WoW Classic Tips & Tricks - Dungeon Ranged DPS

Night Elf Hunter - Ranged DPS

Hey dudes! Silvite Soltis here, and today I'm back with another Tips & Tricks post.

Do you like to do damage, but hate the idea of being too close to enemies? Does the idea of casting spells or shooting arrows appeal to you? Do you like being able to actually see what's happening around you? Well then, you're probably a ranged dps! 

So, grab your waters, pick up your pet from the stables, and get your spellbook ready because today I've got some tips and tricks for how you can be effective in Classic dungeons as a ranged dps! As always, if you enjoy this guide or find it useful, add yourself to my mailing list below and check back soon for more content like this!

But anyway, let's get right into the tips!

Pre-Dungeon

As with any class or role, there are a number of things you should take care of before you start heading out to any dungeon:

Tip #1 - Get These Addons! 

First and foremost, make sure you have appropriate addons for dungeon content. The four main ones to be sure you have are:

ThreatClassic2 - Keeps track of the threat on enemy targets.
Decursive - Allows quick and easy dispelling of debuffs on your party.
Recount - Tracks damage, healing, dispels, and more.
DeadlyBossMods - Gives timers and warnings for dungeon encounters.

There's a lot more amazing addons you can make use of, but really these four are the biggest ones when it comes to dungeoneering as a ranged dps.

Tip #2 - Bring Water (or a Mage)

Get (or be) a mage!

Next up, be sure to bring enough water, or a mage, for your dungeon run. Other than wiping repeatedly, not being able to drink up to replenish your mana is, in my opinion, the worst feeling in a dungeon, so avoid that situation at all costs.

Tip #3 - Empty Bags

Also, while you're in town picking up water, make sure to empty your bags of non-essentials as well - especially if you're a hunter! In any given dungeon run, you can expect to pick up around 10-25 items, so make sure to have plenty of space!

Tip #4 - Set Goals 

Finally, before the dungeon make sure to set and clarify your party's goals for the dungeon. Usually, it's just to beat the last boss, but occasionally someone will have a special quest or ask to do an optional boss. Tell your groupmates what you want to do there, and find out what they're looking to do as well!

In-Dungeon

Alright, when you get to the dungeon, there's quite a bit more that you should keep in mind, oh caster of spells and shooter of arrows:

Tip #5 - Clarify Marks and Kill Order

Polymorph

As with any role, it's important to take note of which marks mean what, as well as identify the expected kill order of enemies. If you're a mage, you'll likely have a polymorph target. Hunters and warlocks, you may be asked to trap, seduce, or fear an enemy. No matter what crowd control ability is asked of you, be ready to use it, then follow the assigned kill order.

Tip #6 - Zoom Out!

Another useful thing to do as a ranged dps is to zoom your camera out pretty far so that you can see enemies and patrols wandering nearby. If you haven't already, adjust the system settings to increase the maximum camera distance. Moreover, you can also use this command to zoom out even further: 

/console cameraDistanceMaxZoomFactor 4

Tip #7 - Hold DPS!

On any given pack, you're going to want to let the tank get a bit of threat before you start nuking the mobs. For smaller numbers, wait for around 3 seconds before you start attacking the first kill target. For AoE packs, however, hold for just a bit longer - around 5 seconds should do. By holding just that little bit, you can ensure the tank holds all the mobs in one place, thus making the run go all that much smoother in the end.

Tip #8 - Focus Kill Target

When killing enemies, make sure to focus down the current kill target - especially if there are only 2 or 3 mobs in the pack. Since good tanks usually focus on building threat on the next kill target(s), it's important to burn down the current kill target as quickly as possible, then move onto the next one. Unless, of course, it's a large pack of mobs...

Tip #9 - Use AoE

AoE

If a pack that your tank pulls has more than three enemies, make use of your area of effect (AoE) abilities. Blizzard, Rain of Fire, Volley, and more are all extremely useful in destroying large packs of enemies and can make your dungeon run go much faster - especially if your tank is good at AoE threat like a paladin or druid! That said, remember to give a bit of time for your tank to get initial threat before opening up!

Tip #10 - Use Cooldowns!

All too often we as dps try to hold onto our cooldowns for boss encounters. However, since trash takes up a large majority of the time spent in dungeons, and since most trinkets and bursty cooldowns have cooldowns under 5 minutes, you should make use of them constantly throughout the dungeon!

Tip #11 - Drop Threat Often

Even when waiting for the tank to establish threat, it's pretty common to over aggro in dungeons. As such, dps should try to drop threat often if they have such an ability. Whether you're fighting trash packs or bosses, don't wait until you've pulled aggro to use Feign Death, hunters!

