I Can't Fight this Feeling Anymore

As you read through this post, and my previous posts (and possibly later ones?) one thing may become obvious: I’m a walking poster child for ADD. Even though my posts will generally have a fairly discreet “point”, I know I ramble around quite a bit, and that’s AFTER a ton of edits and re-thinks.

And this very much translates into my play style and gaming preference. I want to do a little bit of EVERYTHING. I Tank, I DPS, and I have plans to try my Retadin hand at healing in a BG.

I am what I am, and there’s no use beating my head against a wall fighting myself.

Anyhow…

The other night I was just hanging out BSing with some other folks in Elwynn, and this lvl 80 Deathknight (DK) asks me if I’m a healer or a retadin:

“I know you’re not a tank cuz your health is way too low”.

Interesting thing to notice, and a good eye! (though if you’re inspecting, why not just look at my talent tree? I’m 5-6-51, VERY clearly Ret)

Then last night I’m running some housekeeping errands in Ironforge and I get a PST asking if I want to tank UK. (Utgarde Keep? Not sure) A big part of me would LOVE to pug a 5 man. I’ve never really run a 5 man, and a chance to work with others would be AWESOME! (even if it is a PUG)

But, there were a few reasons I had to beg off:

- Even though I carry a shield, I’m not a "real" tank. I have pretty good armor far a level 71 (10,800, PLUS another 800 Devotion Aura, if I chose) but I do NOT have enough health (IMHO 8,000 isn’t enough to give a healer time to heal me) and I have limited aggro maintaining abilities. I think I should probably be able to handle off-tank (OT) work though, if things went well.

- I have never run Utgarde, never read up on it, and would be a huge liability. I am learning that many bosses require you to know, AHEAD OF TIME, what to expect, and I’m simply not there. Combine this with my “tunnel vision” (ie, I am NOT good at reading the chat/text during the fights) and I would be a wipe inducing fail-tank.

- Perhaps I am specced/equipped “well enough” that I could make a reasonable attempt at tanking, except, I have never done it in a group before. I get the impression that tanking can be a challenge all by itself (especially in a PUG) Now, combine that challenge with the fact that I am “less than ideally specced/equipped” as well as being a complete n00b/inexperienced, it just seemed like a recipe for disaster.

- Lastly, it was nearly midnight, and I work in the morning. Even if the group were willing to put up with the previous deficiencies, I simply didn’t have the time.

I think when I get the “spare change”, I will dual spec and give full-on Protadin tanking a try.

But how am I doing DPS-wise? Not sure, but I *think* I’m doing ok.

In a boss fight last night, we fought Hungerfen for the third time, and finally beat him. (As mentioned above, it’s amazing what a little reading/preparation will do) During that fight, I was 100% tank/ 100% DPS. I was taking enough damage in previous encounters that it seemed wise for Kattastrophe should run her healing spec Shammy (she already “had enough spare change” to dual spec) Kattastrophe did almost nothing except heal (she had 71 DPS for the fight – lol) In that fight I was just a tad below 1,000 DPS. It was a long, single foe encounter, and I had to stop attacking when he put up his vines, so it was a pretty good showing, IMHO. I think 1,050 DPS is a reasonably accurate description of what I can sustain in a long single fight, assuming I don’t have to wait 10-15 seconds in mid-fight…

My best single foe encounter was ~1,350 DPS (I even screen capped it) but that’s exceptional, because just about every attack critted. In 1v2 or 1v3-4, I will often hit 1,300-1,400 DPS, simply because my Consecration & Divine Storm are nice AOE attacks and boost my numbers.

Then again, in short fights (10 seconds or less) I will often get 400 DPS…

What do you guys think is a bare minimum requirement for tanking at ~ level 70? (health, armor, etc)

What about a melee DPS? (like my Ret)