Finesse tanking?

[Pendraeg]

This thread makes me want to remind people that tanking with finesse is all the more impressive when you don't spend too much time bragging with finesse.

Chill with the poetic self-promoting, guys.

A good tank is measured by his keeping his raid in control of the situation, we don't need any advertisements except a successfully downed boss.

If some people don't get that, it's their problem, not ours. We have ways to increase their repair bill in case they forget who keeps their ass safe.

It isn't self promoting. I don't tank anymore. I burned out on raiding, and moved on to PvP when I play at all anymore, or else do some heroic 5 mans as a DPS. I used to teach the up and coming tanks on my server, because, frankly, there just weren't enough of us.

The idea with the poetry isn't to feed our own egos, rather to entice those who have the capacity to be good to put in the time and effort to get to that level, because, really, it IS poetry to watch a really good tank when done right.

It's like any RL profession, from a chef to a cabinet maker to a surgeon to a lawyer. When you see a good one and they make it look so effortless, like they were born to the steps of their particular dance, that's what inspires people to follow down that road. And now, DPS'ing, I want as many who can do it to go down that road and be that good, because I don't want to &#(% with the ones who can't move to the rhythm.

[zealous]

It isn't self promoting. I don't tank anymore. I burned out on raiding, and moved on to PvP when I play at all anymore, or else do some heroic 5 mans as a DPS. I used to teach the up and coming tanks on my server, because, frankly, there just weren't enough of us.

The idea with the poetry isn't to feed our own egos, rather to entice those who have the capacity to be good to put in the time and effort to get to that level, because, really, it IS poetry to watch a really good tank when done right.

It's like any RL profession, from a chef to a cabinet maker to a surgeon to a lawyer. When you see a good one and they make it look so effortless, like they were born to the steps of their particular dance, that's what inspires people to follow down that road. And now, DPS'ing, I want as many who can do it to go down that road and be that good, because I don't want to &#(% with the ones who can't move to the rhythm.

/shrug

I've always respected the people who can inspire while remaining silent and calm infinitely more than those who burst out into eloquent speeches.

I've been tanking for a long time and I believe that the appearance of good tanks is a process of chance and evolution, and no amount of promoting or describing it on the boards is going to affect it.

If you want to be poetic, think of it this way - we're the guys who don't need to speak at all to let people know what we're doing. We take the knocks on the head while the rest can run around, wave their hands, scream spells and battle cries and poke things with sharp objects. We just grunt when another hit on the head comes in and make sure that the newly arrived ugly mofos don't rush for that dude in the dress, standing in the back, chanting an incantation.

Let's live up to that image, shall we? Instead of acting like we're the bard class from a D&D game.

[Pendraeg]

/shrug

I've always respected the people who can inspire while remaining silent and calm infinitely more than those who burst out into eloquent speeches.

I've been tanking for a long time and I believe that the appearance of good tanks is a process of chance and evolution, and no amount of promoting or describing it on the boards is going to affect it.

If you want to be poetic, think of it this way - we're the guys who don't need to speak at all to let people know what we're doing. We take the knocks on the head while the rest can run around, wave their hands, scream spells and battle cries and poke things with sharp objects. We just grunt when another hit on the head comes in and make sure that the newly arrived monsters don't rush for that dude in the dress, standing in the back.

Let's live up to that image, shall we? Instead of acting like we're the bard class from a D&D game.

True enough. And, generally, that's part of it. Like I said, though, I don't tank anymore, hell I barely play at all. I'm more of the old vet sitting and telling war stories to the kiddies with stars in their eyes so they'll go sign up. Everyone wants to be the tough guy, but only a few are willing to put in the work to BE it, especially given you don't get the recognition of the meters.