Why are druid tanks so rare?

[Kaeth]

Been a bear since just before 1.8 and lived through all of the changes over the years. I actually love just about everything they've done to my Guardian, and greatly enjoy the "active mitigation" system.

What I don't particularly care for is Savage Defense itself. Sure, 45% greater chance to dodge is wonderful and in theory reduces incoming melee damage by more than 45%, but in the form of a 6-second buff, it's just too goddamned streaky versus single targets (for AoE trash the number of incoming attacks is high enough to even things out -- if you can get the rage to use it).

I'm optimistic about tanking at level 90, but also (naively) hopeful that SD will undergo some tweaks by not too long after I get there.

[exochaft]

Lots of stuff flying around here now, let's see what I can hit...

I think tanking, in general, feels a bit scary (for a lack of a better word) with all the changes, regardless of class. We all know everyone embraces change well, too! Even today, I've found druid tanks that I'm healing never using SD or FR in heroics and sometimes LFR. Some literally do not know those abilities are there and what they do, still. I haven't found many groups that offer tips or constructive criticism beyond "<insert 47 nasty comments>, everyone kick the druid tank!", so the system really isn't fostering more people to take on a tanking role. I've personally been able to help a few tanks that are willing to listen, and they find their experience more enjoyable when suddenly they aren't so squishy. Of course, this goes beyond just survival tools, as Guardian druids have more tools at their disposal while losing some at the same time (such as Challenging Roar). Keep in mind, the talents are designed so you can pick and choose what you want depending upon your experience. This may require some more thinking outside of the box than druid tanks are normally used to. This adjustment period will feel a little painful on some level for everyone.

Be that as it may, I've mentioned in previous posts (and blue posters agree) that most people likely out-gear what they're tanking, so our experiences on live are not really analogous to end-game MoP. Also, we're in that awkward period of using 5.0 abilities in a 4.3 world, so you'll see some glaring issues that will likely not be present at level 90. For example, I haven't had an issue on the beta with DPS blowing cooldowns and making establishing aggro an issue, but I've had some issues with having rage for active mitigation if I didn't have high enough hit/exp. While I could probably generate a list of little details concerning the differences between live and what MoP end-game will feel like, the important thing to note is that there is a difference.

And time to play with my kid, so I'll have to end it here.

[JaoStar]

I see a lot of pally tanks and few warrior tanks in my experience.

[Mikael123]

I know off many people who were druid tank before but switched to cat dps...it's pretty sad to see almost all of them switch over. I'm not that known with the class to know weither or not Blizz fucked over the feral tank specc. (guardian blabla)

If I get druid in the group and he is kitty, I'l just tell him to take a real specc and kick him after. I never have and will accept a cat dps. It's just like with DK's, 9 out of 10 just plain out suck. And I just cba giving them the chance to proove themselves anymore as it ends up in me wasting time and gold.

And people wonder why 5 man have limited votekick options...

[leaks]

Probably because you have to stare at a bear's turd cutter for hours.

[JaoStar]

Druids have 4 roles to choose from. All the other classes have 3, so logic would dictate that they would be in fewer numbers?

This makes sense.

[Sharrel]

most the time i do lfg i get either a dk or a druid tank. every little once in awhile i'll see a warrior. and once in a blue moon a pally.

[Starfire]

The number of tanks across the board have dropped, becuase ppl with downsyndrome no longer can tank. Because now tanks cant just run in an pull an survive with their passive defensive u actually have to press a defensive button like 45% dodge or self heals or block absorbs or + % to block; actually forsee an plan when to use an manage ur resources accordingly to survive. PPL are QQ'n everywhere saying i used to tank Zonozz no problem an he just rapes my face, and that is because tanks now need skill an cant just stand there an take blows the way they used to. My main for a long time has been a druid tank with a Boomkin OS. An i think druid tanks have gotten such a boost from this currently i have 74% reduced physical dmg from armor i can gain 45% dodge when i please raising my dodge chance to 75%+ and i have a 70K self heal an do decent dmg. I personally think the dk's and druid who werent the smartest players couldnt figure out tanking an went with a different role tbh

[Deleted]

it isnt the change to mitigation thats the problem dude. i actually like the change in that sense.. the problem is the changes to the playstyle have made bears play like a fat whale stuck on a beach waiting for the tide..........

btw you mention downs syndrome in a derogatory fashion again mate and i will hunt you down and STAMP ON YOUR HEAD> !!!!

