Philosophy of the FAQ AKA: Knaughty is biased
Skip this section if you're uninterested in my personal viewpoint. Actual answers start in Mechanics & play changes.
Q: What's the point & purpose of this FAQ?
A: Short & simple answers for people who want a quick fix.
The basic assumption is that the reader is a protection spec paladin who hasn't followed every beta patch note in gory detail, or read every single thousand-post sticky on the MT forum. You logged on in 3.0, went "WTF" and need some quick answers. Or you're a Holy/Ret/SomeOtherClass re-roll wanting some quick advice on how to tank as a pally.
If you don't like the shortness of the answers, do your own damn research - the links under I want more info! near the end of this post are a great start.
Q: You're biased!
A: Yup. Read my sig.
This is a guide for people who want to be "progression raiding main tanks". It assumes you'll be MTing a 25, maybe a 10 as well. The FAQ also doesn't present the subtleties - just the "standard answer". There are no provisos or nuanced examples of edge cases. It also heavily favours "real tanking experience" over theory-craft or mind experiments. Given the timing, that means "pre-nerf Sunwell experience". If the FAQ is still relevant in a couple of months, I'll update it based on tanking Naxx-25.
Q: I think you're wrong and am going to flame you!
A: Official formus ---> thataway. Oh, and expect to be flamed back, I enjoy it.
Q: You're rude and mean!
A: Yup.
It's not really true though. Ask a polite question (even a noob one) and you'll get a polite (if terse) answer (and maybe an update to the FAQ if I think the question is "F" enough). Ask a rude or argumentative question, and I'll joyfully tear you apart. Sorry, it's a flaw, I enjoy baiting the trolls.
Q: You don't talk about trash mobs, enchants, or detailed gear selection!
A: Correct! Being a MT is a responsibility, you need to be willing to learn how to do your job. If you need that level of training the links under I want more info! near the end of this post are a great start.
Q: You're just regurgitating stuff Lore / Psiven / Worldie / etc have already posted!
A: Yup. That's the point.
Mechanics & play changes:
Q: What seal do I use?
A: SoV
Q: What do I judge for threat?
A: JoL You get the healing threat, and RF applies. 1.3 threat per point healed. JoL might be changed to "Zero Threat" at some point. Right now, LOTS of TPS if there's raid damage floating around.
Q: What Inscriptions?
A: At 70: Righteous Defence and Judgement. Minor Inscriptions are Minor (and discoveries, so they're a PITA to get)
A: At 80: Righteous Defence and SoV to start. Third one: Avenger's shield is more threat than Judgment if you don't mind single target AS.
Q: Why not Inscription of Consecration?
A: Breaks your rotation. Search 969.
Q: I just got crushed. I thought crushing blows were removed?
A: Crushing blows kick in at level+4 Raid bosses don't crush (unless you're 79 or lower). The level 80 elite is going to kill your level 70 ass.
Q: If nothing can crush, do I need 102.4%?
A: No (but...). You don't need it, but it is a nice goal to hit, and it will make you healers happy. Once you hit 102.4, BV=EH, and we're ahead of the warriors on EH.
Q: How much defence do I need?
A: @70: 490 And you lost 20 due to talent changes.
A: @80: 540 About 689 rating. This is a lot.
Q: I'm short on Defense. What do I do?
A: Gem & Enchant for it Expect to have mostly +defence gems and enchants to start Naxx, and even throughout it. Reaching and staying at 540 Defence is a major tanking focus at 80.
Q: That sucks! Why?
A: Blizzard got bored of tank gemming nothing but stamina Damage is a lot less spiky and dramatic on level 80 tanks. So desperately stacking EH is much less of an issue. Balanced gemming / enchanting is the outcome.
Q: Whats this 96969 rotation stuff??? Can you explain it pls?
A: No. But Psiven did
Q: What's going on with Divine Shield and Divine Protection?
A: Divine Shield = immune, clear debuffs, drop aggro. And soak raid damage, if you're specced Divine Guardian.
