Tank spec for hunters

[Calli]

Idk why people are after this weird idea of melee hunter, when we got many good and viable melee dd with different aspects and specializations. The server is crowded with melee damage dealers already. Retpals, warriors, rogues, even most of the shamans are melee. Survival specialization should be a TANK specc to increase the number of tanks on server and give hunters more utility. Currently the hunter's melee abilities are tied to them being the target. They could be mainly avoidance tanks and damage reduction would be available with their pet sharing the damage or getting crushing blow or crit instead of the hunter, sacrificing itself, or taking over from their master in dire needs. It could be implemented with very small changes, so survival specc could get even a raid spot as offtank.
It would be a very unique playstyle. All credit goes to this guy viewtopic.php?t=1197

[Drenari]

It would be easier to make BM a possible tank spec since that is what the pet does for you anyhow. If you need more threat on the pet just add in misdirection. Grab some +healing gear to max out mend pet.

[Hyrag]

for me surival should be a melee support spec in raids with things like expose weakeness but for melee AP or increased hit aura for melee

[Toaonyk]

How about a t5 or t7 talent that kinda works like sacrifice for Warlocks, i.e. you dismiss your pet and get a humongous buff to your survivability?

[Augustfenix85]

Fusion-ha! Combine with your wolf pet to like like a Worgen! Haha

[Augustfenix85]

Well for a more serious response, it could be like a dual-wielding parry/dodge tank in line with demon hunter.

[Volkyte]

I think game has already enough tanks specs to roam about.

[Azuredrak0]

I think game has already enough tanks specs to roam about.

I partially agree, and yet, dungeon queues usually wait for Tanks.

In any case - a tanky version of Survival Hunter is an interesting idea. It might even fit the fantasy of a "survival" hunter, who can "survive" a hit or two.

There's also some interesting items that would very much favor a 2 hander tanking build. The biggest issue I see with this is mostly threat at this point, and to produce more threat in melee, hunter requires either talents that modify threat, or more damage that they can do to generate threat. There's also no cleave damage missing in the toolkit to grab any form of group threat without feign death. However, hunters do have a potentially very powerful tanking cooldown. If rogues can sorta tank, why not hunters?

One interesting proposition would be to bake in some changes into row 6 and 7 in the talent tree. Here's an interesting proposal:
Lightning Reflexes - replace effect with increased melee attack speed 1-10% in melee
Wyvern Sting - replace and bring back Lacerate and scale accordingly. If it's anything like Druid ability in later iterations of WoW, it's a dot can that be tab-applied on multiple targets in melee, and will help hold threat.

Coupled with gear, talents and some tweaks, Hunters can potentially tank. It also give Distracting shot additional utility for when you see your target running for the ranged. Fun idea.

[Augustfenix85]

At least for dungeon tank, explosive trap would help with AOE threat and multi shot to pull

[Azuredrak0]

At least for dungeon tank, explosive trap would help with AOE threat and multi shot to pull

You mean on pull, right? You can't use explosive trap mid fight, and feigning death immediately drops agro.
I think the issue will be holding threat on primary target, even in dungeons.

[Volkyte]

I think game has already enough tanks specs to roam about.

I partially agree, and yet, dungeon queues usually wait for Tanks.

this is because in ally 90% roll ret paladin or fury warr.
Game needs no more tank specs. Simply ppl should stop rolling dps.