1.8 Warrior Tanking Guide & Information

[Sebb]

well you lose the AP, but you also limit the CtE buff on your self

Yea I'd never suggest doing anything other than a 3 pt CtE

[Souldancer]

Also, given your build, you'd generate larger initial threat if you went with a macro like this for AoE:

#show Blood Fever
suppressmacrofailures
cast Tempest
cast Ragestorm
cast Cyclone Strike

Reason is: DoTs take time to build threat. The longer the DoT is on, the more threat it creates. However, when you first pull, you want as much threat as possible so DPS can start and your healer can heal you soon, especially if it's a Warden. Tempest and Ragestorm will hit 10 targets and generate massive threat.

I go deeper into Paladin (26), so I usually open with Shield Charge. If Reaver doesn't have a charge, just face pull (run at the mob or pack of mobs) and use that macro. 3 combo points -> Pact conversion -> Aggressive block. Then do your Reaver DoTs.

You answered your own question in your post. The reason for this is because that build doesn't have a gap closer like the one that is heavy VK\Pala so you activate plague bringer, then pull with soul sickness at range and as you and the mobs come together one of the AOE abilities you are talking about gets tapped and threat is established.

[Sebb]

You answered your own question in your post. The reason for this is because that build doesn't have a gap closer like the one that is heavy VK\Pala so you activate plague bringer, then pull with soul sickness at range and as you and the mobs come together one of the AOE abilities you are talking about gets tapped and threat is established.

I really don't endorse having PB in your main macro. It gets annoying for CC breaks

[Zughalala]

who uses CC anymore......check your range before you go aoe crazy

[Sebb]

who uses CC anymore......check your range before you go aoe crazy

Drak, Rusila. Trash to laethys.

I'm dpsing on Laethys right now, but AFAIK the dots don't proc Greed reflect.

[Souldancer]

Drak, Rusila. Trash to laethys.

I'm dpsing on Laethys right now, but AFAIK the dots don't proc Greed reflect.

This document looked to me more like something to get new tanks started in their roles. Maybe an addendum on how to tank raids is in order with these little nuances that are important? In experts this is the best way to pull. I've long believed that if it's too daunting a task to hop into an expert and tank, people will give up before they even get to the point where they are tanking raids. The learning process happens best in small chunks.

Of course, you could just forego the entire issue by running the VK speed run spec which has a gap closer and takes the AoE DoT out of the equation entirely. I've been running the VK spec more and more often these days because it's just faster to charge and facepull.

[ColdReborn]

I do believe it's worth adding that light's decree can proc off any reaver dot, now since it does have an internal cd of 1 second it's not that huge, but it does help those warrior tanks that lack the gear to be able to drop the +block in pally.

[Dyak]

Thanks for an excellent guide!

But I have a noobian question: Str from Ravenous Strength - it goes over the caps, or it is capped (would not make much sense though)?

[Dyak]

Thanks for an excellent guide!

But I have a noobian question: Str from Ravenous Strength - it goes over the caps, or it is capped (would not make much sense though)?

Doh, I meant Str-dependant stats: Block and Parry. That is, for example, if one is block-capped, then he gets Ravenous Strength, will it increase his block?

[ColdReborn]

Doh, I meant Str-dependant stats: Block and Parry. That is, for example, if one is block-capped, then he gets Ravenous Strength, will it increase his block?

Actually yes, it does. In my experiences, it goes above the block cap. So my warrior, sitting at roughly 58%, after aggressive block, is at 68, plus the +25% to str from RS gives me around 73%. It's just ridiculous because of the fact it also increases the dmg blocked, except the tooltip is incorrect. For instance, after 5 pts in unyielding defense, it does not update, not one .01%. Same goes with RS, but there again, I know I block significantly more with unyielding defense than without it, tested this for the past 2 weeks. Prior to testing it and actually looking at the numbers I was reducing when I block, I just relied on the tooltip. I believe the block cap only applies to passives, bonus off of gear dependant stats, and buffs, but I could be wrong.

[Bloodbourne]

Every major patch someone makes a new one of these, and I can't help but laugh at each and every one of them.

You actually encourage LoS pulling...

I just... I just can't...

TANKING IS HARD GUYS!!! We need guides to tell of things and stuff. LoS casters! Armor is good! Block stuff!

Remember when guides were useful, and had an intelligent premise? Now, look, this is all tutorial BS and tooltip mouseover.

ugh...

[Bloodbourne]

Actually yes, it does. In my experiences, it goes above the block cap. So my warrior, sitting at roughly 58%, after aggressive block, is at 68, plus the +25% to str from RS gives me around 73%. It's just ridiculous because of the fact it also increases the dmg blocked, except the tooltip is incorrect. For instance, after 5 pts in unyielding defense, it does not update, not one .01%. Same goes with RS, but there again, I know I block significantly more with unyielding defense than without it, tested this for the past 2 weeks. Prior to testing it and actually looking at the numbers I was reducing when I block, I just relied on the tooltip. I believe the block cap only applies to passives, bonus off of gear dependant stats, and buffs, but I could be wrong.

I hate you.

STR only affects rating. Buffs like agressive block don't affect the soft/hard caps. This has been said about a million and a half times. Unyielding Defense doesn't affect block absorb. Read the tooltip. Ravenous STR gives you Block rating... it will increase your block chance because you're below the hard cap. Herp. derp.

[Dyak]

I hate you.

STR only affects rating. Buffs like agressive block don't affect the soft/hard caps. This has been said about a million and a half times. Unyielding Defense doesn't affect block absorb. Read the tooltip. Ravenous STR gives you Block rating... it will increase your block chance because you're below the hard cap. Herp. derp.

All right, all right, it is all clear except... my original question

This is from the guide:
"It is recommended you keep stacking block as your main avoidance stat until you hit the absorb hard cap. Remember, the hard caps only applies to % gained from rating (gear & raid buffs), not +% bonuses (talents, self buffs & abilities)"

so: if one already hits the hard cap, is Ravenous Strength still useful (as a self buff?)?

[Sebb]

All right, all right, it is all clear except... my original question

This is from the guide:
"It is recommended you keep stacking block as your main avoidance stat until you hit the absorb hard cap. Remember, the hard caps only applies to % gained from rating (gear & raid buffs), not +% bonuses (talents, self buffs & abilities)"

so: if one already hits the hard cap, is Ravenous Strength still useful (as a self buff?)?

It will increase your block rating and your parry rating. If you are the block absorb soft cap, then you just get very very very very small gains. I promise you're not at the block absorb hard cap.

It's helpful in that it's a probably not noticeable increase in mitigation.

[TheGrinnz]

Every major patch someone makes a new one of these, and I can't help but laugh at each and every one of them.

You actually encourage LoS pulling...

I just... I just can't...

TANKING IS HARD GUYS!!! We need guides to tell of things and stuff. LoS casters! Armor is good! Block stuff!

Remember when guides were useful, and had an intelligent premise? Now, look, this is all tutorial BS and tooltip mouseover.

ugh...

Unfortunately the tooltips no longer even say which abilities generate additional threat