I agree mostly with this...although Ive only tanked regular dungeons with my druid so far it doesnt seem that bad and I havent had any aggro control issues either(I used to have alittle problem with that on the druid) but I dunno if Ive just gotten better as a tank or if druids are just putting out that much more threat. Will see when I start tanking heroics. My friends have been letting me go kitty in heroics with them and Ive not done too bad dps wise getting up to 9.5k dps as kitty on some bosses.

 

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I do as much in not more damage on my prot warrior than he does when he is arms. Tanking is odd that way in cata. My favorite 5-man tanks are pallies and DKs.

 

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From my low level perspective, tanking with Paladin is so much easier with bad groups. Last night with my Warrior, I working my butt off trying to keep aggro because apparently everyone was targeting a different mob.

 

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Pally tanks seem to be getting a lot of love from players both in the game and here.

What would you guys say is the main difference, as far as tanking ability, between paladins and warriors?

AE thread generation? Damage mitigation? DPS? Is it just the ability to self heal that tips the scales to paladins for so many?

Thanks for the input so far. I'm really bouncing between these 2 and less so the DK. The DK, in my mind is a whole other animal and something I will try anyway simply because I've never played one.

 

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I have now tanked as pally, warrior, dk and druid bear in heroic cataclysm. The difference between a warrior and paladin is the mechanics although I will tell you from experience that I consider the Paladin the winner hands-down when it comes to group mechanics BECAUSE..... the pally can do things that a warrior, dk, or bear (cant really heal someone while tankin soo) cannot do with a group.

A pally can lay on hands SOMEONE in your group. A Pally can WOG someone in your group. A pally can bubble someone in your group. There's so many instances where a healer might be strugglin and you as a pally can use your tools to help em or somone in the group. I've run so many heroics with my pally and saved wipes because of these abilities.

WARRIORS CAN'T DO THAT. What's he gonna do.. bandaid someone? All tanks can hold threat just fine. All tanks can dps just fine. All tanks can mitigate dmg just fine. But only the Paladin can do the things I've mentioned.

I vote pally as well. Simply for the healing side of things. I am just echoing what has already been said here, and I have only leveled my pally tank up to level 50-something, but I do have some expirience healing a pally tank at level 80-84.


When I was healing the tank, I was under geared for the dungeon and the pally tank in my guild good make up for that. Using his judgment and holy power to periodically heal himself and if I really screwed up he could throw Lay on Hands. I mean Lay on hands can save a wipe pretty easily.


Leveling as my pally tank if I have a bad group I find I can almost provide my own healing and tanking. I've had healers go AFK during boss fights and though it was a challenge and I was OOM at the end of the fight, I could heal myself and tank at the same time. -- I know this won't be the case end game but it is just an example of the things a healing class can do that the others can not.

 

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Pallies are amazing tanks for the reasons stated, but I keep seeing calls for a DK tank or off tank for dungeons. Probably their glowing eyes, thats my 2c

 

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Simply put: the pally just has so many things they can reach for to save themselves or someone else.


Someone called them a rock. That's very apt. We've always called them cockroaches... just so hard to kill.


And yeah, Syrus, I've had situations where the healer was AFK and we got aggro; or there was an accidental overpull... it's a finger-dance, but the pally can not only heal himself through it he can mitigate damage on others while tossing a life-saving heal. I love it when people are screaming, "It's a wipe!" as your fingers are already flying across the keyboard, thinking "Hell No!" and you pull it off!


My guildmate says he also enjoys tossing Salv on rogues that are over zealous. By the 2nd time it happens, usually they get the message about backing down on threat, without him having to say a word.


For AoE, I prefer the pally, even back in the days when prot was "unheard of". I've tanked on a warrior off and on since Vanilla but never liked it, and I got REALLY tired of looking at my druid's huge furry backside by the time TBC came out.


That said...


DK's for single-target/off-tanking in raids (where folks are on their "A-game" are my first and only love! (but I'm not there yet in Cat. So grain of salt that.)


last edit: (darn interrupts)


for tanking info/comparisons you can also check EJ, Tankspot and (for 'expert' advice specifically on paladins maintankadin.

 

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The best tank is one that knows how to have his group CC and not break any of them.

dk and druid tank here.

Enjoying both types. I think that DKs have the edge when it comes to agro and reactive abilities (mitigation/avoidence). Druid AE agro has been weak and has fewer reactive abilities, but brings other bonuses to the group.

All things being said, forget which is the strongest/best and find one that you like to play. All the tank types have different mechanics, and are "equally" as good for 5 mans.