Tip #12 - Watch Runners

Another general tip for everyone doing a dungeon is to keep an eye out for runners - enemies who flee when their health gets low. As ranged dps, however, it's especially important to do this, as you're the least likely to accidentally pull other packs. By shooting the runners from afar, you can be the savior of your group! So watch out and burn them down!

Tip #13 - Drink!

Drinky drinky!

When the final mob in a pack dies, the first thing you should do is sit down and drink to full if you have less than 60% mana. Looting can be done any time, but if your tank pulls and you don't have the mana to defeat the pack, you're gonna have a bad time. So, drink fast and drink often.

Tip #14 - Positioning!

Next up is a simple tip, but it bears repeating. Always position yourself well. Hug walls and take note of what mobs are around you. Typically when a butt pull happens, it's because a hunter or mage backed up a bit too far or stood too close to a wandering patrol. So, just be mindful of these enemies when you choose a place to shoot from!

Tip #15 - Decurse! Dispel!

Decursive

In Classic, different classes have different abilities that can be used to help the party. This means that not everyone can remove every debuff that's going out. So, while priests and paladins can dispel magic and disease, only druids and mages can decurse. What's more, healers are generally focused on healing, so even if they can dispel or decurse whatever bad things are going out, they'll definitely appreciate it if you help them out with a quick click on Decursive!

Tip #16 - Watch the Healer

Finally, while you're running a dungeon as a ranged dps, try to keep an eye on the healer. Though the tank should be holding enemies to make sure they don't target everyone else, occasionally threat is lost - especially when adds spawn! So, as a ranged dps help keep an eye on the healer and use your abilities to keep him or her safe from harm should your tank be unable to defend them! Remember, healers are squishy!

Post-Dungeon

Alrighty! When the final boss has fallen, there's only two things left to do:

Tip #17 - Note Good Players

Just like melee dps, ranged dps should make sure to add good tanks and healers to their friends list whenever a dungeon went well, and of course invite them to more dungeons soon. However, ranged should also note any great melee dps warriors, paladins, and druids as well, as they may decide to tank dungeons in the future. Remember to mention that you're adding these players to your friend list and contact them for another dungeon soon!

Tip #18 - Reflect

Finally, the last thing you should do after completing a dungeon and before running the next one is reflect on your performance. While ranged dps in dungeons isn't particularly difficult, thinking about any mistakes you made - such as butt pulls or missing an Eye of Naxxramas, for example - can help you to improve future dungeon runs. Consider asking your groupmates for feedback too - especially if they also play your class in some way. In general, though, ranged has it pretty easy here.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it - 18 tips and tricks for running dungeons as a ranged dps. Overall, I feel that this particular dungeon role is the easiest to fulfill, but that certainly doesn't mean it's a walk in the park. Still, as long as you know what abilities to use, how to use them, and where to stand at all times, you should have a good time.

Anyway, that's it for today. If you liked this guide, or found it useful, then leave a comment down below, and add yourself to my mailing list so you get updated about more content like this in the future. Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my videos over on YouTube too! Finally, if there's any particular Classic or TBC content or guides that you'd like to see in the future, let me know by leaving a comment down below as well, as I love getting ideas like this one from readers like you! In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, and as always...

Take it easy!

WoW Classic Tips & Tricks - Dungeon Melee DPS

Hey dudes - Silvite Soltis here and today I'm happy to be continuing my Tips & Tricks series with another dungeoneering guide. As always, if you like what you see here, then add yourself to my mailing list, or just leave a comment below!

Are you the kind of person that likes to get up close and personal in your conflicts, but doesn't necessarily want to get smacked around? Does the idea of wildly flailing your weapons around appeal to you? Does the idea of having a Windfury Totem make you weirdly excited? Well then, you're probably a melee dps at heart. So, grab your blades and drink up that Winterfall Firewater because today, we're going to discuss my tips and tricks for playing a melee dps in WoW Classic dungeons.

 Let's get right into it...

Pre-Dungeon

As with every class, there are a few things you should prepare before you step into any dungeon:

Tip #1 - Get Appropriate Addons 

First and foremost, you're going to want to have some general addons to make your dungeon runs easier. DPS and threat meters, such as Recount, Details! and ThreatClassic2 are a good place to start, but you'll probably also want to find a swing timer, such as WeaponSwingTimer, and an enemy castbar addon, such as Gnosis, as well. Finally, DeadlyBossMods (DBM) is incredibly useful for all players as it includes useful timers for boss mechanics both in dungeons and raids. In general, these addons will help you a lot.

