The Guardian Tank

THE GUARDIAN: Episode 89 --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 89. Brought to you by the Beta, it is like staring at the Sun and being grateful for it. Guest host: New Show --Tanking Tips, Tricks and Techniques: 1. Listener Host Tip 2. Guest Tip 3. Eld’s Tip Write in tip Boss Fight of the Week: --Questions Eldoric, Got a question concerning when you will start to get into Monk tanking in the beta. When can we expect you to start working on that from the beta. I want to know if it is something I should focus on when we get the actual expansion in our hands. Also, what do you think will be the best way to level a monk tank quickly so I can get him into raiding? Thanks Jonah B. Eld, I am wondering about how the ‘flow’ goes with tanking in Mist between what the tank is doing, the healer and mechanics. Thanks Josh F. Sent from my iPhone -News Tanking Philosophy from CW: http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/today-in-wow/ Balance: http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/this-too-shall-pass-balance-and-imbalance-in-world-of-warcraft/ Scarlet Monastery HUZZAH!: http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/08/mists-of-pandaria-beta-scarlet-monastery-revamp/ End of Show Notes: iTunes Review Discussion Listener Applications for TGT Twitter. Other Shows: Creative License, Randomly Reviewed (Video Format), Lore Stories, Weekly Nerd News --Well, I want to thank our guest host,, and our listener host,, for joining us this week and if want to have your question answered on the show then feel free to send an email to theguardiantank@gmail.com and visit our website at www.theguardiantank.com The Guardian Tank is written and produced by Daniel Keating and is a part of Happy Nerd Media. Anyway, Until next time, this is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank”

THE GUARDIAN: Episode 87 --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 87. Brought to you by the Beta, it is like staring at the Sun and being grateful for it. Guest host: New Show --Tanking Tips, Tricks and Techniques: 1. Listener Host Tip 2. Guest Tip 3. Eld’s Tip Write in tip Boss Fight of the Week: --Questions Eldoric, Got a question concerning when you will start to get into Monk tanking in the beta. When can we expect you to start working on that from the beta. I want to know if it is something I should focus on when we get the actual expansion in our hands. Also, what do you think will be the best way to level a monk tank quickly so I can get him into raiding? Thanks Jonah B. Eld, I am wondering about how the ‘flow’ goes with tanking in Mist between what the tank is doing, the healer and mechanics. Thanks Josh F. Sent from my iPhone -News Tanking Philosophy from CW: http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/today-in-wow/ Balance: http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/this-too-shall-pass-balance-and-imbalance-in-world-of-warcraft/ Scarlet Monastery HUZZAH!: http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/08/mists-of-pandaria-beta-scarlet-monastery-revamp/ End of Show Notes: iTunes Review Discussion Listener Applications for TGT Twitter. Other Shows: Creative License, Randomly Reviewed (Video Format), Lore Stories, Weekly Nerd News --Well, I want to thank our guest host,, and our listener host,, for joining us this week and if want to have your question answered on the show then feel free to send an email to theguardiantank@gmail.com and visit our website at www.theguardiantank.com The Guardian Tank is written and produced by Daniel Keating and is a part of Happy Nerd Media. Anyway, Until next time, this is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank”

THE GUARDIAN: Episode 86 --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 86.

THE GUARDIAN: Episode 85 --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 85.

THE GUARDIAN: Episode 84 --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 84.

