I think every MMO has had they same type of strategy's with tanks and healers. I would like to see an MMO with a new formula, party's that don't depend on tanks and healers.

I always got blamed when I was the tank, even when nobody died! And tanks were always the worst at PvP.

I was the tank for my current guild for a year and a half or so. I've tanked in previous games and previous guilds, too. Although it is part of my personality, I gotta say that the reason I tanked so much is because I was willing to do it and tended to be slow on the dibs. In my case, taking tanking to the realworld is still instinctual but a little foolhardy, which hasn't stopped me. I'm about half the size of the author (or you, the man in the picture who is never living that down).

In my guild, blame usually gets passed to the person who's "fault it was" near as I can figure. When a tank dies, it's healing... when healing or dps dies it's a little murkier. When the tank bungles the pull or positioning, it's his/her fault. When dps pull threat or are unable to competitively put up big enough numbers, it's their fault.

Actually, the picture conversation makes me think of a fairly random question: Where do the pictures for The Escapist come from? The visual style of the magazine is what originally grabbed my attention, back before the layout change.

Yeah, I completely understand wanting to be needed in groups....I grew up as a rogue in WoW. Needless to say, finding pick-ups through any instance was rather depressing. Even in my guild which was made of great people and good players rarely had use for me (I think there were 3 other rogues at the same leveling pace as mine).

What really annoyed me in groups though, was how many warriors considered themselves "dps only". I've even ran into a dozen or so that don't carry shields. So when I got Fitz to 60 and felt content with my endgame experience, the only choice for a new character was a warrior. It took a little time to learn the tanking technique, but once I got it down it was easy. You just have to actually PAY ATTENTION to what's going on....especially to your healers.

Tank ftw! Seriously good article.

Not an MMOG gamer myself but I found the article good and enjoyable
I don't see what the big deal about DPS are it usually works out

Spinwhiz:
Thanks for all your awesome support and feedback guys!

It was a great article anyway, and tapped into something that no one really seems to talk about in an accessible way.

Also, I tried that Apple Pie Shots recipe last night. I think I didn't let it cool enough, though.

Ahem.

I registered just to make this comment:

Well done

That is all.

Thank you for your kind words and support guys! I'm it struck a note for you.

Really nice article. Me like.

You said being a "tank" is boring. Maybe you have only tried too simple games. Sounds like you are only fighting against npcs, so its bound to be boring at some point. Try playing EVE-online, where fighting other players actually gives rewards. Also there is no concept of a player being a tank in pvp since your enemies can choose what they target. So you need to be more clever than them, not just better in one stat.

Thank you again to everyone that read my article. I appreciate all the feedback and look forward to writing another article for The Escapist soon!

I think I am going to have to write a "Part 2" to this. More stuff just keeps popping up IRL!

fucking love the sweet, consistent writing on this one... mm.. my faith in English is shored.

Spinwhiz:
I think I am going to have to write a "Part 2" to this. More stuff just keeps popping up IRL!

You damn well better! Made me sniffle, it did. I almost always play the tank or the healer for the very same reason. I need to do everything I can to help others. I live for helping others, so it is how I play. I'm nowhere near as big as you, but I've always been able to hold my own. And thus, I've always pushed myself to protect others as well. It has rarely ended well, but it's what I struggle for.
Playing the tank is a lot more fun than the healer, so my natural role as a healer is often overrun by that. And the fact that healers normally can't damage for shit, so a tank can solo a lot better. It has changed slightly over the years, but still.

Higurashi:

Spinwhiz:
I think I am going to have to write a "Part 2" to this. More stuff just keeps popping up IRL!

You damn well better! Made me sniffle, it did. I almost always play the tank or the healer for the very same reason. I need to do everything I can to help others. I live for helping others, so it is how I play. I'm nowhere near as big as you, but I've always been able to hold my own. And thus, I've always pushed myself to protect others as well. It has rarely ended well, but it's what I struggle for.
Playing the tank is a lot more fun than the healer, so my natural role as a healer is often overrun by that. And the fact that healers normally can't damage for shit, so a tank can solo a lot better. It has changed slightly over the years, but still.