Tip #2 - Clarify Goals

Clarify goals for the run

If you have anything in particular that you need to do in the dungeon, make it known before starting. Working on a quest? Tell the group! Aiming for a specific drop, let them know. You can avoid a lot of problems and drama later if you let everyone in your group know what you need there. Likewise, ask if anyone else is looking for or to do anything specific in the dungeon while you run it, as it's common courtesy to repay the favor.

In-Dungeon

Alrighty, now you're in the dungeon. What should you do now? Well, for starters...

Tip #3 - Find Out Kill Orders and Marks

Typical marks for dungeon groups

You should make sure you know what marks or kill targets you should be looking for. While the tank is typically the one marking and pulling, and the first kill target is usually marked Skull while the second is X, sometimes dungeons are run differently. So, make sure you know what to expect when you start. Similarly, you should identify whether you have a sap, stun, or offtanking target - depending on your class, of course.

Tip #4 - Attack Current Kill Target

Look guys, tanking isn't easy. It involves carefully attacking several mobs at the same time and making sure none of them start running toward the other party members. As such, as a DPS it's super-important to remember that no matter what the tank is targeting, always attack the current kill target. If, for example, the kill order is Skull-X-Unmarked, you should stay off of X until skull has fallen.

When DPS - melee or ranged - starts attacking the wrong target, you end up taking longer to kill all of the mobs in the pack, meaning more healing needed on the party and thus slower progress overall. What's more, the tank is likely working on building threat on the next kill targets while you all should be killing the current target, so if you aren't careful you can end up messing up his entire threat rotation in a pack.

So, to put it bluntly, as long as you have a clear kill order, kill the current kill target.

Tip #5 - Cleave!

Cleave!

One of the greatest advantages to doing dungeons as a melee class is the combination of two things - the close proximity of the mobs your tank is holding and your ability to cleave. Most, if not all, melee classes have some sort of multi-target ability - Whirlwind, Magma Totem, and Blade Flurry to name a few. And while you should focus down the current kill target, it's definitely a good idea to utilize cleave damage to burn down packs of mobs quickly.

So yeah, cleave is your friend in dungeons. However, do be mindful of any crowd control abilities that are being used. You wouldn't want to wipe the group by popping a sheep early, would you?

Tip #6 - Watch the Runners!

I've mentioned this many times before, but it bears repeating for anyone planning to run dungeons - watch out for runners! When some enemies, typically humanoids, get low on health, they may try to flee. If left unchecked, these runners can pull additional packs of mobs which can lead to a horrible wipe.

As a melee dps, you typically can't risk chasing them all over the place. However, you do have other ways in which you can help take them out. Stuns, slows, and quick execute abilities can help destroy these dangerous enemies before they cause any problems, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled when your foes get low on HP.

Tip #7 - Interrupt Casters! 

Watch for cast bars and glowy hands!

One of the most important tasks that melee DPS have in dungeons is interrupting dangerous spell casts. Whether it's a large AoE spell such as a Flamestrike, or an extremely common heal, your biggest priority as melee should be to make sure that the spell doesn't go off.

So rogues, Kick that enemy. Warriors, smash that Pummel. Shamans, Earth Shock (Rank 1 if you need to save mana, by the way)! Everyone else...just hope that someone else has an interrupt, I guess.

Tip #8 - Don't Butt-Pull

Next up is a very simple tip that everyone in any dungeon should keep in mind - be careful not to accidentally pull additional mobs or packs. All too often when running a dungeon, one of the dpsers will back into or run just a bit to close by a pack of mobs. If this happens when the tank or healer is focused on something else, such as marking the next pack or drinking, it can lead to a disaster. As such, you need to be mindful of where the enemies are - including patrols! Be careful not to fatass it and you should be golden!

Tip #9 - Dispels and Purges

Purge

Occasionally, enemy mobs cast harmful abilities on you and your party, as well as buffs on themselves. And while not every melee class has abilities to counter such buffs and debuffs, paladins and shamans do. So, if you're playing one of those classes and are able to dispel or purge, help the group out by doing so!

Tip #10 - Admit Your Mistakes

Everybody makes mistakes. And while you could pretend that you have no idea why something went wrong, it's usually appreciated a lot more by party members when you own up to mistakes that you make. If a runner got away because you moved to the next kill target too early, take the blame. It shows that you are capable of recognizing and fixing your own issues, which is a very positive characteristic to have - even outside of Azeroth. What's more, you'll be less likely to repeat the mistake going forward if you are able to honestly admit something was your fault when it happens, thus growing into a better player overall.

So yeah, own up to your mistakes if you mess up.

Tip #11 - Get +Hit Gear

Hold onto any hit gear!

When an item with Hit that you can equip drops, Need it. Unless you already have an item for the same slot with +hit that is equivalent or better, it can't hurt to have more options.

