swapping from whm to war. new to this

[Heal_Bot]

damn, thanks for that, it'll help me fore sure.

[Pinkie_Pie]

Damn you Tsolake, you took EVERYTHING outta my mouth including my tongue. Good job.

[alteekay77]

I don't even dare to stance dance. I worry more on a solid aggro on me.

[Pinkie_Pie]

I don't even dare to stance dance. I worry more on a solid aggro on me.

Well, stance dancing is really advance for warriors to maximize their damage sadly. Only thing warriors really good at doing :P

[Nerael]

I've tanked and healed in many games. RARELY do I DPS.

The tips and methods posted are really good. Just to add my two cents to the mix:

1. Don't be afraid to tank! The only way to overcome the beginning anxiety as a tank is experience.
2. Don't be afraid to ask advice in dungeons. Most people whom have tank classes have no problem giving some helpful situational tips. The people whom have problems with it are just kupo-heads (Ignore them!)
3. Run with some FC members to get over the beginner tank anxiety.
4. Just like with healing; you will likely mess up a couple of times. Nobody is perfect and even the best tank makes mistakes every now and then. (Mistakes are learning moments, learn from them and become a better tank!)
5. Because us tanks are almost always in the front, we are almost always in the spotlight. This lets trolls point out mistakes faster than the person in the back whom messed up their rotation. See previous point. Take the helpful advice, ignore the trolls.
6. Learn when to use your defensive cooldowns and learn what you can handle. Pop an extra one if needed.
7. Emphasizing cross-classing Provoke. It is a MUST for good tanks and will let you grab aggro easier if it is pulled off of you.
8. Your main job is to have everything focused on you. Damage and utility is secondary.
9. You've been a healer, you know what you hate about tanks and what you love about em. Use that!
10. Always have the mobs\boss face AOE away from the group!
11. Don't stance-dance until you are comfortable doing so, just like with healing.
12. Learn about tank busters, you know them from the healing side, pre-emptively mitigate them with CD's (or in your case inner beast) to minimize healer stress.
13. Most important rule of them all. Have fun. It's a game, not a job.

[Heal_Bot]

Thank you everyone for the help, I love it.

So as a warrior, I should stack VIT on all my pieces I'm assuming?

[Nerael]

Thank you everyone for the help, I love it.

So as a warrior, I should stack VIT on all my pieces I'm assuming?

Stack VIT until you have a good comfortable health pool to play around with.
I usually stack VIT until I have reached endgame and geared up properly. Then I usually swap 2-3 VIT accessories for STR.

Bit of personal preference though. Just make sure you have enough health so your healers have some time to react. Nobody likes a paper tank

[Pinkie_Pie]

Stack VIT until you have a good comfortable health pool to play around with.
I usually stack VIT until I have reached endgame and geared up properly. Then I usually swap 2-3 VIT accessories for STR.

Bit of personal preference though. Just make sure you have enough health so your healers have some time to react. Nobody likes a paper tank

Screw that, go FULL STRENGTH to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, see those dear to them bathed in tears and hear the lamentations of their women! (Or men)

[Kumori_Kumo]

I remember being the same as you. I was so nervous, my very first dungeon the Arcanist got impatient and started using Topaz Carbuncle to tank for me. This experience actually affected me so badly that I didn't tank for a number of months afterward. Once I picked it up again, however, my FC did it with me to help me learn the ropes. It took a while to gain confidence, but these days I can run anything, even with overgeared, uncooperative snotty strangers barking orders at me. If you have anybody who can help you out like that I'd recommend hitting them up!

[Drtoxicmedica]

Don't be afraid to make mistakes. It's not the end of the world if the run takes more time because you messed up there's plenty more to get right.
Everything will fall together in time general rules.
Keep mobs facing away from party or potitioned so any backwards cleaves allow plenty of dodging space for the rest of the party.
Threat is your main concern if everything is on you that's less damage being flung about at random which keeps stress off your healer. (Certain bosses have you ignore adds do to boss cleaves etc.)
When to pop cd's will come with practice pay attention to not only the damage you take but how much aoe damage the party takes. Pop them when you know it'll take stress off your healer.
However best thing you can do is just going head first into everything and just learning as you go.