Thank you very much! I have to say that I agree with you as well. It's not about how big you are, just whether or not you have the guts to stand up to the bad stuff. I feel there are so few of us left.

Spinwhiz:
Thank you very much! I have to say that I agree with you as well. It's not about how big you are, just whether or not you have the guts to stand up to the bad stuff. I feel there are so few of us left.

Indeed there are, and it is saddening. For whatever various reasons we exist, we need to. Paladins protect a cause, warriors fight for what they believe in. Sure, I sound pretentious and nerdy, but we are needed. Not just physically, but to stand up for everyone oppressed. Many would say this is the prime role of some government officials, even. As a hopeless romantic, I guess I'm biased and whatever, but I really think we could use more protectors. Hm... ideas for cybernetic ones pop to mind. I better shake them. It never ends well. Back to supporting people! Continue the quest, brother of the order. It will exist as long as humans do.

(This post was brought to you by a tad of self-irony)

The order of difficulty of activity in WoW I would put like this :
Raid Healing > 5 man tanking > Raid Tanking > 5 man healing > DPS

Also I think tanking grants the leadership role in groups and raids because it's the tank who - as part of the job of controlling and mitigating enemy abilities - is forced to understand them. To the healer it's just compensating for incoming burst, and to the DPS it's just pew pew avoid the fire. Granted exceptional players will understand the fights anyway, but do a PuG and you'll see the average healers and DPS - and for that matter, average tanks, are barely capable of following directions. But when you can have just one good player in a group, if it's the tank, it will be a smooth and easy run - as long as the rest are at that barely competent mark. A bad tank and you can't do anything.

So tanking places your skills under the spotlight more than any other role - though raid healing is more challenging, it's also a shared burden among many players at once, and it's hard to tell individual's skills.

Good tanks know they are of high value, and either get arrogant, or manage to be the most awesome people ever. I think I was awesome for a good while then got pretty arrogant. Then I got bitter about how much I was carrying other people. So, I retired my tank character at the end of Burning Crusade, and I think that that contributed to my lack of desire to continue in Wrath. Though I told myself I didn't want to do all the work of tanking, I really can't be satisfied just DPSing on my hunter. It's too simplistic.

Ultimately, I like being able to save a group, even if at the same time I'm bitter about spending my efforts on behalf of people who put far less effort into it than I.

Spinwhiz:
Ugh, I am never going to live this picture down am I?

=D

I specifically remember hanging out at a local bar one night with some friends when a fight broke out right next to us. Without thinking of my own safety, I pulled my friends who were near the fight around me and put myself between the fight and them so they wouldn't get hurt.

I have had very similar reactions out there in meat space as well, that event specifically made me think of others I have been in where I purposefully place myself in a particular spot to protect others because I know I can roll with the punches.

You have my admiration sir. I would have and have in the past, gone after people like the one you described having much rage towards as a young man when your mom also protected you by holding you back. You may be a Paladin but I end up being a Monk of the same alignment. Now all we need is a cleric and we are set!

Man you sound like a hero to me alright. I've had a fair fling with tanking. The exhilaration of being the MT when you down a progression boss is something that just cannot be described. Being needed, I have realised, is one of the things that I find the most deeply satisfying. Through the bad times and the good, 24 people yelling at you for repair bills when the net disconnects mid-fight, being a MT is an experience unparalleled in MMO.

respect x

Just an update, I made a tank in Champions Online...should be fun. lol

Spinwhiz:
Just an update, I made a tank in Champions Online...should be fun. lol

They start tanking so fast *sniffle*

I played a tank on Guild Wars for 3 years and loved it. anyone for sorrows furnace 5 man? with a decent bonder behind you Warriors were nigh unkillable.
Also old school Droks running before factions, when the warrior was undisputed king of running..... then came the perma sins and the world got a little bit darker for everyone