Though it may not be necessary to do well in dungeons, +hit is the most valuable stat for every DPS class in the game. As a melee dps, you want your weapons and abilities to hit enemies as often as possible, since any misses that occur are completely lost dps. And even if you manage to reach the hit cap, you'll still want to mix and match pieces as you obtain better gear for various slots through whatever means you use.

As an example, my Enhancement Shaman has 4 additional +hit items in his bank - including 2 Tarnished Rings from the DM North Tribute chest, a helm, and some shoulders from a quest. Though I don't use these at the moment, I hold onto them just in case I get a wrist or trinket upgrade. And in the months since I've capped him, I've never gone back below the hit cap no matter what new gear I obtain, meaning higher dps in all of my dungeons!

Hoard that +hit!

Tip #12 - Use Niche Abilities and Cooldowns

Keep this handy - even if you're fury!

No matter which melee class you're playing, you're bound to have some niche abilities and cooldowns that you can make good use of. So...use them! Rogues, use Distract on a patrol that's about to get out of range to keep it close while your healer drinks! Warriors, slap on a shield, AoE taunt, and pop Shield Wall if the tank goes down. Shamans, purge enemy buffs like I mentioned before. And Paladins, use Divine Intervention on the priest when your group is about to wipe! It might seem like common sense to many of you, but you'd be surprised just how many players forget what tools they have at their disposal (hell, I'm guilty of forgetting DI on my tankadin all the time).

Similarly, don't forget that you've got a plethora of dps cooldowns at your disposal as well. You don't need to save everything for the boss fights, since many of the dungeon trash packs are harder than the bosses themselves. Make use of your trinkets, burst cooldowns, and more to make your dungeon run smoother and more enjoyable for everyone.

Post-Dungeon

Ok! The final boss is slain and your goals have been met! Now what?

Tip #13 - Note Good Tanks and Healers

As always, you should add the tank and healer to your friends list if they were good. These roles are always in high demand, so it's usually beneficial to have a few people you can ask for help on the fly. Of course, mention that you added them to your friends list so they can expect to hear from you in the future as well, and don't wait for months before inviting them to another group, as they'll probably forget all about you by then. After all, even if they only run one dungeon a week, that's 3 different dps to remember every time and you're really just a drop in the bucket at that point.

So yeah, note them down and be ready to invite them to things soon.

Tip #14 - Self-Reflect

Accept and make use of feedback!

Finally, just like I advise in every one of these guides, you should reflect on your dps and dungeon performance when you complete the dungeon. Obviously, you can look at Recount and try to play better, but don't forget that you can also ask the other group members how you did at the end of the run (which is especially useful if they also play your class as a main or an alt). As a melee dps, though, I've found that getting feedback from others is really hit or miss though, so be mindful of that and try to catch your own mistakes.

No matter how you get the feedback, it's just as important to act on it, so make adjustments as soon as you notice an issue or an area for improvement, then try them out in the next run. Experiment with new trinkets, keybinds, and ability ranks, and then reflect again after the next one! There's always room for growth in the DPS world!

Final Thoughts

So there you have it - 14 tips and tricks for dungeoneering as a melee dps in World of Warcraft: Classic. Overall, melee gets a bit of a bad rap for being a bit dumb and standing in bad things like fire, but that just means that you can shine all that much brighter! So long as you're observant, know your class's abilities, and have enough hit to actually land some blows, you should do well in those dungeons!

Anyway, that's it for today. If you liked this guide, or found it useful, then leave a comment down below, and add yourself to my mailing list so you get updated about more content like this in the future. Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my videos over on YouTube too! Finally, if there's any particular Classic or TBC content or guides that you'd like to see in the future, let me know by leaving a comment down below as well, as I love getting ideas like this one from readers like you! In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, and as always...

Take it easy!

WoW Classic Tips & Tricks - Dungeon Tanking

Let's Tank!

Hey dudes - Silvite Soltis here. And today, I'm continuing my Tips & Tricks series with my next Dungeon installment.

Have you gotten tired of waiting around in a party of four for ages, only to have the group fall apart before ever setting foot inside the dungeon? Do you want to be loved and revered by everyone on your server? Does the idea of free items and loot reserves in dungeons appeal to you? Well then, you're probably ready to play a tank!

So, shine up your shield and get your face ready to be pummeled, because today I'm going to share with you some of the tips and tricks I've learned about dungeon tanking. So whether you're just starting out in Ragefire Chasm or preparing to spam Strat and Scholo at endgame, I'm sure you'll find this post useful. If you do, remember to add yourself to my mailing list below, so you don't miss out on more tips & tricks in the future - and check out my YouTube channel as well!

