WoWGrrl's World

Tanking as an LFG leveler is an interesting experience.

I mean, I know most of these dungeons like the back of my hand after having run friends through or PUGged them a billion times, or having farmed through to the end of the various instances for the Achievements.

So, it's the perfect time to get into Tanking - not only do I know where I'm going and have a decent handle on generating threat on multiple targets, but I can move quickly because I'm not often questioning where to go next.

For me, however, Gnomeregon is one such instance that doesn't fit into the category above.

Learning Gnomer As Healer

Having been Horde for so long, and with Gnomer being annoying to get to as Horde (without being an Engineer who can port in from Booty Bay), Gnomer isn't an instance that I spent very much time in.

I went there a few times with friends to get the achievement of completing the instance, and one time that four level 70's actually WIPED in there because someone aggro'd an alarm bot in a very bad place (causing a very very huge pull that eventually landed on us), but I never played it enough to actually learn directions.

So now that one of my tanks has reached the level where Gnomer starts popping up (27 or so), I've started to queue myself only as Healer or DPS so I don't have to try to lead the group as its Tank when I have no idea where I'm going.

The Lowbie Tank and Healing Team

At least this way, I know we're not getting a Ninja Healer in the group. :)

But it means that I'm no longer in a "leadership" position when it comes to the Tank/Healer team dynamic, and am therefore at the mercy of the Tank and his or her quality and experience and attitude about leading a team.

But, I'm cool with following at times, and leading others.

Until the Tank breaks the Tank/Healer team bond in a way that shows me he or she hasn't realized the control this team has on the rest of the group. Then, suddenly, I can think of 15 things I'd get more joy out of doing right now.

About DPS-Wannabe-Tanks

In lowbie instances, there is a lot of attitude of "this is easy" and "nobody dies in these instances".

Plus, some DPS players join the LFG tool as DPS yet harbor dreams of being the leader of the group, like the Tank generally is.

Druids, Warriors, Paladins and Hunters are the worst for this from what I've seen, although some Shaman and Rogues pop in there occasionally as well.

It's easy to recognize, too - you've got a DPS person running ahead of the Tank, or pulling mobs instead of letting the Tank do it, and taunting mobs off which the Tank currently has the attention of. At a low level doesn't seem like a big deal, but to a Tank it's often quite annoying.

Tank's Frustration Not Completely Shared By Healer

As a Healer in a low level instance, for the most part it doesn't matter who is taking damage - healing requirements are low as long as only one group is pulled at a time.

But for the Tank, it can feel as if part of your job is being taken away from you when an over-eager DPS decides to take on the tanking role. And for a good Tank who is watching the mana level of the Healer, it can be even MORE annoying because the DPS getting the group into combat again just further slows down the Healer from regaining mana and allowing the group to move forward with speed.

So what can a Tank and Healer team do in order to keep the party moving smoothly without allowing the Wannabee Tank to disturb the process?

Maintaining The Tank/Healer Bond

Tanks, maintain a bond with your Healer.

Healers, maintain a bond with your Tank.

DPS, don't be envious of this bond - become a Tank or Healer instead. (You'll get faster LFG parties anyway)

What does this bond that I speak of look like? How does it show up, how does it affect this DPS who refused to take on the full responsibility of the Tank role yet feels he or she is a "great tank" and sets out to prove it?

The bond, I'd like to say, first starts with mutual respect and a degree of trust - even for a complete stranger. Without this mutual respect and trust between Tank and Healer, an unruly DPS will seem even more annoying and distracting. So except in extreme circumstances (see Ninja Healers), make this respect/trust thing a priority in your grouping, Tanks and Healers.

Once the basic bond is there, Tanks and Healers can easily work together to discourage unruly DPS - especially those who like to aggro mobs before the Tank is ready to dive in.

Primary Tank/Heal-Bonded Strategy

As a Healer, I personally don't mind a little bit of neglect in my job.

That is, if a DPS is pulling aggro regularly and purposefully, or stands in the fire/roof collapse, I don't mind not sending them heals.

In fact, if you were a reasonably-paced Tank during an LFG run and you had a DPS who was annoying you as a Wannabee Tank, I'd respond very favorably to your request for me to NOT heal that person AT ALL when they purposely pull aggro.

Truthfully, that's part of Healing that took a very long time for me to get used to - and Heroics helped a lot with settling that mindset. In Heroics I tended to find that if a DPS pulled aggro or pulled first, there was no way I *could* save them. And now when I'm in a leveling LFG party and the Tank is obviously annoyed at the DPS who is pulling out of turn, I have ZERO problems neglecting to heal the culprit who won't stick to his or her role.

So Tank, feel free to request that the DPS not pull first, or pull adds, and if your request isn't heeded after two mentions, feel VERY free to request that I, as the healer, not heal the DPS who doesn't listen.

The only time I'll go against you is if that DPS is doing 50%+ of the group's damage, and the instance progression would slow down terribly without them. In that case, the bond with the entire group is more important.

But really, I don't often find that players with quality DPS skills are the ones jumping ahead and pulling in place of the Tank, so it's not often a consideration.

What NOT To Do As An LFG Tank

Sadly, not all Tanks have figured out how to determine whether their Healer is on their side regarding loosy-goosy DPS and Wannabee Tanks, and that's unfortunate.

Those Tanks will end up taking their frustration out on the entire group, instead of finding a way to team with their Healer to lessen the frustration.

For example, a Gnomer run I was in last night had a Paladin Tank and a Druid DPS, but the Druid was in bear form and was pulling ahead of the Tank, despite the Tank's frustrated requests that he/she not continue to do that.

All of a sudden, the Tank runs way off ahead, aggro's 50 mobs and dies. As a Healer who believes in the Tank/Healer bond, I tried to keep up with him, thinking he knew something I didn't about being able to get away from everything he was aggro'ing. So of course, I died shortly after he did.

That was the end of my run with that guy. Before I left, however, in between the rest of the DPS calling the Tank a tool for wiping the entire party due to one person's inability to listen, I mentioned the Tank/Healer bond, and let him know I would have gladly stopped healing the Tank Wannabee if only he had actually requested it.

It's the first time I've actually told a Tank not to fuck over their Healer when we as a duo could aim the fuckage to the right person by not taunting mobs off and not healing, either.

I wonder if he took the suggestion to heart?

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Related posts:

1. For DPS Specs: How To Drive Away Healers And Tanks

Tagged as: dungeon tool, Dungeons, gnomer, Healing, instances, LFG tool, pugging, tank healer bond, tank healer team, Tanking, wannabee tank, what not to do as tank