Warlock Metamorphosis Tanking

[Hisholyness]

Hello, my name is Hisholyness and I have been attempting to perfect Warlock Demonology. My method involves converting Demonology completely into a tanking tree in addition to a complete change of the Demonology tree. Here is research backed by my self created talent tree (created on War-tools):

<All Numbers are of course open to debate and can change.>

http://war-tools.com/t71645.html
I have thought out a majority of the major tanking necessities:

Wall of text follows


-Threat Increase/Stance= Metamorphosis (Currently in-game, although changed in the New Tree (Tier 3))

-10% Physical Damage Reduction= Curse of Weakness (Currently in-game)

-20% Attack Speed Reduction= Vitiator (New Tree, (Tier 2))

-Taunt= Demonic Spite (New Tree, granted by new Metamorphosis Form(Tier 3))

-Shield Wall: Demon Shell (New Tree, granted by new Metamorphosis (Tier 3))

-Interrupt= Dark Void (New Tree, (Tier 3))

-Last Stand=Call of the Void (New Tree, (Tier 4))

-Stun= Soul Feed (New Tree, (Tier 7))

-Silenced Ability= Essence of Darkness (New Tree, (Tier 2))

-"Effective" Resource Regeneration= Void Skin (New Tree, (Tier 5))

Tanking Stats:

Health:
Warlocks receive 15% Stamina (from Demonology Specialization), plus 6% total health (Nefarius Benefits (Tier 6)); Compared to Deathknights (9%+8%), Druids (10%+6%), Paladins (15%). Excluding armor specialization and 5% Stamina from Mark of the Wild/Blessing of the Kings. Warlocks will also recieve 5% Stamina from Necromancy for Demonology purposes.

Demonology will receive a self total of +20% Stamina, which is once again balanced compared to Death Knights: 22%, Druids: 21%, Paladins: 20% (Excluding Mark of the Wild/Blessing of Kings)

Armor:
Warlocks receive 130% bonus armor from items via Metamorphosis, and an additional 12% total armor from Nefarious Benefits (Tier 6). This does not include the additional 2345 Armor that can be received from Demon Armor. This should bring Demonology Warlocks' armor (In Metamorphosis) near current tanks.

Avoidance:
Avoidance is very hard to tackle for a caster, so to compensate I bolstered Demonology Warlocks with a few absorption effects:
-New Mastery, Consuming Shadows: Grants Warlocks a shield equal to a percent of their shadow damage dealt.
-Abyssal Ward: Converts Shadow Ward into a universal shield and grants a spell reflect.
-Void Skin: A talent I value highly, this talent's shield/heal cushions the effect of damage on warlocks. This talent also acts as mana regeneration.

Threat Generation:
Threat Generation is simple as a caster, and is simplified with the bonus threat increase of (the new) Metamorphosis form. Searing Pain is manaless if talented, and can be (but shouldn't be) spammed for threat.

Mastery:

The Demonology specialization talents were changed to attune Demonology to tanking (+15% Stamina, +8% Spell Hit, -70% Casting Time Lost).

The Demonology specialization ability is still Summon Felgaurd.

The Demonology Mastery, Consuming Shadows: Awards Demonology Warlocks a shield to reduce incoming damage to compensate for their lack luster avoidance (Low dodge, no parry/ block).

[mysteel]

I facepalmed

[Hisholyness]

I facepalmed

Shoo troll. Bump.

[Imnick]

Many people enjoy DPSing as Demonology and would be upset if you remove their tree.
It also removes the key part of the spec (IE: Demons, hence the name), which is also a huge part of the warlock class itself
The felguard seems sort of pointless

Really not only do I not think this is going to happen (I doubt you do either, honestly, you're probably just doing this for fun) but it wouldn't really add much to the game or please that many people.

[MrMuggles]

The massive amount of posts on this makes me worried that Blizzard may pick up on it. I sure hope not, Warlocks have 3 very unique and awesomely designed talent trees, cutting one out to make space for a tanking tree would just suck.

Secondarily, every tank in the game now has the same hit cap and expertise cap to worry about, avoidance as a red thread making them all comparable, you can't block/dodge/parry while casting - so Warlock tanks would break this pattern and make tanking very inconsistent depending on your class.