Here we go:

Pre-Dungeon

So, before you rush your tank over to a dungeon, there's a couple of things you should do...

Tip #1 - Get a Threat Meter

As a tank, it's really important to have a threat meter installed so that you can tell who will likely pull threat at any given time. ThreatClassic2 is good for this, but it seems like in Classic everyone in any given group needs to have the same addon in order for it to work properly. So, it's not perfect, but still better than not having one!

Tip #2 - Establish Perks 

What Can You Get?

As a tank, it's very likely that you'll be offered many incentives to run dungeons for or with people. As such, you should make sure to take advantage of these perks, if you're ok with being that guy. For some dungeons, you might be offered gold to tank, while for others you can potentially ask for specific item drops in order to secure your services. With so few tanks in the game, compared to dps and even healers nowadays, you really can get a lot out of fulfilling this role for people.

So yeah, reserve that first Righteous Orb, roll on offspec gear, and pickup a few mining nodes or herbs - you deserve it! Just make sure everyone agrees with it first!

In-Dungeon

Ok, so now that you're making your way through the dungeon, there's a few things you should keep in mind:

Tip #3 - Be Prepared to Lead

First and foremost, as a tank you should come to every dungeon prepared to lead the group - even if you're not the leader. That means that you should try to have a general idea of where to go once inside, as well as what people expect to do there. To that end, it may be useful to download some dungeon maps or similar addons. If it's your first time running the dungeon, however, or if you're generally not very familiar with it, don't be afraid to ask others for guidance. You'd be surprised how fast you can pick up the dungeon's layout with just a little help to start, so just be honest about it.

Tip #4 - Establish Marks and Kill Orders 

Typical Marks

Next up, you need to establish what marks mean what. Typically, Skull is first kill target and X is the second, but the other marks vary from group to group. Some priests like to shackle Star while others prefer Moon. Hunter traps are often assigned to Square, but I've also seen Circle and Triangle used in various groups. As the tank, it's typically expected that you'll set the marks, crowd control assignments, and kill order, so get used to doing it as soon as possible.

To that end, it's a good idea to set keybinds for the different target markers - especially Skull and X. This allows you to quickly set or change targets as needed. Personally, I use the period, comma, semicolon, apostrophe, and bracket keys for this purpose, as they don't really do much else otherwise, but choose whatever keybinds suit you.

Tip #5 - Crowd Control

Polymorph

Speaking of marks, it's really important to remember that often times marks are used to designate crowd control (cc) assignments. And while the meta of most dungeon tanking nowadays is AoE everything and hope for the best, it's still a good idea to utilize CC - especially if you're squishy like my Tankadin, or if your group lacks AoE.

So yeah - don't be afraid to ask your party members to use their polymorphs, saps, and hunter traps. Just make sure to assign and mark properly when you do.

Tip #6 - Use Line of Sight (LoS)

Alright, now for the super tank-specific stuff. One of the most common pulling tactics that all tanks should know about is using Line of Sight (LoS) to pull packs of enemies back to your party. In many dungeons, you'll face casters, patrols, and other dangerous mobs that may or may not be too close to other enemies. In order to better position, and allow time for crowd control spells and abilities to go off, you should attack the first kill target, then run behind a corner, pillar, or other visual obstacle.

Look, you could just charge in and hope for the best - that's definitely what a lot of tanks do. But if you want to actually stand a chance at succeeding in a dungeon, you should probably pull a bit smarter, Einstein...

Tip #7 - Focus Next Kill Target

While common sense might dictate that you should focus on building threat on the current kill target to make sure the DPS don't pull aggro from you, in dungeons it's actually much more effective to pull the first target, then focus on building threat on the next kill target. Even though the DPS might peel that first target off of you, a quick taunt (if you have one) is usually sufficient for getting it back - assuming it's not dead already by the time you notice it moving away. 

So, no matter how many mobs you're pulling in a pack, always focus on building threat on the next kill target, rather than the current one. You'll see that losing aggro will become a non-issue very quickly.

Tip #8 - Watch Runners

Basically Every Humanoid Mob at 20% HP

We've all been there: an enemy mob gets low on health and starts to run away, but all the dps focuses on the other targets instead. That enemy runs over to, and pulls, the next pack before anyone is ready. The group wipes and who do they all blame? The tank, of course!

Well, in addition to pulling back and being mindful of positioning, it's vital that the tank (as well as the dps, mind you) is aware of any runners. You can stun them, slow them, or spam execute if need be, but do anything you can to make sure they don't escape! 

Personally, I love to use Hammer of Justice and Hammer of Wrath on them as they flee from my tankadin.

