Elitism is the only thing that can explain being pissed off that we non 25-man content goers get “welfare” badge epics.

On another note. I use quickening blade of the prince with executioner, and let me tell you. Threat coming out of my arse compared to KD.

@Vene: LOL @ the guy’s guildie who said cleave is better single target threat. What an idiot. Considering the rage cost is twice as high alone (when using threat spec), yeah that makes sense.

Skilled Tanks are generally well-geared and progressed far because having skill has allowed them to build a reputation as a reliable Tank which has gotten them into strong guilds who progress through raid content and acquire gear.

In comparison, unskilled Tanks tend to stagnate once they hit the early Heroics, because they don’t have what it takes to progress. Therefore, they don’t get into strong guilds, can’t find reliable groups, and don’t progress.

So, yes, statistically speaking most Tanks in T5/T6 gear will be skilled or else their guilds wouldn’t have continued to allow them to tank. However, they were skilled before they had that gear and saw the content — the skill comes first.

Therefore the raid experience and gear is a result of being skilled - not the other way around.

What I am trying to express, which I first replied to, was that overcoming more raid content teaches you more about the game and your class through experience.

I realize that’s your point. I’m saying you’re wrong. Tanking encounters teaches you how to tank those particular encounters well, but you’re not learning some new fundamental technique that’s inaccessible to those who haven’t. The fundamentals are the fundamentals. You don’t learn them by encountering specific bosses.

By your rationale, I could take any random Warrior in trade chat, run him through BT a few times until he has done the fights and has T6 gear and he would automatically be skilled. Do you really think that’s true?

Onyxia made Nefarion easier which made Nightbane simple, etc. How can you say that doesn’t matter?

It’s easy because I’m walking proof. I was a healer pre-BC so I haven’t tanked any old raid content. I hit 70 three months ago on my tank. Yet, I one-shot Tanked Nightbane the first time I encountered him. How? I studied the fight, wrote/keybound/tested my stance-dance macro, made sure my castbar was very visible, and I went in and tanked him using fundamental skills - threat rotation, efficient rage use, boss positioning, etc. I didn’t lack any “skills” necessary to Tank him because I hadn’t seen Onyxia or Nefarion. I had every skill I needed at my disposal.

Incidentally, I also one-shot Prince, High King Maulgar, Gruul, Nalorakk and two-shot Magtheridon (bad clicking, not my fault on the wipe), the first time I MT’d those encounters. I had all the “skills” I needed ahead of time to tank these bosses, and made up for my lack of experience by doing research, watching videos and discussing the encounters with other tanks.

So again, being more experienced does not make you more skilled.

It’s ridiculous to say you can’t tell anything useful about the skills of a T5/T6 player compared to a fully badge geared player.

Why is that ridiculous? Explain.

What gear do you have and what content have you done. Maybe it’s not always correct, but it’s reality.

And if said guild can’t find a geared Tank with experience, what do they do? Recruit a bad or unskilled tank? No, of course not. They find an equally skilled person who can gear up and learn the encounters.

Why is that do you think? Why not take an unskilled player and just run him through to gear him up?

Simple: because given a skilled tank, it’s easy for him to gain gear and experience. Given an unskilled tank, gear and experience isn’t going to help - he’s still going to suck and lose aggro and cause wipes.

Bottom line, gear and experience are things you pick up in instances.

Skill is not.