[Hisholyness]

I know, I took the demon out of demonology. I put more faith into the caster being a demon (Metamorphosis) more than his pet

[LoLHellcy]

my problem with this is imagine Warriors not getting D-stance till like lvl 30, or pallies not getting RF till then.... thats essentially what is created by metamorphosis being Tier 3... other than that and the dodge / parry / block issue (i.e. having none of them); sounds good...

maybe dodge based off of haste and parry based off of spell power (only available in demon form?)

---------- Post added 2011-01-19 at 12:23 AM ----------

Many people enjoy DPSing as Demonology and would be upset if you remove their tree.
It also removes the key part of the spec (IE: Demons, hence the name), which is also a huge part of the warlock class itself
The felguard seems sort of pointless

Really not only do I not think this is going to happen (I doubt you do either, honestly, you're probably just doing this for fun) but it wouldn't really add much to the game or please that many people.

many people (self included) enjoyed blood DPS, and would be disappointed if they removed that tree....oh wait

[Imnick]

I know, I took the demon out of demonology. I put more faith into the caster being a demon (Metamorphosis) more than his pet

Why is the pet even still there?
Pets are a big part of the warlock class, having the pet just there as a glorified DOT isn't really the point.
This doesn't really seem to have much to do with warlocks other than the fact it uses their transformed model.

Tanks have to melee or they can't mitigate.
You would have to use only instant spells.
There would be very little use for your dots and you do not have many instant spells.

This requires a much bigger overhaul than you have currently provided and will be nearly impossible to do while still fitting the warlock flavour and not upsetting people by removing their favourite DPS spec.

[Hisholyness]

Why is the pet even still there?
Pets are a big part of the warlock class, having the pet just there as a glorified DOT isn't really the point.
This doesn't really seem to have much to do with warlocks other than the fact it uses their transformed model.

Tanks have to melee or they can't mitigate.
You would have to use only instant spells.
There would be very little use for your dots and you do not have many instant spells.

This requires a much bigger overhaul than you have currently provided and will be nearly impossible to do while still fitting the warlock flavour and not upsetting people by removing their favourite DPS spec.

Its like we'd need some sort of Cataclysm or something

[Killainstnct]

Demonology Warlocks will NEVER be a legitimate tanking class/spec combination for anything other than old content or fights that favor a ranged tank. I swear theres a new thread with all these stupid ideas every day.

[Imnick]

Its like we'd need some sort of Cataclysm or something

A Cataclysm wouldn't add the stuff that needs changing to your spec for you.
It's like you need to actually read my posts or something.

Make the pet do something useful
Give us some instant spells so we don't sit there unable to dodge or anything
Put in some unique stuff that isn't just lifted from other tank specs
Don't stick double element damage in for no reason at all

[Killainstnct]

How about instead of posting dumb threads like this, you just solve your problem by rolling a DK, they use dots and tank.

[TobyKenobi]

I would have gone another route with this in the demo tree... pet tanking. I think it would be more interesting to see them make tanking with a pet viable for warlocks and hunters. Your role would then be redirecting threat to your pet instead of to yourself. They could even design it to make sure that the demo and beastmaster trees are still viable for DPS the same way that feral is viable for dps and tanking.

[Imnick]

I would have gone another route with this in the demo tree... pet tanking. I think it would be more interesting to see them make tanking with a pet viable for warlocks and hunters. Your role would then be redirecting threat to your pet instead of to yourself. They could even design it to make sure that the demo and beastmaster trees are still viable for DPS the same way that feral is viable for dps and tanking.

I personally think this would be a much better and more theme-fitting idea than the one the OP is proposing, as it would free the warlock back up to cast without having to gimp his mitigation.
Of course then hunters would probably want one too.
The idea that it could work like the feral tree is a very good one, although some ferals find it a little annoying sometimes

[Harsesis]

Demonology has never been about the warlock being a demon. It's always been about empowering your demon not you.

[SevenGirl]

I facepalmed

ditto on this one...mages tried to tank near the end of Wrath and it was alright I guess if they got tricksed alot or MD'd alot. I say just keep lock the pew pew class it is meant to be

[Baabinator]

Some points:

