Wednesday 31 December 2008

Talent Tree : Protection (and about 969)


The first part of three, about Protection of course.
These are my thoughts...

First: Get block-capped (the old 102.4% avoidance), getting more then 1k less damage per hit is a lot. Keep in mind that Diminishing returns on Miss is not known yet, and that with Kings and MotW you'll need about 103.5% to be really sure.

Ok, lets build a talent tree now:
Divine Strength:It increases your threat and block value.
Anticipation:5% more avoidance
Toughness:More armor means more Mitigation.
Imp. Righteous Fury:Less Damage, more threat.
Imp. Devotion Aura:More armor=More Mitigation, and more healing on everyone is a nice raid-buff.
Blessing of Sanctuary:Less damage, more mana/rage/rune-regen, the blessing any tanks wants.
These where simple, now come the hardest part, getting more talents to get higher in the talent tree. Because of versatility in raids, I suggest getting Imp. Blessing of Kings, having the abiltity to use 2 improved blessings is golden. It comes in handy when you don't have a retridin, or only three paladins. It also is way better then any other option so far, take it.
Sacred Duty:More Health and a lower CD on Bubble wall.
One-handed weapon spec.:Read it good, it increases ALL damage, so it actyally says, 10% more threat, and it comes in handy doing dailies.
Holy Shield:If you don't get this, stop reading, and play a hunter. 30% more towards your Block-cap, a little threat, you allways have this on.
Ardent Defender:Yes, I know, I have been sceptical about this one in the past, fact is, with the increase in Health, it actually mitigates a lot of damage now, even without preventing your death. And although in the past, a Death-avoided warning meant imminent wipe, these days, it doesn't. On Malygos it's golden, one second more for the healers to get back on track.
Redoubt:30% more BV, more mitigation, more threat. The proc is a nice bonus, but don't count on it.
Combat Expertise:More threat (due to less dodges/paries and crit) and more stamina.
Avenger's Shield:Cap's Shield is back, as an instant this time, so you can use it in the threat-rotation (more later). And it's needed for another talent:
Shield of the Templar:Less damage, more threat.
Touched by the Light:Your ONLY source of spellpower these days, it gives me 608 spellpower at the moment. All your spells use Attack Power and Spellpower for damage, so: more threat.
Guarded by the Light:Less damage from spells, and you will get damage from spells. The lower costs in mana is a nice extra.
Judgement of the Just:20% reduction in melee-attack speed on mob. They hit less often, so it's a kind of damage-mitigation. Your healers will love you :p
Hammer of Judgement:CLANG, your spell-of-choice when facing 2-3 mobs. It;s damage scales of your weapons DPS, so get a high dps-sword, speed doesn't matter.
Now let's go to the retribution tree:
Deflection:5% more avoidance, 'nuff said.
Imp. Judgements:Put only ONE point here, that way it fits nicely into the 969-rotation.

7 points left. Because This is about raid-specs, don't put more points in Retribution, other-spec Paladins will have those, and if you really want to run harder, pick up Tuskarr's Vitality.
Pick up Seals of the Pure in the Holy tree. It will give you more threat. And while threat isn't really a problem, on fights like Malygos, I am already being pushed.

Now the last 2 points, put them somewhere in the Protection Tree, either Divine Guardian (helpfull when off-tanking), Reckoning (for a little bit more threat) or Imp. Hammer of Justice (faster interrupts, although the lesser of these three).

All talents have been chosen to max out your health,mitigation and threat, and some for raid-utility, don't forget, 24 other people are helping you, and their survival is also imporatnt...well, if they learn to get out of the red/green/white/whatever stuff :p

The 969-threat-rotation
6-seconds spells (or multiple of that):
Hammer of Judgement
Avenger's Shield
Shield of the Righteousness
9-second spells:
Holy Shield (yes, it's 8 seconds, but it lasts 10)
Imp. Judgements
Consecration (yes, again 8 seconds, but trust me, missing a tick from this won't hurt that much.)

The rule is simple, always have Holy Shield up. Always have a judgement running on your target. And just hit buttons, alternating between the 9-sec spells, and the 6-sec spells. With a global cooldown of 1.5 seconds, you'll always have someting to do. If you need to use another spell, no problem, just skip a spell, but always alternate between the 9 and 6 spells. Do not use two 6 spells after ach other.

...now round 'em up and consecrate.

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