This is just a quick-reference set of notes which I'll probably link people to instead of rehashing all the exceptions to stacking Stamina. Nothing that hasn't been posted before. If you feel I've forgotten to mention something, please comment.


Regarding Stamina/Armor
For new content that the tank is undergeared for -- not farm content, and not low-damage content -- the Progression Tank:
-Has high Health/Armor, producing high Effective Health and more steady Rage generation.
-Does not ignore +Threat stats such as +Hit and +Shield Block Value. Coupled with Health/Armor gearing, the Progression Tank gains significantly more Mitigation benefit from Shield Block Value and more reliable Threat.
-Uses Rage Efficient talents and understands that most talents have a time and place and specs accordingly.

Why This is "Balanced"
-Platemail tanking gear is heavily weighted to Avoidance. Gemming with +Stam gems is balancing your gear, which is otherwise imbalanced.
-Item stats are not equally proportioned by Blizzard; just because an item has equal Item Level does not mean they are equally viable for tanking.
-With above in mind, Armor/Stamina combinations on items such as rings nearly always provide the a higher percentage in damage you can take than equivalent damage reduction from Avoidance stats.
-"With tanking new content, one rule is important -- it's not about taking less damage; it's about being able to take more damage."

Quick Note on Effective Health
-This term does not and cannot include Avoidance. Please read more here:
http://tankspot.com/index.php?pageid=EffectiveHealth

The above is designed around healers, not tanks, as any gearing strategy should be. It is not the most efficient setup, it is the most effective, and easiest to heal.


Exceptions to the Rule:
-Unusually low Avoidance always warrants more to meet basic uncrushability. Avoidance helps keep Effective Health reliably high.
-If healers run OOM on a fight, you need more Avoidance.
-Fast, low-damage mobs always favor Avoidance, such as Prince.
-Socket bonuses such as Khorium Destroyer's +3 Stamina are better served with mixed gems.
-Slow progression or exceptional/neurotic healers warrant heavier Avoidance.
-All fights have Effective Health minimums that, once safely met, do not need more Armor/Stamina.
-All content that you've already completed warrants further gear improvements in Avoidance and Threat, not Effective Health, as you've already proven you've met that standard.

Can Avoidance Tanks be Successful?
-Sure, some Avoidance gemming and gearing won't destroy all progress. As long as their item levels stay up to par with the content, they'll be able to successfully get through content. Stamina gearing is min/maxing, not a necessity.
-With the above in mind, Paladin tanks are also viable through the entirety of raiding, barring gimmick fights.

Final Note on Stamina Gearing:
-Effective Health sees relatively little gain pre-buffs moving from Karazhan to Black Temple. With the exception of T5, gains are heavier in Threat/Avoidance.
-Stamina gearing is not new to TBC -- we've been having this debate on these forums since Molten Core. It just became really obvious in Naxxramas/TBC that Blizzard was moving to favor Effective Health tanks.


Different Gear for Different Encounters
-Have a variety of gear, particularly rings and trinkets, that can be switched and customized to the fight. More Armor/Stamina is not the solution to every encounter.
-Generally, Effective Health/Block Value gear is best for handling non-raid content while wearing raiding gear.


Gilded Thorium is better than Devilshark in nearly all situations; in situations where Threat is more important, Farstriders is better than Devilshark.

Virtually any level 70 epic shield is better than Crest of Sha'tar; S2 Arena shield is better than all pre-Hyjal shields.


Quick Note on Block Rating
-As many posters correctly point out, Block Rating does not increase uncrushability and should not be stacked at the expense of other stats.
-However, Block Rating always provides a benefit in overall damage reduction. If you have some on your gear, don't sweat it.

first!

as always. well said ciderhelm!

No good tanks care less what you or anyone else thinks. We gear per fight as needed and dont hinge our wagons to any preset methodology. Others however, well, some people need attention.

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Q u o t e:
"If healers run OOM on a fight, you need more Avoidance. "

It's kind of a "dee dee dee" statement, but I'll be damned if people haven't caught on.

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Part of the concept is that healers should rarely, if ever, be running OOM on most encounters if they are playing their class properly. That's listed as an exception because it should be rare.

However, I agree with what you are saying. This is obvious stuff if people understand the concepts and reasoning, but I've had to repeat it in enough threads that I figured it was worth putting a generic post together that I can link.

