Tanking talent build - Page 13

kalbear · 02/23/09, 10:58 AM

In current raiding environment, since there isn't a fight where there are a lot of movement and separation, you can probably get away with not having IW, especially with how popular 32/39 DW Death Knights has been. However, the most important thing is that you look at the raid and make sure you have the appropriate debuffer.

The one exception - and it's a large one - is if you're planning on tanking Sartharion3D. If that's the case, you won't have a debuffer unless you do something very odd, in which case having IW is a good thing.

Thaeryn · 02/23/09, 12:15 PM

This is the build I have been using since the addition of cat swipe:

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I am the offtank in our Naxx runs, but spend the majority of my time DPS'ing. The only time I throw on my tanking gear is for patchwerk... everything else is done in DPS gear. What I really like about this spec is the versatility and survivability it gives me as a cat. While I'm missing the primary tanking talents, current content doesn't require them. While in cat form, I take 30% less AoE damage, 20% increased healing, and I can pop barkskin or survival instincts if I need.

Typically I'm top 3 for overall DPS, and I'll hover around 5-7th on most boss fights, pushing up to top 3 on some. This even includes fights where I'm required to tank for a portion of the fight (Thaddius, Gluth, Noth).

This will probably continue to be my spec going into Ulduar, with a dual spec setup that maximizes my mitigation and survivability in bear form for any fights that really need that.

• moz · 02/23/09, 3:12 PM

Originally Posted by Athari

We usually run with the DPS intentionally running into the slime to always stay at about 50% health so them getting heals isn't what we want at the moment.

I'm sorry but this is unforgivable at this stage of the game. If this is indeed the case, it seems you (and your guild) still don't understand how Hateful Strike works after all this time (and two iterations of Naxxramas). Using this as a reason not to get ILOTP is even more ridiculous.

Aldhissla · 02/23/09, 6:35 PM

Originally Posted by kalbear

The one exception - and it's a large one - is if you're planning on tanking Sartharion3D. If that's the case, you won't have a debuffer unless you do something very odd, in which case having IW is a good thing.

Hmm, I thought the same thing when we first did sarth 3D. But now that Sarth goes completely immune when Shadron's acolyte is summoned I don't really bother with Infected Wounds. Im just standing there not attacking, casting demo roar periodically and dodging fire. Once Shadron's acolyte is down and you are able to attack Sarth again, the hard part of the fight is already over - so I don't really mind that I'm taking a little bit more damage.

Having said that, Infected Wounds is a nice talent if you tank a lot of bosses. Personally I usually dps and occasionally offtank, having 2 prot warriors and a DK in my 25 mans.

kalbear · 02/23/09, 7:55 PM

You can refresh IW by hitting mangle. It does no damage but does put the IW debuff on. It's very nice for dealing with big breaths + melee attacks and in general making things nicer for your healers.

Furial · 02/23/09, 10:27 PM

Hello there, as i saw some tanking rotations were posted on this thread i would like to add a question i was hoping to see answered here.

I read sometime ago that using FFF on CD would be a boost in TPS if your threat was below a certain value. My question is basically what is that value? How much TPS do you need to pull to neglect the need to FFF on CD. I'm pretty sure i read this on EJ forums and the value was 5.5k or something but then again, with no source i can't really confirm it. If you can supply the mathematical explanation with an answer that would be great.

EDIT: Grammar.

Aldhissla · 02/23/09, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by kalbear

You can refresh IW by hitting mangle. It does no damage but does put the IW debuff on. It's very nice for dealing with big breaths + melee attacks and in general making things nicer for your healers.

Hmm, I would be hesitant to try doing this while twilight torment is up, you might be taking more damage than you save.

Monedula · 02/23/09, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by Furial

Hello there, as i saw some tanking rotations were posted on this thread i would like to add a question i was hoping to see answered here.

I read sometime ago that using FFF on CD would be a boost in TPS if your threat was below a certain value. My question is basically what is that value? How much TPS do you need to pull to neglect the need to FFF on CD. I'm pretty sure i read this on EJ forums and the value was 5.5k or something but then again, with no source i can't really confirm it. If you can supply the mathematical explanation with an answer that would be great.

EDIT: Grammar.

Very interesting remark. I think you base this on missing out 1 swipe (minus threat) and replacing that every 30 seconds with FFF reducing armor, thus hitting harder, thus more threat.

I wonder if it can be answered because different bosses have different armor values I assume. I also wonder if armor on bosses scales the same, Diminished Returns, as on us (1k armor at 20k armor does less reduction then 1k armor at 10k armor). I assume it is, which makes FFF really hard to calculate.

I think the question has to be rephrased as follows:
"What is the formula for x armor on a boss to calculate the tipping point in AP you need to make FFF give more threat then a swipe"
Or am I wrong?

Cluey · 02/24/09, 1:01 AM

Originally Posted by kalbear

You can refresh IW by hitting mangle. It does no damage but does put the IW debuff on. It's very nice for dealing with big breaths + melee attacks and in general making things nicer for your healers.