[Zpriten]

We had 2 consistent bear tanks in our guild! Not rare in my neck on the woods!

[Starfire]

The change to mitigation is great! i love it weeds out the bads. And bears are great if u actually know to play em i can solo much more now!
Oh and "DOWN SYNDROME" sorry u have it "MATE" GL with that! =)

[arisoh]

The change to mitigation is great! i love it weeds out the bads. And bears are great if u actually know to play em i can solo much more now!
Oh and "DOWN SYNDROME" =)

It has nothing to do with bad, it's just... BORING. Fill rage, use either SD or FR based on what you're fighting while maintaining the usual tank debuffs and using FFF on rotation for mangle procs.

As is, you can't use other rage using abilities because your survival is too dependent on you having enough rage to use AM.

They should at least make a free maul proc off of something so we can occasionally use it.

[Dietrik]

historically druids have been slightly more difficult to tank with certain types of mobs, multiple spread out casters being one example. I think people wanting to tank will pick an easier tank like pallys or dks, look how many of them there are... they have previously not had as many survival cds as other tanks...

I love my druid and tank with him all the time, i also like my DK. I hate my pally because i hate pallys and my warrior never made it into a raid, though they are not in a happy place right now.

[Exerionx]

Guardian master race reporting in.

[Harry Botter]

I dunno, personally I got super tired of the bear-ass all the time, coupled with the hurt the rotation caused me in my hand back in WOTLK made me reroll resto MS/anything else but bear OS permanently.

I tried some bear later in Cata but found it was not my thing, again, and the bear-ass is still as assy as always

I do love tanking though.

Too much bear ass is always a bad thing. This is why I never played a tauren or druid tank when I played. Before I quit a few months back, I saw a good mix of all tanks. Can't say much about now though.

[Dedweight]

Really? More people go healer than tank? Never really thought about it but it seems right because I see a ton of druid and paladin healers.

Well it makes sense when you think about it, how many healers do you need in a usual raid? 2-3 in a 10man and what 4-5(maybe 6) in a 25man compared to the 1(maybe 2) tanks you need in both 10 and 25man raids? I know raids aren't the same as 5mans but it trickles down from what raids require.

That said almost every 3rd tank I get seems to be a druid when I'm not tanking on my druid.

[Wildtree]

Q: Why are druid tanks so rare?
A: Because tanks like to get their ass creamed, and getting that KY Jelly up that furry ass is quite a task....

j/k
I cannot confirm that they are rare. Speaking only for myself, I just leveled another druid as pure melee kitty/bear. I usually don't queue as tank. i simply don't want to deal with the lack of group discipline you get in most LFG groups. Before 5.0.4 I felt more comfortable to dps in tank talents, and step in when the tank thought he's god like rushing through everything and died. Or when other DPS attacked shit the tank didn't intend yet, then I helped out gathering the mob packs together.
I like that role somehow better than pure dps, or pure tanking.
And with todays situation in 5 mans, I have to switch to bear a lot more than I thought I would have to.

[Deleted]

you sound like a sad little loner with no guild who has no choice but to run with randoms ;p so yea GL with that

and fyi its downs... not down... so yea GL with that also.....

[Amaroq]

I've been Bear tanking for years. It's just that in the past Bears have been really "weak" compared to other tanks. While this isn't necessarily the case now-a-days, a lot of the older players sometimes have kept that mentality. Also, Bear tanks generally are frowned upon for some reason. A lot of my friends, or the people I mean that do play the game, really go "You bear tank? What's wrong with you?" Generally, I ask why they think that and usually its been because of bad experiences with bad players. I prove them wrong, if they deny my logic, by tanking like a god, haha.

[rated]

For the last several years druid tanks have been called rare, weak or something else that's equally as negative, but for every world first or realm first guild downing raid content you'll usually find a druid tank in their ranks.