#0 - April 28, 2010, 1:23 p.m.
* Pulling
Let the tank pull. Always. There is absolutely NO reason to pull if you are dps or healer (http://jaysplace.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/suitability-demotivational-poster.jpg). If your ego doesn't allow it, shut your eyes really hard before the pull and open them when you hear the sounds of combat. If you have MD or TotT that's great, use it immediately after the tank pulled, your help is much appreciated. Just because the tank doesn't compliment you for doing it doesn't mean he doesn't notice it. Give the tank a small amount of time after the pull to build some threat. Make your life easy, make his life easier.
* If something is skulled, prioritize it
There might not be one, but IF it's there, attack the target marked with skull first. It takes just as much effort as attacking anything else. By the time skull is dead the tank will have decent aggro on the other mobs, and you can go all out again.
* Aggro
Watch Omen, especially if you notice that you easily draw aggro. It 's really nice to see that you have 6500GS and can overaggro by pressing one button. But it gets old and is really only impressive when you see it the very first time. Show some real skill and maximize dmg while still not overaggroing the tank. Hunters/Rogues that use FD/Vanish right before overaggroing while dealing tons of damage will most probably get a tank's instant respect. Being able to adjust your damage output to the tank shows you can actually do more than smashing your head on the keyboard.
* Pace
The tank sets the pace. "GOGOGO" is what you tell your dog. Just because things go too slow for you, doesn't mean it's going too slow for everybody. Let the tank pull at what the healer (and himself) can coop with. That said, there is no need for a /readycheck every single pull either. And tanks, giving the healer/casters time to drink will make you lose an extreme 8.5 seconds of time, and is overall very appreciated.
* Gear
If the LFD tool allows him in, it means the tank is geared. Not necceserily "skilled" enough, but he IS geared enough. "OMFG failnubtank" isn't a console command to cover him in T10. Instead, try to make the best of it and look at it as an extra challenge. The tank is most probably there for his badges and some BoP's to improve his gear. Remember that you didn't ding 80 in over 6k GS either. To-be-tanks, read up a tiny bit on very basic threatholding in one of the various guides out there before you signup in LFD as a tank, because that's what people will expect you to do.
* Tanks are unique snowflakes
No, they 're NOT. Being in high demand and having instant LFD pops doesn't make them "special". It doesn't make them a leader or boss whatsoever. They 're just a player with a task that differs from yours as a DPS or healer. DPS can make that task very difficult, or very easy.
* Accidents happen
It might occur that you bodypull a patrol that you didn't notice. Watch your steps next time. Tanks, don't freak out over it. Try to recover the situation. Don't drop the group because "somebody that wasn't you pulled".
* Boss skipping
Tanks, it never hurts to just ask if anybody needs any optional bosses, at the start of the instance. There's five people in a group. Some people might need the badges, some might need an achievement, some might need a particular boss for his drops. If everybody wants to skip, go ahead and skip. But if somebody needs anything extra, and you don't, chances are you are already overgeared, making the 2 extra mobpulls and the 35-second boss a walk in the park. Be nice, tag along, do your best. You 'll spend more time taking a nip of your coffee, and by the time you 're done arguing over it, the instance would already be finished.
* Recount
A very handy tool to evaluate yourself on how you performed as opposed to other party members. Evaluating yourself is exactly what you should do. Unless somebody asks for it, there is no reason to list recount whatsoever. Yes, we already know you are the top dps, since you are the one that listed it without anyone asking for it. Don't call other dps "omgtehnub" because they 're not pulling 4k whilst running heroics. Be proud of your dps and move on.
* There are douchebags amoung tanks
... and so are there amoung dps and healers. Just as there are very good players and slackers amoung every class. WoW reaches a diversity of people, being it an MMORPG. You will encounter douchebags in all classes. /ignore and you 'll never hear of them again. Support the other people in the group and make the best of it.
TL;DR - Give the tank a reason to do it again and decrease your time in the queue.
My 10cents.
