Leveling as a DK Tank

[Tabu34]

So I'm leveling a DK on a new server (yes, another DK), and I'm tanking with it to level up, since tank queues are instant anyway. Is DW Frost the way to go? Or should I spec 2h Frost because of the lack of decent 1h weapons all through Outland?

I mean, DWing looks really cool, but slow 1h weapons are so scarce...

And also, what gear do you suggest I try to grab? Anything specific or just whatever has more HP/Strength/Tanking Stats?

Armory: http://www.wowarmory.com/character-s...agonmaw&n=Tabu

[mhp]

Since slow 1-handers are rare, go with either 2h frost, or 2h blood. 2h blood would be best, in my opinion, as the self heal & increased hp is very nice during leveling. And there are plenty of good 2-handers from outland.

As for what to grab: keep a dps set and a tank set (with def, sta, & other stuff) if you can.

[Dark_Spirit]

No. Believe me, I did it. 2h is the way to go. Specially when you are leveling.

[Tabu34]

I would think that Frost would be the best bet for tanking, considering the AoE nature of every pull in leveling dungeons, especially in Outland.

[mhp]

While you're right about the AoE, healers are usually in DPS gear or undergeared while leveling. And then Blood's selfheals and health outperform frost's AoE threat.

You shouldn't have threat issues in normal dungeons anyway

[Burden]

Im currently leveling as a DK tank (Blood) and can honestly tell you 2h is the way to go, I tried frost 1h but A) it doesnt have enough damage taking ability at low end meaning the fail healers you always end up with cant keep you alive.
B) If you spec correctly (Blood + Unholy) you're aoe threat is just as good as a Frost tank at low level just get the imp D&D talent from UH and bobs you're uncle.

I found its wayyyyy easier to find a decent 2hander then a 1hander its not even in the same league infact.
Also call me a nab :P But I cant honestly hold agro with Frost compared to Blood the threat seems crap at low level or maybe thats just 1handers...

Anyway the moral of the story is Blood is better imo for leveling as a tank.

[Denaka]

I am crrently Lvl 66 on my Frost DK an I am using a 2H for tanking. Although in Ramparts off the first boss drops 2 swords. You could DW them if you wanted. To the above poster, you are wrong I never die due to surpressing damage dealt to me. I have Icebound Fortitude and Unbreakable Armor. All You need to do is pop unbreakable armor when you pull and if you pull more than you wanted hit Icebound Fortitude.

Most of the healers I get are shaman or druids and only maybe 1-2 are fail but we always finish.

[Burden]

I am crrently Lvl 66 on my Frost DK an I am using a 2H for tanking. Although in Ramparts off the first boss drops 2 swords. You could DW them if you wanted. To the above poster, you are wrong I never die due to surpressing damage dealt to me. I have Icebound Fortitude and Unbreakable Armor. All You need to do is pop unbreakable armor when you pull and if you pull more than you wanted hit Icebound Fortitude.

Most of the healers I get are shaman or druids and only maybe 1-2 are fail but we always finish.

Well what can I say? Apart from well whatever you like I guess I personally cant stand frost the threat just isnt great at low level and I have been a victim of many Frost "Tanks" god aweful threat too at this level. So maybe theres something im missing or Blood > Frost at tanking at low level.

As for the cds there of very little use since the amount of defense gear at low level is pittiful. I find myself tanking with only 6 pieces of defense gear seems to work just perfectly, no problems being healed and no issues with threat. So who knows?

[Peragon]

Part of the reason frost dual-wielding is viable is because of the way it scales at higher content, which obviously is not applicable when leveling. Also, it is much easier to find a good 2-hander.

Most of the plate gear that drops in Burning Crusade instances is dps gear- however, the "Satchel of Helpful Goods" has a chance of dropping items with defense on it- always equip those. I would suggest gemming for defense and hit. Hit is a much better tps stat than stat (until you reach the cap) than strength.

[zox]

Without heirlooms it's probably more difficult to level as DW, but as you said, for a tank instance Q is instant, so you shouldn't have any problems getting 1h weapons.

