How to be a tank thread ?

[dakster]

I was just wondering if there were such a thread like "How to be a tank" around? I dont see any stickys or anything in search that looks like what im looking for.

My brother is going to college and is going to give up his account as he doesnt want the distraction, so I want to start playing his tank.


What im looking for is basic information on the art of tanking, not a certain class. Things every tank should know by the time they leveled and 80. Basically, I want to start tanking TSO instances, and have people not know its my brothers toon and that I havent tanked much. I am a smart player, I could figure it out, just want to spare an embarassing moment or two.

So, for starters, youd use your temp buffs before pull, usually body pull, then if its more than one mob, ae taunt, single taunt as you run back to group, then do your aoes for extra hate, then cycle through CA's and hitting taunts when they come back up. And make sure to turn the mobs for the DPS right?

What else do I need to know that all good tanks know, that us DPS take for granted and dont notice?

Thanks for any help.

Edit: Posting this in multiple threads to get more replys hopefully, sorry

[Corto]

Who knows, maybe you get a mature reply as well...

But first, ten OMG E-Bayer, ask your brother replies, woo!

Personally, I'd help you, but I don't know jack shit about tanking, I just stab stuffz...

[Crabbok]

Don't bother taunting unless perfection of the maestro is up and you have nothing else to do, rely on DPS for aggro, spin mobs around so that the rest of the group has the mobs back, if you grouping with people whom you don't know very well, make sure to communicate to them when you plan on pulling, (Like Incomming in 5 seconds...).

Learn your temps and how to balance them. Use them only when you need to, depending on what type of temp. Time your autoattacks. Run Advanced Combat Tracker and actively try to always improve your DPS parse.

Also if your a new player please let your groups know that you are still learning, this way they don't expect you to be amazing, and so you don't end up with a Rate a Retard about yourself.

Also look at the class specific forums about whatever tank class you do play and try and get tips that are more specific.

[LFG]

How to be a tank section?

Did you maybe think of checking the fricking Guardian section?

Moved from General Gameplay.

[Jokael]

In all seriousness tanking takes time to learn what works beswt for you in certain situations.

For me I will bow pull or just run through an area and take on about 8-12 mobs depending on my group makeup and if I have good players with me. I do alot of chain/mass pulling depending on the situation where some tanks need to body pull for themselves and group to survive.

If I begin to spike or my group members do then I will use my temp defensive buffs.

Just let your group members know beforehand that you just got the tank account and learning. Alot of people are decent enough.

Just one thing, do not take longer then 30secs between pulls if your healers are above 50% health. People hate standing around waiting.

[TyrAnthraxus]

why research it?

It's much more fun to see how many people you can piss off while you're learning (sarcasm). As a tank I'm sure that you'll hear much more advice than you could ever want by being a bad tank.

Honestly the best thing you could do if you have a young tank is not to powerlevel it. Get it geared up for it's level and spells ready and play an alt while watching lower chat channels for groups. Experience it along the way, don't learn how to tank at level 80.

[Saladin]

Originally Posted by Crabbok

if you grouping with people whom you don't know very well, make sure to communicate to them when you plan on pulling, (Like Incomming in 5 seconds...).

QFE

Just to add, "aggro management, how you do that is you do a body pull, let the nukers nuke (wizzys, locks, u name it) and when they die you laugh and u keep doing that until they need a repair kit. They will learn eventually" or better yet if your gp leader send a msg in channel chat to look for that players replacement and after a few, wth?? in gp chat you boot that toon.

[Smashman]

Originally Posted by TyrAnthraxus

Honestly the best thing you could do if you have a young tank is not to powerlevel it. Get it geared up for it's level and spells ready and play an alt while watching lower chat channels for groups. Experience it along the way, don't learn how to tank at level 80.

very true nothing worse than an 80 tank who's never been in a group doing a TSO instance for the first time. LOL makes for a fun evening.

[Grey]

Originally Posted by Smashman

very true nothing worse than an 80 tank who's never been in a group doing a TSO instance for the first time. LOL makes for a fun evening.

Ya know, that's easy to say, but the reality is: Unless you started your tank 2 years ago or began with a group of friends the same level as you, then you may have only been in a handful of groups all the way to 80 because most of the other classes don't have to group in order to level any more, and niether do we ... it just takes longer.

And you are right. I solo'd practically all the way to 80 and started my epic weapon quest. I went to Sebelis looking for an update and my group quickly discovered that mastercrafted gear won't get it done, there are no lvl 80 weapons available on the broker, you cannot upgrade to T1 gear until you already have T1 gear because without at least T1 gear you are going to get murdered trying to get T1 gear, and there are no threads on EQ Flames on "how to tank".

It was ... fun .... yeah ... that's it ... FUN!!

This may be the reason that Sony introduced the ability to change your name in game

I really do hope that some will take this thread seriously. Most of us could still learn a thing or 2. Not all of us started the game as tanks and/or 5 years ago.

[Smashman]

Originally Posted by Grey

I really do hope that some will take this thread seriously. Most of us could still learn a thing or 2. Not all of us started the game as tanks and/or 5 years ago.

Understood

Pre zone:

1. Gear: Do the thugga quest get your band, 77 mastercrafted, and all the rok legendary end quest line gear. If you don't have 5 void shards do ward of elements access quests in Lavastorm and get that +2 parry 32% haste item. This should do ya for CoA and Voes. With decent healing Anathema and Deep Forge. Work on your epic ASAP

2. AA's IF your a guard STR 4488 STA 4485 INT 44771 Works well for me.

3. All spells ADEPT III nothing less huge help

Tanking :

1. Body pull whenever possible. your gear sucks so warn the healer you are pulling. An INC macro works well. /gsay INC 5 SECONDISH
Hit the inc button then cast Fortify and go grab the mob and pull it back to the group.

2. Position: pull the mob back and turn it around never have a mob face the group. EVER! Does it knockback? Not sure put it in a corner or a wedge or your back to a wall. Better safe than getting knocked into 20 mobs.

3. Play dumb. your in a group with ppl who have been there before? Pick there brains. Ask the stupid questions.(ie does it knockback, goes it aoe, which direction now, are there adds, where should i tank it.) Definately helps when you have a lil knowledge of what you need to do. Tanking blind sucks.

4. Aggro Control. Don't waste your rescue on the stupid brigand or warlock that attacks on the pull. Keep the healer and crowd control (coercer, illy) up. the rest can revive and will learn after they die a few times. After you pull the first two things a guard should cast are Decimate and exact strike they will hit more than anything else.
wait till you lose it too a dps class before you cast reinforcement.

5. Working on some other stuff to add.