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So you want to be a tank? Welcome to one of the busiest jobs in the game, but also, the most rewarding.
The Job:
The main role of a tank class is to
A. Keep hate on them
B. Take damage
C. Be the first to die and allow others to live. ( this isn't a job role per se, but an important attitude to have while doing A and B. Selfish players need not apply, a selfish tank is like a horse that bucks it's owner, unusable and not fit for it's job)
Secondary roles include
A. Assessing the combat encounter ( Doable or not ), and strategy to overcome them.
B. Pulling the mobs using various skills ( In situations where it's better to let the tank pull ). Those skills include using special abilities, a bow, or proximity pulls. Proximity pulls means you edge your character close enough to a mob to where he see's you then comes after you. This is sometimes more desirable over bow or ability pulling depending on the situation.
C. Controlling the mob by means of turning, stuning, taunting. When there is more than one mob, managing aggro to keep them all on you if possible, and if not possible, calling when a stun, root, mez or whatever is necessary and which mob to do it on. This also entails always anticipating potential adds, and watching out for roamer's.
D. Communication with group members as to what you will pull, what to kill first, whether to follow you or stay put, when to retreat or stay and fight, etc.
Other Aspects of the Job:
One of the key things that seperates a "good" tank from a "great" tank is knowledge. The more a tank knows about his enemies, the area, and the abilities of his group mates, the better he can do his job. Being the leader of the group in most cases, the tank is looked upon by members as making the decisions and knowing what to do. The more you do your research, the more people will be clamoring to group with you. Anyone can buy armor, anyone can hit the taunt button, anyone can swing a sword, but not everyone can lead a group through a challenging dungeon making intelligent decisions that ensures the groups success and gain great treasures with little to no debt.
The Gear:
As the tank your primary focus gear wise is armor that is up to date and helps you live longer or do your job better. Mages can get away with not having to upgrade a robe every few levels, but not tanks. The better your gear, the longer you live. The longer you live, the longer everyone else lives in your group. You don't have to be Uber, but you should strive to keep yourself up to date on gear. For raids, depending on the mob you are going after, you may need different types of gear for different mobs. Resistance plays a major role in raiding, as well as mitigation and hp's.
Raiding:
If you want to be the main tank for your guild, then you need to have great gear. But most of all, you need to have a knowledge of the mob you are going to face and the ability to communicate effectively to people in your raid party. Communication skills are key for raid leaders and most often as a Main tank, even if you aren't the designated raid leader, you still need to make important calls and communicate those decisions. You should also get into the habit of reviewing combat logs. These are key to informing you on what a mob uses in his attacks, and helps you come up with a plan to defeat him.
Tie it all together:
So in the end there is no one main thing that makes a good tank, it's mostly a desire to learn all aspects of the job, and a desire to do your best while helping others. Tanks do not gain glory from their solo accomplishments ( although some have done amazing things ). The glory you gain is from leading others successfully and consistantly getting the job done. Good luck to you in your adventures and may your deeds be well known 8) .
Ellestil
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