How to Defeat Zanzil

This video is about defeating Zanzil the Outcast in 5 man heroic Zul'Gurub. Key to defeating him is knowing the right cauldron to click and to watching out for Zanzil's Fire. Sound about there being no background sound, Youtube wouldn't upload it :(

Zanzil

How to Defeat Jin'do the Godbreaker

Okay I have been experimented with PowerDirector 9 to make this video on how to defeat Jin'do the Godbreaker, the final boss of Zul'Gurub. Overall the fight is easy to understand but hard to execute successfully in phase 2. Remember, healers need to avoid adds as best they can and tanks need to do their best to pick up the adds. Best of luck in downing him and hope the loot drops that you want.

Jin'do the Godbreaker

How to Defeat Bloodlord Mandokir

The video below is about defeating Bloodlord Mandokir, the raptor boss from patch 4.1 5 man heroic Zul'Gurub. It is definitely a more unique type of boss fights then most since the people will die alot in this fight. Best of luck in downing the boss too

Bloodlord Mandokir

How to Defeat High Priest Venoxis

The video below is an instructional guide for beating High Priest Venoxis from the 5 man heroic Zul'Gurub. It was recorded from the perspective of tank. There are a lot of different abilities that the boss uses. Once you understand his abilities and what to do for each one then the fight becomes rather easy. Best of luck in downing Venoxis.

High Priest Venoxis

How to Defeat Daakara

This video is about how to beat the final boss of 5 man heroic Zul'Aman (ZA) from patch 4.1 which is Daakara. I have recorded it from the perspective of a range dps. It's important to know that Daakara has 2 different form combos. The first pair is bear and eagle. The other pair is lynx and dragonhawk. It will always be one of these pairs. Best of luck downing this boss and completing ZA.

Daakara

How to Defeat Hex Lord Malacrass

This video is about how to defeat Hex Lord Malacrass in the 5 man heroic Zul'Aman (ZA) from patch 4.1. I have recorded it from the perspective of a protection paladin tank. Remember you can either crowd control (cc) both adds or cc one, burn the other add, then burn the cc add. Best wishes on downing him then.

Hex Lord Malacrass

How to Defeat Halazzi

This video is about how to defeat Halazzi the Lynx boss in the 5 man heroic Zul'Aman (ZA) from patch 4.1. I have recorded it from the perspective of a balance druid so people can see where you want to be at for dps and healers. Remember do not destroy Refreshing Water Totem and don't bother dpsing the Lynx pet. Hope this helps you out and good luck downing him.

Halazzi

How to Defeat Jan'alai

This video is about how to defeat Jan'alai the Dragonhawk boss in the 5 man heroic Zul'Aman (ZA) from patch 4.1. I have recorded it from the perspective of a balance druid so that people can hopefully see the fight better. Hope this helps you out and good luck downing him.

Jan'alai

How to Defeat Nalorakk

This is another video about defeating bosses in Zul'Aman (ZA). In this case, it is Nalorakk also called the bear boss. I hope this video is helpful and my apologizes for the voice. I am still a total noob at recording sound.

Nalorakk

How to Defeat Akil'zon

Yesterday patch 4.1 came out for World of Warcraft and along with it 2 new heroic dungeons (Zul'Aman (ZA) and Zul'Gurub (ZG)). The video below is how to defeat Akil'zon the eagle boss from ZA. I hope this helps you. My apologizes if my voice is off. This is my first time recording with my voice. (Yes, I have a bad voice.)

Akil'zon

Cataclysm Tanking For All Level 85 Characters

I have heard many a person complain about the bad experience they have had in pugs or raids. Hopefully I can help with this. At the moment I have 3 level 85 tanks (death knight, druid, and paladin) and I am working on finishing the last one (warrior). So far I have done only 9/12 in Cataclysm raids but I have tanked on all 3 of my 85s to there. Also I have dps and healed them as well. I am by no means whatsoever a pro at raiding rather quiet average.

Below are my general views on tanking for the different classes. However I would like to clarify some things before we get started.

1. I presume people have a general knowledge about tanking aka warriors wear plate and not cloth armor, people know what stats a tank wants and doesn’t want, and have a general view of what the class and tanks are capable of.

