Hyjal Trash tanking stats

Ok, so our guild's only prot pally quit yesterday. Leaving us with nobody to tank trash in hyjal, with no one else keyed. I built a tanking set for Kara but stopped gearing up for it a long while ago. Now they are looking at me because Im the only other paladin with a tanking set.

This post is more to get peoples opinions on my plan to get gear, not actually questions. So if it seems like im rambling that is why.

For starters, my tank gear is here:
http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Terenas&n=hawx

What I need to know is the min stats I should be looking for in my gear. Im thinking Block Value > Block Rating > Spell power > Stam > avoidance.

The main problem right now is we don't raid any T5 content anymore. And only do ZA/kara when we feel like it (usually 12am... I work at 7am). So T5/Badge gear is kinda out of the question. I have 41 badges right now and hopefully can rally up a Kara and ZA run tonight or this weekend before we raid again on sunday.

The other problem is this isnt going to be my main spec. I dont feel like leveling BSing or buying a 2000g trinket for something im going to be doing 4 hours of the week.

Right now the easy upgrades will be:
Turn in exalted kara for tanking ring
Belt from BSing (last i checked we had a few vortexes rotting)
41 badges to spend (could get trinket, or 1 ZA run would allow me to get cloak and libram)
ZA+Kara should get me hopefully an upgrade or two.
Resocket all the gear with 12 stam gems.


Biggest area's that I need replacement is boots, shield and trinkets. Are there anything out there I should be looking at to replace these items that I havnt already. (the trinket from SH?)

So if you read all this, do you have any tips for what i should do to increase my stats for hyjal tanking. Any special gems to socket, bare minimums on stats so I dont sacrifice to much for block value/rating?

Also feel free to share some tips on your methods of tanking the trash.
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Hawx 70 BE Paladin - Terenas

Disclaimer: I mean absolutely no offense by this, I'm trying to be honest and objective.

Looking at your health values, the trash there is going to rip you apart. You're barely pushing 13k WITH fortitude and mark. Edit: I just calculated you as having 13.5 UNbuffed if specced prot. Still a bit low. Your avoidance/block values are also low, and your gear needs work. You might be able to get away with tanking ghouls, but that's about it. If your guild is serious about wanting you to take up the mantle of protadin, they're going to need to help you out in a serious way.

First thing you should do: rip all those gems out of your gear (chest, bracers, glove, pants, shoulders, and head) and replace them with Solid Stars. If your guild is serious about this, they'll help you with the cost.

Second, get serious about your enchants, fortitude on your bracers, nethercleft on your pants and ... I'm going to say spellpower on your gloves for reasons that I will get into.

You're also using a healing weapon; I'll assume it's because you have no spellpower mace. Even with the extra +dmg you have on your gear, you're only at 256 spellpower (298 if you buff with wizard oil). Your options are Amani Punisher and (Merciless) Gladiator's Gavel, depending on what you have the points for. Get one ASAP, because the Hammer of Judgment is an unreliable drop (low droprate from trash). The reason for the spellpower enchant is that you're likely not at the point where 2% threat is more valuable.

You are fortunate in that a protadin can (theoretically) gear up from Kara/ZA, bypassing most T4/T5 content. You've correctly identified that badges can set you up with a new cloak and libram, and I'd pick those up right away. ZA can also set you up with a multitude of superiour drops (boots, shoulders, mace, shield, helm, chest, and ring) as well as badges. Kara is also worth running for badges and the few remaining drops (pocketwatch, for example).

If drops in ZA and Kara are unkind to you, your guild may want to seriously consider taking a night off from progression content to shift focus to SSC or TK, because at this point, you are the weak link. Also, shift focus to BT earlier in the week (where I assume you spec holy, as I do) and hope for drops off the first few bosses (boots/bracers/belt from Naj/Akama/Gurtogg, respectively) and leftover warrior gear.

