[Jaeden]

Just screwing around, I thought I'd see what I could make not going all of the way down the trees like everyone normally does and discuss

Here is the randomness I made:

http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?deat...version=10026#

[Feanorr]

either you linked the wrong spec or I dont see how it's a DW spec; no ToT, no NoCS

[Satorri]

Indeed.

Here's the dps spec I was playing with (and giggling about the damage):
Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

Here's what I've been brainstorming as a tank spec, though I haven't tested it at all:
Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

(I won't likely use Frost to tank, but should I run with that spec for a bit I'll do some testing. I suspect SoB with dual wielding could be a lot of fun. I'm a little reluctant to give up defensive glyphing as well, but these glyphs really make the threat on this build, the talents are the big steps for survival, along with heavier focus from gear).

When I was dummying it up, I was surprised how much Rime was proc'ing, and it made me wonder if the two hits getting flagged as Oblit were giving me two shots at procs. I had multiple occasions where I would Oblit(proc), HB, Oblit(proc), HB. It may be a hotfix/build fix on the ptr, I won't be surprised if it goes away (though I'd be thrilled if that were intentional, over-powered though it may be).

[Jaeden]

Weird. I click on it and it goes to a DW spec, just not the one I wanted thoughts on.

I basically don't take Tundra stalker/HB and go deeper in unholy, but I guess that experiment failed before it started :P

I personally was having truly *&*$ fr dps on the dummies. I don't recall what my ptr spec is, but I was only pulling 1500-1900, but I might not have the right weapons. I'm using Malice MH and playing with Razorscale Talon/Split Greathammer OH cause I haven't picked up any Ulduar fast weapons.

[Satorri]

Slow/Slow should work quite well with ToT. It makes the -strikes instant weapon damage for both main and off-hand, so it'll work something akin to Mutilate.

If you skipped HB and Tundra Stalker I can imagine why your damage was light. I can't imagine 5 pts in Unholy that will give you better than +15% damage on everything, much less the shear aoe destruction of HB, particularly played into with Rime etc. Free HB's in rotation are a major buff even to single target, they're silly big on multiple targets.

[Jaeden]

For my ptr spec, I have Tundra and HB. I may not be using my abilities at the correct time due to inexperience as frost.

The build I attempted here was to see possibilites at something different and to get feedback on why/why not.

[Lulia]

What about something like the following? Would the AP from bladed armor truly do more than the melee haste you gain from talons in a DW spec? The thought of hitting more often and proccing things like Killing Machine more often would do more for threat than a bit more attack power...

Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

Edit:
On further thought, since AP works with each hit, one wonders if there is a way to fit Bladed Armor in with Icy Talons for combined effect for threat. Would be loathe to take anything from a defensive talent, however.

[Satorri]

Well, there are a few aspects of that actually.

Bladed Armor's AP as a tank will surpass the increased damage from Icy Talon's weapon haste, that's not much competition. Furthermore, that buff will be provided (even at larger scale if improved) by a shaman with Windfury totem. Now, if no one else is providing that buff, you could make the argument that Imp Icy Talons is of greater value to your whole group in total, but for you personally, Bladed Armor will win as a tank.

Killing Machine procs are a little tricky now, being frequency-based. It is not hard, actually, to get the maximal proc rate without Icy Talons, I am fairly certain, but I haven't run the numbers myself. Suffice to say, the haste from Icy Talons will not increase your KM proc rate by an amazing or probably even noticeable amount (it caps at about 5 ppm with 5 points, and can only proc off the main hand weapon if you dual wield, with a 2h it has a much higher chance to proc with every swing).

[Lulia]

Source: Satorri Well, there are a few aspects of that actually. Bladed Armor's AP as a tank will surpass the increased damage from Icy Talon's weapon haste, that's not much competition. Furthermore, that buff will be provided (even at larger scale if improved) by a shaman with Windfury totem. Now, if no one else is providing that buff, you could make the argument that Imp Icy Talons is of greater value to your whole group in total, but for you personally, Bladed Armor will win as a tank. Killing Machine procs are a little tricky now, being frequency-based. It is not hard, actually, to get the maximal proc rate without Icy Talons, I am fairly certain, but I haven't run the numbers myself. Suffice to say, the haste from Icy Talons will not increase your KM proc rate by an amazing or probably even noticeable amount (it caps at about 5 ppm with 5 points, and can only proc off the main hand weapon if you dual wield, with a 2h it has a much higher chance to proc with every swing).

I see then.

Knowing you, you will likely test the frost spec posted on the test realms? I'd like to know where it stands in threat generation. Not necessarily in comparison to two-handers but against high threat dps and other tanks. I'd make a copy for the test realm to test it myself, but have a million other things on my plate so there's no sense doing what other people might plan to do as it is.

[Molohk]

Source: Satorri Here's what I've been brainstorming as a tank spec, though I haven't tested it at all: Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

That's also the spec I figured out on the calculator, but I haven't had a chance to do any testing either. Please let us know if you get a chance to do it.

[Satorri]

I doubt I'll get to do any real tanking on the ptr, I rarely do (oddly people I play with don't want to log on the ptr and do raids that we can do on live to greater profit, weird right?).

I will however be picking my good old dual wield frost spec with new improved fanciness on live once 3.2 drops. I was testing my dps spec, in my dps gear (with shiney new epic gems and improved JC gems), and giggling at the fact that I was doing 3500 dps on the boss level dummy and 3800 on the lvl 80 dummy (stand-still, no frills, no trinkets, no buffs, just hammering a basic rotation on the dummy). And I was using the best one-handers I have currently which are two very fast one-hand swords (one from Uld25, one from Uld10).

>.< I'd love to pick up a slow weapon or two. Malice went to my favorite rogue this week, maybe it'll drop again since I'm the only other person who wanted it.