05-02-2005, 05:42 PM
noto bene:
The idea that a defensive-specced warrior is useless in PvP is accurate in one respect (1v1), but I think it's grossly overstated when it comes to what the meat of PvP is going to be when Battlegrounds comes out. (I could be wrong, and Artega's bound to have an alternate take on this, but it's my perception after finally having gotten to do some large-scale coordinated PvP.)
Where the defensive-specced warrior is flawed in mass PvP is that taunt is useless against real people. This in turn impacts the defensive warrior's ability to generate rage. This is not a minor concern, but isn't crippling. The other aspects of the defensive warrior -- being able to stay alive, being able to stun and silence effectively -- are still relevant, and the defensive warrior is still able to switch to other stances to deal damage when necessary. And in cases where you're in mass PvP while there are enemy NPCs involved as well, you are still just as important; it's your job to deal with the NPCs so your teammates can concentrate on the other players. (You lose out on personal PvP benefits, but isn't defensive tanking all about sacrifice anyway?)
If you're going to continue participating in end-game PvE, and your best-suited role in that situation is as protection, I wouldn't even consider respeccing out of defensive just for PvP, but that's just me.
The idea that a defensive-specced warrior is useless in PvP is accurate in one respect (1v1), but I think it's grossly overstated when it comes to what the meat of PvP is going to be when Battlegrounds comes out. (I could be wrong, and Artega's bound to have an alternate take on this, but it's my perception after finally having gotten to do some large-scale coordinated PvP.)
Where the defensive-specced warrior is flawed in mass PvP is that taunt is useless against real people. This in turn impacts the defensive warrior's ability to generate rage. This is not a minor concern, but isn't crippling. The other aspects of the defensive warrior -- being able to stay alive, being able to stun and silence effectively -- are still relevant, and the defensive warrior is still able to switch to other stances to deal damage when necessary. And in cases where you're in mass PvP while there are enemy NPCs involved as well, you are still just as important; it's your job to deal with the NPCs so your teammates can concentrate on the other players. (You lose out on personal PvP benefits, but isn't defensive tanking all about sacrifice anyway?)
If you're going to continue participating in end-game PvE, and your best-suited role in that situation is as protection, I wouldn't even consider respeccing out of defensive just for PvP, but that's just me.
Darian Redwin - just some dude now