Tanking Too Much Part 3: Bosses

Of course, the idea of tanking too much doesn't just apply to trash mobs, it applies to bosses too. Here is where a tank has to figure out the best use of his/her contribution to the raid. This is where the idea of tank as scalpel instead of as a blunt hammer really comes into play.

Sometimes a tank needs to strap on some DPS or healing gear and do their best at their nonpreference (more so, I'm sure, once dual specs come out). However, I really think tanks are best suited to do what they love most--they're not going to be as experienced or as geared for their nonpreferences, even if they have the spec. So I think tanks should be asked not to tank only during fights where their healing or DPS benefit clearly outweighs the benefit they can bring by doing some of the other things tanks can do when they're not main tanking, described below.

Tank as Watchdog: The tank isn't necessarily tanking. The tank may not even be hitting the boss. Instead, the tank is the watchdog of the rest of the raid--a sheepdog guiding mobs away from everyone else. This is similar to some of the things tanks can do during trash pulls.

Example 1: Kel'Thuzad--an extra tank can be used to pick up mind-controlled raid members and keep them safely out of others' way. Example 2: Instructor Razuvious--a tank stays near the mind-controlling healers and just lies in wait in case the other tanks can't pick up their targets fast enough.

Tank as Emergency Backup Tank: The tank is building as much threat on a boss or boss's minion as possible, even if the strat doesn't call for an off-tank or as many off-tanks. Main tanks go down. Off tanks go down. If another tank isn't even on the threat list, much less high on that threat list, the boss then goes berzerk and mows through the rest of the raid. An attempt that was salvageable is now a wipe.

Example 1: Patchwerk--even if you already have your top 3 HP tanks on him, it pays to have tank #4 stay and act as a Hateful sponge. Better us than the rogues. Example 2: Maexxna--it's easy to lose a tank during the Web Wrap. Have another couple tanks building threat, and even if you lose a couple, you still kill the boss. Example 3: Sarth ?D--whether you're leaving one or three drakes up, you're probably going to have 1-2 drake tanks, and a (probably paladin) tank on the adds. When a drake goes down and a tank is freed up, that tank should work on building some threat on the adds. The add tank can die easily if a healer or two goes down, but having another tank to take some of the heat or, worst-case scenario, grab the mobs, means the adds don't go immediately for the squishies if the add tank is overwhelmed or accidentally steps in a void zone.

If your guild is smart, you don't just have one main tank (see my post on Single Point of Failure). All tanks should be willing to work as a team, and take on all roles. It sounds cliche to say there are no small parts, just small actors, but it really is true in a raid. Tanking is not just about the big bosses, and it is no small role. An alert tank, whether s/he's the main tank or not, can make the difference between a raid wipe and sweet, sweet epics.