Top 5 - Best Types of Players in Classic

Hey dudes - Silvite Soltis here, back again with another Top 5 post!

Recently, I shared my thoughts on what the worst types of players in Classic are. As expected, it ruffled some feathers and got some discussions going in my YouTube comments and over on Reddit. Well today, I want to shift back to a more positive mindset with a Top 5 of just the opposite. So, let's dust off those old Good Guy Greg memes, because today we're going to discuss what I feel are the Top 5 Best Types of Players in Classic.

#5 - Tanks who know how to mark AND pull efficiently

Tanks!

Starting off our list here is the only entry that is solely based on player performance. In general, tanks are a godsend to most dungeon groups, but as I'm sure we all know, not every tank is the best at setting up marks or pulling efficiently. Sometimes they dawdle waiting for everyone's mana, or simply don't mark any kill targets for the group to follow. They may pull too many mobs at once and expect the entire group to simply AoE everything without giving any notice to the actual group composition.

So, when your group has a tank that can mark and pull mobs on the fly, you know you're in for a good time! When healers sit to drink immediately after one pack dies, the next group is already marked and ready to be slain. You glide through the dungeon like a hot knife through butter. And for dungeoneering, there's no better feeling than that.

#4 - Players who share mining nodes

Iron Deposit

As you may recall from my most recent Top 5, I included Node Ninjas and Nazis - those players that either snipe a node from directly underneath you, or harass you for getting to it first. Well, here at number 4 we have just the opposite - the players who share the nodes they get to with others.

Now, I know this isn't all that common at endgame - especially with Arcane Crystals being so damn valuable, but when someone else gets to an Iron node first, but still lets you have a tap at it for a skill up (or just to spread the wealth), it feels really damn nice. And by the same token, guys who round robin roll for nodes in dungeons or raids are pretty great as well.

#3 - Guys who park their warlock(s) in various world buff locations before raid.

Summoning Portal

Picture this. It's raid night, but you've been stuck working overtime for the past 3 days. You haven't gotten any world buffs and you feel bad about not being able to get even a single one. You log on 30 minutes before raid to get your invite when suddenly you see this in guild chat:

"Type 1 for a summons to ZG island!"

Yes, at number 3 we have one of the godsends of my guild - the guys who park their warlock in world buff locations before raid. These guys are just awesome! Though I personally don't enjoy the current meta of "get as many world buffs as you can before every raid or else you suck," I definitely appreciate the effort that these guys go through to make sure that the whole raid team can get that extra edge on the big day each week.

(Quick shoutout to my guildies, Sarcophagus, Abalam, and Thaelrax. You guys rock! ^_^)

#2 - DPS who is ready to tank/heal

Sometimes, you gotta drop Shadowform

You're spamming LFG for 20 minutes. The group is getting restless.

"LF1M ZF. Need tank!"

Suddenly, you get a whisper!

"Yo, I'm fury, but I can throw on a shield and tank it if you want."

Your group is saved!

Yes at number 2, we have one of the greatest players you'll ever encounter in WoW Classic - the DPS player who is ready to bite the bullet and tank or heal for a group even though they never intended to in the first place. These guys are awesome and I'm sure we all really appreciate it when they step up.

But it goes even beyond that, because from time to time in our dungeons and raids, we have tanks or healers die. When that happens, players like these again step up to the front lines and try to fill the void left by the rotting corpse of their party member. By offtanking or healing for the group when things start to go awry, they prevent wipes and keep the run on the rails. Truly, they're the heroes we need, but don't deserve.



So, there are four of the most wonderful types of players in Classic. Before we get to my number 1, however, I wanted to just list a few honorable mentions...

Honorable Mentions

HM #1 - Players who pass on upgrades for the good of the team

When you could get an upgrade, but pass it to someone that could use it more so that your team can make better progress, you're a really nice guy. Just don't do it TOO much! ;)

HM #2 - Guild leaders who listen to their members' concerns

Awesome when you have it, terrible when you don't, but really SHOULD be in every guild.

HM #3 - Posture/Hydration Check Guys

I appreciate you! :)

#1 - High level players who help with lowbie quests/dungeons just to be nice

Picture the scenario:

"I have come to help you, noob!"

You're almost done questing in a zone and all that remains are three quest in an elite area. You can't solo the quests, but you can't find anyone else that needs to do them either. The reward for one of them is really great, so you don't want to abandon them either. Desperately, you post once more in LookingForGroup chat to see if anyone that needs it has logged on. Then you get the best response you could ask for - a high level character passing through the area offers to help.

You smash through the quests, destroying all mobs in your path. He checks occasionally to see what you still need to finish and within about ten minutes you've finally completed the zone you've been working on for so long. Grateful, you offer this stranger what little gold you can - as a reward for helping you. He declines, saying that he just likes helping people out and hopes to see you at endgame. Then he mounts up and rides off into the sunset.

Yes finally, at number 1 we have my absolute favorite type of player in all of World of Warcraft: Classic - the high level players who help with lowbie quests and dungeons just to be nice. I'm sure we've all experienced this at one point or another in our leveling journey - whether as the noob or as the veteran. These are the guys who will stop to help you kill mobs as they run around collecting herbs, join your dungeon group because they're bored, or even run all the way to you from halfway across the world to help beat up some tough demon because someone helped them with it back in the day.

Recently in Classic, boosting has really become the meta for leveling. And as you may remember from my last Top 5, I really detest this type of pay-to-win play. That said, when a high level player takes time out of their gold farming or dungeoneering to help out lowbies - especially strangers - in their quests or dungeons just because they want to be nice, that's awesome. And so, while all of the types of players mentioned in this list are golden, I think these helpers are the best type of player in Classic.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it - my personal thoughts on the best types of players in WoW Classic. As I've mentioned before, there's a lot of ways to play the game, and so long as you enjoy your playstyle and don't cause grief to others, there's no "best" way to do it. This list was purely my opinion. But I'd like to know what you think - do you agree with my top 5? Are there other types of players you think I should've included? What do YOU think are the best types of Players in Classic? Let me know by leaving a comment down below!

But anyway, that's it for today. If you liked this list or found it interesting, then add yourself to my mailing list below so that you get notified when I make new content like this in the future. Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my YouTube channel where I upload video versions of all content like this after publishing. Finally, if you'd like to see any particular Classic or TBC content going forward in the future, then post a suggestion in the comments below as well, as I love exploring ideas suggested by readers like you. In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, and as always...

Take it easy!

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!