THE GUARDIAN: Episode 83 --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 83. Brought to you by ninjas. Making looting exciting for over seven years. Guest host: No more submissions for Guest Host New Record Times and release times --Tanking Tips, Tricks and Techniques: 1. Listener Host Tip 2. Guest Tip 3. Eld’s Tip Write in tip Boss Fight of the Week: --Questions Hi Elderic and guest hosts- Take a big breath for this and feel free to split into two different topics or to ignore either part, I tried to write them independently of each other. A friend and I were talking about WoW in general and specifically about how we feel that for the most part they are becoming too homogeneous with just a bit of flavor per class / role. To the point we really don't have 31 class / role (feral druid counts twice) with lots of flavor between them but 4 with minor flavor - tank, ranged DPS, melee DPS, and heals. We both understand they're trying to lean towards "bring the player not the class" and balancing that many classes is difficult, but do you think they've taken it too far regardless of role? Threat... I loved that Paladins used to be the AOE tank and Warriors were single-target. I've only tanked as a Paladin so I can't really speak about any of the others. All tanks should be able to handle trash or bosses equally, but based on their strengths and weaknesses isn't the fun of the game the difference in how the fights will go, just like choosing to be a caster vs. a melee DPSer? Example (my rough understanding of what it used to be between Warriors and Paladins) Warriors  - needing to mark the order and stick to the plan, if a DPS hits another target hopefully a wipe can be averted. But, as healers get threat against all mobs, the tank still needs to tab around and smack each other guy a few times.  - DPS can go all out on a single target, but need to watch their AOE or mis-targeting  - tank needs to worry about threat over healer for non-focused mob. Paladins - even though they'll be better at AOE threat, they'll have issues with single targets and DPS will have to ease into the fight initially, but generally not each mob after the first. Healers aren't as worried about getting hit by mobs, but have to do more heals as the fight will last a little longer as it's a slower start  - DPS can use AOE and likely mis-target, but need to watch their single-target burst, especially at the beginning  - tank will have to worry more about longer fights due to either the later start and less bursty damage or more AOE, but more constant damage taken during the entire fight (vs. start with 4 mobs and end with 1 like a Warrior) Druids & DKs - fill in the blank. For bosses, just because it's a single boss and no adds, it shouldn't keep a group from enlisting a Paladin. Similarly, if a boss has an add every so often, no reason a Paladin won't tank the boss while the Warrior off-tank might go snap-aggro the single very deadly add. Even if multiple adds, the Warrior tank could mark which one to focus and like above, if the stupid hunter (I do play one) hits the wrong add then best of luck, but the Warrior tank just might know the fight better or be better which those adds than the Paladin player or big threat is needed immediately because the adds like to nom-nom on a particular DPSer. Survivability... Currently most every tank stacks HP and then the priority of other stats based on their class, e.g. Paladins stacked mastery over everything else, then more mastery, and finally some more mastery before thinking about the other stats. I find it extremely annoying to find the r

THE GUARDIAN: SWTOR Special --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 81a. Brought to you by SWTOR Sucking the life out of you. That’s right, it is the vampire of video games. General Impressions of the game so far: 1. Guest Host 1: 2. Guest Host 2: 3. Eld’s: Eldoric, I have a bit of a lore-ish question to ask. I heard on the last special that you rolled a trooper, but I have big issues with non-force uses in this game. How could they possibly fight a jedi/sith? I mean, minus the bounty hunter because of Boba/Jango, how could a trooper or a IA or a smuggler hope to stop a force users? I know this is a game and I need to suspend some disbelief but it seems like a bit much. Much less sense then a warrior vs a dk or rogue fighting a hunter. Just wanted your thoughts. William C. Sent from my iPhone Eld, Did you or any of the others on your show play a class on one faction than switch to another faction but played the mirrior? I currently have a sith inquisitor but found out my new girlfriend (this shows how awesome she is) plays a smuggler and wants me to come over to the republic. From what I have seen in videos the look really different in there looks. Will it be a problem adjusting? Will if feel like a whole new class? Should I just roll something different thank a counselor? I really do like my SI to let you know. Thanks Marcus P. Eldoric, Eld, You hit on this during the last SWTOR show you did, but it has me worried. There seems to be A LOT of faction imbalance. Way more then there is in wow. Some servers it is 1 to 4 in favor of the empire. I would like to keep with jedi guardian but what is the point if I have almost noone to play with or I get ganked on every planet none stop. Is bioware going to do something to fix or help this like free faction changes or making the republic seem less wimpy? Thanks Jason C. Eldoric, You said on the last show that no dungeon finder is going to cause you to quit TOR. I find myself agreeing. I play republic side on a lower population server and getting a heroic group together takes over an hour. I didn’t know that I picked a low pop server when I started playing, I just took the one I was given. Is Bioware going to fix this or do we really have to spam people in fleet for the foreseeable future? Thanks Brian P. Closing Thoughts and Shout Outs --Well, I want to thank our guest host,, and our listener host,, for joining us this week and if want to have your question answered on the show then feel free to send an email to theguardiantank@gmail.com and visit our website at www.theguardiantank.com The Guardian Tank is written and produced by Daniel Keating and is a part of Happy Nerd Media. Anyway, Until next time, this is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” Troopers killed more jedi then anyone else in the game.