-Casting spells while tanking makes you unable to dodge/parry attacks.
-Your first talents "Molten Core" suggests it makes your next Searing Pain no mana cost. And the talent following it reduces the mana cost by 100% making it effectively useless.
-Your Incinerate has a chance to make your Searing Pain instant cast, giving you a chance to make Incinerate instant cast, giving you a chance to make Searing Pain instant cast. Really weird and random.
-Soul Feed is Shockwave
-Essence of Darkness is useless for tanking since you won't be silenced (alot, or nearly ever) as a tank since tanking is based around the assumption that all 4 (current) classes are able to attack.
-Void Skin screams: Stack Health and nothing else. Forever.
-Demonic Pact seems out of place.
-Twilight Infusion seems drastically underpowered since armor of cloth is very low, and even buffing it by 10% isn't gonna cut it. I suggest this turns into 6% total damage reduction. And armor for each spell power instead of the other way around. E.G: "You gain 1 armor for every 2 spell power you have, up to a maximum of 10% of your total health."
-Dark Grip is weird since why would you want to silence a target if it already interrupts the target.
-Reducing casting time while lost needs to be a 100% in order for this to work.
-You need to be able to dodge/parry while casting. Make this a baseline Specialization trait and not a talent.
-Haste/crit/mastery need to fuel your tankyness somehow. I suggest something along the lines of Searing Pain absorbing X amount of damage based on it's damage dealt for 1 attack.
-Dark Curse seems extremely weak, since 5% of your total health is not going to save you.
-Fel Flame should be worked into this somehow. I suggest having it reduce armor by 3/4/6/8% per stack (4 stacks), and increasing magic damage taken by 2/4/6/8% per stack (4 stacks)
-Either Fel armor or Demon armor should be boosted or altered.
-Physical damage dealt to you should restore mana. Life Tap should not be a way of regaining mana since being a tank, avoiding damage is key.
-Death Coil needs a heavily reduced cooldown, and restore 500% more health but no longer horrifies the target
-Shadowflame needs to be incorporated into this somehow, since it's a melee range spell
-I suggest weaving in Shadowflame, Death Coil, Felflame with Searing Pain more.
-Hellfire being a toggle rather then a hard-casted channel.
-I suggest your Felguard shielding a portion of the damage you take, or allowing it to Intervene you.

[Hisholyness]

Some points:

-Casting spells while tanking makes you unable to dodge/parry attacks.
-Your first talents "Molten Core" suggests it makes your next Searing Pain no mana cost. And the talent following it reduces the mana cost by 100% making it effectively useless.
-Your Incinerate has a chance to make your Searing Pain instant cast, giving you a chance to make Incinerate instant cast, giving you a chance to make Searing Pain instant cast. Really weird and random.
-Soul Feed is Shockwave
-Essence of Darkness is useless for tanking since you won't be silenced (alot, or nearly ever) as a tank since tanking is based around the assumption that all 4 (current) classes are able to attack.
-Void Skin screams: Stack Health and nothing else. Forever.
-Demonic Pact seems out of place.
-Twilight Infusion seems drastically underpowered since armor of cloth is very low, and even buffing it by 10% isn't gonna cut it. I suggest this turns into 6% total damage reduction. And armor for each spell power instead of the other way around. E.G: "You gain 1 armor for every 2 spell power you have, up to a maximum of 10% of your total health."
-Dark Grip is weird since why would you want to silence a target if it already interrupts the target.
-Reducing casting time while lost needs to be a 100% in order for this to work.
-You need to be able to dodge/parry while casting. Make this a baseline Specialization trait and not a talent.
-Haste/crit/mastery need to fuel your tankyness somehow. I suggest something along the lines of Searing Pain absorbing X amount of damage based on it's damage dealt for 1 attack.
-Dark Curse seems extremely weak, since 5% of your total health is not going to save you.
-Fel Flame should be worked into this somehow. I suggest having it reduce armor by 3/4/6/8% per stack (4 stacks), and increasing magic damage taken by 2/4/6/8% per stack (4 stacks)
-Either Fel armor or Demon armor should be boosted or altered.
-Physical damage dealt to you should restore mana. Life Tap should not be a way of regaining mana since being a tank, avoiding damage is key.
-Death Coil needs a heavily reduced cooldown, and restore 500% more health but no longer horrifies the target
-Shadowflame needs to be incorporated into this somehow, since it's a melee range spell
-I suggest weaving in Shadowflame, Death Coil, Felflame with Searing Pain more.
-Hellfire being a toggle rather then a hard-casted channel.
-I suggest your Felguard shielding a portion of the damage you take, or allowing it to Intervene you.

