Analysis of Improved Devo Aura versus Shield Spec

This is more of an informational thread with some analysis at the end. I didn't really draw any major conclusions. You can look at the chart and see that as gear improves SS pulls ahead of IDA for most content. The idea behind this thread was to take a look at the break even points of IDA vs. SS and provide a small table to help a person gauge which is better for them based on their content (incoming damage) and their gear (AC and BV) if they are worried primarily about single target encounters.

I think it also goes a long way to show how even if IDA would win out on really hard hitters, for most content, SS is on par (or sometimes better) with the damage reduction of IDA. There seems to be some stigma around that block value isn't very much damage reduction because it only reduces damage by some small fixed amount. This was kinda set up to take a look at "where is this true" and "at what point are they about the same". A lot of the conclusions are left up to the reader though as it is highly dependent on so many factors, that all you can do is provide a reference to start with.

Personally I still call Redoubt + Shield Spec the winner. Slightly less effective at worst in the single-target category, significantly better in the AOE tanking category.

Which happens to be what we do best.
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I can keep rhythm with no metronome.

I agree with Lore, I could not see a possibility where you would forego Redoubt+Shield Specialization...they are simply too good. Redoubt is very good with multiple targets. I know this is single target only, but that can't be ignored.
I believe Improved Devotion Aura is a worthwhile talent, if you do not have a Holy Paladin in the tanking group (which doesnt always happen) and there are multiple tanks in the group. If this happens on a consistent basis it is worth taking. Not all of us are raid leaders.

Hopefully yall aren't reading my posts as "drop Redoubt+SS for IDA". I am actually a SS person myself. I was just puttin out some numbers was all.
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Yes, I am simply putting my own perspective on your numbers =)
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I can keep rhythm with no metronome.

I can't really see any tank in bt/sunwell not having 20/22k armor and inspiration nowadays.

Considering kalecgos hits for 6-8k damage, and twins rarely over 7500, and m'uru adds never over 4000, and brutallus about 7500? pre-stomp, it seems you'd never take imp devotion. I also don't know of any bosses in BT that hit nearly that hard.

I keep going back and forth with regards to impDA/SS.

Yes, SS helps us to excel at AoE tanking, but I've been impDA for two weeks and we've been going through hyjal faster than ever, and usually down a tank (usually have 3, have had 2 recently, which is actually nice since we bring +1 aoe).

So Hyjal is lulz and we're not close to Felmyst yet, so I'm really not missing SS at all.

Our tank group composition is typically:

Prot Warrior
Feral Druid
Prot Paladin
ToL Druid
Resto Shaman

So if I supply the imp DA, all the tanks benefit from both imp DA and ToL and totems.

Swapping out either the ToL druid or shaman for a paladin with ImpDA doesn't seem worth the trade off for only 400 add'l armor.

But given I'm basically tweaking my spec with an eye to tanking Kalecgos and Brut, SS isn't going to help with that, although I imagine I'll be switching back for Felmyst.

Hmm. Game of inches and all.
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So this pretty much only goes for azgalor that hits upwards for 10k quite frequently. Other stuff has pretty much oh hits for much less or only does 10k+ on crushes you are not supposed to get

well done jere!
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so if I dont stack block value very much it is better to get imp devot at 19k armor at a late T5 going into T6 content?
as in if Im already stacking armor and health and not bv I should stick to the trend? In that case would I remove the bv meta for the stam one dropping my bv even more? (i got it cuz its 10% bv and figured it'd be useful at somepoint compared to 18 stam.)

I never get imp devot from a healadin. Id also like the extra points for threat, Im just worried about having very low block value for AE pulls. Wouldnt the armor and health make up for that loss?
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6/6ZA 2/2GL 1/1ML 3/4TK 5/6SSC Doomwalker:)