THE GUARDIAN: Episode 82 --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 82. Brought to you by Blizzard needing more IDs and proof before removing an authenticator from your account then it takes to join the army. Real Sponsor: Complete Games and Hobbies Colorado Springs Tejon Street. Guest host: No more submissions for Guest Host New Record Times and release times --Tanking Tips, Tricks and Techniques: 1. Listener Host Tip 2. Guest Tip 3. Eld’s Tip Write in tip Boss Fight of the Week: --Questions Hey Eldoric, Just wanted to take a moment and write to you about the positive impact LFR has had on me and my guild. I know you've mentioned several times that you're not a fan, and although I can respect the difference in opinion, I figured I'd go ahead and offer mine, since it contrasts with your own. :) Our guild, like many had been suffering from lack of participation and overall morale issues coming into Tier 13. Although our guild is a friends' & family guild, over the course of this expansion, we sort of became tunnel visioned and let the "loot race" take over the focus of our guild. As patch 4.3 was released, we decided it was time to try and make WoW fun again and began organizing friendly events that EVERYONE could enjoy. We also wanted to identify potential raiders for our casual raid team who'd fallen apart weeks into Tier 12. So how does LFR come into play? Well, we organize a twice a week LFR run where everyone in the guild (who meets the ilevel requirements) are invited.  Went back to our roots and for those level 85's who weren't geared high enough to enter LFR, we've started running Heroics and inviting our under-geared guildies. (No more satchel runs! :)  These LFR runs have been a huge success, and have grown from week to week. On average we have around 18 to 20 guildies who run with us on a given night and we've even added an "old-school" run night where we go back and clear old content for fun & transmog gear. The benefits of the LFR have gone even further. As a result of these runs, we've been able to identify some raiders and have put together a solid 10 man/woman team. We have reserved a couple of spots that we regularly rotate to allow interested guildies opportunities to see the content at it's intended level. Also, taking a queue from one of your guest hosts a few weeks back, I began raid leading our LFR nights and am now our guild's raid leader for our regular 10 man run. In just two weeks we've gone 4 of  8. In just our second night, we downed the first 4 bosses, all one-shots. Are these encounters simply that much easier? Well, I think that the LFR allowed me to actually see these bosses, get used to tanking them and seeing their behavior so when I moved into the regulars I simply added one or two new mechanics into the mix and it was that much easier for us to progress. At this point, LFR has been that breath of life our guild needed. It's created a sense of community for our guild where EVERYONE, feels like they're part of the guild, not just the few who run in the guild's raid team. So maybe Dragon Soul's LFR version doesn't feel as  epic as say the Nef fight in BWD, Chogall  or even Rags. Well, for some of our guildies it's either the only time they've been able to experience current raid content, and for others it's the motivation they needed to want to see the regular raid content and experience the challenge of downing end-game content. Side note. I began leveling a bear tank a few months ago. Lost interest initially with the lack of information for low level feral tanking. But, about a month ago caught my stride and figured him out. I'm currently

THE GUARDIAN: Episode 81 --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 81. Brought to you by trying to record on Super Bowl Sunday. It just isn’t going to happen. Real Sponsor: Complete Games and Hobbies Colorado Springs Tejon Street. Guest host: No more submissions for Guest Host New Record Times and release times --Tanking Tips, Tricks and Techniques: 1. Listener Host Tip 2. Guest Tip 3. Eld’s Tip Write in tip: Boss Fight of the Week: --Questions Hey Eld, I was wondering if you could give me any advice on warrior tanking in the new Dragon Soul 10 man. I'm tanking for my warriors guild which isn't the biggest raiding guild but alright. We down morchokk every week, but on Zon'ozz or Yor'sajh I feel like I'm getting my head smashed in 10 times over. Any tips on how to not become braindamaged on these fight? I've healed these fights easily on my resto Druid in an essential raiding guild, but even with the skill of my warriors healers (which is pretty high) we can't seem to get that far. Abandønation Irishice Brothers in Arm Mok'Nathol Eld, Do we need tanks anymore? What are we doing other than standing there running a pointless threat rotation. Not feeling it anymore. What do you think?

