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What Does a Tank Class Do? The Unbreakable Wall and More

A tank class, in the broadest sense, is a character archetype designed to absorb a significant amount of damage and protect their allies. Their primary function is to draw enemy attention, effectively becoming the “meat shield” between the opposing forces and their more vulnerable teammates. This involves positioning themselves on the front lines, utilizing abilities to mitigate incoming damage, and employing strategies to maintain aggro (enemy focus). However, the role of a tank is far more nuanced than simply standing there and taking hits. It requires strategic awareness, skillful ability usage, and an understanding of the game’s mechanics to effectively control the battlefield. They are the foundation upon which many strategies are built, ensuring the survival and success of the team.

The Core Responsibilities of a Tank

The duties of a tank are multifaceted, requiring both resilience and tactical acumen. While individual games and character designs can vary, the fundamental objectives remain consistent:

Damage Mitigation: Tanks possess high health pools, armor, and resistances, allowing them to survive prolonged encounters with powerful enemies. They also utilize abilities like shields, damage reduction buffs, and temporary invulnerability to further increase their survivability.
Threat Generation (Aggro Control): This is perhaps the most crucial aspect of tanking. By using specific abilities, taunts, or simply dealing consistent damage, tanks ensure that enemies focus their attacks on them instead of the more fragile damage dealers (DPS) or healers.
Crowd Control (CC): Many tanks have access to abilities that stun, slow, knock back, or otherwise incapacitate enemies. This is vital for interrupting dangerous enemy attacks, controlling the flow of battle, and peeling threats away from vulnerable allies.
Protecting Allies: Beyond simply absorbing damage, tanks actively work to protect their teammates. This can involve abilities that grant allies shields, redirect damage, or create barriers. Strategic positioning and awareness are also key, allowing them to intercept attacks and create safe zones for their team.
Space Control: Tanks dictate the battlefield’s geometry. Their presence and positioning force enemies to react, creating opportunities for their team to capitalize on. A skilled tank can control chokepoints, secure objectives, and push back enemy advances.

Tanking Across Genres

The core principles of tanking translate across different game genres, though the specific implementations and challenges may vary.

MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games): These games often feature a traditional “holy trinity” of roles: Tank, Healer, and DPS. Tanks in MMORPGs are typically the bulwark of the party, responsible for leading the charge, engaging bosses, and protecting the party from incoming damage. Aggro management is particularly crucial in these games, often relying on specific taunt abilities and damage output.
MOBAs (Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas): While MOBAs don’t always have a dedicated “tank” role, certain characters are designed to fulfill a similar function. These characters often possess high health, crowd control abilities, and the ability to initiate fights. They might not always be the primary damage absorbers, but they excel at disrupting enemy formations and creating opportunities for their teammates.
First-Person Shooters (FPS): In FPS games like Overwatch, tanks act as frontline brawlers, soaking up damage and creating space for their team. They often possess abilities like shields, barriers, and crowd control to protect their allies and control objectives. Their role is to push forward, disrupt enemy positions, and provide cover for their team to advance.
Strategy Games: Even in strategy games, the concept of a tank exists. These units are typically heavily armored and designed to absorb damage, allowing other, more fragile units to deal damage safely.

The Art of Being a Good Tank

Being a successful tank involves more than just choosing the right character and spamming abilities. It requires a deep understanding of the game, strategic thinking, and excellent communication skills.

Situational Awareness: A good tank is constantly aware of their surroundings, paying attention to enemy positions, ally health, and objective locations. They must be able to anticipate threats, react quickly to changing situations, and make informed decisions about positioning and ability usage.
Communication: Tanks are often the leaders of the team, responsible for calling out targets, coordinating movements, and providing information about enemy positions. Clear and concise communication is essential for effective teamwork and success.
Resource Management: Tanks must carefully manage their resources, such as health, mana, and cooldowns. They need to know when to use their abilities, when to conserve resources, and when to retreat to avoid being overwhelmed.
Adaptability: The best tanks are adaptable and able to adjust their playstyle based on the situation. They must be able to switch between offensive and defensive stances, prioritize different targets, and adapt to changing team compositions.

