#0 - Oct. 15, 2010, 8:22 p.m.
What does that mean?
Back in TBC, 102.4% was the "Uncrushability" cap. Basically, a boss level mob had the ability to land a blow for 150% his weapon damage if the tank's combat table wasn't filled. Now, the combat table is a very interesting read, but it's too hard to explain in a few words.
Crushing blows don't appear in the raid environment anymore, but the name remained to denote 102.4% total avoidance+block.
What you need to know?
A boss will never hit you for the full amount of damage if all the attacks he makes against you are would otherwise be dodged, parried, blocked, or missed.
Parry, dodge, block and you!
Now, of course you need to reach 102.4%. What does that mean? Look on your character sheet, under the defense tab! Add your dodge% with your parry% with your block% with 5% and with 15%. If your result is over 102.4%, great! You're uncrushable.
Messah, from Argent Dawn, has an useful macro. I altered it to fit my methodology. The macro assumes 100% uptime on Holy Shield!
Q u o t e:
/script DEFAULT_CHAT_FRAME:AddMessage("Need 102.4 combat table coverage. Currently at: "..string.format("%.2f", GetDodgeChance()+GetBlockChance()+GetParryChance()+5+15))
If not, read on!
Mastery!
Mastery is a new stat that all classes can use. For paladin tanks, it increases the block chance by 2% per point. Now, at 80, if you're wearing full plate, you'd have 8 mastery. (If you're not wearing full plate then you're not a tank. Shoo. Go get full plate.)
Block is the easiest way to reach 102.4%. How do you do that? Go to a city. Find the reforging provider. Ask a guard if you have to. (Don't spam in Trade, it's annoying.) Reforge pieces of gear in turn. Choose only the HIGHEST rating on each piece of gear and convert it to Mastery rating. Most commonly, on tank plate, one would find Dodge Rating, Parry Rating, Hit Rating and Expertise Rating. Choose the highest among these 4 and convert it to mastery rating.
After you're done with a piece, calculate your table. (Or use the macro.) Is it 102.4%? Yes, good, stop. No, continue, next piece.
I reforged all my gear and I'm still short!
Race change to something else than a dwarf.
Oh sorry. I mean, your gear isn't good enough yet. Trinkets. If you're sporting double stamina trinkets (as it was customary in WOTLK), it might be worthwile to repace one or both with reforged avoidance trinkets.
Check your libram. It's a stat item now. Reforge it. Also it has a slot in it. Put a gem in it.
Gem optimization. Drop some of those ugly +30s in yellow and red slots and socket for bonuses. Parry/Sta for red, Dodge/Sta for yellow.
Enchant optimization. Drop the PvP enchant from your shoulders and get the PvE one. It's actually very good now.
Depending on your Diminishing Returns on parry, you could use a Titanium Plating on your shield, which is THE avoidance enchant on shield from now on, and close the gap. (26 PR or 0.55%parry@5%)
Depending on your Diminishing Returns on dodge, you could use an 26 agility enchant on your weapon. 26 agility or 0.5%dodge@5%
Still short? You didn't race change from a dwarf I see. :( You can try getting better gear from raids, but even so, an mostly filled combat table is preferable with one with a huge gap in it! It should be possible to hit uncrushability at around average ilevel 264.
Wtf. Why 102.4%? Why 15%? Why 5%
Numius, from Neptulon, says:
Q u o t e:
Where does the "magical" number 102.4 comes from? From the basic combat mechanic - weapon skill vs defence. Character sheet shows your defences vs same level char with presumable (and now hardcored) max weapon skill. Bosses are 3 level beyond though thus having 15 more weapon skill, neglating 15 more defence than a mob/player on your level. And since 1 defence = 0.04% parry/dodge/block/chance to be missed those 2.4% are actually 15x0.04=0.6% from each stat.
5% is the above mentioned innate 'to be missed' chance. (To the peanut gallery sneering. Yes I tested it. Yes, it's still there. Falross, from Twilight's Hammer, spent a tot of time whacking at me with a white dager while we were both naked.)
15% is the block chance that came from your Holy Shield Buff. You DID spec Holy Shield, right?
What does this 102.4% do for me?
Basically, now, when a boss takes a whack at you he can:
a) Miss. You take 0 damage
b) Get dodged. You take 0 damage.
c) Get parried. You take 0 Damage. (And you get to bonk him on the nose slightly faster in return)
d) Get blocked. You take 70% Damage
That's it. It basically makes that, in the worst case, you get hit with a 70% damage hit, as opposed to the 100% original one.
BONUS: Eternal Earthsiege vs Austere Earthsiege. Math Ahead.
There may be a benefit in switching your Austere Earthsiege for an Eternal Earthsiege.
Comparing the primary bonuses is beyond the scope of this post. You like stamina go Austere. You like avoidance (or you need that extra 0.3% to uncrush) go Earthsiege!.
What I am going to adress is the secondary bonuses, i.e. 2% armor vs 1% Block value.
Let AR be the armor reduction in decimal form. Let BR be the block reduction in decimal form. The total damage reduced is:
Q u o t e:
D=AR+BR-AR*BR
For example, with my armor reduction at 0.6666 and my block value at 0.3, my overall damage reduced was 76.662%
Switching my Austere for an Earthsiege, my Armor was 0.6628 and my block was 0.31. The overall damage reduced was 76.7332% or aprox 0.11% higher in absolute terms.
As a relative term, the damage taken in the first case was 0.3% higher than in the second.
I want more!
Ooooo....kay? Sapho, from Boulderfist says that this thread on Maintankadin has most of the stuff I specified here, though not as basic.
Q u o t e:
http://maintankadin.failsafedesign.com/forum/index.php?f=6&t=29787&rb_v=viewtopic
HUGE DISCLAIMER: This is a level 80 guide. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THIS WILL WORK AT 85. Sorry. No beta access. (My internal 8ball says probably yes since mastery is getting a buff from 2% to 3% per point. Don't quote me on that though, and don't come after me with torches and pitchforks when you'll need 12541672848 mastery rating for one point at 85.)
