Tanking In D3

[Nition]

Hey so I've been playing a barbarian as a dps class for the most part so far. Having just completed Nightmare mode I was wondering how crucial a tank is needed for Hell mode. I know I'll be needing to go tank at some point, especially if I'm playing with other people, its just a question of when. So will I still be able to play as a dps'er for Hell mode and just swap to tank for Inferno, or should I be making the transition already.

[Deleted]

tanking is hard cos mobs at infernal hits as trucks

and basicly, you just need to be as tanky as you need to survive. hell made my monk equip a shield, and go a bit more tank. i also started playing co-op with 2 people going full dps. In inferno i lack BOTH tankyness AND dps. so im kinda screwed now xD

[Chronius]

Anyone managed to build an item set with a lot of dmg reduction/mitigation ?

[pawsz]

I just stack vita, have like close to 40k atm on my monk.

[Whister]

I play as a tank wizard!! It's fun! :-)

[Keile]

I would highly suggest picking up a shield. The Barbarian almost feels designed to be a tank more than a DPS.

Honestly, however, my DPS as a tank isn't that much lower than when I was using a 2h. Sure the individual attacks hit for less, but when you get frenzy going you can attack quite quickly and the damage adds up. Add in a Berzerk and you can burn Elites/Random Bosses down real quick.

Abilities I mainly use are:

Charge (Runed to lower the CD per enemy hit. Hit 5 enemies and its CD is 0!)
Revenge (This ability is amazing, it should be on your bars at all times. I have mine runed for the 8% heal, and it can allow me to run into a pack of elites and walk out full HP)
Battle Rage (Runed for 30% damage)
Berzerker Rage (amazing ability, 20% more dodge, 25% attack speed and runed for 100% more damage. This right here makes Frenzy burn through enemies quick.)
Frenzy
WhirlWind (Runed to give 1 rage per enemy hit, with enough enemies it will generate more rage than it spends).

Sometimes I give up Battle Rage for the 65% damage reduction talent, depends on what mobs we run into.

Passives:
Recklesness (the extra damage from this is pretty much necessary)
Tough as Nails (25% more armor, this may eventually be replaced with the VIT->ARMOR talent, as eventually that one becomes stronger).
Superstition (20% magical damage reduction. Yes.....yes yes and yes)


So far this has mad a very successful tank for me and my friends. I am able to charge into large packs of mobs and start WWing away, weaving in Revenges as they proc. TYPICALLY mobs will attack the first person they see, so for the most part they attack me instead of my friends. I tested the taunt runed shout, but I noticed Elites were immune which...was kinda stupid.

With this spec, you should Value STR and VIT equally. STR will give you more dps, but it will ALSO give you more armor. VIT will give you more HP and eventually, when you get enough of it, a lot more armor than Tough as Nails will provide.

[Runescrape]

1 tank(me as a barb) and 1 or 2 ranged works fine for alot of elite affix's. Some you can just strait out tank with enough regen and cd timing, some are more of just using your cc abilites and kiting while trying to keep em off your dps.

[Ihazpaws]

in diablo u r not supposed to be a tank if u dont want to.
I dunno about barbarians but as a monk u dont really need to do anything tanking related just learn to avoid harder blows and spec ur def CDs wisely.

Anyway I am playing a doctor and wiz and planning to go for tank wizard. Yep it is possible and seems to be pretty hard thing to kill as long as u got ur CDs rdy.
In hell / inferno it may not work anymore tho.

(mage tank: Spectral blades + def Cds and blizzard for dmg with orbs around ya. Use shield and 1h + alot hp gems etc)

[Runescrape]

in diablo u r not supposed to be a tank if u dont want to.

Agreed you don't have to tank or have a tank, there are so many ways to play. Some elite affix's will be harder withought a tank untill you get better gear, but at the same time some are just untankable, again proabbly gear dependant.

[Nition]

Cheers guys, well Im mainly picking up stre+vit pieces atm, trying to keep my health pool up a bit. I guess I can just stick on a shield and tank most things once I have a bit more gear.

[Twinne]

As barb you pretty much have to tank to be effective. DPS barbs just die in the blink of an eye and dont do the damage of a Wiz/WD/DH anyway. As for stats and such running Vitality and Resistances is key. Resists are incredibly powerful in Hell/Inferno and you really need them. Intellect and base resist are 2 good ways to get this. I focus Intellect over strength sometimes just so I am able to have that resist that makes you almost unkillable in Hell and very very tanky in Inferno.

The Abilities I use look something like this for Soloing (Rune alterations happen sometimes)

Frenzy(Maniac)
Wrath of the Beserker (Insanity)
Ignore Pain (Increased Duration)
Revenge (Provocation)
Ground Stomp (Wrenching Stomp)
War Cry (Invigorate)

Passives- Inspiring Presence, Beserkers Rage (or whatever the increased damage at max fury is), and Tough as Nails