World of Warcraft — An Introduction to Tanking
For those who are new to tanking, here are some handy tips you’re going to need.
What makes World of Warcraft great is the sheer amount of variety that is available. Not just in terms of the content, which ranges from grinding to going all out to buy WoW gold to bypass to the very top of the chain, but also how you approach the game as a player. One popular method of playing the game is by tanking.
Whilst you may have heard this terminology in similar games, you may be wondering how it works in World of Warcraft. So before you jump ahead to dungeons, raids, or finding a WoW mount for sale, here’s an introduction to how tanking works in the game.
Starting Out With Tanking
Are you considering starting tanking in World of Warcraft, but have been warned off? Have you been advised to avoid it as a new player? Then don’t worry. Whilst many do consider it to be the hardest role to take on in WoW, it isn’t necessarily as cut and dry as that. Of course, you are going to need the facts and techniques beforehand, but in terms of delivery from a gameplay point of view, it isn’t that difficult at all.
What Makes an Effective Tank?
So the execution of tanking can be simple, but you will still need the knowledge of what makes a good tank. Being familiar with the tank class is your first objective, so do as much research about their strengths and weaknesses as you can. Figuring out how you can use them in battle is going to be a real difference maker.
You also want to make sure that you are fully prepared for what you are about to face. As obvious as this might sound, when it comes to heading into raids or dungeons, you will need to be aware of the mechanics that you’ll face and how you can use your own to your advantage. This includes keeping the threat to you and your allies contained, and focus on the targets that you’re given.
Being an effective tank relies on positioning too, as well as having an eye on your DPS allies and what they are doing. They will need you to be able to juggle the responsibilities in downtime and help to keep movement low. Get yourself into position for the relevant mechanics being used and arrange your cooldowns prior to taking heavy damage.
One of the most important traits of a tank is being consistent. You need to be able to take damage regularly and be aware of the positioning of bosses and other enemies. You are going to be a leader of the pack, so you need to be able to play that role. Take control when the time is right and navigate your team to victory.
As part of this leader role, you are going to be very influential. Knowing what mobs are capable of beforehand will give you a better outlook on the battle and whether you should consider taking it on or not. It isn’t just about tanking either, however. You should look into the strengths and weaknesses of all of your party. If you’re taking on this leadership, then you are going to be the key to success in dungeons and such. Knowing facts about DPS cooldown times, or what your healers can cope with could make all the difference between winning and losing.
Speaking of healers, you may be wondering just how important their role is. Without stating the obvious, you will need to look into just how effective they can really be for you. Many are under the impression that whether you live or die depends on your healer. This isn’t completely true, as you have a wealth of mitigation tools at your disposal that will be far more important. Of course, a low-quality healer does mean you won’t survive long, but even with a world-class healer, you are going to still need to play your part if you are to survive.
This introduction should give you an outline of what it takes for you to be a great tank in World of Warcraft. It isn’t about having to buy WoW gold to get ahead of the game, as a lot of it comes down to individual ability. Not just that, but knowledge is such an important factor as well. Having this will make you a tank that many dungeon runners and raid players will want to have as part of their group when going into the heat of battle.
Have you tried tanking in WoW? Let us know in the comments section below!
