Is the quality of tanks declining?

[lawow74]

I blame it on the long dps queues. I log in and want to do LFR.. not log in and sit there for 45-hour doing something that I didn't log on to do while I wait for the queue to pop for the thing I really want to do.

So why not just log on and bash keys and pretend you are a tank.

Maybe in some cases. I do sympathize with the grating nature of DPS queues, though. It's why I haven't touched 5-mans since I got the achieve for doing all of them once. I do not want to sit in a queue for 20+ minutes for a chunk of valor I can earn in that same time period doing scenarios.

I do LFR because I wanna see the story and it's the only path to better gear, and frankly, once 5.4 drops, I plan on doing ToT one time through on each char to get enough rep for the valor gear then get whatever gear I need that way/through the weekly to do SoO one time for everyone. Then the only other thing I'll do is ToT LFR on one char to get the Shado-Pan Assault rep to Exalted and I'm done.

[iamthedevil]

Whenever i tank when leveling up, i get thank you messages every time.

[Windfury]

Two reasons for this:

1. The tanks you're getting are alts that have very likely been unplayed since Cata. Of course they're not going to be as good as people who've mained tanks the entire time.

2. Tanking for strangers is crappy and not fun so most tanks avoid it. Tanks do a lot of the work and doing it for a bunch of whiny strangers who you can never please sucks. The 'tanks' you're getting are people who just don't care or are people just looking for a fast queue. The sudden absence of tanks at level cap since we've been able to choose what spec we get our loot for makes it clear this is an issue.

[Wokopoly]

What is happening a lot in LFR is people calling out tanks for something they did not do. (I only tank) i'm not afraid to receive constructive criticism, but i draw the line at taking the fall for someone who is trying to cause trouble in LFR, if i mess up i own up and ask what i did wrong, and usually that ends up in me being called names rather then solving the problem. This happens in LFD too, and in pugs. It's always been around, but it's pushing away the good tanks and making the in competent people step up to fill the role of tank.

[chrisisvacant]

Absolutely, tanks are the whiniest bunch of unskilled players in this game on a pug level.

Looks like someone got his feelings hurt when a tank had him kicked from the group. Poor baby!

[adorich]

I have been leveling alts lately in the MoP level range and one thing is apparent to me. The quality of tanks is declining. Ive had 1 Dk tank who actually knew what death strike was, and used it. Ive had prot paladins not using shield of righteousness, ever. Warrior tanks not once using shield block and druid tanks who cant even hold aoe threat. Over all, the quality of the tanks as of late seems to be declining. It worries me since my guild recently had a tank leave because of a job and now we gotta get a new one. Im already picky as is with my OT, but lately, idk. Last tank we tried couldn't even manage a simple taunt the boss off the healers. Have others been experiencing this as well?

After 85 levels of not being able to hit a mob 1st, is it really surprising that decent tanks aren't queuing for mop content? I recently saw a L86 healer pull, die, then call the tank "bad," but the tank hadn't loaded into the instance yet! When you mention not using abilities you don't mention hunters never using misdirect or leaving growl on and warlocks using Voidwalkers etc.. If tanks complain, they get a responses like, "bad tank" or "just go, it doesn't matter."

A dps can practice on a target dummy, but where can tanks practice, when many dungeon groups make "tanking" nearly impossible?

The number of DPS queueing as a tank for a quick queue is increasing, but that doesn't make them tanks.

A player with a dps spec and/or gear queuing as a tank is a great example of a "bad tank."

[proteen]

I think its the quality of players as a whole is declining - you just notice it more when its a bad tank since, well, the raid wipes.

[Deleted]

I'd say the quality of DPS is declining when I play on my tanks :P I pull the whole instance and it takes DAYS to AoE down. How a Mage can do 30k across 10+ mobs baffles me.

- - - Updated - - -

Looks like someone got his feelings hurt when a tank had him kicked from the group. Poor baby!

Actually he's right. Most tanks are egotistical and self-righteous despite being absolute SHIT at their chosen spec.

