The third Evoker spec should be a ranged tank.

[plz delete account]

And I'm not saying the third spec should be melee kite tanks like DHs are. I'm saying the third spec should be a genuine ranged tank, that can keep aggro from 15-25 yards out without needing to do it hunter/warlock style, so no pets.

[Stickiler]

And I'm not saying the third spec should be melee kite tanks like DHs are. I'm saying the third spec should be a genuine ranged tank, that can keep aggro from 15-25 yards out without needing to do it hunter/warlock style, so no pets.

It won't be. TBH I don't even understand how that would work, given bosses melee, which means they'll walk up to the tank anyway?

[Sableye]

the game is not designed around bosses being able to be stunned, slowed, or really anything other than kited

[Lolites]

And I'm not saying the third spec should be melee kite tanks like DHs are. I'm saying the third spec should be a genuine ranged tank, that can keep aggro from 15-25 yards out without needing to do it hunter/warlock style, so no pets.

and what would he do with bosses melee attacks? nicely ask them to not use it?
ranged tank would simply not work in wow as it currently is, it could work in niche situations like warlock in AQ, but even warlokc tank glyph basicaly meant keeping agro on pet or being in melee range

[Zulggun]

I believe evokers will get 3rd spec right after demon hunters.

[Teriz]

At best, an Evoker tank would either be like the Dark Apotheosis Warlock from MoP/WoD or an Enhancement Shaman. The DA Warlock is the closest you're going to get to a ranged caster-tank, but even that is a faux-range, because it would still be fighting in melee range.

The most likely option IMO is an Enhancement Shaman style tank that can reduce the cast/charge time of their abilities via melee attacks. I say this is the most likely due to this being the missing Weryn of the Evoker class;

[plz delete account]

I feel like giving the bosses a way to dynamically check if tank is evoker tank and use a ranged ability if tank is evoker tank and outside of y range would solve the issues, especially for melee bosses. Bosses should still walk up to evoker for ability attacks imo

[Nymrohd]

I assume you have never tanked. How would you position the boss as a ranged tank?

[czarek]

And I'm not saying the third spec should be melee kite tanks like DHs are. I'm saying the third spec should be a genuine ranged tank, that can keep aggro from 15-25 yards out without needing to do it hunter/warlock style, so no pets.

This is hard to make. How you can keep aggro as range ? Only works for ranged enemy. Most will run into you anyway :P That kind of tank need smth like barrier which is pushing enemy and keep it in distance. That would work but sounds mess af for me especially on boss fight.

[Ielenia]

And I'm not saying the third spec should be melee kite tanks like DHs are. I'm saying the third spec should be a genuine ranged tank, that can keep aggro from 15-25 yards out without needing to do it hunter/warlock style, so no pets.

No. That is never going to happen, because it would require a massive rework of bosses that already exist, not to mention it's completely pointless.

Why?

Because guess what a mobile boss would do if their main aggro target isn't in range? That's right: the boss will run up to them, not only effectively negating the whole "ranged" aspect of "ranged tanking", but also would inconvenience the melee who'll have to be in a constant run to keep up with the boss.

And guess what would happen if the boss is stationary? That's right: the boss will start to pummel whatever is the highest aggro on melee and would you look at that: it's the squishy melee DPS who are in range.

That is why a ranged tanking is not only pointless, but also wouldn't work in WoW.

[Maljinwo]

Sounds like positioning would be a constant annoyance

I'd rather not

[Kumorii]

Ranged tanking as an idea needs to be dropped. Combining some words doesn't make new gameplay. It's like saying "we need ranged close quarter dps". Cool you've combine some words into a new thing, but it won't work.

[Teriz]

This is hard to make. How you can keep aggro as range ? Only works for ranged enemy. Most will run into you anyway :P That kind of tank need smth like barrier which is pushing enemy and keep it in distance. That would work but sounds mess af for me especially on boss fight.

Just design them like the Trooper or Bounty HUnter tanks from SWTOR. They were ranged, but their tanking abilities were melee range (but still used ranged weapons).

[Berkilak]

I assume you have never tanked. How would you position the boss as a ranged tank?

Same as any other tank. Their abilities simply have more range. That doesn't mean they stay at range.

[h8ryan]

And I'm not saying the third spec should be melee kite tanks like DHs are. I'm saying the third spec should be a genuine ranged tank, that can keep aggro from 15-25 yards out without needing to do it hunter/warlock style, so no pets.

dumb idea /thread

[Guyviroth]

I like the idea of the Evoker having a tank spec. I feel it should be a "ranged" / caster tank, but not in the sense that "it can tank from 25 yards away." It tanks in melee range, but it uses spells/magic damage as opposed to melee abilities/physical damage.

The only issue I foresee with this is being locked into a cast when you need to use a defensive. If you get hit hard in the middle of a cast, then you need to make one of two choices: 1) finish the cast and hope you have enough time to use a defensive before getting smacked in the face for lethal damage; or 2) cancel cast and use defensive. It'll be a different playstyle to be sure, having to regularly cast-cancel, and it could prove annoying. They could offset this by having your defensives be off GCD and castable while casting another spell/ability.

Though I do wonder what magic will be used by this new spec. Each spec has had two draconic magics devoted to it. I guess the third spec would be built around Earth and Shadowflame? Shadowflame and Infinite? It's an interesting thought.

[Makabreska]

I feel like giving the bosses a way to dynamically check if tank is evoker tank and use a ranged ability if tank is evoker tank and outside of y range would solve the issues, especially for melee bosses. Bosses should still walk up to evoker for ability attacks imo

So that would mean Blizz would have to put an extra work into EVERY boss in game to accommodate a single spec. They would actually have to design fights around that one feature of ranged tanking. Not a chance man. Too many difficulties for such a little, questionable gain.

[Neuroticaine]

I feel like giving the bosses a way to dynamically check if tank is evoker tank and use a ranged ability if tank is evoker tank and outside of y range would solve the issues, especially for melee bosses. Bosses should still walk up to evoker for ability attacks imo

So we're suddenly going to rework the entire game to make sure all bosses have a spammable ranged attack? Even if the boss was absolutely never designed to do anything other than melee?

[ro9ue]

The only way a ranged tank might work in WoW is if you have some sort of AI to position the boss like a hunter or warlock pet. But WoW pet AI and pathing has always been terrible and it would almost always be a lesser tank imo.

[Khaza-R]

We are long past the point of having highly specialized tanks for individual encounters or phases.