Basic Example of Threat & Aggro

Live Posted 2008/12/04 at 10:15 PM by Arideni

Threat is a unit used to measure the amount of hatred a creature has for a player. Each player involved in combat with a creature generates an amount of initial hate which rises as they interact with other players or the creature itself. All creatures maintain a threat list to determine who has aggro. Aggro refers to the player in possession of the most hatred from a creature, usually at the top of the threat list.

Threat - a unit for measuring hatred toward a player, dictating how a creature will react when engaged by players

Aggro - to cause aggression or generate threat & gain the attention of a creature

Hate - an emotionally angry state of a creature, causing it to become and stay hostile

Threat list - a list of players currently in-combat, generated by and for a creature to determine it's main target of attack

Amnesia - a temporary condition which causes a creature to ignore the threat list for a period of time before remembering the top priority

Insensitivity Training 101insensitive

Elena Bennis is a priestess from the eastest. Having never set food beyond the logging camp in Elwynn Forest, she decided to go out exploring. While walking along the banks of a creek she encountered a strange green creature. "Glrglglgl," murmured the creature as she approached. The hideous creature began to chase her flashing, a fashionably violent fistful of furious fish. That's when she stumbled upon Little Johnny, a strapping young lad built like a tank. Having grown up in the Stormwind oraphanage, Little Johnny knew the appropriate response would be to provoke the foul being by calling him every name in the book—and to pray his mother wasn't watching.

There was an audible thump as the creature's jaw hit the ground. Never before in his life had someone so rudely, so disgracefully, so...creatively, insulted his mother. Naturally, this didn't sit well with the creature. Murloc is angry! With fish in hand, and a bucket in tow, the Angry Murloc bit off the head and spit it at Johnny. "Mrglgl, rrglg!" Johnny raised his shield and quickly backhanded Angry Murloc, slamming the creature with the shield spike.

With the creature's armor torn asunder, Johnny took his revenge upon the angry murloc by striking him upside the head with the hilt of his sword. A heroic strike, to be sure! Just then, the angry murloc raised his bucket to parry Johnny's attack while simultaneously slugging Johnny in the gut with an Enormous Barbed Gill Trout. "Yeeeeouch! Elena, where are you?!"

Elena, busy looking at her favorite pictographs of artworks by renowned artist Noxychu, stood up and laced her fingers tightly while whispering a prayer of mending. "Ah, that feels invigorating!" said Johnny. Elena took a step back, fading into the distance. Johnny let out a piercing howl, "Have at thee, gruesome ugly!", and cleaved the creature's face in two.

doesn'tSo, how about you?

Comment by MalgaynePoor murloc! No one ever thinks about his feelings.Comment by ShellyBellyI really wish I had read this when I was starting out. People would say "lol noob" to me because, when starting in lower level instances, I would usually ask "What's an aggro? Is that like a monster I need to kill or something?"

Good guide, Arideni. I think all lower levels, regardless of class/spec, should learn this stuff.

Elena, busy looking at her favorite pictographs of artworks by renowned artist NoxychuNoxychuComment by 194313This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by MarkehPoor murlocs =Comment by 91278That was ... Wow.

Wow ...Comment by 116684This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by ArgentSunI am sorry, but my constructive response will have to come tomorrow.
I am laughing too hard now :DComment by blademeldThe hideous creature began to chase her flashing, a fashionably violent fistful of furious fish.

Amnesia - a temporary condition which causes a creature to ignore the threat list for a period of time before remembering the top priority

Warbringer O'mroggLair BruteMoroesComment by TheRealIf I were to tell new players about aggro, I would definitely point them in this direction. I would also add that:

Give the tank a minute before you start blowing flamestrike, blade fury, or hellfire. That tank needs a few seconds to ensure those mobs are really ticked at him.

Know your priorities - tanks 1st, healers 2nd, DPS 10th. Small heals at first, then larger heals after the tank has sufficiently ticked off the mobs.

Don't mess around. Get in there and taunt, sunder, heroic strike, whatever. If the tooltip says it causes increased threat, use it early, use it often. Your healer has your back.Comment by EmAirEpic post :)

Make sure you avoid the must furious of all murloc skills when tanking them: Demoralizing Mmmrrrggglll !Comment by pelfWhile you say it in colorful terms, one thing that I have found very misunderstood by players is the actual mechanic behind taunts (the real taunts).

Copies aggro's threat to you.

No effect when you have aggro.

Temporary locked to you.

Comment by ArgentSunIt's a basic example, not a walthrough the whole aggro system...stop dwelling into it.

Not mentioned in the dialog.
Nor is DPS, just tanking and healing.The creature will be so focused on hurting the big, hulking meanie who called him a pizza-face he will never notice the guy poking him in the back with a broken bottle, nor the healer sitting in the back.Comment by blademeldYou nub Argentsun :P

I said dialog, not commentary/post/whatever else.

(although I can't blame you for thinking that way)Comment by RyzzoI think the whole cutesy WoW thing is being taken out of proportion.

Like, im not trying to be an ass. But honestly if a new player read this article they would probably be more lost than they already are. The definitions are chill, but a little too much fluff.

+2 for creativity.
-1 for content.Comment by 160954A proper understanding can aid tactics and lesson confusion in-game.Comment by ArideniI spelled it correctly, though it was not the word intended. Gimme credit!

Some felt the post was too fluffy. This was something I thought about a lot early on and I felt that it worked out fairly well. The topic lays down enough background information for my future entries without going into lengthy detail. If you were interested in reading about how if no one does anything to a creature it will kill the healer shortly thereafter feel free to reread this sentence. Otherwise, the topic is pretty obvious to most of all players, even ones just starting. The terminology is a different story as most aren't familiar with it unless they have been in the MMO world before.

Regardless, if anyone out there became confused with this post, let us know! Our goal is to bring information to the masses to help ease the play experience, not confuzzle or disorient. Feedback such as this is what helps shape or mold future entries. Thanks everyone!Comment by 33630This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by Ryzzo
Some felt the post was too fluffy. This was something I thought about a lot early on and I felt that it worked out fairly well. The topic lays down enough background information for my future entries without going into lengthy detail. If you were interested in reading about how if no one does anything to a creature it will kill the healer shortly thereafter feel free to reread this sentence. Otherwise, the topic is pretty obvious to most of all players, even ones just starting. The terminology is a different story as most aren't familiar with it unless they have been in the MMO world before.

Regardless, if anyone out there became confused with this post, let us know! Our goal is to bring information to the masses to help ease the play experience, not confuzzle or disorient. Feedback such as this is what helps shape or mold future entries. Thanks everyone!Comment by 166472This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by 95950This post was from a user who has deleted their account.