Tip #9 - Defensives & Cooldowns

As a tank, it's your job to hold enemies and to make sure you stay alive while they pummel your face. To that end, you have several defensive abilities and cooldowns at your disposal that you can make good use of. So, use them! They are your friend!

While you should definitely try to save your biggest cooldowns, such as Shield Wall, for difficult boss encounters if possible, shorter cooldown defensive abilities, trinkets, and the like are great for difficult trash packs, or just situations in which someone makes a small mistake. Don't risk a wipe just to hold onto an ability that will be up before the boss anyway!

Oh, and this tip applies to DPS and healers as well!

Tip #10 - Watch Healer Mana

Self-Explanatory

Have you ever seen a tank charge headfirst into another pack just as the healer sits down to drink? Well I have! And just like in Captain Grim's video here, it doesn't end well.

Tanks, be mindful of your healer's mana! It's a simple tip, but it can't be repeated enough. If they don't have the blue, your gear will soon be red.

Tip #11 - AoE Taunts!

If you find yourself in a tanking situation where you've got too many adds running amok, do everyone a favor and pop your AoE taunt ability. Challenging Shout and Challenging Roar are sometimes the only way to save your party from a terrible wipe, so don't forget that they exist in those situations!

Oh and sorry Tankadins. It just sucks to be you. Keep spamming that Rank 5 Consecrate, I guess!

Tip #12 - Keep Moving!

One of the most important tips to being a good tank versus a mediocre tank - keep moving! If your group overall has around 60% mana or more, keep pulling! Unless the next pull is really tough, too close to another pack, or a boss, it's a waste of everyone's time to sit and drink after every pack. So rather than sitting around twiddling your thumbs, keep the pain train moving!

That being said, be careful not to over pull - as being too trigger happy can lead to disaster. Also, be mindful of healer comfort and discomfort. If they really want to be topped up after every pack, then you can slow down a bit. Just don't expect your dps to sit idle for too long...

Tip #13 - Pool Your Resources

I Need More Rage!

Finally, it's also important to note that in order to keep moving at a steady pace, you, the tank, need to know how to pool your resources. If you're a warrior or bear tank, you can build up your rage on the last mob or two in every pack and try to keep it high for the next pack. If you're a tankadin, you can make good use of Seal of Wisdom to keep your mana fairly high, then drink as soon as the last mob falls. And if you're tanking on a Shaman...um....drink a lot too, I guess...

Post-Dungeon

Tip #14 - Get Feedback

Feedback is Important

Alrighty! After the final boss is slain and your group's goals have been met, it's time to head out! As a tank, you don't really need to worry about adding great players to your friends list unless you really enjoyed playing with them, but one thing you definitely should do is ask for feedback - especially from your healer. You can also get feedback during the dungeon as well (usually while the healer is drinking), but just don't ask too many times. You do need to keep the ball rolling, after all.

In asking for feedback, try to find out what you did well, and what you need to work on. If you died a bunch, try to figure out why - whether it was a defensive, gearing, or healer issue. If your damage dealers kept pulling aggro, try to find the reason. Any and all feedback you can collect and attempt to utilize will help you grow into a more competent tank. And in the World of Warcraft, those are always highly sought after.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it - 14 tips and tricks for how you can effectively tank Classic dungeons. Overall, tanking isn't as difficult as people make it out to be. So if you're considering trying it out, I highly encourage you to do so. There's a lot of perks to being the one getting hit in the face constantly, and it goes without saying that you'll have groups for days if you take up the role.

Anyway, that's it for today. If you liked this guide, or found it useful, then leave a comment down below, and add yourself to my mailing list so you get updated about more content like this in the future. Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my videos over on YouTube too! Finally, if there's any particular Classic or TBC content or guides that you'd like to see in the future, let me know by leaving a comment down below as well, as I love getting ideas like this one from readers like you! In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, and as always...

Take it easy!

WoW Classic Tips & Tricks - Dungeon Healing

Hey dudes - Silvite Soltis here. And today I'm proud to be starting a bit of a mini-series...

Recently, a viewer over on my YouTube channel commented on my Healy Priest Tips & Tricks video, asking why I didn't make a guide for people who don't want to raid, but rather focus on dungeons as their meta. And so, after thinking a bit about it, I decided that yeah, I probably should.