[Dodgie]

While on the subject of a leveling DK tank:

I have a Holy Paladin which is currently at level 70, and I've ran UK quite a few times, and I have no problem at all keeping druids, protadins or warriors up, but whenever I come across a DK tank I have to stressheal at every pull. Why is it that DK's seem to soak up so much more damage then the rest?

[shadet]

I'd deffo spec Blood 2hnd for levelling as a tank. I've levelled a few DK tanks on different servers to pay with friends and have always done it as blood tank. Main suggestions I can make is to aim to put your third point in Morbidity (for reduced DnD cooldown) as you hit level 60 and you get DnD. Combined with Blood Boil you shouldn't have ANY issues AoE tanking by this point.

As also mentioned by other people, the self healing from Blood will make most parties a doddle and barely have to worry about the gear of your healer. You'll also probably top dps meters up till wotlk instances so all in all it's probably the way to go! The only thing you'll have to worry about it the rampant squad of crazy noobs that even near the end of wotlk still insist that Frost is the Tanking spec...

[_Khasim_]

While on the subject of a leveling DK tank:

I have a Holy Paladin which is currently at level 70, and I've ran UK quite a few times, and I have no problem at all keeping druids, protadins or warriors up, but whenever I come across a DK tank I have to stressheal at every pull. Why is it that DK's seem to soak up so much more damage then the rest?

Because DKs at this low level don't have neither the warrior/paladin mitigation nor the durid uber health pool.

[wobbrocker]

Because DKs at this low level don't have neither the warrior/paladin mitigation nor the durid uber health pool.

It's probably that they are not specced correctly either

[SilkforCalde]

When I leveled my DK tank, I certainly wasn't squishier than other tanks. Quite the opposite. I was chain pulling like a madman. Very easy class to level as a tank.

[Aldurok]

It's probably that they are not specced correctly either

Mostly this. I've leveled a couple of alts, and I see DK's all the time trying to tank in dps gear with a dps spec.

They heard that "DK's can tank with any spec" and thought that really meant ANY spec. Saw one trying to do it with 1 point in every talent in every tree as far as he could.

Now, a DK that knows what they're doing MIGHT be able to get away with tanking a low instance with dps spec/gear, at least up through UK/Nexus, but most people leveling a DK at this point don't know what they're doing.

[Thereign]

Meh, I don't even know why you would level as a tank. I levelled as blood dps, and questing was a joke. I got to 80 with just above 11 days played. Also prevented me from running into retards in the lfd. I like questing though, so that might just be me.

[Arcsecant]

You'll want gear that has tanking stats on it. I leveled a holy priest through LFD and it is a fact that I was spending considerably more time having to drink with tanks with DPS gear. Tanking is DPS gear really only works up until outland dungeons. No dumb pulls and using IBF or Vamp blood often and you won't be a healers nightmare.

[Dodgie]

Mostly this. I've leveled a couple of alts, and I see DK's all the time trying to tank in dps gear with a dps spec.

They heard that "DK's can tank with any spec" and thought that really meant ANY spec. Saw one trying to do it with 1 point in every talent in every tree as far as he could.

Now, a DK that knows what they're doing MIGHT be able to get away with tanking a low instance with dps spec/gear, at least up through UK/Nexus, but most people leveling a DK at this point don't know what they're doing.

I guess this must be it.. Guess I'll just inspect them at the start of the run then from now on.

You'll want gear that has tanking stats on it. I leveled a holy priest through LFD and it is a fact that I was spending considerably more time having to drink with tanks with DPS gear. Tanking is DPS gear really only works up until outland dungeons. No dumb pulls and using IBF or Vamp blood often and you won't be a healers nightmare.

Yes please. So annoying how you often hear "But it's just normal, who cares" as a reply as to why they're not specced/itemized right =(

[Aldurok]

So annoying how you often hear "But it's just normal, who cares" as a reply as to why they're not specced/itemized right =(

I really hate when they say that. Yes, it is a low-level normal instance, but guess what: the people running it are low level, too!

It's not epic geared 80's running those (at least not in a regular group), it's quest and blue geared low levels. Don't have the same tools, survivability, dps, etc that you can just spam at 80 to win.