2. My builds, rotation, and such are a general build for a person that wants a well-rounded tank that can single and aoe tank in heroics and raids. I know there are better builds for single target and aoe but it would take too much room for a general discussion.

3. I do make some generalization and as such do skip some specific details and there are plenty of legitimate exceptions to what I am saying.

4. I am more than willing to discuss any more specific details if anyone wants to

That all said. I have broken tanking down into 4 parts: builds and stats, rotation, how to gear up, and finally some changes that tanks experience more in Cataclysm now than they did in WotLK.

Hope this is helpful, if not my sincere apologizes, and sorry for my typos and such.

Builds and Stats:

Just like healers and dps, each class for tanking prefers certain talents and stats. Also as Cataclysm comes out with new patches and content, some of these stats may become more or less valuable depending on what buffs and nerfs Blizzard does and when certain stats like dodge and parry begin to experience massive diminishing returns.

Note for leg enchants: all tanks want to get Charscale Leg Armor (+ 145 stamina and + 55 agility) regardless of class.

Death Knights

Talents and glyphs: http://www.wowhead.com/talent#jfGh0srrusdMZ0h:0RoamsM0c

Gem slots: meta: + 81 stamina and + 2% armor bonus, red: + 20 parry / + 20 mastery, yellow: + 40 mastery, blue: + 60 stamina, prismatic: + 40 mastery

Reforging: mastery > parry or dodge (try to keep them even) > hit cap > expertise cap

Enchanting: mastery > stamina > parry > dodge > armor > hit cap > expertise cap

Druid

Talents and glyphs: http://www.wowhead.com/talent#0ZfbGfoubkrckMcz:0rqziVmMz

Gem slots: meta: + 81 stamina and + 2% armor bonus, red: + 20 agility / + 20 stamina, yellow: + 20 dodge / + 20 stamina, blue: + 60 stamina, prismatic: + 60 stamina

Reforging: dodge  > critical > mastery > hit cap > expertise cap

Enchanting: stamina > agility > dodge > critical > armor > mastery > hit cap > expertise cap

Paladins

Talents and glyphs: http://www.wowhead.com/talent#sZGMhsRzdRRucbG:oszqRbmMz

Gem slots: meta: + 81 stamina and + 1% shield block, red: + 20 parry / + 20 mastery, yellow: + 40 mastery, blue: + 60 stamina, prismatic: + 40 mastery

Reforging: mastery > parry or dodge (try to keep them even) > hit cap > expertise cap

Enchanting: mastery > stamina > parry > dodge > armor > hit cap > expertise cap

Warriors

Talents and glyphs: http://www.wowhead.com/talent#LMZGZcfGdRRRdbu:oV0csqM0k

Gem slots: meta: + 81 stamina and + 1% shield block, red: + 20 parry / + 20 mastery, yellow: + 40 mastery, blue: + 60 stamina, prismatic: + 40 mastery

Reforging: mastery > parry > dodge > hit cap > expertise cap

Enchanting: mastery > stamina > parry > dodge > armor > hit cap > expertise cap

The Art of Tanking: Rotation

Tanks are interesting in that there are 2 ways that maintain threat. First is the actual beginning of the fight aka the pull where tanks need to generate massive threat so dps doesn’t pull off them. Second, is continuing to maintain that threat after the initial few seconds. Both of these need different rotations to do this This part about tanking is where a lot of other ways can be done as well if not better. Also, I am not including the fact that some abilities may instantly refresh themselves from procs as this could add more confusion. Below is the general form to the art of tanking rotation.

Terms:

• Single target: you are just attacking one target (this is generally a boss)

• Multiple targets: you are attacking mob on enemies (this is usually trash mobs)

• Pulling: your initial rotation when you first attack an enemy(s). The first ability you see if the first thing you want to do. The “-“ means the next ability you want to do and so on and so forth.

• Attacking: your rotation after the pull.

• Maintain: are a combination buffs and debuffs that you want to maintain while you are attacking

• Priority: if you don’t need to refresh a buff or debuff, then priority tells you want abilities you want to use. The “>” means you want to use the ability before it if possible. You only use the ability after “>” if the one in front of it is on cooldown and such.