-Warlocks cant parry, and have minute dodge
-Molten Core also affects Immolate
-Searing Pain->Incinerate->Searing Pain, fun multiple instants
-Kick is Mind Freeze is Shield Bash is Skull Bash(-15 yards). Demoralizing Roar is Demoralizing Shout
-Essence of Darkness is open to any tree, PVP much
-Demonic Pact is there to retain raid utility
-I made Twilight Infusion low to keep low level warlocks from getting to much scaling and to make non-demonologists not recieve that much. Metamorphosis armor=more spell power
-Dark Grip: People have multiple ability schools, plus Improved Kick
-100% cast time lost would not be balanced
-Low dodge no parry for spell casting avoidance
-Haste is more spells, crit needs a look over, mastery is more shield for less damage taken. Death Knight Mastery
-Dark Curse is weak.
-Felflame is meh, I had worked it into alot of talents but finally removed it because you dont get it till 81
-I looked into damage generating mana, but left it up to Improved Soulburn and Void Skin. Life Tapping is not noted and would be stupid to use
-I looked into Death Coil too, I had it restore flat health (like Rune Tap) if the target was immune to horror effects, but removed it for Improved Soulburn
-Shadowflame is the main AOE move, I guess i should've buffed the damage. Maybe in Crossfire? Felflame is not necessary because Immolate has no effect on the target other than damage
-Hellfire is debatable
-I had pet damage heal you for a percent of its damage, and then any overhealing was converted into a shield. I prefer the current mastery now because its not dependant on pet

All the numbers are subject to change and flexible

[Imnick]

-Warlocks cant parry, and have minute dodge
Well if they want to tank, this has to change.
-Molten Core also affects Immolate
No mana cost on immolate is a pretty useless talent
-Searing Pain->Incinerate->Searing Pain, fun multiple instants
You want GUARANTEED instants, not ones you hope for
-Kick is Mind Freeze is Shield Bash is Skull Bash(-15 yards). Demoralizing Roar is Demoralizing Shout
And there are no unique abilities in your spec AT ALL.
-Essence of Darkness is open to any tree, PVP much
-Demonic Pact is there to retain raid utility
But nobody will take it unless they are forced to because it provides no benefit to the warlock
-I made Twilight Infusion low to keep low level warlocks from getting to much scaling and to make non-demonologists not recieve that much. Metamorphosis armor=more spell power
Without high scaling they will be rubbish tanks who die quickly because they don't have any armour
-Dark Grip: People have multiple ability schools, plus Improved Kick
-100% cast time lost would not be balanced
Yes it would, because otherwise you can't tank at all because all of your spells would be delayed by the boss you have aggro on.
-Low dodge no parry for spell casting avoidance
YOU NEED THESE OR YOU CAN'T TANK.
-Haste is more spells, crit needs a look over, mastery is more shield for less damage taken. Death Knight Mastery
You can't cast non-instant spells as a tank!
-Dark Curse is weak.
Yes it is. Fix it.
-Felflame is meh, I had worked it into alot of talents but finally removed it because you dont get it till 81
-I looked into damage generating mana, but left it up to Improved Soulburn and Void Skin. Life Tapping is not noted and would be stupid to use
These aren't enough for current demo warlocks, why would they be enough for one that is tanking? Tanks can't afford to be worried about going OOM
-I looked into Death Coil too, I had it restore flat health (like Rune Tap) if the target was immune to horror effects, but removed it for Improved Soulburn
Why?
-Shadowflame is the main AOE move, I guess i should've buffed the damage. Maybe in Crossfire? Felflame is not necessary because Immolate has no effect on the target other than damage
-Hellfire is debatable
No it isn't. TANKS CAN NEVER AFFORD TO CHANNEL.
-I had pet damage heal you for a percent of its damage, and then any overhealing was converted into a shield. I prefer the current mastery now because its not dependant on pet

Have more to write but I'd be repeating myself and you'll ignore it anyway.
Basically this idea is poorly thought out and your justification is equally worthless.

[Imnick]

Your tank has low armour, no mitigation stats and has to cast and channel spells while the boss punches them and interrupts it.
The spec-choice bonus pet is a glorified walking DOT that provides a tiny, useless shield.
Without a major overhaul this would be a useless spec that didn't do good DPS because it's optimised for tanking and also wouldn't be taken as a tank because they'd fall over dead whenever the boss so much as sneezed in their direction and wouldn't be able to complete a cast to hold aggro.

It wouldn't even be that challenging to fix, unfortunately you don't seem to be willing to listen to the opinions of others.
Which makes me wonder... why did you post this here at all?