Justin Q -News GC on Roles: http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/dev-watercooler-ghostcrawler-on-class-roles/ Earnings Report: MoP Talents: http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/today-in-wow/#blue End of Show Notes: iTunes Review Discussion Listener Applications for TGT Twitter. Other Shows: Creative License, Randomly Reviewed (Video Format), Lore Stories, Weekly Nerd News --Well, I want to thank our guest host,, and our listener host,, for joining us this week and if want to have your question answered on the show then feel free to send an email to theguardiantank@gmail.com and visit our website at www.theguardiantank.com The Guardian Tank is written and produced by Daniel Keating and is a part of Happy Nerd Media. Anyway, Until next time, this is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank”

THE GUARDIAN: Episode 80 --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 80. Brought to you by trying to record on Super Bowl Sunday. It just isn’t going to happen. Real Sponsor: Complete Games and Hobbies Colorado Springs Tejon Street. Guest host: Khira No more submissions for Guest Host New Record Times and release times --Tanking Tips, Tricks and Techniques: 1. Listener Host Tip 2. Guest Tip 3. Eld’s Tip Write in tip: Boss Fight of the Week: --Questions Eld, Are you happy your New York Team stole this Super Bowl? Go Pats Ed J. Hello eldoric I have a question about Druid tank stats. My worgen Druid is currently at about 40% dodge and about 200k health unbuffed. I am wondering what would be the best stat to work on in the future?  I am a avid listener and I try to follow your golden rule on tanking. Hopeprana Alterac mountains I'd like to commend on the last 10 minutes(ish) of the show.  I disagree about Raid Finder & Dragon Soul ruining the game.  While I cannot argue that it may leave a sour taste in your own mouth, I think you are looking at the situation from an entirely selfish or entitled/elitist perspective. Please "BEAR" with me and suffer through this long email. The Raid Finder should be considered several things, many of what the community asked for. 1) An alternative to 5man for Valor points 2) A way for people to see content without affecting normal modes 3) A way to have smaller gaps in progression You mention that Raid Finder should be a Challenge and leave you feeling with a sense of accomplishment. Even though I agree about the need to feel challenged and accomplished, this is too subjective and is not something you can measure or gauge. Can you propose a method of gauging "challenge" for the millions of players? Saying Raid Finder has ruined the game is like saying Dailies have ruined the game, or that there are Holiday events, or that there are normal mode 5mans in addition to heroic mode 5 mans. What I've been noticing from public speakers is there is a complaint about the Haves, and the Have Nots. I've seen many Bloggers and Podcasters in the last couple of weeks say "They're not being elitist........But". They don't want Raid Finder to exist, because why should someone else see Deathwing if they haven't because they chose not to use RF. Or that they don't want the  Dragon Soul nerf because they themselves are not finished with Normal. (or not finished with Heroic.) The point here is that not everyone is playing the same game or playing at the same level. Someone's Normal Mode wall is someone else's Heroic mode wall. Some people see Raid Finder as a way to complete their expansion experience, others may see it as a way to help them close the Gear Gap they may need to push farther into Normal or even heroic mode. I'd like to offer at least one additional detailed perspective to consider Raid Finder for, before dwelling so much on how it has "Ruined the game" for so many, as you've put it. Raid Finder is a way to prepare for normal mode raiding. Just like you may have had to do normal 5 mans before moving onto heroic 5 mans at the beginning of Cataclysm (Or wrath... or Burning Crusade), Raid finder allows a smaller increments of gear progression. Picture a staircase where the bottom is Pre-raid gear, and the top is Heroic Mode Dragonsoul. This flight of stairs has only 2 steps to get to the second floor.  That's a big leap for some and the attempts to get to the next step can be painful. With Raid Finder, you've added in a 3rd step, but y

THE GUARDIAN: Episode 79 --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 79. Brought to you by the final cataclysm. Almost happens as much as our pathetic magic betraying us. Real Sponsor: Complete Games and Hobbies Colorado Springs Tejon Street. Guest host: Twss Website issues. --Tanking Tips, Tricks and Techniques: 1. Listener Host Tip 2. Guest Tip 3. Eld’s Tip Boss Fight of the Week: --Questions Hey Eld ( que off topic music ) how do you like my tigers getting Prince Fielder? Thanks, Jonathon T. What kind of content do you think will be coming between now and Mists or what would you like to see? Jimmy P. I'm finding it impossible to properly execute my Prot Paladin's ability priority without almost constantly keeping my eyes on my action bar to see what is available. I can usually get away with random key-pressing when my eyes need to be on where I'm headed or what I'm attacking, but my threat and damage definitely suffers. Do you have any helpful thoughts?