• (attack buff): is an ability that will help you generate more damage and henceforth more threat

• (damage reduction): abilities that reduce damage from the enemy

Death Knight

Single Target

• Pulling: Bone Shield (attack buff) - Death and Decay – Outbreak - Heart Strike - Death Strike

• Attacking: Maintain: Blood Plague and Frost Fever by Outbreak or Icy Touch & Plague Strike (damage reduction) | Priority: Death Strike > Heart Strike > Rune Strike

Multiple Targets

• Pulling: Bone Shield (attack buff)  - Death and Decay – Outbreak - Pestilence - Heart Strike for 3 or less targets or Blood Boil for 4 or more targets – Death Strike

• Attacking: Maintain: Blood Plague and Frost Fever by Outbreak or Icy Touch & Plague Strike (damage reduction) | Priority: Death and Decay > Death Strike > Heart Strike for 3 or less targets or Blood Boil for 4 or more targets > Rune Strike > Pestilence (only to spread diseases)

Druid

Single Target

• Pulling: Thorns - Bear Form - Enrage (attack buff) - Feral Charge - Faerie Fire (attack buff) - Mangle - Demoralizing Roar (damage reduce) - Maul – Lacerate – Lacerate – Mangle – Lacerate - Pulverize with 3 Lacerates up (attack buff)

• Attacking: Maintain: Faerie Fire (attack buff) > Demoralizing Roar (damage reduce) > Pulverize with 3 Lacerates up (attack buff)  | Priority: Mangle > Lacerate > Maul

Multiple Targets

• Pulling: Thorns - Bear Form - Enrage (attack buff) - Feral Charge - Faerie Fire (attack buff) – Thrash - Swipe - Demoralizing Roar (damage reduce) – Maul - Mangle

• Attacking: Maintain: Faerie Fire on main target (attack buff) > Demoralizing Roar (damage reduce) | Priority: Thrash > Swipe > Maul > Mangle

Paladin

Single Target

• Pulling: Avenging Wrath (attack buff) - Divine Plea (attack buff) - Avenger's Shield – Judgment (attack buff) - Shield of the Righteous at 3 holy power - Crusader Strike - Consecration

• Attacking: Maintain: none  | Priority: Shield of the Righteous at 3 holy power > Crusader Strike > Avenger's Shield > Judgment > Holy Wrath

Multiple Targets

• Pulling: Avenging Wrath (attack buff) - Divine Plea (attack buff) - Inquisition at 3 holy power (attack buff) - Avenger's Shield - Judgment - Hammer of the Righteous - Consecration

• Attacking: Maintain: Inquisition at 3 holy power (attack buff)  | Priority: Hammer of the Righteous > Consecration > Avenger's Shield > Holy Wrath

Warrior

Single Target

• Pulling: Berserker Stance - Recklessness (attack buff) - Defensive Stance - Battle Shout or Commanding Shout - Shield Block (attack buff) - Heroic Throw - Charge - Shield Slam – Rend - Thunder Clap - Demoralizing Shout (damage reduction) - Devastate

• Attacking: Maintain: Thunder Clap (damage reduction and refreshes Rend) - Demoralizing Shout (damage reduction) | Priority: Shield Slam > Revenge > Devastate

Multiple Targets

• Pulling: Berserker Stance - Recklessness (attack buff) - Defensive Stance - Battle Shout or Commanding Shout  - Shield Block (attack buff) - Heroic Leap - Shockwave - Rend - Thunder Clap - Demoralizing Shout (damage reduction) – Cleave – Shield Slam

• Attacking: Maintain: Thunder Clap (damage reduction and refreshes Rend) - Demoralizing Shout (damage reduction)  | Priority: Shockwave > Revenge > Thunder Clap > Cleave > Shield Slam

How to Gear Up

Tanks have to be much more dedicated to gearing up toons over dps. Reason is simple. If tank dies then the group shortly follows the tank in death. If that happens 99% of the time the blame comes down on the tank. Avoid the blame for once you get it, it’s hard to shake it off. Best way to do this is to over gear yourself for the encounter. Below are ways to help gear yourself up.

