It’s like the Frost vs Fire mage argument - Frost mages have lower-threat attacks by default (but still have to watch threat early on - often I have to wait 4-5 seconds before engaging) which makes them easier to handle in group situations, but a Fire mage who plows off their biggest attacks and trinkets too early in a fight is going to have threat problems, just like any other powerful DPS.

That having been said, I’m not talking about experienced raiders here - I’m talking about every day Hunters in parties with strangers whose threat-gaining abilities are unknown.

There’s also the fact that some specs and some gearing is better for, say, PvP than PvE - a DPS who has a very high crit rate, for example, will find it difficult to control their threat and is often a bane to everyone else in the group despite their big damage (even more noticable in Heroics than Regulars).

Sure, be proud of your big hits, but realize that the start of the fight is when ALL DPS need to be most careful, and it’s a primary job of DPS to do maximum DPS *without* pulling aggro off the tank.

I also read somewhere that Salv is undergoing major changes for WoTLK, turning from a regular buff as it is today into a much more temporary buff… so anyone relying on Salv, if I read this right, is going to have to learn a lot better threat management than they have to, today.

Look it was a weird run in its entirety and I won’t say much about hunter dps, cause as a hunter, I watch omen. When my threat gets too high.. I fd and pop up for more dmg. This should be standard for all hunters, but apparently is not. Even in groups where not everyone HAS omen.. I send pet after the tank engages, and I use the pet threat as my marker.. if I get too high over it (without growl on, derrr) I just FD to be safe. Another thing.. really.. the “training” is for people who don’t know what they are doing.. You do. I would let him buff me with salv and I would make it my GOAL to steal aggro. Hard to do, but its a goal and it keeps your damage up and your mind sharp. If there is a mage it is kinda hard to beat them in the shorties of non raids, so I”ve had to track my damage comparably to a mage before.. Specially if they are a fire mage.

I know this fight, and was the warlock that mucked things up one time. The thing is that as a “now” experienced lock this is a walk in the park.. I can AOE most any group I find with a little guile and a lot of +shadow dmg. Destro locks are king in AOE fights thanks to ruin (I mean seriously 3 seeds going off and all critting one getting ruin proc? Holy crap.. SOULSHATTER!!)

I would say in my best opinion that Paladin had on training wheels. Especially one that gets that frustrated as well.

When people trust you more as a experience Paladin Tank they will eventually trust you to give them the Blessing they need or if the situation dictates it and wont usually complain as they will know its for their own good as the tank sees it.

Ah, as with anything it’s more ego than anything, I’ll admit.

But, I’d rather have no buff than a “training wheel” buff.

In my view, 5-man instances are there for training purposes (as well as gearing and leveling and making friends), and as a DPS one of my main things I need to be able to do is control my own threat without a crutch, and still do great DPS.

Feign death is so quick-acting that really, it’s not going to take very much time out of my damage-dealing :)

WoWGrrl

btw, great blog!