Tankwarrior-Guide

Choosing the race for a tank-warrior

First of all, there is no "best" race for a tank warrior overall. But each race got its own perks. Listing them here, so pick your choice afterwards.

Humans:
Increased Expertiste (-chance to parry / dodge for the target) with swords and maces.

Dwarves:
Stoneform, +armor and immunity to poison and bleed for ~10 sec
+resistance against frost

Nightelfes:
+1 % dodge
+resistance against nature

Gnomes:
Ability to get rid of movement imparing effects
+resistance against arcane

Draenei:
Ability to heal himself and others without casttime
+resistance against shadow

Worgen:
+1% critical strike chance
+resistance against shadow / nature
Movement increase by 40% for 10 sec

Of all these, the most effective for a pure tank are the dwarven ability - but, in my view, the Worgen one is the most versatile, as it is beneficial for both, Tank and DPS.

When tanking bosses it is important to watch out for its abilities, but also to grab its attention as fast and as good as you can manage.

To achieve this, it is crucial to inflict a high amount of threat on it as soon as you get in range - a simple taunt will only bring you so far that, as soon as the taunt runs out, the boss will run towards the player who got more threat than you.

So, to make the boss notice you, you best use any shout, than charge it and use your Shield Slam - it is your best ability to build threat. After this you keep up your Sunder Armor and, if it is a hard hitting boss, your Demoralizing Shout to reduce the amount of damage you get.

Also use your Thunderclap then and when to stack up your Thunderstruck and you Shockwave, which you either should use if there are adds you need to get away from the healer or to ensure the attention of the boss.

Also, use your Heroic Strike if you got the rage for it. If not, skip the Heroic Strike and focus on your other abilities.

Keep your Shield Block on CD, in combination with your Shield Slam and atleast try to Spell Reflect any spell towards you.

To tank multiple targets, you best charge on in their mid and use Thunderclap immediately afterwards, so none of them runs towards the healer. If some mob runs to the healer despite your Thunderclap (Resist, Miss, etc) you should charge one of them and use either Cleave or Shockwave. If it is only a single mob, use taunt to bring him back in line.

Afterwards, use Rend on one of them, and spread it via the Talent Blood And Thunder and Thunderclap on all of them - keep it up, it is like an extra hit on all of them.

When you've ensured that they hate you, bring them in line in front of you while spamming Thunderclap / Cleave and use Shockwave until they're dead.

Use your Shield Block when it's ready and keep Cleave on CD when you have the rage to do it. Else take care of any ability the mobs may possess, and try to avoid them.

For those who wondered about their avoidance ...

Here is the formula:

Parry+Evade+Block+10% Miss=Total Avoidance

If you reach 102,4% avoidance there you'd be immune to any crushing blow, but AFAIK they don't exist after TBC anymore.

The best Avoidance is usually achieved by Warriors, then Pallys, followed by DKs and on the last place Druids.

Note that Avoidance is NOT Mitigation, which is caused by your armor value - where druids excel.

Don't turn your back on any boss / mob - when you turn your back towards them, you will have NO Avoidance. They will hit you with every attack to their full, mitigated damaged.

Don't be afraid to use your Cooldowns. We're not in TBC anymore, so use them - except if you know you'll beat those mobs anyway and the boss is straight ahead. You might need them there.

Do NOT charge when you're unsure that you'll pull nothing else than what you want to. If you pull an extra mobgroup it is likely that you wipe.

Always keep an eye on your healers mana. It's your life and you don't want to throw it away, do you?