World of Warcraft
What Is Aggro in World of Warcraft?
The attention of an enemy, decided by a threat table: whoever has aggro is the one the monster attacks.
What does aggro mean in WoW?
Aggro (from aggression) is an enemy’s attention: the player a monster or boss is attacking has aggro. In World of Warcraft it is controlled by threat: every point of damage and healing generates threat, and the enemy attacks whoever is at the top of its threat table. The tank’s job is to hold aggro so the rest of the group can play safely.
How threat works
Each enemy keeps a list of everyone it is fighting and how much threat each one has generated. Tank specializations generate much more threat than other roles from their own actions, which is why a tank who hits the enemy first usually keeps its attention for the whole fight. A damage dealer who outpaces the tank “pulls aggro”, often with fatal results.
Tools that control aggro
- Taunt: puts the tank at the top of the threat table instantly. Essential for tank swaps on bosses.
- Threat redirection: abilities like the Hunter’s Misdirection or the Rogue’s Tricks of the Trade send the user’s threat to the tank for a few seconds.
- Threat drops: Feign Death, Vanish or Fade remove or reduce a player’s threat so an enemy turns away.
- Aggro range: monsters notice players who come too close; good tanks use line of sight to group them before fighting.
Aggro in Mythic+ and raids
In Mythic+, tanks pull large packs, and the first seconds are when damage dealers are most likely to pull aggro with big area attacks. In raids, many bosses force a tank swap with debuffs that stack, so the second tank must taunt at the right moment. Losing aggro at the wrong time is one of the classic causes of a wipe.
Example
A tank gathers two packs in a Mythic+ dungeon. A mage opens with a big area spell before the tank has hit every enemy, and three mobs turn toward him. The tank taunts one, the mage uses a threat drop, and the group recovers the pull.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “OT” or “overaggro” mean?
OT stands for overthreat: generating more threat than the tank, which pulls an enemy onto you. Overaggro is used the same way.
Is aggro the same in PvP?
No. Players choose their own targets, so threat and taunts only apply to computer-controlled enemies. In PvP, “taking aggro” simply means being focused by the enemy team.