[Cataclysm] Protection Warrior - Page 34

Muspel · 08/28/11, 1:04 AM

Originally Posted by Stfuppercut

While this is mostly true, it is worth noting that with Shield Block active, any excess block gets converted into Critical Block chance.

True, I should have mentioned that.

It doesn't do much to impact mastery's value past the block cap, though, especially since your survivability is rarely threatened with Shield Block active anyways.

Shan · 08/28/11, 12:22 PM

I finally got around doing some testing on Shield Block's critical block formula.

It's still CTC% - 75% and it's not capped, which means that Shield Block will give more than 25% critical block above 100% CTC.

Testing details
Tests were done with 106.81% CTC against lvl 85 mobs in Told Barad. I gathered several mobs, refreshed Battle Shout, activated [Vial of Stolen Memories], started combat logging and activated Shield Block. I used WoWCardioRaid to filter the combat log, discarding any blocks within 200 ms of activating Shield Block.

Over four such tests, I got 86 crit and 12 regular blocks, which is a 86.04% crit block rate. The expected crit block rate with an uncapped formula was 85.17%. If the bonus was capped at 25%, it would have been 78.36% (Hold the Line uptime for all tests was 100% due to fighting 5+ mobs every time).

What this means
Currently it means very little. It will start mattering more in the Deathwing raid. Mastery's value still drops after 100% CTC, but not nearly as harshly if Shield block's critical block bonus were capped at 25%. According to my spreadsheet, point for point of rating, it drops to about the same damage reduction over time as dodge/parry.

For now it's not possible to say which gearing approach is better. Here are pros of each.

1) Stacking mastery past 100% CTC

- Stronger Shield Block
- Smoother damage intake (which is to some extent more important than simply dps taken)
- A Deathwing raid where certain bosses have increased hit chances but others don't (like Baleroc has) would favor this approach.

2) Reshuffling mastery into dodge/parry after 100% CTC

- Lower dps taken outside of Shield Block (where it matters more)
- Certain boss fights favor avoidance

DarkOne92 · 08/30/11, 2:21 AM

Originally Posted by ck1

you should take into account that thunder clap could miss and you have to renew rend manually

This may be a bug, but in my experience this doesn't happen. I have watched my TC miss countless times, and it still refreshes Rend.

Calomer · 08/31/11, 7:21 AM

About what to do after block-cap;

My first plan is, to get block-cap with Mirror of Broken Images.

Once that is achieved, I'll start going for socket bonuses and more stamina for this tier. That's because I don't think I can achieve to get way more mastery to be able to bock-capped without 2x mastery trinkets.

However, for 4.3, I'm planning to aim for getting block-capped with only one mastery trinket. Therefore I can swap my trinkets with ease depending on the fights - Mirror of Broken Images for spiky spell damage, Scales of Life when I will need excessive health / self healing. We can always turn back & use mastery trinkets for heavy physical oriented fights anyway.

Therefore the choice about either more avoidance / stamina or mastery after block-cap does not make much sense to me, if you have enough trinkets to disguise into any solution.

Senator Tibetan · 09/01/11, 8:03 PM

Originally Posted by shutyaev

Is this always right? For example, should I reforge dodge for parry and parry for mastery when possible?

I agree on this. I think we should get the most out of mastery as possible. Also, parry is more useful for us because of our talents, but you shouldn't make the difference between ur dodge and parry % more than 8%.

Stfuppercut · 09/02/11, 8:54 AM

Originally Posted by Senator Tibetan

I agree on this. I think we should get the most out of mastery as possible. Also, parry is more useful for us because of our talents, but you shouldn't make the difference between ur dodge and parry % more than 8%.

8% difference between Dodge and Parry is far too much wasted stats. 1-2% is far better due to diminishing returns.

Muspel · 09/02/11, 9:44 AM

Originally Posted by Stfuppercut

8% difference between Dodge and Parry is far too much wasted stats. 1-2% is far better due to diminishing returns.

