So Why is Threat Invisible?

In the same vein, I need run speed numbers. How fast am I moving?

How can I be expected to travel anywhere if I don't see a MPH number somewhere? Plus I want to optimize my travel paths and I can't do this without a speedometer.

Actually, you made the claim that if you needed a threat meter during the Burning Crusade then you sucked.

Most fights in BC weren't even possible without one.

You're either lying, trolling, or mistaken. Your pick.

Or.. I didn't play a tank. Your view is so tightly focused and your need to be right is so overpowering it is hampering your ability to think.

Have fun talking in circles dude.

You want to slam your hand on the keyboard and watch the pretty lights. I want to know *** is going on.

Or DPS your way through Karazhan... which was the first raid.

Because it's not optional once it's in. Not REALLY. Sure you might find some casual raiding guild that doesn't care if you play reflexively, but the 'hardcore' groups and raids are going to yell at you if you're DPS's threat isn't right below the tanks, and then force you to turn your threat meter on. Which does destroy immersion and fun for a number of people because it:

A) Reduces difficulty. I no longer have to think 'if I throw out this sab charge and detonate with aimed shot will the burst pull aggro? Maybe it'd be better if I did something else'. I can just glance at the numbers and then hit the buttons. Pew pew pew no thought. And as a tank I don't have to look around at anything or watch for mobs breaking from me. I just sit there and stare at numbers and push the buttons that correspond to those numbers.

B) It reduces immersion. As I said before, I'm no longer watching the mobs. I'm watching the numbers. This means I'm no longer my trooper or BH or Sith or Jedi or whatever facing down an insurmountable opponent, lightsaber/blaster in hand. I'm not valiantly making myself a target.

I'm a set of numbers. I'm reading another set of numbers. I'm putting in inputs based entirely on those numbers. It's not a game, it's math homework.

C) Is non-optional. As I said before, I can't just decide that I don't like the way the game plays this way, because even if the game is entirely beatable without getting every inch out of everything via meters 'hardcore' and, worse, wannabe hardcore players are rarely happy with just winning. Any little 'mistake' is often grounds for abuse and 'being taught how to play'.

So they put it in and everyone has to use it and endgame is no longer endgame. It's endspreadhseet.

Plus, I mean, you don't need it.

A speed monitor is generally the first think I look for when I update a data broker on WoW.

Folks, just so you can all see this...

This is a decent answer to the actual question, and one I hadn't considered.

Thanks.

That other drivel about not needing it, is answering some other question I didn't ask. I'm sorry a lot of you can't see the difference.

Great, another wow player who cut his "tanking" teeth using threat meters.

We do just fine without some sort of Dummy Alarm for threat levels.

There are one shots that can do over 20k to a squishy.