Thovargh

So I lately had a discussion with my guilds formar main tank...
He said that stacking block value was a more effective stat than things like dodge or parry, because since you have shield block up all the time, a flat amount of blocked damage is better to have than some completely avoided attacks.
So, what do you think is better to stack for survivability and easier healing?
Or should i go back to good old Stamina and armor for better taking high damage spikes since Druids seem to outperform me in these Points?

 

Darkmgl

I wouldn't look at anything but stamina and armor before anything else. After that its your choice of avoidance or block value. Stray from block rating though, waste of item points.

I've had avoidance personally with only like 200 shield block value, my healers seem to like it as long as I have a huge hp pool to heal from they say. The only reason I'm considering switching to block value now is lack of rage from missed hits and bigger shield slams for threat (Damned Enhancement Shamans and other unsalved high DPS classes). I would NOT switch to block value if I couldn't maintain over low 13k unbuffed hps with 14500+ armor though as you hurt yourself by not reaching those points.

Check out this thread for alot of related discussion:
[Warrior] MT itemization theory

 

Maahk

Let's say you're getting hit for 4k each hit. It would take each block negating 1000 damage every hit to make up the same amount of mitigation that 25% dodge/parry provides. This works out to 40 blocked damage per % of block/parry.

If you start fighting mobs that hit for 5k each, all of a sudden it takes 1250 blocked damage to equal 25% dodge/parry's mitigation, which now works out to 50 blocked damage per % dodge/parry.
In short, dodge/parry scales better with incoming damage by mitigating more than block value's relatively static amount.

More importantly for me, dodged or parried attacks don't use up shield block charges.

For me (assuming you have at least 490 defense,) stamina>armor>dodge>parry (because of itemization costs,) but all are >>> block value.

I do, however, understand the lost rage and more threat from slams referenced by Darkmgl in the above post, but referring to the original post, I would never give up significant amounts of HP or armor to pick up significant amounts block value as a PVE tank.

 

Darkmgl

Keep in mind, you're not sacrificing 25% dodge/parry for your block value. Armory and Stamina still hold king but there is a definite point where it is worth losing 3-4% dodge/parry for +300-400 block value. By your logic on a creature that hits for 10,000 every 1% of dodge = 100 damage so you would easily break even on any creature that melees in the game losing 1% for +100. That is not even including the increase in threat, increased rage intake due to not avoiding, and less spikey mitigation.

Course I'm only talking about situations where you are still sitting at a comfortable 20+% dodge and 17+% parry. Before you have a comfortable amount of health/armor/dodge/parry I wouldn't even look at it. Early dungeon sets can give you that magical 600 shield block value at the cost of almost 2k max health, loads of armor, and low avoidance. Once you get up to later Tier 4 and Early Tier 5 you become able to add block value in addition to what you already have without giving anything else up.

 

Sinar

But you can Have a streak where you get no dodges/Parry Its not always about final damage taken but more about how consistent you keep that damage

 

DarKNecross

Well, it helps to realize that a string of dodges will mean you won't be taking incoming heals. That means your priests/druids can slip into the FSR to regen some mana.

 

Andrise

It also means you get no rage. But more to the point, dodge and parry are nice enough, but they certainly are nothing to depend on, whereas on any fight that matters, you'll have 100% uptime on Shield Block, so block value is taking damage off of every single hit (and boosting your TPS too). When I'm specced Prot, my gearing preference is obviously Stamina over everything, but then armor and block value, more so than avoidance. Tanking as Arms, Fury, or Fury/Prot, avoidance becomes more useful, since block value is marginalized. For example, as prot spec I'll use Styleen's/ Auto-Blocker for trinkets on most fights, but as Fury/Prot, I use Adamantine Figurine / Moroes Pocket Watch. A big reason for this is that in my usual Fury/Prot build, I lack Imp Shield Block, so block value loses most of it's benefit, but also, boosting my avoidance means I'm less likely to have my one shield block charge eaten on a boss, and I will be crushed less.