#0 - Oct. 16, 2010, 11:43 a.m.
This has been posted on the US Forums, so I am only taking it from there to post it on the EU Forums.
The author of this guide is a guy named Nathin and have been playing for a while on the PTR/Cata Beta too find out how the tanking works in the new patch. I also recommend to check out his blog.
All honor to him for this guide, it is a good one :)
The US Thread is here
Q u o t e:
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=27026399208&postId=271556518745&sid=1#19
If You got any questions, make sure you scout the main thread first, because alot of people ask the same questions.
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Hi guys, I also maintain this guide on my blog (which you can find at: http://funingames.wordpress.com/2010/10/02/prot-warrioring-at-80-in-4-0/ ) which honestly will likely have a better layout and shows the graphics/video inline. Nonetheless though, I'll keep both of these up to date with comments from either side or with changes as they come. :)
It is currently as title suggests aimed at the timeframe between 4.0.(1/3) hitting and Cata launching where we'll be stuck at 80, but with the new talents.
If demand warrants, I'm quite prepared to update for level 85 as well. :)
Contents:
Intro
Stat Changes
Talents, Spec Skills and Mastery
So, How Does One Actually Play Now?
Glyphs
Reforging at 80
Wrapping Up // Video Supplement
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Guide to Warrior Tanking @80 post 4.0.1/4.0.3
Intro:
Shut up. :P Naming things is hard. However, if you’re all, ‘Halpz! I’ma drownin in new talents and things and dunno how to play my class any more, rescue me oh handsome purveyor of super informative blog posts!‘ or… You know… Something remotely close to that, then prepare to have your plea answered! Perhaps! If by the end of this, you’re still feeling in the dark, read it again! If still in the dark after that, well, there might not be much hope for you- er, feel free to ask a question. :)
Before beginning, just want to explain what this is and isn’t. Like Keeva’s Resto Druid Guide (url: http://treebarkjacket.com/patch-4-0-guide/) this one will only be dealing with issues between the time the 4.0 patch goes live (rumoured to be very soon) and when Cata launches. This will not set out to be a levelling guide nor will it much discuss builds for level 85 (I may in passing note what might be different, but certainly this is not a focus). There will be NO CONTENT SPOILERS of any kind. However, I will be discussing the new talents and prot warrior mechanics. So if you don’t even want to be that spoiled, turn back now!
Still with me? Excellent. Onwards!
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Stat Changes
In particular, the changes you’ll see just by logging in before and after the 4.0 patch goes live. Here’s a screenshot of the stats of my warrior on live (3.3.5) right now:
Image: http://funingames.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/warr-live1.jpg
And then this same character, with not a single piece of gear changed (other than being 4.0′d) on the beta server:
Image: http://funingames.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/warr-beta.jpg
Note that the beta shot was taken after training Plate Specialisation and Mastery, then also talenting so as to actually get the prot mastery. Also, I forgot to get a mouse over of the armor value. But the mitigation given by 28,828 armor at level 80 in 4.0 is: 65.43%
So to break it down a make that a little easier to compare without flipping page up and down like a yo-yo, here’s a differential from Live to Beta:
HP: +4300
Strength: -101
Stamina: +430
Defense: N/A (Now crit immunity is rolled into the Bastion of Defense talent.)***
Armor: -4176 (-2.99%)
Dodge: -5.11%
Parry: -1.07%
Block: +11.2%
So we essentially gain a little more life in exchange for almost everything else. We do gain in life at least, but not nearly as dramatically as what non tanks will be seeing. Note also though that we make quite a significant leap in terms of Block. Truth be told, before reforging (for mastery rating, since won’t be able to get it any other way), 30% block rating is simply what all warriors will have. No more no less. There is no block rating stat any more, nor is there any shield block value rating which leads me to the next big thing about block. If you weren’t already aware, block recieves quite a major overhaul in 4.0. No more does it block for piddly little amounts of damage determined by your SBV, no, instead it blocks 30% of the incoming damage if you successfully block, regardless of the size of the hit.
***As Agememnon correctly reminded me, defense rating also increased your chance for an enemies melee attack to miss you. It was the sole way for your chance to be missed to rise (unlike for Dodge, Parry and Block which were also raised by defense, and it's loss may account for some of the loss we see there). How much chance to be missed you're going to lose is going to depend on just how high you stacked defense, but at the minimum of 540 defense skill you'll lose ~5.6% chance to be missed (unsure how hard DR hits this).
As a Protection Warrior, your mastery also then gives you a chance to critically block, which will stop 60% of the incoming hit. The chance to critically block is 10% of your successful blocks, and that figure can be increased through mastery. Although as I’ve already mentioned the only way you’re going to see Mastery Rating at level 80 is to reforge it on.
So What do These Stat Changes Mean at 80?
Honestly, not a lot. At least for 80, you’ll still be stacking what you’re stacking now. Which for most? IS MOAR STAMINA. With the base HP levels Cataclysm will give us at 85, alongside the new damage model of steady damage rather than risky instagib spikes, I strongly suspect we’ll see more options opening up. That gemming avoidance might actually become reasonable again.
For the moment however, not a lot to worry about.
