Make Taunts change enemy target in PvP

[Rangtuk]

Disclaimers: This only should apply to the single target taunt, (Warrior Taunt, Druid Growl, Prot Pally Judgement of Justice after changes) and probably shouldn't affect the aoe equivalents.

Effect: Force changes enemy target to the caster, does not force them to keep that target it is an immediate change and immediately able to click off back to your original target if you pay attention

Usage: Peeling attackers off healers so they arent as easily burstable, distracting healers off of their targets so they cannot heal, pulling a channeled spell off of a teammate or potentially saving them from a hard cast/instant (hard casts only check for their target once, so if the spell is already being cast it will go after the original target, channels immediately break upon losing target however)

Balance Concerns: Being able to force change someones target every 8-10s (depending on talents) may be a little broken, but I believe it wont be a huge change and better for "pvp montage big brain plays" than it will be an abusable new meta, it may convince taunt classes to spec a little more into tanking for pvp (druids obviously already do when they spec feral, but alot of warriors/paladins are arms, fury/ret respectively) and I think it would give players comfortable with a tank spec a little more meme-ability and give one of their spells functionality in all aspects of WoW. Honestly having AoE taunt work this way as well may not even be such a bad thing, it could mean more of a death sentence than an op play for the taunter anyways but it would be amusing if they sacrificed themself in that manner, also its a 6min cooldown thats long enough that its not going to be viably abusable. Worst I'd see happening is AoE Taunt>Shield Wall, eats the enemy groups big ticket spells but any warrior who shield walls WITHOUT the taunt kinda does that already, it'd be more abusable with potions (limited invul in particular) but as the effect should only apply once and not force the target stay on the taunter for the spell duration I think it'd work out ok.
Biggest concern I see is in AV particularly (for aoe taunt), everyone is attacking the general and some crazy warrior charges in and drops everyones target off, wipes the group because the tank gets crit without being healed but honestly that'd just be a clip for the aforementioned PvP highlight reel

[Ugoboom]

This would be cool to have, it'd be like how distract is a noob check in PVP, this would be that too as experienced players would recognize a warrior changing to defensive stance and be ready to retarget what they are targeting. But noobs might dump some autos and abilities into their new target before recognizing. I think noob checks are decently good design for vanilla wow.

But this will not at all improve prot in pvp, as you can just taunt as dps spec. The only way to fix prot pvp is to make prot do actual good damage, like wotlk, but this is a major major redesign that affects all aspects of the game. I wouldn't hold your breath for it.

[Rangtuk]

This would be cool to have, it'd be like how distract is a noob check in PVP, this would be that too as experienced players would recognize a warrior changing to defensive stance and be ready to retarget what they are targeting. But noobs might dump some autos and abilities into their new target before recognizing. I think noob checks are decently good design for vanilla wow.

But this will not at all improve prot in pvp, as you can just taunt as dps spec. The only way to fix prot pvp is to make prot do actual good damage, like wotlk, but this is a major major redesign that affects all aspects of the game. I wouldn't hold your breath for it.

I dont think it would drastically improve pvp prot, but it would make them a slighty bigger nuissance with the shortened CD and more defensive options, the suggestion as a whole is more for the meme dream/'noob check' potential anyways. Perhaps the balancing act would be to make improved taunt give that pvp option, but I feel that may be too restrictive

[Valadorn]

Id support this

[Henny45]

I'd support this with some limitations - Longer CD when used on players for example because it would function as an interrupt, no?

[Snakeman]

I'd support this with some limitations - Longer CD when used on players for example because it would function as an interrupt, no?

Not a warrior player so I don't know how long the taunt CD is, but shaman has an interrupt every 6 seconds in Earth Shock, plus grounding totem - I've been able to lock down super geared mages trying to cast on me with just those two abilities and kill them while only taking minimal damage. Of course, if they know what they're doing, they can wand my totems and unload on me while I'm on shock/grounding cooldown, but I think noob trapping is a big part of the idea behind making taunts force change target in PvP.

However, it shouldn't (in theory) act as an interrupt on hard cast spells either way; you can clear your target after successfully beginning a cast, and it will still find its original target after the cast is over. It'll just be one of those mildly annoying things to deal with like distract and feign death are. :)

[Fornow]

Great idea. I always thought taunt should have some application in PVP other than pets.

How about improved taunt talent upgrading your to force other players to target/attack you for the full duration (just like it works in PVE)? It's strong but prot warrior certainly isn't a build that's valid in PVP and could use some love. This could be a step in that direction.

[Qixel]

An easier and more elequent solution may simply be to steal the idea SWTOR did. When you taunt a player, that players deals reduced damage for the duration to players other than the one that taunted them. No concerns about messing with casts, aoe functions fine, everything works.

[Ugoboom]

An easier and more elequent solution may simply be to steal the idea SWTOR did. When you taunt a player, that players deals reduced damage for the duration to players other than the one that taunted them. No concerns about messing with casts, aoe functions fine, everything works.

Wow, I love that idea, it would give another reason to make use of defensive stance, and it'd be dope in PVE too, as long as it doesnt work on taunt immune mobs (where youd just get free mitigation on the tank).