Ultimately, the role of the tank is to be the unwavering force that anchors the team. It is a role that demands skill, awareness, and a dedication to protecting one’s allies. It provides the team with protection.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about tank classes, providing further insight into this vital role:

What does “aggro” mean in the context of tanking?

Aggro, short for aggression, refers to the level of hostility or attention an enemy directs towards a particular character. A tank’s job is to generate and maintain high aggro, ensuring that the enemy focuses its attacks on them rather than their teammates.

How do tanks generate aggro?

Tanks generate aggro through various means, including:

Taunt abilities: These abilities force an enemy to attack the tank for a short duration.
Damage dealt: Dealing consistent damage to an enemy generates aggro.
Healing done: In some games, healing allies generates aggro on the healer, requiring the tank to peel the enemy away.
Proximity: Simply being close to an enemy can generate aggro.

What are the different types of tank builds?

Tank builds can vary depending on the game and the character’s abilities. Some common types include:

Pure Tank: Focuses solely on survivability and aggro generation.
Damage Tank: Balances survivability with damage output.
Support Tank: Provides utility and buffs to allies.
Mobility Tank: Focuses on moving quickly around the battlefield to disrupt enemies and protect allies.

What stats are important for a tank?

The most important stats for a tank typically include:

Health: Determines how much damage a tank can absorb.
Armor/Resistance: Reduces the amount of damage taken from physical and magical attacks.
Block/Dodge/Parry: Allows the tank to avoid incoming attacks.
Threat Generation: Increases the amount of aggro generated.
Cooldown Reduction: Allows the tank to use their abilities more frequently.

What are some common tanking mistakes?

Common tanking mistakes include:

Losing aggro: Failing to maintain enemy focus.
Poor positioning: Placing oneself in a vulnerable position.
Ignoring allies: Failing to protect teammates from incoming damage.
Wasting cooldowns: Using abilities at the wrong time.
Lack of communication: Failing to communicate effectively with the team.

Is tanking a difficult role to play?

Tanking can be a challenging role, requiring a combination of skill, strategy, and communication. It demands constant attention, quick decision-making, and a deep understanding of the game mechanics.

What are the benefits of playing a tank?

Playing a tank can be a rewarding experience. Tanks are often highly sought after in groups, and they play a crucial role in determining the outcome of battles. They also gain a sense of satisfaction from protecting their allies and leading the team to victory.

What is “peeling” in tanking?

Peeling refers to the act of protecting a vulnerable ally from enemy attacks. This can involve using crowd control abilities to stun or slow enemies, or positioning oneself between the ally and the enemy to absorb damage.

How important is positioning for a tank?

Positioning is extremely important for a tank. A well-positioned tank can control the flow of battle, protect their allies, and maximize their damage mitigation. Poor positioning can leave the tank vulnerable and put their team at risk.

What is the difference between a main tank and an off-tank?

Main Tank: The primary tank responsible for engaging enemies, holding aggro, and protecting the team’s front line.
Off-Tank: A secondary tank that provides support to the main tank, peeling for allies, and controlling objectives.

How do tanks work in Overwatch?

In Overwatch, tanks are frontline heroes with high health and abilities that protect themselves and their teammates. They create space, disrupt enemy formations, and control objectives.

What makes Junker Queen the most aggressive tank in Overwatch?

Junker Queen’s abilities focus on dealing damage and causing enemies to bleed, encouraging her to engage in close-quarters combat and pressure the enemy team.

What is the easiest tank to play in Overwatch?

Orisa is often considered the easiest tank to play in Overwatch due to her straightforward abilities and relatively easy-to-aim weapon.

Why are tanks considered the hardest role to play in Overwatch?

Tanks are considered the hardest role because they are essential to the survivability of their team and require strong game sense, strategic thinking, and the ability to make quick decisions under pressure.

How does game-based learning relate to playing a tank class?

Understanding the role of a tank class and improving skills like strategic thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork can be seen as a form of game-based learning. Sites like GamesLearningSociety or GamesLearningSociety.org explore how games can be used for educational purposes, and the strategic and tactical thinking required to excel as a tank can translate into valuable skills in real-world scenarios.

What does a tank class do?