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Q u o t e:
No good tanks care less what you or anyone else thinks. We gear per fight as needed and dont hinge our wagons to any preset methodology. Others however, well, some people need attention.

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Aren't you the same moron who made this post:
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=91629683&sid=1&pageNo=7#127

For not caring about what I think, you've sure made a habit of following my posts. Like I said there, I'll take you more seriously when you aren't such a tool by arguing against Effective Health while stacking your gear with +Stam gems and +Armor items. ;-)

People just need to realize that balance is still important. Rogues can have very high avoidance rates but they aren't fit to tank because they don't have enough armor and stamina to mitigate and survive the hits that actually land. Warlocks can have massive health pools, and while they may live through a big hit, they won't be able to take multiple ones due to a lack of mitigation and avoidance.

A few weeks back I remember seeing a warrior say if he could convert all his dodge and parry into stamina, he would. Unfortunately, a 20k hp 20k armor tank with 0% dodge and parry would be a massive mana sponge. Balance appropriately.

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Q u o t e:
-As many posters correctly point out, Block Rating does not increase uncrushability and should not be stacked at the expense of other stats.

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Can't a blocked attack not crush, am I missing something or not understanding properly?

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Q u o t e:
Can't a blocked attack not crush, am I missing something or not understanding properly?

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blocked attacks cannot crush, this is correct, but until you reach 102.4% total avoidance (miss + dodge + parry + block) you cannot remove crushing blows. You have a 15% chance to be hit by a crushing blow no matter what until you exceed 87.4% total avoidance. Warriors rely on Shield Block to push avoidance past 102.4%, which pushes crushing blows off the hit table.

I am glad you posted this. People read your posts and listen. But sometimes I think they lose some of the meaning when they speak of stacking Stamina and AC. I've seen what you've said as "go for 490 defense and don't take big hits in stamina or armor just because your otherwise lower quality item has avoidance on it." But I don't think that means having 14% dodge and 15% parry is a great idea for most encounters either.

Ditto on carrying a variety of jewelry and other pieces. My bags are always full save one and a half because of DPS and tank gear, but I like being prepared for whatever is thrown at me.

I am curious about one thing. How exactly does the Farstrider's pan out to be a much better threat cloak than Devilshark? Is it the lack of the dodge (which I know does affect threat generation)?

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Q u o t e:


blocked attacks cannot crush, this is correct, but until you reach 102.4% total avoidance (miss + dodge + parry + block) you cannot remove crushing blows. You have a 15% chance to be hit by a crushing blow no matter what until you exceed 87.4% total avoidance. Warriors rely on Shield Block to push avoidance past 102.4%, which pushes crushing blows off the hit table.

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oh i see, thanks.

i always kep acouple different pieces of gear in my bags when im tanking. i always have my laughable DPS gear, and some interchangealbe tanking gear. for instance, for the bottom half of kara i usually use 3-4 peices of my DPS gear becuase if i go full tank gear that stupid horse will never hit me. for fights like price i tend to favor avodance beacue while in phase 2 he only hits for 3-4k and wont 1 shot me, if i dont dodge/parry some of those eventually he will get me(dodging his sunders make the healers happy too). however if i get stuck as the OT on gruul i put on my high stam gear, cause avodance is gambling. and i dont gamble when a mob can hit for 13k+.

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Q u o t e:
I am curious about one thing. How exactly does the Farstrider's pan out to be a much better threat cloak than Devilshark? Is it the lack of the dodge (which I know does affect threat generation)?

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Four words:
Block Value
Shield Slam

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Q u o t e:
Maybe my healers are just weird, but when you spend the whole boss fight without ever being at full HP, stamina kind of lacks appeal....and function. Very rarely do I die from burst damage.

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Sounds like your healers need to learn to step it up then. I'm sitting around 21k raid buffed and my healers do a fine job of keeping me full.

He's now raiding again and has joined a guild. Read his sexysauce blog =P

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Q u o t e:
He's now raiding again and has joined a guild. Read his sexysauce blog =P

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www.tankspot.com

and bump for justice!

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Q u o t e:


Four words:
Block Value
Shield Slam

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I know about Block Value and Shield Slam's damage. What I was wondering is exactly what kind of difference in TPS one could expect from a difference of 9 or so Block Value.