So, here you go - some general tips and tricks for healing Classic dungeons! I hope you enjoy! If you do, add yourself to my mailing list below so that you don't miss any other guides, tips, or other content in the future. There's lots still to come, and I'm sure you don't want to miss out. But yeah, with that out of the way, let's get right into the guide:

Before Dungeon

Pre-Dungeon Tip #1 - Get and Set Up Proper Addons 

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No matter what level you are when you decide to start healing dungeons, it's usually a good idea to pick up some of the standard addons that healers use before jumping in. These include, but are not limited to:
Decursive - Notifies you about debuffs you can remove and let's you remove them with just a click.
DeadlyBossMods - Gives useful warnings, notifications, and timers for boss encounters.
ThreatClassic2 - Tells threat levels on the current target, which is useful for knowing who might pull aggro.
Healbot Classic - Allows combinations of clicks to cast certain healing spells on your party.

After installing them, play around with them to get a feel for how they work, and check the settings via the in-game menu. All of these are widely used by healers as far as I'm aware, but personally I dislike the last one. So, instead of HealBot, you can...

Pre-Dungeon Tip #2 - Set Up Mouseover Macros (and update them regularly)

As I mentioned in my previous healing guide, I much prefer the use of mouseover macros to healing addons, as they allow me to simply use the standard party and raidframes. What's more, they're really easy to tweak once you get macros for all of your main spells set up, so it really makes maintenance easy - you never have to worry about errors or updates!

If you're not familiar, a mouseover macro is basically a macro that allows you to cast a spell on whatever your mouse cursor is hovering over. This means that you can allow your cursor to simply hover around the party frames and easily cast a spell on whoever is taking damage without actually targeting them. It might seem minor, but the tiniest bit of time saved from not having to click on them to target them first can mean the difference between life and death.

Here's the standard macro again - copy and paste it, and adjust for whatever spells you want to make macros for:

/cast [@mouseover,exists]Spell(Rank x)

Pre-Dungeon Tip #3 - Prioritize +Healing Gear 

Though primarily focused on endgame dungeoneering, healers should generally try to get as much +healing on their gear as possible before heading into dungeons. In the modern era of Classic WoW, fights don't last as long as they used to - especially when you have Tier 2 geared players smashing through Strat Live for Righteous Orbs and whatnot. As such, having lots of intellect or spirit doesn't really do a whole lot unless you're running with super low-level or badly geared players. So, while it's good to have a balance of stats and +healing in raiding, for dungeons you can pretty much go all-in with the 'of Healing' greens.

Pre-Dungeon Tip #4 - Take Enough Water and Mana Potions

Major Mana Potion

As a healer, you should always be prepared before heading to a dungeon. That means bringing 3-4 stacks of water and 5-10 mana potions to every dungeon run you do. Ideally, you won't need to use all of these, but it's good to be ready for anything.

Also, as a bonus tip, remember to open the non-trap crates if running Stratholme, as they often have mana potions and Morning Glory Dew for you to stock up on!

Pre-Dungeon Tip #5 - Set Up or Join the Ideal Group

This is arguably the most important tip for you to consider before heading into a dungeon. Keeping your role in mind, try to join or set up the ideal group. If you're a shaman healer, consider groups with an extra melee dps to make good use of Windfury and Chain Heal. If you're a druid, remember to have a priest, shaman, or paladin in party so that you have a rezzer. And no matter what healer you're playing, try to get a mage so that you have that sweet, sweet conjured water!

Look, if you're a holy paladin and you join a group with 3 paladins and a hunter, you can probably still clear any dungeon in classic - hell there was just a 40-shaman MC clear! However, it might take longer than you'd like, and you may end up wishing you'd joined the warrior, 3 mage spellcleave group instead.

In the Dungeon

Dungeon Tip #1 - Drink After Every Pack or Two 

Drinky Drinky!

Alright, so you're in the dungeon! One of the most important things that you should do, especially if you're a fresh healer, is to drink after every trash pack or two. Unless you're sitting close to full mana, you should always be prepared for a bad situation to arise in the next pack - a wandering patrol, a bad multishot, or fear into the next group.

This is the reason you'll want to make sure to have plenty of water in your bags before you start - whether from a mage, or a friendly vendor NPC.

Dungeon Tip #2 - Use Power Word: Shield or HoT Spells (If Possible)

Rejuvenation and Regrowth are great!

Next up is a pretty obvious one for most veteran healers, but if you're fresh to healing dungeons you might not be aware of the great utility of these types of spells. Power Word: Shield is a priest spell that absorbs incoming damage, and it can really be useful for preventing a big spike of damage on your tank. I cast this on the tank right before a boss fight if he has a decent amount of rage to build threat, but it can also be used to save your casters spamming AoE spells, or yourself.

HoT (Heal Over Time) spells such as Renew, Rejuvenation, and Regrowth are also great spells for smoothing out the damage your tank or dps is taking. These spells are great for pulsing damage on the whole party - like Baron Rivendare and Lord Alexi Barov in Stratholme Undead and Scholomance, respectively - but in general it's a good idea to keep them up on the tank at all times regardless.

