Bad idea having first character as a tank?

[Niurok]

Tanking is gravy really just don't get sloppy so dps can do their rotations instead of having to adjust to a wussy tank that want's to constantly move the mobs around. Some tanks just run ahead and gather a whole "quadrant" of mobs and expect a new healer to keep up which is a no-no. With raids and being "new" to it don't try to tank the bosses and then complain about how you want to be MT if you don't know which attack if any is a tank buster. Watch for any A B Cs in a raid and look at which alliance your in so that you will know which letter to go to. I laugh a lot when I see tanks drop because they think tanking in dps stance is fine. YOUR JOB IS TO TANK NOT TO DPS!!! Personally I think if tanks go into a instance or raid tanking in dps stance they should automatically be hit with a K.O. Being new to a raid just tell your party you are new but stay at the top of the party threat list. If you see other players moving away do the same thing. Its not hard to dodge void zones etc. When a new instance is released I always go slow at first until I get a handle of what is up ahead and what dps I get. Some dps do great and some don't. Use your low blow skill and shield bash to stun attacks. Playing dps I low blow as often as I can because I get tired of the tanks not doing it. Same with silences. Not enough tanks silence casters. Shield swipe works on most mobs and some bosses but some are immune even though it sticks.

[Liam_Harper]

YOUR JOB IS TO TANK NOT TO DPS!!!

Like it or not, your job is to do both. Both Savage and EX are designed around tanks being in dps stance the majority of the fight. You literally can never hit the required tank dps in tank stance.

That said, Savage and EX are the only places tank dps is required. Normal content has no enrage timers, or extremely lenient ones. So I agree a tank has no business being out of tank stance if it causes any negative benefit to the party (such as dying, requiring excessive healing or emnity loss). This is a common mistake made by new tanks who crack open a tanking guide aimed towards high-end optimization, see "tank stance is for nubs" and assume they have to tank without it. It is perfectly acceptable to tank stance everything up to EX (except off-tanking) until you are 100% confident in your class.