As for the things you pointed out:

1. The exalted kara ring is good. Replace your green ring with this.
2. 51 badges gets you cloak and libram. I recommend both.
3. Run ZA tonight, and ZA immediately after it resets. Mine expires tonight, so I'll get two in this weekend. Take advantage of this.
4. Run Kara if you haven't. Pray for good drops. If not, use your badges.
5. BONUS: You're an enchanter. Enchant your good rings with 12 spellpower for more threat gen.
6. Also consider Furies cards if you can. 51 stam trinket with an excellent use for trash tanking. Pick them up cheap when/if you see them. Have your guild look out for them too.

I was in a similar position to you last about ten days ago, our protadin got banned for account sharing (or so he says) on a Thursday, and I had to take up the mantle of protadin. I had about two and a half days to gear up as much as possible and immediately start in on Azgalor trash on Sunday evening. I did exactly what I'm suggesting to you now, but I'm making this a more permanent change than you (I'm now holy half the week and prot the other), so I've put some more effort into it. I also got a serious, devoted commitment from my guild, and they've been very supportive so far of gearing me out. Think of it as your guild investing in you.

That's all I got for now. Others feel free to chime in.
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Retcon, 70 BE Paladin, [H] Korgath-US (PVP)
"Just another plebe in an army of giants."

thanks for the responce, im leaving work so only skimmed it.

one thing i dont think you noticed about my current stat situation is that im specced holy. When im prot in that gear im over 13k unbuffed and when i tanked ZA i broke 17k with zero 12 stam gems socketed.

our regular prot pally was sitting just above 20k life.

Ill read it all when i get home in about 30 mins and edit this post with more responce.

edit back:
The reason the gems/enchants arent on yet is because i just got this knews yesterday and dont want to spend gold on something i wasnt using yet. I have no problem spending my gold on it.

As for the libram, been thinking about it today. Would it be worth it for aoe tanking? Im going to expend all 8 charges regardless. It would just make them go faster. Isnt there a libram that increases consecration dmg?

So this kara run im in right now will get me a new ring, and bring my badge total to 63, that would get me the cloak and neck, possibly the cloak and trinket if we do ZA after.
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Hawx 70 BE Paladin - Terenas

As a starting point, you should aim for something like...

18k HP raidbuffed
Uncrushable with HS or Redoubt up (redoubt will be proccing a lot)
300+ Spelldamage
500+ Block Value
30%+ block chance

They were my stats when we entered Hyjal for the first time and worked well enough.
Oh, abuse of Free Action Potions
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ok, so i got a full kara and 1/2 a za in last night and we are doing full za today and possible a few heroics.

im sitting at 68 badges. Im thinking of not getting the libram because i honestly dont see it helping at all. Increase chance to use up all charges faster, dont think that will be a problem.

So my question is, what should i spend my points on first, im thinking Trinket/Cape. I dont think ill get enough badges before tomorrow for a 3rd item (maybe libram if it is a must).

so i would need 8 more badges which ill get tonight.

And the reason im using the healing mace is because i was running with the Consortium sword, that with enchant is less spell dmg than my mace. And between ZA and MH we have had 6 spell dmg maces drop, meaning our shadow priests, our druid offspecs and our old prot pally all had it. I wouldnt be suprised if i get either of them soon.

Though with my gear i can obtain uncrushable (with libram) no way am i going to get up to 550 block value or 30% block chance by tomorrow without an act of god with drops in ZA. 18k raidbuffed, 300 spell power and uncrushable should not be a problem
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Hawx 70 BE Paladin - Terenas

well EXCUSE me for trying to ask Worldie a question..... I also wanted to know how much I will be abusing Free action pots....
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o.O I've never used a free action pot in all of Hyjal...
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Why are we more vulnerable to knockdowns than a warrior or druid? Is it because we're also tanking like 6 mobs?
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Retcon, 70 BE Paladin, [H] Korgath-US (PVP)
"Just another plebe in an army of giants."