This. It's still more important to maximize your mastery than to keep dodge/parry even, but 8% is about the point I'd start looking at lower ilvl gear to see if I gain more overall CTC due to superior itemization, rather than smashing my face into the DR wall.

bumwitagun · 09/09/11, 12:24 AM

Anyone have an idea what could cause this? Recently upgraded to unhittable and wasn't doing something stupid like pointing my back at the boss.

I've dug through our logs (<Stuck on Uldaman> US-Uldaman) and found a pretty significant number of these hits, but the average hit is always pretty low (20-30k on Heroic Rag).

Runtime · 09/09/11, 1:12 AM

The average unmitigated rag hit is around 80-90k. When an absorb is up, I have found that it won't always report you blocking even though you are.

Faerrun · 09/09/11, 10:36 AM

So, I know there was some speculation about the T12 4P, but have we determined if it's really worth it? Right now, I'm using only the gloves and legs, and then 3 offpieces. If I keep the offpieces (I'm using [Pauldrons of Roaring Flame], [Helm of Blazing Glory], and [Carapace of Imbibed Flame]) then I gain a significant amount of avoidance because of worse itemization on the three tier pieces. I mean, having the extra hit/expertise can't hurt, but I don't have threat problems at all.

Any suggestions/data/speculation to swing me either way would be great, thanks!

Kayytee · 09/11/11, 8:34 PM

Originally Posted by bumwitagun

Anyone have an idea what could cause this? Recently upgraded to unhittable and wasn't doing something stupid like pointing my back at the boss.

I've dug through our logs (<Stuck on Uldaman> US-Uldaman) and found a pretty significant number of these hits, but the average hit is always pretty low (20-30k on Heroic Rag).

It might be that your battleshout/horn of winter is falling off. On rag you're out of range of melee, so you gotta keep it up yourself.

Malevolencia · 09/12/11, 8:14 AM

Does using the 3 offset pieces enable you to reach block capped? If not I'd stick with the 4 piece since you then can fairly easily reach block capped for (theoretical) 66% of the time rather than 33% without the 4set.

I've opted for full dps/threat gearing though since tank damage is very easily healable atm (except for baleroc hc where full avoidance will help healers a lot). It might be cos our other tank is a DK though, who takes vastly higher spike damage all the time compared to me in my threat heavy setup, so the damage on me feels not so bad relatively.

Alysana · 09/14/11, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Malevolencia

I've opted for full dps/threat gearing though since tank damage is very easily healable atm

I'm not quite sure why you'd ever want to gear towards threat considering our recent buff to threat modifiers which resulted in threat being an utter joke. Even if healing you is easy, making it even easier by gearing "properly" increases your raid's overall survivability.

On a side note, I'm quite digging the 4 piece so far. Going with offpieces might in theory grant you more overall avoidance, but what you should keep in mind is that our 4 piece grants us the avoidance when we need it the most; When Shield Block isn't active.

As always, gearing and gemming as a tank isn't as black and white as it is to gear/gem a DPS. Just because it might grant you more survivability on paper, doesn't nescecary mean it's the best route to go due to how we take damage is also interfering with healers.

Runtime · 09/14/11, 12:25 PM

I personally am going for the offset pieces. This is because I will be able to reach full CTC if I use the offset chest helm and shoulders. Most of my healers complain about the spiky nature of my damage which only occurs when I take a full melee hit. (I was also a bit under-geared compared to the other tanks at the time of the complaints) It is possible to reach Full CTC using the 4 piece but you need to be killing Heroic Ragnaros to achieve that.

Demes · 09/15/11, 9:08 AM

Originally Posted by Runtime

I personally am going for the offset pieces. This is because I will be able to reach full CTC if I use the offset chest helm and shoulders. Most of my healers complain about the spiky nature of my damage which only occurs when I take a full melee hit. (I was also a bit under-geared compared to the other tanks at the time of the complaints) It is possible to reach Full CTC using the 4 piece but you need to be killing Heroic Ragnaros to achieve that.

No you don't, you actually don't even need normal mode ragnaros or any heroic kills to reach 102.4% combat table coverage with 4-piece bonus.