I “feel” like I take too much damage

Posted by okto-pus on 06 20th, 2010

Categories: Tanking & Cooldown Rotation Tips | no responses

The healers feel it…
The other tanks feel it…
You feel it.

You’re all wrong.

You don’t take “too much” damage

The reality is that when it comes to the damage you take (or should I say the damage you don’t?) there is positioning, there are a few debuffs and there is the timeliness of cooldown usage.

And that’s it.

The difference in gear and/or class is rarely significant. Execution is everything and yet, is so often ignored and shunned.

Understanding the Raid Environment

When things go wrong, most groups can power through it, but when things go really wrong over and over again, a lot can’t. And they’re looking for a scapegoat. Who you are at this point matters more than how you play. The reputation you’ve developed that’s whispered behind your back and to your face is everything.

Weakness is 90% Perception.

The difference between the tank that doesn’t take too much damage and the tank that does is often popularity. You’re playing a social game. How your raid “sees” you determines whether or not you take too much damage or not. It determines whether it’s the dpsers fault, the healers fault or your fault.

Confidence Matters
Expertise Matters
Seniority Matters
And Yes, Gear Matters

Because the gear you have backs up the confidence, expertise and seniority you have.

What if you don’t have the Gear?

Then you better have the confidence, expertise and seniority in spades. If you’re missing the seniority, you better have the other 3. If you’re missing the… well you get the picture.

You’re playing a social game.

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Sometimes raiding simply is a popularity contest. So when you’re feeling like everything is going right and they’re feeling like everything is going wrong… ask yourself, “How popular am I?”

How you speak, (assuming you even do) matters. Whether you have to be explained the fight or not, matters. How long these people have known you playing this role, matters. And yes, the gear you’re carrying, matters. (but not so much because it makes the numbers the boss does to you slightly smaller)

When you’ve got “everything” figured out…

Figure out the rest.

Play the social game. Make the right friends. Be in the raid leaders good graces. Earn the respect of your fellow raiders. Appreciate that there’s more to the outcome of a battle than the gear you’ve acquired and the buttons you push.