My 10 List

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Auz writes an incredible blog over at Chick GM on Raid Leading and Guild Leadership recently did a post called her 10 List, where she writes about the top ten reasons she loves being a GM.
I am not a GM, but I play one on TV.
/rimshot
Thank you very much, I'll be here all week, enjoy the veal, and don't forget to tip your waitresses.
Anyway, I'm not a GM, so my 10 List is the top 10 reasons I love being a Tankadin. The quote at the top of my blog from Alixander of Durotan is "You shouldn't become a pally tank unless you really love it, but if you do really love it, there's nothing greater in the world."
So without further ado, here is my Top 10 Reasons I Love Being A Tankadin.
#10 Defensive Attack.
What I mean by this is sometimes called the porcupine nature of the tankadin. We hurt people by them attacking us. To me, its the ultimate expression of an old Star Wars quote. "A Jedi uses the forces for knowledge and defense, never for attack." Well a Paladin uses the Light for knowledge and defesne, never for attack. We redirect the attack back at the aggressor.
#9 Gear Game.
I'm a planner when it comes to my gear. I really enjoy the time searching through the loot tables and figuring out what pieces I need (and then seeing them not drop for weeks on end). I love balancing my gear again and again to find that perfect balance between threat and survivability.
#8 Versatility.
I love being able to switch roles and be someone completely different on the weekends. While Paladin healing doesn't excite me, there are moments when it can be fun. Being able to switch from Tank to DPS to Heal really helps to keep the game fresh and interesting. It's almost like playing 3 toons in one.
#7 The Underdog.
Sure, you can't go five feet in Shattrah without tripping over 5 new Tankadins, but when I first started playing my Tankadin, it wasn't like that. There were many in the game world who weren't sure what a Tankadin could do. Even today some still doubt. It was awesome getting the tells like 'I never thought a Paladin could tank that.' Some of my favorite 5 mans were the no CC Heroics I did in all blues. We never should have been able to do it, but we did. I love to go in and prove the 'general consensus' wrong.
#6 Spotlight.
I have to admit that being in the spotlight can be a lot of fun. You know the entire group depends on you staying alive. All the work you've done preparing your gear, researching the fight, and practicing your skills all comes together as you face down an enemy who would destroy your comrades in a single blow. Yet, you take that blow, and with the help of some truly awesome healers, you shrug it off and get ready for the next.
#5 Laughing At Mobs.
I know some guys are really into seeing really big numbers on their screen, and I admit it's fun when I'm Ret spec to see a nice big ole crit. But nothing beats watching a mob attack me and DODGE, MISS, MISS, PARRY, MISS filling up my screen. I just sit there laughing at the poor mobs trying to kill me. Silly, silly mob.
#4 The Holy Warrior.
While Blizzard hasn't yet fully realized the vision of the Paladin as a Holy Warrior, the aspects have been realized really draw me to the class. I love the fact that my skills contain words like 'Devotion', 'Divine', 'Light', 'Righteousness', 'Consecrate', 'Holy', 'Justice', and 'Blessing'. This idea of a Warrior empowered by his Higher Power and sacrificing himself on the battlefield for friends, family and country, is an ideal that I can really get into, identify with, and strive for. Oh yeah baby, let's go!
FOR KHAZ MODAN!!!!
#3 Being Hard To Kill. BRK calls Paladins cockroaches because we are hard to kill. Well if a Paladin is a cockroach, then a Tankadin is an armor plated cockroach. That's not to say I'm invincible as many a Warlock or Mage will attest, but I don't go down easily. I may not kill quite as fast, but I take not dying to an artform.
#2 Unique. I'm probably the only active Tankadin on my server with a Hardened Heart, and running around with a Hammer of Judgement. Sure, lots of Paladins have a Hammer of Judgement, but you run around Shattrah in your normal gear and that's a healing mace or big ole two hander for most Paladins. I am unique on the server. No one else really looks like me or plays like me.
And the #1 reason I love being a Tankadin:
Round Them Up and Consecrate. It's a blast rounding up a whole bunch of mobs to AoE down, and its very satisfying looking at a mound of bodies and being the only one left standing.