A: Divine Protection = Bubblewall We can tank an enrage real good now. Spec AD to maximise.
Gear:
Q: What weapon do I use?
A: tanking weapon. Or if you want peak threat: The highest ilevel weapon you have. If you have two from the same tier instance, use the "tanking" weapon, not the caster one. But you don't need threat... So if you have a Suneater or better tanking weapon, just use it. If not, go get a Suneater.
Q: What weapon enchant?
A: At 70: Potency (20 strength) for threat and EH via a little BV. Agility for 0.8% Dodge.
A: At 80: Superior Potency for threat, 65 AP. Accuracy gives 0.76% +hit which is very useful, and some crit, which isn't.
Q: Which temp enchant?
A: At 70: Superior Wizard Oil (Righteous Weapon coating in Sunwell)
A: At 80: Exceptional Wizard Oil Blacksmith temp enchants might be better once they go in. I'm sure Psiven will work it out, ask him.
Q: What tanking gear?
A: "Warrior" gear Highest level gear you have, regardless of if it was originally warrior/paladin is now best gear. At 80: tanking plate is tanking plate. DK/War/Pal all use same stuff.
Q: ZOMG! My gear has no spellpower!
A: Well spotted. Everything scales with AP & Spell-power. You get spell-power from Stam and AP from Strength. Stack stats if you want TPS/DPS.
Q: Strength, AP, or Spell for DPS/TPS?
A: Strength > AP > Spell. Spell-power sucks on all slots bar weapon, where is is "Meh, OK" for complex reasons I'm not going to explain. EG: AP trinkets > Spell trinkets. If anything but your weapon has spell-power on it, you're doing it wrong.
Q: I want to DPS as prot spec!
A: Ret gear, 1h weapon, shield Yes, even at 70.
Q: What gems?
A: Stam > Defence > Strength Lose the spelldamage gems, if you had any. You may need more defence, especially at 80. Strength beats Agility. Defence beats Dodge.
Q: What enchant do I use on <this> slot?
A: For what? Are you short DPS/TPS? EH? Are you critable? How's your avoidance? There is no one right answer. Enchants are how you tune your gear. Stamina, Defence, Strength, Armor, Avoidance are all good enchants. Which one is best depends on the rest of your gear and the fight in question. L2P - you have to be able to evaluate your own gear!
Spec questions:
Q: Should I spec Reckoning?
A: No. Your tanking seal is SoV, and reckoning doesn't help.
Q: Should I spec Conviction?
A: No. Seals of the Pure is more threat/damage per talent point.
Q: So I should I spec SotP then?
A: Not for threat. You don't need threat. If you just want damage... sure. But not for "tanking optimised level 70 builds".
A: At 80? Sure thing Better than most other options.
Q: Imp Devotion or Imp HoJ?
A: Devotion. 30 second interrupt still sucks for raiding. Armour is Armour. Healing is a bonus for 5/10 mans with no tree.
Q: Should I spec for threat?
A: No. (but...) You don't need extra threat at level 70 or level 80. But it's good to spec for extra damage if you want, especially at 80 (or for levelling). More DPS is more DPS, even if it comes form the tank. Bonus damage also makes soloing more pleasant.
Q: So how should I spec for MT duty @ 70?
A1: Lore's 70 spec: 0/55/6
A2: Patch 3.0.3: 0/55/6
Q: So how should I spec for zerging easy stuff?
A: Lore's Prot DPS: 5/56/0 - Karazhan, running old content for Achievements, lolProtDPS.
A: Same spec for levelling as prot
Q: Why does everyone spec AD? It sux!
A: You're entitled to your opinion, but it's wrong. AD is bad according to certain sorts of simplistic theory-craft (which people think is gospel). In practice, in raids, in real content (instead of on your pocket calculator) AD is very good. Not Awesome, but better than anything else you could spend the points on. Install Tankadin2 and watch "Deaths Avoided" tick over.
Knaughty
Sat Oct 18, 2008 6:24 am
