Righteous Orbs

So I got tagged in the Tanking Meme which followed on from the Healing Meme. I’m kind of a noob by many standards and I sort of dashed this off in between NaNo updates so don’t expect too much in the way of Awesome Tanking Insights. Anyway, here it is:

• What is your primary tanking environment? (i.e. raids, pvp, 5 mans)

  • Five mans, moving into raids, although I suppose really my primary tanking environment is “Tam” – we levelled together and I spent most of that time keeping packs of mobs off his cissy robe. As a result I’m really really good at keeping one priest alive. Which isn’t really that much in demand in endgame but we will totally rock Cataclysm. Also, does one actually tank in PvP?

• What is your favorite tanking spell for your class and why?

  • Perhaps it’s because I ran a lot of instances while levelling but I do kinda love my Avenger’s Shield. The sheer joy of getting to whichever level it was and actually being able to freaking pull was incredible. Prior to that, we’d had the rogue go in and throw a dagger, then I’d taunted off him. Actually thinking about it there’s a part of me that misses that.

• What tanking spell do you use least for your class and why?

  • Depends what you count as a tanking spell I think. I’m really bad at dishing out Hands, and I use that-one-that-transfers-raid-damage-to-you so rarely that I’ve forgotten what it’s freaking called. On the other hand I think that’s probably my issue more than the game’s.

• What do you feel is the biggest strength of your tanking class and why?

  • Consecrate. I’ve occasionally flirted with other tanking classes and not having Consecrate freaks me the fuck out. I mean seriously guys how do you, like, hit lots of things at once if there isn’t a big yellow pool of holy aggro juice on the floor?

• What do you feel is the biggest weakness of your tanking class and why?

  • Even though I’ve finally got to the stage where mana isn’t a huge issue any more (perma-divine-plea for the win plus 3% damage reduction) there’s just something about being a mana-using class that feels wrong for tanking. “Fear not, fair maiden! I shall defend thee! When I have drunk this seal whey that is! Until then I’m just some dumb prick with a sword!”

• In a 25 man raiding environment, what do you feel, in general, is the best tanking assignment for you?

  • In a 25 man environment, given my current gear level, the best assignment for me is “respec to Retribution” or possibly “go get my DK”. Although I’d probably be okay in Naxx now. For reasons of both class mechanics and personal playstyle, though, I prefer add tanking.

• What tanking class do you enjoy tanking with most and why?

  • Pretty much pallies, they’re basically the only class I have any experience with. I should probably try giving DK tanking a go, but I balk at the idea of having to farm another Tank set.

• What tanking class do you enjoy tanking with least and why?

  • My Drood and Warrior experience is basically nil. DK tanking freaked me the fuck out. See “consecrate dependency” above.

• What is your worst habit as a tank?

  • This is one of those job-interview type questions isn’t it, where you’re supposed to answer “sometimes I don’t take enough damage, so the healers get bored and my mana regen suffers” or “I get overambitious and pull too many mobs”. Truthfully though my worst habit is forgetting to put Righteous Fury back up. Ironically it’s got worse now it doesn’t wear off, because it means I only ever cast the damned thing after a wipe.

• What is your biggest pet peeve in a group environment while tanking?

  • I know this is really basic but: look, when you pull aggro you run towards me. Towards. Otherwise I have to run to you, trailing a whole pack of mobs, who will daze me.

• Do you feel that your class/spec is well balanced with other tanks?

  • I’m really not sure I have the experience to judge to be honest. I’ve never looked at something and said “wow, I have no idea how a Paladin is supposed to deal with this.”

• What tools do you use to evaluate your own performance as a tank?

  • Like pretty much everybody else I use Recount and Omen. I probably should use Recount more actively to check up on my incoming damage, but I’m rather of the “if I didn’t die too much I’m probably doing okay” school.

• What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about your class?

  • Since pretty much everything I know about Paladins I learned off the intarwebs, chances are if there’s a common misconception about Paladins I share it.

• What do you feel is the most difficult thing for new tanks of your class to learn?

  • Speaking as a new tank, it’s rather hard to say. I think there’s a lot of utility in the class I’m still not using. Getting the basics down is fairly easy (Consecrate, Consecrate, Consecrate). I’m sure I could do more with Hands.

• Effective Health or Avoidance and why?

  • I’m very much wondering this myself. I think Effective Health is the way to go these days just because there’s so much stuff in the game that can’t be Avoidanced (Avoided?). I might be talking nonsense though.

• What tanking class do you feel you understand least?

  • Droods. I’ve never played one past level 20-odd and the whole idea of having DPS and tank specs in the one tree confuses me (which is odd, since I used to be a DK). I’ve yet to get a proper grip on Rage as well.

• What add-ons or macros do you use, if any, to aid you in tanking?

  • I use Omen, and the standard UI-fiddling addons, but I don’t have any special macros set up. Back when I ran regular five-mans with the same group I had macros to cast Righteous Defence on party members by name, but I don’t have that any more. Oh, I have a macro set up to self-cast some of the more useful things like Cleanse and Hand of Freedom.

• Do you strive primarily for balance between your tanking stats, or do you stack some much higher than others, and why?

  • I’m still at the stage where what I’m mostly stacking is ilvl. I don’t really have enough gear to really have to make those sorts of decisions. I tend to gem for Defence, simply because the entry-level tank gear has way more def on it than the stuff it upgrades to and I need to stay capped. I probably don’t pay as much attention to Block as I should.

So yay! Tank meme.

In other news, past 10K in NaNo. Go me.

[Edited to add]

I didn’t tag anybody because I kind of assumed everybody would have been tagged already but nobody seems to have done Shayzani at 2fps. DK answers plz!