I play a Prot Paladin, Prot Warrior and dabbled in Blood and Guardian. I'm currently levelling a Brewmaster and the main reason I don't play the DPS specs as often is because of PuG tanks being slow, whining non-stop and generally being crap. Getting an efficient, decent tank in a PuG has always been a rarity.

[Aschark]

Actually he's right. Most tanks are egotistical and self-righteous despite being absolute SHIT at their chosen spec.

I play a Prot Paladin, Prot Warrior and dabbled in Blood and Guardian. I'm currently levelling a Brewmaster and the main reason I don't play the DPS specs as often is because of PuG tanks being slow, whining non-stop and generally being crap. Getting an efficient, decent tank in a PuG has always been a rarity.

qft, can't tell you how many groups I've been kicked from just for finally snapping and going, "jesus fucking christ tank just pull"

[Deleted]

qft, can't tell you how many groups I've been kicked from just for finally snapping and going, "jesus fucking christ tank just pull"

And that's what makes this game such a fun place to be for new players ^_^
You're seriously the best advertisement Blizzard could get for their game, I'd stay close to my phone if I was you, call's about to come any minute they want you to star in their next promotional video.

[WeaponXAnimosity]

Since the social atmosphere of WoW has soured significantly, a lot of people resort to just grouping up with friends and guildies.

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Looks like someone got his feelings hurt when a tank had him kicked from the group. Poor baby!

I have to agree with them, I find tanks in pugs tend to be very bad. Good tanks are usually running with their guild.

[chrisisvacant]

I have to agree with them, I find tanks in pugs tend to be very bad. Good tanks are usually running with their guild.

I've run into more asshole DPS than I have shit tanks. Arrogant DPS are some of the worst people to play with. Second worst are tanks who refuse to actually tank and end up wiping the group because someone prematurely pulls.

I might not run into that many tanks though since I tend to be the tank. Guess I'm very bad!

[Murderdoll]

Absolutely, tanks are the whiniest bunch of unskilled players in this game on a pug level.

...exactly why I refuse to run randoms.

You want to know why youre always waiting for a tank. Thanks these geniuses.

I think everyone should be forced to roll a healer or a tank just so they know what we actually go through in a typical random raid/dungeon.

We are "whiney" because we have to put up with absolute idiots all the time and blamed for everything. Unlike DPS who can zone into an instance and literally do/say nothing.

Most tanks know how good they are, they are aware of their skill level and will play accordingly. When players (predominately DPS) force them into play a different style ie pulling everything at the speed of light thats where mistakes happen. If other people respected the tanks, let them do their job shit would get done so much more effectively.

Personally, I can play that pull everything at the speed of light style so when I do play LFR or something I usually get a "great tank" or something similar at the end. But that doesnt mean everyone can and not everyone should be expected to.

[Azrile]

I´ve always been a tank, but depending on the day, I just que as a DPS because I have other things to do while waiting the 15mins or so. The only time I queue for tank is if the satchel is up for CTA.

It is funny that you are complaining about tanks. I honestly think the quailty of DPS doing randoms has dropped. All the time I see dps using their aoe rotation on single boss mobs and stuff like that. Also, doing heroic dungeons now, I am basically unkillable... but that doesn´t mean I enjoy running around trying to grab aggro because DPS are stupid. Constantly when I tank, dps just make it annoying. I mean literally, all they have to do is follow behind me and do a little dps to make it faster.. but no.. they have to pull the entire classroom in Scholo every damn time... and then run away from me...as if the adds will stop chasing them. But at least it is better than Cata when tanks actually needed dps to perform mechanisms on bosses... wow.. did that work out well lol.

[nightfalls]

I´ve always been a tank, but depending on the day, I just que as a DPS because I have other things to do while waiting the 15mins or so. The only time I queue for tank is if the satchel is up for CTA.

I will freely admit, on my main I simply don't queue LFR unless it's CTA.

