Are tanks pointless?

[Koatanga]

MUD career:

Glass Dragon
Jolly Roger
Haunted Pass
Isle of Death
Pirate's Cove (ran that one)
DragonRealms

Spent a good chunk of time chasing text.

[yappo]

MUD career:

Glass Dragon
Jolly Roger
Haunted Pass
Isle of Death
Pirate's Cove (ran that one)
DragonRealms

Spent a good chunk of time chasing text.

Only have four MUD:s under my belt. The one I ran is still up and running for twenty years straight.

[Skye1013]

Also, although every prior legendary has been a weapon, there's nothing saying a tanking legendary HAS to be a weapon...

Talisman of Binding Shard

... was never in game.

I'll just leave this here...

[Bladesong]

*whispers*Because they fooked up the RDF system so there is next to zero behavior accountability*whisper*

Well this goes to what I think is the root of the problem - the design decision to throw people with wildly different goals into a random group. To me the biggest issue is that your group will often consist of raiders, who have better than average gear and skill and are there just to kill the last boss as fast as possible for Valor, and people who are still learning about their class who are there to improve their starter gear with drops. I can see an altruistic intent to have veterans helping new players, but uh... yeah.

[halabar]

Man, people really want threat to matter. I honestly don't care which aspect they ever decide to promote. Threat or Survival, makes no difference to me, as long as both aren't pushed equally because you just end up in a "wait for sunders" situation that I doubt many people would find fun to go back to.

Threat should matter...

What is more compelling:

1) A tank staring down the enemy(s), daring them to attack him, roaring in the face of the enemy, and holding their attention while his teammates do their jobs.

or

2) A tank hiding behind his shield that has a big bullseye on it, so the overgrown boss and his minions throw everything they have at that bullseye, and the tank is busy using every incantation he can to soften the blows.


The more they go to #2, the less I ever want to try tanking again, its just not compelling. I learned to tank in Shattered Halls, where you had to grab and hold all those Orcs. Pallys were quite good at that.

Now Blizz wants me to cower behind shields, madly trying to survive.

No thanks.

[Flex]

Threat should matter...

What is more compelling:

1) A tank staring down the enemy(s), daring them to attack him, roaring in the face of the enemy, and holding their attention while his teammates do their jobs.

or

2) A tank hiding behind his shield that has a big bullseye on it, so the overgrown boss and his minions throw everything they have at that bullseye, and the tank is busy using every incantation he can to soften the blows.

#1 is just being a DPS with a "shield".
#2 would be a new play style unique to tanking.

Blizzard just needs to pick a style and flesh it out.

[Malthrax]

Tanks may be pointless, but tanking SHOULDERS are frequently very pointy.

[Astronomic]

Tanks may be pointless, but tanking SHOULDERS are frequently very pointy.

pally t7(3) instantly popped in my mind.

[benebarba]

Tanks may be pointless, but tanking SHOULDERS are frequently very pointy.

I would give you an internets, but I used it

[Sagara]

Man, people really want threat to matter. I honestly don't care which aspect they ever decide to promote. Threat or Survival, makes no difference to me, as long as both aren't pushed equally because you just end up in a "wait for sunders" situation that I doubt many people would find fun to go back to.

Threat should matter...

What is more compelling:

1) A tank staring down the enemy(s), daring them to attack him, roaring in the face of the enemy, and holding their attention while his teammates do their jobs.

or

2) A tank hiding behind his shield that has a big bullseye on it, so the overgrown boss and his minions throw everything they have at that bullseye, and the tank is busy using every incantation he can to soften the blows.


The more they go to #2, the less I ever want to try tanking again, its just not compelling. I learned to tank in Shattered Halls, where you had to grab and hold all those Orcs. Pallys were quite good at that.

Now Blizz wants me to cower behind shields, madly trying to survive.

No thanks.

I'm also voting n°2. We're the going that keep on going - bruised, battered, torn flesh and mind? We spit some blood, pick the blade back up and charge right back in, front line, shield high! NOTHING will take us down!

[yappo]

We're the going that keep on going - bruised, battered, torn flesh and mind? We spit some blood, pick the blade back up and charge right back in, front line, shield high! NOTHING will take us down!

... barring the lack of a healer...

[Thrornir]

That's what Lay on Hands is for. (The first time.)

[RedAces]

So when I'm injured in battle I touch myself and everything is back to normal? errrrrm

[bldavis]

o.O

[thegreatheed]

Man, people really want threat to matter. I honestly don't care which aspect they ever decide to promote. Threat or Survival, makes no difference to me, as long as both aren't pushed equally because you just end up in a "wait for sunders" situation that I doubt many people would find fun to go back to.

Threat should matter...

What is more compelling:

1) A tank staring down the enemy(s), daring them to attack him, roaring in the face of the enemy, and holding their attention while his teammates do their jobs.

or

2) A tank hiding behind his shield that has a big bullseye on it, so the overgrown boss and his minions throw everything they have at that bullseye, and the tank is busy using every incantation he can to soften the blows.


The more they go to #2, the less I ever want to try tanking again, its just not compelling. I learned to tank in Shattered Halls, where you had to grab and hold all those Orcs. Pallys were quite good at that.

Now Blizz wants me to cower behind shields, madly trying to survive.

No thanks.

#2 is only compelling because bosses hit so hard. Bosses hit so hard to make damage reduction talents useful. I don't know about you, but whenever I play a new RPG, and get to place my first talent point, and my choices are 'decreases damage taken by 1%' and 'increases all damage done by 1%' no matter what role of character I've rolled, I always want to choose the increased damage.

I would love a tanking model based off #1. Just make spec have the requisite damage reduction, make controlling the fight the important role of the tank, not an automatic byproduct.