gear and go to town. The only time I have big problems is against big burst damage boss. The dragon in Nexus took me down twice over the course of three runs when she frenzied.

I have not yet used a 2-hander for trash, but I think that is a good idea. Of course that means I need to put away my shiny new Saronite Defender...

By the way, I am pulling with Repentence whenever possible. It is my longest range spell! LOL

[BigBlueCheese]

I tanked Nexus, UK, and the spider instance as ret. But when I hit 75 I went back to prot and just stack block value for soloing.

[amh]

When I tank as ret, I wear my full prot gear and use my 2h. The only thing different is that I switch out any prot items that focus on block rating/value for something with more avoidance.

This, a thousand times over! Ret-tanking with a two-hander is extremely fun, and I think everyone should experience it before mobs actually start hitting hard.

. But when I hit 75 I went back to prot and just stack block value for soloing.

And this is how I´ll be doing 75-80. Dual block-trinket, Mother-libram..

/cast Judgement of Light

followed by

#showtooltip Shield of the Righteous
/use Gnomeregan auto-blocker
/use Coren's Lucky Coin
/cast Shield of the Righteous


6010 highest crit so far :D

[Worldie]

<- 7200 current best record, wings are cheat

[amh]

That reminds me, I need to get the BV-meta! And also regem *everything* for defense :( Picked up 22 (!) defense-rating on chest here the other day, now people look at me weirdly for not enchanting 150 /250 health. At least they stopped noticing my fishing-enchant on gloves..

[inthedrops]

I've been tanking as ret myself, simply because it's convenient. Pulling is not a problem. Just run in and do your thing. Very few packs are really too close to others. I just make sure to tell people to not run away from me since I don't have any ranged abilities and they understand. I also holler at them to LoS in Vent. I'm always running with guildies which probably helps.

I use consecrate as little as possible because it takes so much mana. I prioritize divine storm instead. I usually judge one, divine shield and then use that other instant (forgor the name!).

I am a Sunwell geared tank so survivability isn't a problem. And I'm holding enough threat for sunwell dps too.

The one thing I noticed however is that I feel like I do MORE overall damage as a prot specced tank than a ret specced tank. Probably due to me not having Sanctuary as ret and needing to conserve my mana. Then again my style is to not have to stop to drink so I only ever use the mana necessary to hold agro and not much more.

I'm still ret at 77 and still doing the ret tank thing. Wouldn't dare do heroics at 80 though. I'll spec back to prot when I'm 80 I think.

[shifttusk]

I slap on all my tanking gear and go to town. The only time I have big problems is against big burst damage boss. The dragon in Nexus took me down twice over the course of three runs when she frenzied.

Bad healer IMO I healed an arms warrior with his 2h on through this boss several times.

[Elsie]

I think I've tanked everything up to drak'tharon as ret in ret gear so far.

WTB tank who knows how to hold threat plz.