User:Strcat/bear Basic Tank

This was an e-mail I sent that might help others. It is a basic intro to the roll of tanking. The addressee was a Druid Bear, but it containes a general over view.

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We need to go to the next step. In your job as a bear.

I know last time I Gave you a single target and told  you to growl a lot. We need to do a little more, but first a little basic strategy.

DnD was created out of a wargame... The history is unimportant. But in one of the war games was a strateg call "Blobs and Chuckers.

The Blobs are big hard units that can take lots of damage. The Stickers are soft shooters that stand back and do the killing.

So You send in the blobs down onto the vally to fight while the Chuckers shot arrows and throw spears that killed the other team.

A tanks job is to be the Blob, to control All the mobs and make them hit you. You have the best armor so its easier on the priest if you are taking the damage. The exception is the CC'ed ( Crowd Control)  mobs. things in chained, or sheep, or mobs Saped. The CC'ed mobs should be marked.

My old guild used this Key for CC ing.


 * 1) Moon     == Mage Sheep
 * 2) Yellow diamond == Priest Shackle Undead
 * 3) Green triangle == Rogue Sap.

Damage from AoE's will break the CC so you need to get away from  the CC's mobs   before using Damageing AoE's

1 and 2 above can be recast once or twice. So let that happen. Sap can only be cast while the rogue is in stealth, so when sap breaks its gone. no recasting of a Sap. But Sap will not start a fight like sheeping and Shackle Undead will. After a few recasts there is diminishing returns. That is the spell does not work as well the next time.... So you will need to run over and tank broken CC mobs if there is a problem.

So Your job, To add to growling, you need to
 * 1) Growl, its a Non damage AoE( Area of Effect ) it will make mobs hate you. its #1.
 * 2) Swipe AoE damage, watch out for CC  mobs  get away from them first,
 * 3) Stomp also AoE damage,   Hit a CC and you break the spell,  and
 * 4) Switch targets hit each target once and repeat.
 * 5) Keep an eye out for mobs to turn on the cloth armor wearing players.            You need to keep the soft stickers alive.
 * 6) Stay back, not as far back as the casters, Sandy and Kurt.  But a few yards in front of them.  I will pull the mobs to you. So you can growl at them.  If Roy grabs one let it be. Chances are it will be a soft armor caster and he will kill it quickly.

I know that's many things try and do, but it is what the Tank needs to be doing.


 * Do not try to kill them.
 * Killing it not your job.
 * Your job is to get hit and
 * Control Control Control the battle.

I know I need to reread this, but then I will just add more and there is plenty here, so here goes....

Remember its just a game,                       Have Fun ! ! !

I an not expecting you to do all of this, all at once, just give it a try.