Raise shields!

Full size image here.

It’s hard sometimes to avoid noticing just how different various perspectives on classes or even roles (within World of Warcraft) can be. With the advent of the Death Knight class come Wrath of the Lich King and Blizzards intentions to let them tank, I’ve seen plenty of exclaimations going somewhere along the lines of “Yay, I can tank without a shield!” – personally I don’t really mind a shield, at the least not anymore.. I did, once, but someone actually convinced me out of it through clever use of Hellgate: London and the movie 300.

What I do mind – and I mind oh so much – is that little tidbit called rage. For some reason I just don’t like it – it infuriates me, this resource that seems bent on ensuring that when I need it the most, I will have the very least of it. Further expanded on this is the way warrior tanking mechanics work where you essentially need to take damage to keep enemies focused on you. WIth me prefering the overall idea of avoiding rather than absorbing a hit, the very notion of being able to take too little damage is anathema. There’s ways around it, of course, but I never really got over my direct irritation that gearing up with better items inevitably meant easier challenges grew more difficult because I wasn’t taking enough damage.

Some plate armours just looked silly as well, but I digress.

In the end I’ve found that my so far favourite class/role combination is actually tank and rogue, a combination most of the community seem to find very unsightly seeing the various perspectives people have on the rogue class. It seems unlike most – apparently – I didn’t pick the class to be the sneaky thief or the brutal assassin but the archetypal swashbuckler: the quick warrior surviving on wit, agility and reflexes. This, I felt, was very much in line with the Night elven people in its essence (they have shadowmeld!) and perfectly fitting for someone who had recently left the Night elven Sentinels to instead travel on her own.

With Wrath of the Lich King adding yet another ability to pretend to be a faux Night elven Warden (Fan of Knives!), I’m approaching the expansion feeling fairly reassured that Blizzard intends to let us use the rogue class much as agile warriors as thieves or assassins – and very aware that my perspective of the class is apparenty different from the norm. It’s funny, really – I gave up on the class once because I felt it was getting pushed far too much towards the thief/assassin side of things and now am giddy for the next expansion because the class might just provide most of what I want out of it.

So, what about the picture at the start then?

Well.. browsing around all manner of analysis and theorycraft of how things will be in Wrath, I came across a thread suggesting what if the Protection talent tree was taken from the warrior class and given to the rogue class. The post was, unfortunately, little but a jab or a snippet of self-depricating humour saying that then it would be the rogues turn to complain about being forced to tank rather than doing damage.

I found it funny however how I could foresee my own response being far more along the lines of clasping my hands together and grinning with utter glee. I’d very much love it if rogues had a defensive stance and could viably tank using it. I wouldn’t mind at all if I’d have to use a shield for it – heck, if rogues could use shields I’d most likely grab one for the sheer tanky fun of it. (Though I’d imagine rogues being very focused on instant attacks might still do quite a bit of damage even if they with wielding a shield)

I’m well aware that it’ll most likely never happen and a whole lot of people would probably throw a hissy fit over the utter madness of giving rogues shields and a dedicated tanking role if it did. That said, I’m quite convinced I’d love it if it ever happened.

One can dream, eh?