I have only had to tank him once and I respecced specifically for the fight picking up IW. I wasn't able to keep it up when he went immune at all, if there is a next time I won't worry about picking the talent up as the DK's attack speed slow was going up while he was immune anyway.
I guess it will come down to where your raid tanks the different mobs and if your DK is in range and the right spec.

Originally Posted by Monedula

Very interesting remark. I think you base this on missing out 1 swipe (minus threat) and replacing that every 30 seconds with FFF reducing armor, thus hitting harder, thus more threat.

I wonder if it can be answered because different bosses have different armor values I assume. I also wonder if armor on bosses scales the same, Diminished Returns, as on us (1k armor at 20k armor does less reduction then 1k armor at 10k armor). I assume it is, which makes FFF really hard to calculate.

I think the question has to be rephrased as follows:
"What is the formula for x armor on a boss to calculate the tipping point in AP you need to make FFF give more threat then a swipe"
Or am I wrong?

You're wrong.
It is assumed that both major and minor armor reductions are up when looking at threat calculations. If you look back at the early tests of FFF threat it was always worth using it every cool down for threat. I am not sure if this still holds true or not.

Due to the silly interaction between FFF and Misery or IFF from a moonkin I haven't tried using it outside of heroics depending on raid makeup for tens. That is certainly one bug I would like to see fixed.

Furial · 02/24/09, 2:59 AM

Originally Posted by Monedula

Very interesting remark. I think you base this on missing out 1 swipe (minus threat) and replacing that every 30 seconds with FFF reducing armor, thus hitting harder, thus more threat.

I wonder if it can be answered because different bosses have different armor values I assume. I also wonder if armor on bosses scales the same, Diminished Returns, as on us (1k armor at 20k armor does less reduction then 1k armor at 10k armor). I assume it is, which makes FFF really hard to calculate.

I think the question has to be rephrased as follows:
"What is the formula for x armor on a boss to calculate the tipping point in AP you need to make FFF give more threat then a swipe"
Or am I wrong?

No no Monedula. what i asked was exactly what Cluey said. Using FFF as a threat ability itself and not only because of the threat-related debuff it gives. As said and well said Cluey, i must agree that Misery / IFF can be a pain as it overwrites FFF. If it turns out that the threat we are doing/can do is higher than what it would be with FFF then the so called bug you want to be fixed wouldn't be needed. That's the little dilemma that i'm throwing here...

EDIT: Grammar

• Melthu · 02/24/09, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Monedula

I wonder if it can be answered because different bosses have different armor values I assume. I also wonder if armor on bosses scales the same, Diminished Returns, as on us (1k armor at 20k armor does less reduction then 1k armor at 10k armor). I assume it is, which makes FFF really hard to calculate.

According to Wrath boss armor testing, all raid bosses have the same amount of armor.

Monedula · 02/24/09, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by Melthu

According to Wrath boss armor testing, all raid bosses have the same amount of armor.

In that case the changes to FFF (5% reduction instead of 1260 armor) will not effect it at all.
This change seems to be a PVP change to not cut clothies armor in half (or something like that I don;t know ho w much armor cloth wearers have these days).

If this is not a PvE change can we conclude from this that at the moment boss armor is 20 times 1260 armor (100%) = 25200 armor?

charriu · 02/25/09, 6:23 AM

Originally Posted by Monedula

In that case the changes to FFF (5% reduction instead of 1260 armor) will not effect it at all.
This change seems to be a PVP change to not cut clothies armor in half (or something like that I don;t know ho w much armor cloth wearers have these days).

If this is not a PvE change can we conclude from this that at the moment boss armor is 20 times 1260 armor (100%) = 25200 armor?

No, we can't. First, all DR calculations based on armor values would have been extremely off, and second, it wouldn't make sense to have a blue say "armor values will be nerfed to get the same effect as on live" when it already fitted the forumla without change.

Hauraki · 02/26/09, 7:38 PM

My druid alt has 32k hp, 32k ac, 35% dodge with a 58/13 bear build

I found heroics and 10 men are quite easy to tank, but lacking in dps while not tanking.

So will this 0/53/18 be a better all-around feral spec? I gave up Thick Hide as 4% ac per point seems lacking, picked up shredding attacks to boost dps, but left KotJ for the rather long cd. Picked up Master Shapeshifter while keep imp MotW. But I really miss Infected Wounds in both PvE and occasional PvP. Any comment? Thanks.

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kalbear · 02/26/09, 8:20 PM

Hauraki - there's no need to take 5/5 Furor in a tanking or DPS build.

If you're going to be doing any kind of tanking, thick hide is hugely important. 10% more armor after all the other multipliers comes out to 80% more overall armor, or about 3-4k more overall armor depending on your gear level. That is a huge amount of mitigation that you're giving up. I would drop improved mangle first; you won't need the threat boost with master shapeshifter, and it does not significantly improve cat DPS.