Help a newbie Paladin tank

super_furry

http://eu.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Agamaggan&n=Orkbane

I'm just about hit 80 and have switched for Prot in anticipation of becoming a tank when I do so. I haven't really bothered with gear thus far because I've been levelling solely as Ret but I have just under 6000g to spend on gear when I hit 80 to get me off to a start. What should I be going for? What stats do I need and what kinda of stamina and block numbers should I be looking for before I can tank heroics? How's my build? Should I change it? What about rotations? Cheers.

Splinter

Heya, i have a few links at home ill post later but tbh i just got myself to 80 and got def capped (540) and hit every heroic i could and just geared up, run toc normal a few times for gear, if you have the cash you can buy things like the spiked deathdealer boots, the boe defence cape from ULD 25, (cape of the iron council?), if you really want you can get the super awesome crafted chest from blacksmithes (thatl cost ya though) and go from there. i just ran toc normal and heroic and then hit all the other heroics and watch your stam go up, aim for about 35k and then head to the other stats, so you need about 6% hit rating,block value idealy about 2k-2.5k and then head into the other stats,

rotation ill show ya later when i get back to my own pc

][cEMAN**

While you're getting to 80, you should be getting your reputation up with lvl 80 dungeons, and you can use this for rep gear. Argent Crusade and Wyrmrest are good, but Argent Crusade is important due to the head enchant. Also, you can do the prequests for Hodir rep for the shoulder enchants.

Your first lvl 80 shield

Save some titanium and make that for yourself. The heavy amount of defense should help make up for the shortcomings of defense on other starting gear.

Splinter's right. When you hit 80, get into totc5 and totc5(hc). Try to keep running the normal for gear. There are a few items in there. Everything except a shield, a chest, back, and wrists. You'll also only get 1 ring and 1 trinket.

For a list of what you can find, click here

For the chest and back, you'll need revered with Wyrmrest Accord. Not difficult. You should be honoured already, and be able to buy the tabard to wear in the dungeons.

Chest
Back

And simple Blacksmith wrists should be enough to get you going till you get better.

You may have already done a quest in Zul'Drak that gives Hammer of Quiet Mourning. If you haven't, go get it if you're still not high enough in defense (535 for heroics, 540 for raiding, but there is no cap - they're only minimum necessary to be uncrittable).

When you get enough emblems from heroics, you can look towards getting the conquest stuff like gloves, belt, neck, and the T8.5 Head & Chest. Really just fill up based on how short you are on the defense minimum 540, or if you've already reached it, push on stamina. Dodge & Parry are good stats, but stamina is your standard soaking stat. Remember - you can't dodge spells.

Don't underestimate Defense. Once you reach 540 defense, you'll be uncrittable in PvE, but you still get dodge/parry/block/miss from it. 1% defense = 0.25% of each of those.

The other thing you need to look at is your build. You look like you've setup just for solo leveling, which is OK, but you'll need to change that once you hit 80.

These are just a few quick fix tips to get you started. There are more things I could mention, but you kinda have to get into tanking to have more questions.

For most of your questions, you can always go check out Elitist Jerks. There's a lot of theorycrafting you can look at for what's best for everything relating to a tank, but that'll give you a quick reference guide to builds, gear, and consumable.

As for rotation, the standard is a 9,6,9 rotation. 9second cd (approx) spell, followed by a 6s, then a 9s, then a 6s repeatedly.

Eg. Hammer of the Righteous, and Shield of Righteousness are both 6s CD spells. Your Holy Shield, Judgement, and Concecration (don't glyph it, not worth it), are all approx 9s CDs (they're between 8 and 10 depending on talents and glyphs, but for the best rotation, they kick in around 8s - global cool down makes up for the rest).

So if you started off with Avenger's Shield, then Holy Shield (9), and go to Shield of Righteousness (6), then Judgement (9), then Hammer of the Righteous (9), and then back to Shield of Righteousness (9), you'll find that Holy shield is off CD, so you'll be back to the start of your rotation.

You can use Holy Shield, Concecration, Judgement in any order and it'll keep them going in that order for CDs. Base it on whatever you feel you need to get off first. Ie. If you're going in to AOE tank, you'd want to cast concecration first, same as if you were taunting a mob while kiting, you'd pop concecration so it runs through and gains threat on you. Alternatively, if you were going for a single target you'd want either Holy Shield (if you're going to be hit straight away), or Judgement to get your rotation started.

Paladin Tanking was always loads of fun, even though lately they've made it a bit of a joke as you're almost unstoppable, and it's pretty much fool proof. Get uncrittable and you can do loads.

super_furry

That is brilliantly helpful, thanks guys. Got the shield just now

Splinter

if you wanna have a quick look at my pally, hes got the standard glyphs and talents then have a look for splintery on jaedenar EU

Splinter

now, links as promised

http://rhida.ch/2009/10/21/5-ways-to-boost-your-threat/

how to boost your threat, great read, good rotations and good info, well worth a read. the site itself has loads of pally info but iv tried many rotations and the one they list there is the best (just watch the threat before you use your first hammer at 1.5 seconds or so)

and the second is a pally blog thing:

http://maintankadin.failsafedesign.com/

copeyhagen

http://www.tankspot.com/forums/f97/41986-cider-s-easy-540-defense-gear-guide.html

that is all

][cEMAN**

Though that's a nice guide of potential drops, it's not guaranteed. However emblem gear, rep gear, and craftables are guaranteed.

copeyhagen

hasnt been updated i dont think either to include toc normal farming.

get ur guild to farm toc normal with you, the tank wont need the gear so u can steal some epixxxxxx