However, NEVER put HoTs up on the tank right before a boss fight though! If he or she has an unlucky streak of misses or taunt resists, you'll definitely pull aggro, which all too often will result in a horrible horrible wipe.

And that leads me to my next tip...

Dungeon Tip #3 - Dump Aggro Often (If Possible)

I mentioned this in a previous guide, but it's worth repeating - keep fade (or bubble, if you're a paladin) handy! Since pulling aggro as a healer can be so devastating for your group, you should really avoid it at all costs if you can. If you have an aggro dump ability, use it! However, if you don't have one and still manage to pull aggro on an enemy target, do everyone a favor and run TO the tank! Trust me, he'll appreciate the gesture!

Dungeon Tip #4 - Fast Heals for Emergencies

Flash Heal, Rank 7

Sometimes, the tank goes down a lot faster than you expect. In these situations, it's vital that you heal them up as fast as you can. Flash Heal or Lesser Healing Wave, while expensive, can be the difference between life and death of your party members. And if you've brought some mana pots like I told you to in that earlier tip, you should have a bit of a backup in case you do end up going OOM.

Just for a quick rundown, here are the fast heals that each class has:
Priests - Flash Heal
Paladins - Flash of Light
Druids - Swiftmend (a deep resto talent)
Shamans - Lesser Healing Wave

Finally, for emergencies, use the highest rank you have initially, then swap back to other heals or lower ranks as things calm down.

Dungeon Tip #5 - Decurse/Dispel!

Decursive

This is where that addon Decursive comes in handy. Keep an eye, and an ear, out for the notifications when the pop up. By default, a red box means left click and a blue box means right click. There's also a pink box that might show up (alt+left click, if I recall correctly), but this can be altered in the addon menu.

While dispelling or decursing, try to be mindful of which debuffs get applied repeatedly, as there's often little point in removing them early into a trash pull only to have it reapplied 4 more times and run you OOM. However, anytime a debuff that reduces healing taken appears on the tank, you should remove it if you can.

Effective dispelling takes practice, so start as soon as possible and get a feel for the debuffs of each dungeon you're in.

Dungeon Tip #6 - Clarify the Bosses Before Engaging

Finally, the most overlooked bit of advice that I can offer to not only healers, but everyone doing a dungeon (for the first time, especially) - don't be afraid to ask questions! If you aren't quite sure what a boss does, ask. The good thing about Classic, as opposed to BFA nowadays, is that people are much more willing to help and explain things in order to ensure the group's success. So, if you are foggy, or just straight up don't know a boss, make sure to find out what is going to happen so you can prepare!

This really can make all the difference on a boss fight, and will help you clear the dungeon with ease!

After the Dungeon

Post-Dungeon Tip #1 - Note the Good Players

So, now that the dungeon is done, there are two things that you, the healer, should make sure to do. First and foremost, note down and add the good players (if any) to your friend's list - especially the tanks! Though you might not group with them anytime soon, or even talk with them often depending on how social you are, it can give you a good list of players you'll enjoy playing with in the future. What's more, you'll have people you CAN ask back to groups later too. So yeah, it's just like that loading screen tip says: 

"If you enjoyed playing with someone, put them on your friends list!"

Post-Dungeon Tip #2 - Reflect on Your Performance

What was good? What could be improved?

Finally, as a healer, it's important to always think about how you did in your dungeon runs. Were there any wipes? If so, was it your fault, or did you do everything you could? Could you have saved mana during that one fight by casting a lower rank heal? These questions and more can help you to grow as a healer, so try to think about what you did well, and what you could improve next time. Also, ask the other party members for honest feedback if you're not sure! Though most of the time they'll probably just say "you did great" or "awesome heals" (at least, that's what they say to me), occasionally you can get some great commentary and tips from the people you run with. So, consider their input as well!

And then, start looking for the next dungeon!

Final Thoughts

So, there you go - just a few tips for how to make your dungeon healing experience a bit more manageable in WoW Classic. Overall, it's not all that hard to figure out, but if you're a newbie to healing in general, I think my advice will help. And though I'm confident in my abilities and advice as a healer, I'd love to know what you think - is there anything I missed or that you think I got wrong? What are YOUR tips for healing dungeons in Classic? Let me know by leaving a comment down below!

Anyway, that's it for today. If you liked this guide, or found it useful, then add yourself to my mailing list below so you get updated about more content like this in the future. Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my videos over on YouTube too! Finally, if there's any particular Classic or TBC content or guides that you'd like to see in the future, let me know by leaving a comment down below as well, as I love getting ideas like this one from readers like you! In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, and as always...

Take it easy!