On alts, if I really need gear (fresh toon) or if the daily bonus Valor is up and I really need the VP, but honestly even then sometimes I'll just give up VP capping.

[MoanaLisa]

A dps can practice on a target dummy, but where can tanks practice, when many dungeon groups make "tanking" nearly impossible?

Hopefully, the new proving grounds thing in 5.4 will fill in some of that hole where tanks can figure out what to do when starting out.

Frankly I don't blame good tanks for being standoffish and I don't think that tanks are any worse generally today than before. It's not really fun to try and lead a group that includes people in it who aren't being part of the team, even if only for ten minutes. I don't envy them and when I get a decent one I always try to make sure that they know that it's appreciated.

[Azrile]

...exactly why I refuse to run randoms.

You want to know why youre always waiting for a tank. Thanks these geniuses.

I think everyone should be forced to roll a healer or a tank just so they know what we actually go through in a typical random raid/dungeon.

We are "whiney" because we have to put up with absolute idiots all the time and blamed for everything. Unlike DPS who can zone into an instance and literally do/say nothing.

Most tanks know how good they are, they are aware of their skill level and will play accordingly. When players (predominately DPS) force them into play a different style ie pulling everything at the speed of light thats where mistakes happen. If other people respected the tanks, let them do their job shit would get done so much more effectively.

Personally, I can play that pull everything at the speed of light style so when I do play LFR or something I usually get a "great tank" or something similar at the end. But that doesnt mean everyone can and not everyone should be expected to.

The other big issue is LFR. Most dps do not even know the boss mechanisms that the tanks have to deal with. At times, two tanks who are strangers do have to have a 30 second conversation to get it right. Most dps never notice the tank swaps, or debuffs, or stuff like that. Those things don´t happen magically between two tanks who are strangers.

[Blizzhoof]

I think it has a lot more to do with good tanks not running a 5 man unless they are with a full group. I refuse to use LFD because the DPS are abysmal. You should be asking yourself why DPS are so terrible now. I mean, the last time I did queue by myself for a 5 man I did 40% of the damage to the bosses. Those bosses give you almost no Vengeance whatsoever. I should not be doing 40% of the damage at 60-80k dps.

I specifically recall the Warlock spamming Malefic Grasp with no DoTs up on the boss and the Hunter was doing even less damage. I looked at Skada and saw that the Hunter wasn't using Cobra Shot at all. I told him that the reason he was focus starved was because he wasn't using Cobra Shot and he replied (I shit you not): "Maybe if I was Survival, but I don't have it as BM." I refuse to run with people this stupid. Once DPS players stop being lazy brain-dead idiots, decent tanks will once again start using LFD. Until then, you guys are on your own.

[Ealyssa]

LFD/LFR players quality is declining, not only tanks. I just passed another alt 90 yesterday with a few friends, and trough the whole leveling we played with amazingly bad players in randoms.

I know that there always was some bad casual players who touched the game very lightly. But in since MoP it is really geting worst. From level 1 to level 90, 80% of hunters encountered had pet taunt active (not joking, we counted after nearly every hunter, and some locks, chain taunted mobs). Being at really low level, I every time asked to turn off the taunt, explaining how to do it when I had no response. Nearly everytime the hunters never cared (and were kicked). This is an emblematic exemple, but nearly every dps encountered were really really poorly played.

The fews times I wasn't tanking the tanks never could keep agro on a pack (prot paladin playing single button judgment, DK spaming ice touch, some madness were seen). Healer usually only used their instant cast (hi random rsham who let people die between two riptide... And of course not knowing earth shield @lv 80+)

And the problem is also there in heroics/LFR. With my new feral and 437ilvl I do ~40-42k dps, just near me is a ret fully T15 502 geared doing 28k... How is that even possible ? And that's just the most recent exemple. I have a blood DK, a ret paladin, an enh and a BrM I play regulary and level of play is abyssmal recently.

I really can't understand how MoP increased so much the gap between bad, decent and good players...