Gearing Up:

1. Do the quest in Uldum and Twilight Highlands (some of the quests drop 333 gear)

2. Do the faction’s dailies (Therzane, Wildhammer Clan/Dragonmaw Clan, and Baradin’s Warden/Hellscream’s Reach) If you have to focus on one group of dailies then do Baradin’s Hold/Hellscream’s Reach in Tol Barad as the only way to get gear from them is from the TB commendations from the dailies. Remember being revered with any faction gives you 346 gear and being exalted gives you 359 gear (minus Therzane which gives you shoulder enchants instead).

3. Do all the normal dungeons. It’s good to get experience with this dungeons while they are easy to do.

4. After doing #3, focus on doing Lost City of Tol’var (LCoT), Halls of Origination (HoO), and Grim Batol (GB) on normal as you can get faction rep with your tabard, each boss drops 333 gear, and each boss gives 30 justice points.

5. When you have an average gear score of 333 or better go do heroic Blackrock Caverns (BRC), Vortex Pinnacle (VP), or Lost City of Tol’var (LCoT). These are the easy of the heroic dungeons to do. When you get comfortable with these you can move on.

6. Now that you feel confident go use the random dungeon finder for heroics. Throne of Tides (ToT) and Halls of Origination (HoO) are of moderate difficult. Shadowfang Keep (SK), and Deep Mines (DM) are just long to do. Stonecore (SC) and Grim Batol (GB) are the hardest to do for the pre 4.1 heroics.

7. Once you get an average gear score of 346, go do the new heroic Zul'aman (ZA) and Zul'gurb (ZG).

Videos for ZA are at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGn73D13vgE&feature=player_embedded

Videos for ZG are at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GC9x9eKIYM&feature=player_embedded

8. Once you get an average gear score to 353, you are ready to raid. Go get that 359 loot you deserve.

Additional Ways to Gear Up While Doing the Above

1. Make sure to buy gear with your justice and valor points.

2. Professions: You can get 346 necklaces and rings from jewelcrafters. You can get 359 chest leather and belt leather from leatherworkers for druids. Also, blacksmiths can make 359 chest plate, belt plate, and shields, also blacksmiths can make 346 2-handed weapons for DK and druids. If you have the professions then alchemists can make 359 trinket for themselves, and jewelcrafters can make 346 trinket for themselves.

3. Bind on Equip: you can go to the auction house and buy some 359 gear. Be warned these are not going to be cheap (5,000 to 30,000 gold in general).

Things to Watch Out for Now in Cataclysm

There are some new style changes to Cata tanks now. These generally fall under the category of having to pay more attention to what you are doing and what is going on around you.

Taking Damage

Not as op as we were in WotLK. We are more about taking steady damage though mastery now in Cataclysm then avoiding damage altogether with dodge and parry in Wrath. This is done to avoid damage spikes because healers waste too much mana healing through damage spikes. This same philosophy of steady damage extends to defensive cooldowns. If you know that big damage is incoming, then you have to pop a cool down. When you start taking spike damage (mastery is not guarantee to always work) time to pop a cooldown.

Return of the Interrupts

In WotLK, interrupting was a once in a while thing (in ICC 10, only 3 of the 12 boss fights needed interrupts). With Cataclysm out, a lot more boss fights need interrupting. 3 of 4 of the bosses in BoT need interrupts while BWD needs 3 of 6. Luckily with patch 4.1 tanking interrupts will no longer miss. There is still one general problem with interrupts: kiting. Kiting an add or boss that needs interrupting can put the tank out of interrupt range and takes too long for the tank to get back and interrupt. This does in itself cause a wipe but puts a ton of extra pressure on the healers.

Vengeance: the Aggro Puller

Overall vengeance has been a great plus to tanks. After all who is going to complain about an extra 10,000 attack power but with "great power comes great aggro responsibility." Biggest problem is after a tank taunts the other tank can regain aggro because his vengeance is so high while the tank that just taunted does not have any vengeance yet. The solution to this is to just stop attacking but it kind of feels weird not doing anything for a while.

That is everyone thing then and thank you very much for reading this and hope this helps some of you out.