Greetings! I recently attained all the runes for my rogue, delving into the tanking role in dungeons and even tackling Blackfathom Deeps (BFD) a couple of times. I wanted to share my experiences, shedding light on the potential of rogue tanks and providing insights into their strengths and weaknesses.
Let’s start with a positive note: Rogue tanks excel at single-target tanking. If you have a paladin or druid in your group who can efficiently manage aggro on multiple targets, pairing them with a rogue tank works exceptionally well. Before diving into BFD, it’s crucial to consider your group composition, ensuring you have the right mix for success. With a rogue tank leading the way, clearing BFD is entirely feasible by executing mechanics and proper coordination.
However, it’s essential to address the challenges and nuances of rogue tanking:
Pros:
- High Mitigation: Rogue tanks boast impressive mitigation, reaching up to 50% with Blade Dance active. Every 20 seconds, a 10% parry bonus contributes to a temporary 60% mitigation, making them resilient in the face of physical attacks.
Cons:
- Low HP: Despite utilizing stamina items, rogue tanks tend to have approximately 20% less health than warriors. This lower health pool demands careful attention to avoid being overwhelmed by sustained damage.
- Lack of Spell Damage Reduction: Rogue tanks lack innate spell damage reduction, making encounters heavy on magical attacks more challenging for them.
- Scuffed Rotation: Managing Blade Dance, a key ability for parry chance and physical damage reduction, can be tricky. The need for Combo Points (CP) before activating Blade Dance poses challenges during initial boss attacks, potentially hindering the smooth initiation of a fight.
Considering the room for improvement, here are suggestions that could enhance the overall effectiveness of rogue tanks:
Potential Improvements:
- Passive Blade Dance or Rune Adjustment: Consider making Blade Dance a passive ability or adding a 20% physical damage reduction to the rogue rune “Just a Flesh Wound.” This adjustment aims to streamline mitigation and eliminate potential rotation issues.
- AOE Damage or Blade Dance Rework: Explore the addition of some form of AOE damage or a rework of Blade Dance. For instance, “While Blade Dance is active, rogue attacks strike nearby targets for a percentage of normal damage, accompanied by an increasing parry chance based on Combo Points.” This modification could enhance rogue tanks’ utility in handling multiple enemies.
It’s crucial to note that these suggestions aim to bring more balance to the class, aligning rogue tanks with the improvements seen in other tanking classes.
While some may perceive these proposals as requesting significant buffs, it’s essential to highlight that other tanking classes have received enhancements, such as improved Thunder Clap for warriors and Consecration adjustments for paladins. Druids, too, have seen improvements in swipe and additional damage reduction. Rogue tanks, on the other hand, are currently lacking similar refinements.
Lastly, it would be fantastic to hear from fellow players about their experiences with rogue tanks. Sharing insights, experiences, and potentially reaching out to Blizzard for adjustments could contribute to refining the rogue tanking experience. After all, the essence of Shadowlands is about embracing positive changes and continuous improvement.
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