Saaced Shield...

[Njall]

Should I be using this in my rotation? I got called 'a very bad tank' for not using it in heroics by some random dude. I normally don't cast it ever as I mostly raid and while there, I have other pallies casting SS on me and I don't wish to overwrite theirs.

If I should be using it, when should I be?

Thanks.

[fuzzygeek]

It's a (small) straight damage redux, so pop it on whenever there's not a holydin on you.

That being said, people complaining about it in heroics need to get over themselves. ><

[Invisusira]

I'll usually throw it up as I run into combat if there's not a Holy Pally.

Someone complaining about this in pugs is stupid and doesn't know what they're talking about.

[Arcand]

If I should be using it, when should I be?

If your gear's crappy or if the healer's gear is crappy.

There's really no reason not to keep SS up on every single pull if you're
interested in minimizing the healing you require - but in many heroics you
can keep the tank topped off with Renew/Rejuvenation/Earth Shield anyway.
At that point the benefit to the group from you hitting SS is approximately
zilch.

[Njall]

That's about what I figured. I'll try and remember to cast it before any pulls if there's no Holy Rollers around.

[Koatanga]

If you are ICC-geared then you are probably capable of soloing a lot of those heroics so it's all a bit irrelevant.

However, if you want to look at it empirically, if you are ICC geared then you probably lack a lot of block rating and block value that would otherwise render you immune to physical damage. So you'd take more damage in ICC gear running heroics than you would in Naxx/Ulduar gear.

SS could theoretically bridge a lot of that gap and make you take less damage.

But if you are ICC-geared and someone is having you on about not having SS up, then he's an idiot. I don't know about you, but for heroics I put my brain on auto-pilot and pretty much mail it in.

I am sure it's bad of me not to put out 100% effort every instant I play the game, but come on - if it wasn't for the frost emblems (that I don't even need any more) there would be one fewer tank in queue for heroics, and it would take longer for everyone else to get an instance.

You can deal with a geared tank being slightly lazy, or wait for the next under-geared DK DPS who jumped the queue by selecting "tank". Which would you prefer?

[Harmacy]

I'm in the habit of refreshing it every opportunity I get, running between trash packs, when Sindragosa flies up in the air, etc etc.

More mitigation never hurts. I just have to remind myself not to do it when there's a Holy Pally present.

[Platelet]

When someone complains about a particular part of my tanking routine, I politely tell them to stuff it. If they do it again I tell the group they can either have a backseat tank wannabe or they can have me who will blow through the instance successfully without losing aggro. Then I vote to kick the tool. Never once have I lost the vote.

I find it mildly ironic how all the dps likes to gripe about the shortage of tanks and long queue times, then when they get one they like to complain about their skill.

Upon rereading the above it looks like I am a jerk, so I guess I am, but that is the price randomers will have to pay to have a good tank.

[Shinigamy]

it is good to use SS in the heroics they are like solos of old school instances that i love to do by my self (MC,BWL etc.) i mean on boss encounters and large amount of mods 6-7 on me the ss is up 99% of the encounter
seal of light, SS, that can save allot of healing and even if you make it with greeny's like i do in 90% of the time your chance for Success with out wiping is 100%