On a related note, I also almost exclusively use Hammer of the Righteous (glyphed) rather than Crusader Strike unless there's a reason to avoid AoE, simply because I'm lacking hotkey space and the attention span to swap one for the other prior to any given pull as appropriate. Precisely how detrimental to performance do you think this is? Aaron W. What's the release date for Diablo 3? :p Matias Hrmo Should I Stop playing star wars to play wow again? Daniel B. in my server we have an overpopulation of tanks at the moment and its really hard for my to get a group going, do you think with the ease of tanking in CATA that we one too many tanks? with the new class(the monk) are we gonna be in a worst position? damn it!!!! Milo M. -Topic of the week. Are we having fun playing patch 4.3???????? End of Show Notes: iTunes Review Discussion Listener Applications for TGT Twitter. Other Shows: Creative License, Randomly Reviewed (Video Format), Lore Stories, Weekly Nerd News --Well, I want to thank our guest host,, and our listener host,, for joining us this week and if want to have your question answered on the show then feel free to send an email to theguardiantank@gmail.com and visit our website at www.theguardiantank.com The Guardian Tank is written and produced by Daniel Keating and is a part of Happy Nerd Media. Anyway, Until next time, this is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank”

THE GUARDIAN: SWTOR Special --Introduction: Hello, This is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” here with “The Guardian Tank PODCAST”. Your Dedicated Source For Tanking News, Techniques and Related Topics. This is episode 81a. Brought to you by SWTOR Sucking the life out of you. That’s right, it is the vampire of video games. General Impressions of the game so far: 1. Guest Host 1: 2. Guest Host 2: 3. Eld’s: Eldoric, I have a bit of a lore-ish question to ask. I heard on the last special that you rolled a trooper, but I have big issues with non-force uses in this game. How could they possibly fight a jedi/sith? I mean, minus the bounty hunter because of Boba/Jango, how could a trooper or a IA or a smuggler hope to stop a force users? I know this is a game and I need to suspend some disbelief but it seems like a bit much. Much less sense then a warrior vs a dk or rogue fighting a hunter. Just wanted your thoughts. William C. Sent from my iPhone Guys, I was thinking of getting into tanking in the game but don’t know what to really roll. I got a smuggler up to lvl 34 but think I want to change it up. Any suggestions on what is the strongest tank in various areas/types of tanking or what are their closest wow counter parts? Thanks Jean L. Eld, You hit on this during the last SWTOR show you did, but it has me worried. There seems to be A LOT of faction imbalance. Way more then there is in wow. Some servers it is 1 to 4 in favor of the empire. I would like to keep with jedi guardian but what is the point if I have almost noone to play with or I get ganked on every planet none stop. Is bioware going to do something to fix or help this like free faction changes or making the republic seem less wimpy? Thanks Jason C. Eldoric, You said on the last show that no dungeon finder is going to cause you to quit TOR. I find myself agreeing. I play republic side on a lower population server and getting a heroic group together takes over an hour. I didn’t know that I picked a low pop server when I started playing, I just took the one I was given. Is Bioware going to fix this or do we really have to spam people in fleet for the foreseeable future? Thanks Brian P. Eld, I just heard that TOR is going to have gay relationships in it. What do you think about Bioware forcing their agenda on us? I have issues because I am sure many kids play this game and It is not good for them to be seeing that. What do you think, as players of TOR, we can do to tell Bioware that this is not acceptable? Jessica H. Closing Thoughts and Shout Outs --Well, I want to thank our guest host,, and our listener host,, for joining us this week and if want to have your question answered on the show then feel free to send an email to theguardiantank@gmail.com and visit our website at www.theguardiantank.com The Guardian Tank is written and produced by Daniel Keating and is a part of Happy Nerd Media. Anyway, Until next time, this is Eldoric “The Guardian Tank” Troopers killed more jedi then anyone else in the game.