Prot Paladin Reforging

[Vulak]

So far I've tanked 7/12, and had no problems. However, as I look at top end paladin tanks, I'm forced to ask if I should care about hit and expertise as I have so far in cataclysm.

Currently:
- gemmed for bonuses with parry/stam and mastery/stam with jc 67mastery gems as well
- reforged for hit/exp caps (as Draenai this is not difficult)
- using parry/mastery mace off maloriak, but apparently the agi sword off v/t is what everybody else is using (reforge the crit into dodge?)

Debates:
- It seems i'm gemming correctly. If not, what should I gem?
- should I drop out of hit/exp caps and just get mastery/dodge/parry?
- should I replace the parry/mastery mace with the agi sword off v/t for the extra dodge from agility (lose mastery I believe)

Concerns:
- expertise I'm not worried about too much ... losing hit spooks me more (e.g. a taunt missing when I need Chimaeron back, or for a Halfus switch, etc)
- do the top end guilds have to watch omen due to tanks missing?

One way or another I'm going to find out during the next raid lock. If you're a paladin tank that's tanking heroic or more than 7/12 I'd love to get your feedback. Thanks in advance.

- Vulak -

[Lumines]

Hand of Reckoning can't miss. There are reports that Righteous Defense can and it's being looked into over on Maintankadin.

Why do you feel you need expertise?

Expertise and hit are purely threat stats (even more so in 4.1, when Rebuke can no longer miss). If you're having threat issues at all, you are most likely doing your rotation inefficiently or incorrectly. If you're not having threat issues, why bother stacking threat stats at the expense of avoidance and mitigation?

[Vulak]

My mindset is outdated ... thinking back to when I was a prot warrior.

I guess my only hangup is taunts missing since I'm so far ahead in aggro.

- Vulak -

[Lumines]

But Hand of Reckoning can't miss - so hit and expertise aren't doing anything to help you either way.

[Contravene]

Are these the two strategies we are discussing and if so when do you use the survivalist strategy?

Mitigation (100% Mastery with Dodge/Parry secondaries) "Reforge to mastery where you must"
Survivalist (Raise EXP/HIT to a point that makes HoPo generation usable for WoG healing.. Glyph for WoG Holy Shield Procs) "Everything else goes to Mastery/Dodge/Parry"

[Vulak]

I didn't know Hand of Reckoning was 100% chance ... silly me ~ ... Thanks all! I guess Righteous Defense can't miss either as it is to player.

I'm assuming we're all going to lose hand of glory talents when 4.1 hits ... or am I wrong? I'm not sure it's worth all the talents/glyph if it's on a 20sec cooldown.

I'm speaking to the mitigation theory.

[Lumines]

Hand of Reckoning can't miss. There are reports that Righteous Defense can and it's being looked into over on Maintankadin.


Are these the two strategies we are discussing and if so when do you use the survivalist strategy?

Mitigation (100% Mastery with Dodge/Parry secondaries) "Reforge to mastery where you must"
Survivalist (Raise EXP/HIT to a point that makes HoPo generation usable for WoG healing.. Glyph for WoG Holy Shield Procs) "Everything else goes to Mastery/Dodge/Parry"

This is a false dichotomy which assumes that the gain in HPS from hit/expertise gearing (and hence more frequent HoP generation and WoG being cast more often) can outweigh the reduction in DTPS from gearing away from survival stats. The numbers suggest that this is only true for lower values of DTPS than you'll come across on any boss where tank death is a risk.

[Contravene]

Thanks Lumines I get the idea why one strategy might be used and the reason straight mitigation is better by default now..