Learning to Tank without being "That Guy"

[Dragonman]

I used to LOVE tanking in this game back during live.  But now with the incarnates and everything, and the game not being scaled to the incarnates and all, everyone thinks they are invincible and no one needs the tank. also due to some game mechanics like "aggro cap" there is no need for teams to look for specific power sets anymore like they used to.  you used to see in general chat "Looking for healer" or "Looking for tank or control".  teams used to know when to lock down a group, AFTER the tank had them grouped up in a tight mob.  now as soon as a tank jumps in and taunts people playing controllers are locking groups down all spread out all over the room and AoEs are not effective. I gave up trying to tank anymore, i'm to used to old school tanking and that does not apply these days because everyone is in such a hurry for EVERYTHING now and no one cares in the slightest about letting anyone do their job in game.  Get rid of the aggro cap so if you grab too many its now a challenge and a healer is actually needed, and groups learn to stick together as a team. the "TEAM" has gone out of this game and no one knows how to utilize the TEAM concept.  

sorry  just some thoughts from me and my two cents. take it or leave it.

[itaalh]

6 hours ago, Dragonman said:

I used to LOVE tanking in this game back during live.  But now with the incarnates and everything, and the game not being scaled to the incarnates and all, everyone thinks they are invincible and no one needs the tank. also due to some game mechanics like "aggro cap" there is no need for teams to look for specific power sets anymore like they used to.  you used to see in general chat "Looking for healer" or "Looking for tank or control".  teams used to know when to lock down a group, AFTER the tank had them grouped up in a tight mob.  now as soon as a tank jumps in and taunts people playing controllers are locking groups down all spread out all over the room and AoEs are not effective. I gave up trying to tank anymore, i'm to used to old school tanking and that does not apply these days because everyone is in such a hurry for EVERYTHING now and no one cares in the slightest about letting anyone do their job in game.  Get rid of the aggro cap so if you grab too many its now a challenge and a healer is actually needed, and groups learn to stick together as a team. the "TEAM" has gone out of this game and no one knows how to utilize the TEAM concept.  

sorry  just some thoughts from me and my two cents. take it or leave it.

We probably have to adapt.

it’s the same thing on other MMOs

 

try to apply an old slow tanking tactic in heroic dungeons in WOW and people are going to be (very) rude with you.

 

on CoH with powerful team, I usually take the alpha strike, throw an aoe and a taunt, and go to the next group of enemies as soon as the team catch up.

I’m pacing the team and I’m fine with it.

[Infinitum]

41 minutes ago, itaalh said:

We probably have to adapt.

it’s the same thing on other MMOs

 

try to apply an old slow tanking tactic in heroic dungeons in WOW and people are going to be (very) rude with you.

 

on CoH with powerful team, I usually take the alpha strike, throw an aoe and a taunt, and go to the next group of enemies as soon as the team catch up.

I’m pacing the team and I’m fine with it.

And thats peak efficiency, safety, and speedy.

[Golden Azrael]

On 10/30/2019 at 10:40 PM, MTeague said:

So, I've tanked in other MMO's. Specifically, Warcraft.  Expectations were kinda sky-high there. 

 

Tanks were expected

• to know every mechanic of every boss in every raid
• to know the maps of every instance, small group or raid
• to have full court vision at all times to pickup adds
• to properly manage every cooldown so as to not faceplant and not be the tank with the spiky healthbar.
• to know and mark killzones and priority mobs to kill.

 

Clearly, quite a bit of this does not and cannot be expected to carry over into City of Heroes.  It's a far more casual game, and very little even rises to the content of "Progression Grinding Endgame Encounters".  I know of nothing in the CoH that can consistently wipe an experienced premade group for 3 hours a night for 2 weeks straight while they learn how to get their execution down perfectly.  (And this is a GOOD THING, I am SO DONE with the WoW treadmill).

 

But... I find myself massively gunshy at joining any group with my Tanker. 

I don't want to be complete Faily McFailtank by not even being AWARE of what groups are expecting from me in this game. 

 

So.... what are fair expectations of a CoX Tanker, in your view?

 

=====

By G'Quan, I can't recall the last time I was in a fight like that! No moral ambiguity, no hopeless battle against ancient and overwhelming forces! They were the bad guys, as you say, and we were the good guys! And they made a very satisfying thump! when they hit the floor.

    - Citizen G'Kar, Babylon 5, Season 3, *A Late Delivery From Avalon*

I used a Blood DK in WoW.  It was fantastic.

 

But tanks in Coh bury even them.

 

Expectations?  Only the ones you set yourself.

 

The 'remove the stick' WoW raiding Leory Jenkins conventions...forget them.

 

You'll pick up how the ITFs are done real quick.

You probably now how to taunt and herd.

And tactics re: corner pulling, progressive mobbing, pulling aggro' etc.

 

CoH is very casual pick up and play.  Run a few solo missions.  Pick it up.

 

Try a few small PUG groups.  And see what the CoH community is like.

 

By the time you are L50 you'll be mighty fine.

 

With the recent tank improvements, tanking in CoH is better than ever.

 

Well, so my Ice/Ice/Ice tanker says...  He seems happy enough.

 

You'll be spoilt for choice re: tanking options and builds in CoH.

 

Azrael.

Edited May 9, 2020 by Golden Azrael

[Golden Azrael]

On 4/30/2020 at 6:09 PM, Dragonman said:

I used to LOVE tanking in this game back during live.  But now with the incarnates and everything, and the game not being scaled to the incarnates and all, everyone thinks they are invincible and no one needs the tank. also due to some game mechanics like "aggro cap" there is no need for teams to look for specific power sets anymore like they used to.  you used to see in general chat "Looking for healer" or "Looking for tank or control".  teams used to know when to lock down a group, AFTER the tank had them grouped up in a tight mob.  now as soon as a tank jumps in and taunts people playing controllers are locking groups down all spread out all over the room and AoEs are not effective. I gave up trying to tank anymore, i'm to used to old school tanking and that does not apply these days because everyone is in such a hurry for EVERYTHING now and no one cares in the slightest about letting anyone do their job in game.  Get rid of the aggro cap so if you grab too many its now a challenge and a healer is actually needed, and groups learn to stick together as a team. the "TEAM" has gone out of this game and no one knows how to utilize the TEAM concept.  

sorry  just some thoughts from me and my two cents. take it or leave it.

I have some sympathy with that post.

 

Azrael.