While I don't know enough Data to either agree/argue against the SD question. I can state this, for any of those that are having Agro/Threat problems. If you have under hit cap it will make a HUGE difference. Just closing in around the Hit cap (270ish) brought me from about 3-4k TPS to about 5-6K TPS, which is just enough to hold back the DPS in my guild for the most part.

That's a bad representation of the 2-roll system, you can just as easily say that if you hit, get dodged, or parried, you don't crit. You could also argue that Haste increases your crits per second.

Ch = C * (100 - (8-H) - (6.5-Ed) - (14-Ep))

Using my current tanking gear:
C = 47.6%
H = 5.09%
Ed = 6.5%
Ep = 6.75%
Ch = 42.764%

+1 Crit rating = 42.784%
+1 Hit rating = 42.778%
+1 Exp rating = 42.778%

At H = 0%
Ch = 40.341%
+1 Crit rating = 40.359%
+1 Hit rating = 40.355%

At C = 60%, H = 0%, and E = 0%
Ch = 42.9%
+1 Crit rating = 42.916%
+1 Hit rating = 42.918%
+1 Exp rating = 42.936%

If you are not Dodge capped on Expertise, Expertise will increase SD the most. However, with reasonable levels of gear, crit is always going to increase SD by the most. While I'm not saying "ignore hit and stack other stuff" the only arguments that can be made in favor of hit over any other stat (except probably haste) is going to be for taunts, and even that's debatable considering it's need on all of 1 fight.

The macro I use for ez-mode threat is:

/cast Maul
/castsequence Mangle(Bear)(), Feral Faerie Fire(), Lacerate, Mangle(Bear)(), Swipe(Bear)(), Feral Faerie Fire(), Mangle(Bear)(), Lacerate, Swipe(Bear)()

Of course using a priority system is best threat: Mangle -> FFF -> Keep Lacerate @ 5 stacks -> Swipe filler

My macro uses Lacerate more often than you would need with max hit/expertise but I dont have cap of either so it keep lacerate up ~98% of the fight. I also do use Imp mangle - with 5/5 feral agression (I give up ferocity, with enuf agi, primal fury, and how hard uldaur mobs hit rage is a non-issue).

Without Imp mangle the cast sequence is simplified to Mangle, FFF, Lacerate, Swipe which i would put on a 5 second reset (middle of GCD on last swipe).

When I pull a boss I Powershift for 10 rage (sometimes extra attempts due to 3/5 Furor now), Enrage, and then FFF with enrage having 1 or 2 seconds left (Extra threat, I run 2/3 King of the Jungle). When he gets in melee range I Mangle, Demo, and Lacerate (or double demo if a miss occurs), then begin the macro for the rest of the fight. Just fill in demo 3 seconds before it drops to keep it @ 99% up time.

Using this macro and strategy does several things for me. For starters my TPS is huge, its rare someone pulls from me and if does happen it is within the first 20 seconds of the fight. It also allows me to concentrate on raid progress. I am generally the "voice" on vent - corridinating innervates, Brezes, movement, pre-warnings on Boss abilities, etc. With it im quicker with snap taunts and survival CD's rather than tunnel visioned on my threat "rotation".

Of course if you are a quicker player than me the absolute best method is to use the priority system. But Im not close to perfect, and I cut corners like this to help circumvent my short-comings. Its an invaluable crutch in my tanking with (imho) minimal loss giving me the edge in most fights


EDIT: Simplified and edited macro for efficiency

The reset=13 is not going to help you there. All that means is that 13 secs after the last time you press the button, the sequence will reset. So if you are up to the last lacerate in the sequence(10+ secs into the sequence), then hit the button again 12 secs later it will still fire off the last swipe in the sequence, even though it is 22sec since you started the sequence.

Loryli,

You're wrong and it's pretty easy to do some testing.

Make a castsequence like so.
/castsequence reset=1 Rejuvenation,Lifebloom, Lifebloom, Lifebloom

Now spam the button. You will always cast RJ - LB -LB - LB
Now press the button twice wait two seconds then press it again.
Rejuv - LB - 1 second - Rejuv - LB etc.

Castsequence resets x seconds after the last successful action.

What I've been finding is that with SD Hit really isn't an issue, due to the fact that lacerate crits proc SD it generally will keep SD up quite often without any other attacks hitting. Also Since the Expertise value still helps negate Parries it seems the obvious better choice to gear for expertise well over the Dodge cap Vs Hit Rating.

Generally as far as Aggro is concerned I use Twister Visage while OT, (to try and maintain aggro encase the tank dies.) and will generally go back to OoN if i start to tank something that hits a little harder (General Vezax.) but for the most part I find that the only thing that Hit really helps is to keep My new Idol going.
If your having aggro problems its possible your doing something wrong in talents, enchants, gems area. (either that or your trying to compare your self to a Prot pally or a Prot war with Vigilance on you.)
AE aggro has been a pain of recent, Swipe rarely is up to snub even with using TV and procing Enrage(KotJ) doesn't seem to do enough by comparison to Pallys and Wars.

It's possible we're balanced to AOE tank in DPS gear overall. Think about it:

- low chance of insta-gib
- balanced at less threat than tank gear
- SD becomes more effective the closer it comes to absorbing full hits, which AOE situations provide; it should also absorb more as you're close to guaranteed a block every swipe, essentially

I recently obtained [Tortured Earth] from General Vezax's 10-Hard. Since the updated 226 -> 232 stats isn't up yet on MMO-Champion, I went to PTR and got the screenshot of it for the curious: here

Compared to [Twisted Visage], you get:

+44 AP
+2 FAP
+10 stam
+2 gem slots (yellow)

-32 Agil
-13 crit rating
-14 hit rating


So this is a nice alternative to Twisted Visage. Since I don't need hit and gemmed them with 2 x 16 Agil, it will be a choice between 44 AP/10 Stam vs. 13 crit rating.

However I am still a little bit bummed out that [Origin of Nightmares] will probably be the last and best mitigation tanking weapon.

[Origin of Nightmares] will be a "freak" weapon I think. Something to twink your stats when you need a lot of stamina. Good to have for stamina fights, and depending on your role you use it more often then not. I found myself using it only a few times since I got the Twisted Visage.

Item bloat is a really weak excuse(from Ghost Crawler) when they still have melee staffs and spell power plate in game. Make them polearms or maces and DKs can use them too. Problem solved.

EDIT: I can understand GC's OTHER reasons. Saying you designed the class around using a DPS weapon is fine. But don't bring up item bloat.

Considering that those stats are 'needed' for PVP, I guess I can see why they'd be stacked on Arena gear. The failing comes when there's no PVE alternative (And no, having resilience on a stick for 'gimp threat' and 'less SD effectiveness' doesn't invalidate its use on pure survival fights, like Thorim or Steelbreaker on roids)

I can understand and agree why having bonus armor on staves should become an obsolete mechanic (in which case readjust Origin of Nightmares already so that it can get banked!) but I honestly don't see why there can't be at least 1-2 high stam/agility staves/polearms out of the dozen that drop in Ulduar. As it is they're more or less carbon copies of each other except you get to choose if you want hit or not on your weapon.

Even stuff like spellpower leather have variants in some slots with an absurdly high amount of stamina for certain fights. I know there's a spellpower shield, of all things, with 89 stam on it. Spellpower staves have varying amounts of stam. Why not physical dps staves/polearms?