Keeping hate on multiple targets

[Urthdigger]

I've been running dungeons lately on tank jobs, and I notice a recurring problem. DDs who just attack whatever, regardless of marks, rather than focusing on a single target. Oftentimes both DDs are attacking their own target, meaning I cannot simply switch to their target.

What should I do in this situation? Spam flash and basically do no damage? Run back and forth between both of them and pray half my enmity generation is sufficient to keep hate? Or just keep being an ornery bastard who declares if they want to tank so bad, then let them?

[RyuoftheMyst]

I tend to do the latter, but I can't seem to get my characters much further due the to servers always being full or crashing.

[Sephirah]

It is a common problem for parties to attack everything at once, WoW unfortunately has spoiled many players. But don't worry! With a good group that understands how threat works in this game it's no problem.

When handling a group of adds, I'll usually Shield Lob > Flash > Fast Blade > Savage Blade> Flash > Halone > Rinse Repeat. The trick though is rotating between the targets with Fast/Savage/Halone as they don't require you to stay on the same target between uses while still keeping the combo-effect.

Provoke has such a long cooldown it's better to save it for when you're really having trouble getting back an add that's gone after a member of your party, usually a white/black mage.

Depending on the situation I will use flash every so often with that rotation, marking targets also helps these party members focus on a specific one! ^_^

Edit: It's also good to pop Fight or Flight prior to pulls as this will increase your dmg and threat generation.

[Enfarious]

If telling them to follow marks isn't working. You can always let them tank, don't try to save them from their folly, and in some instances, for the really thick headed ones, tell your healers to let them die. Sometimes it's only a few deaths that gets the point across to let the tank tank.

Edit: Of course, in pure trash mob sections sometimes it's not even worth trying since things will die faster than issues arise, or DDs will be doing more damage than you can even hope to overcome.

[Taihaku]

If telling them to follow marks isn't working. You can always let them tank, don't try to save them from their folly, and in some instances, for the really thick headed ones, tell your healers to let them die. Sometimes it's only a few deaths that gets the point across to let the tank tank.

Edit: Of course, in pure trash mob sections sometimes it's not even worth trying since things will die faster than issues arise, or DDs will be doing more damage than you can even hope to overcome.

I agree if a dps pulls aggro it is the dps' fault and they should die. Theres a freaking threat meter in the game and dps should learn to use it.

[Viridiana]

Or just keep being an ornery bastard who declares if they want to tank so bad, then let them?

Coming from a BRD: Please do. If the bad DD can finally learn to watch their hate, I can stop hearing about bad DDs as often.

[Sapphidia]

Tanking AOE packs as a gladiator reminds me a lot now of the original Vanilla WoW where you had to tab-sunder all mobs between limited AOE. The trick to AOE tanking as a glad is to play "Spin the Plates" with the enmity bars of each target. Usually I'll shield lob the primary target and then do between 1 and 3 flashes on the group when it reaches me (usually 2). I'll then do a Fast -> Savage -> Rage combo on the first mob. Then the trick is to tab between targets and see which ones are close to losing threat, usually to the healer. Rage of Halone is your highest threat move by a mile, and so I usually end up doing my Fast/Savage/Rage combo whilst cycling between mobs, and usually with the Halone on the primary target being DPSed. You can flash every few rotations but flash is noticeably less threat on a mob than doing a Savage/Rage.

Too many glads rely on Flash Spam. Rage of Halone and Savage Blade are your highest threat moves. Rotate them throughout the mob pack.

[ZenBear]

Yes, I've been having the same problem. Every tank faces this at some point.

Personally, while I disapprove of the DDs for failing to focus fire, I actually enjoy the challenge a little bit. The trick for GLA/PLD is, as others have said, to switch between your targets as you throw out Savage and Rage. Remember that Rage gets more enmity, so use that one on whichever target is the most in danger of turning from you. Throw Flashes liberally (typically after each Rage in these situations) and use Provoke when a mob changes targets from you. I only ever use Shield Lob to initiate and when mobs are running from me.

For MRD/WAR, it's much the same. They have the same kind of 1-2-3 enmity combo, and Overpower instead of Flash. I find Overpower to be better at grabbing threat, but harder to use because it's a cone and not full circle.

It's tricky but not impossible to keep aggro when your DDs are stupidly attacking separate targets. Tanks have so much threat generation that you should never be incapable of keeping it if you know what you're doing, no matter what your DDs might do. And letting your DDs die to "teach them a lesson" is just petty.

[Nanfoodle]

My biggest issue is i SL and by the time they get to me or i to them DD are alreasy dropping there bombs and its a race to out do there threat. and gosh forbid you are with DD that have better gear and weapon then you it gets so much harder

[Cabalabob]

Honestly I use flash for the sole purpose of keeping the adds off the healer. If a dd chooses to attack an add rather than my target I'll leave em to it.