Brewmaster Tanking

While at Blizzcon 2011, I got first hand experience of the current alpha build of both the Pandaren starting area as well as the Monk class. For this particular post I will focus mainly on the monk (brewmaster) mechanics and theory crafting more so than I will the pandaren (but I will touch on them breifly in a few moments). -Drunkenidiot

Monk Class
The monk is a melee fighter that specializes in the use of Staves (healer- Mistreaver), Polearms (tank- Brewmaster), and Fist weapons (damage- Windwalker). The monk can also use one handed weapons such as swords, maces and axes. Although with the level 1-10 experience I got to play the class mechanics seem to focus more heavily on fist weapons.

Monks have several resources to manage in combat;

• Energy (main resource)- Functions like energy for a rogue or feral druid in the fact that it regenerates at a constant rate (*speculation* -will possibly be effected by haste to regenerate faster). This resource is used for most builder spells and has a cap of 100.

• Chi-Chi functions like Holy Power (Paladin). Chi is built up by spending Energy using the ability [Jab].

Monk tanking (gear, stats priority, professions, racial bonuses)

• Gear- The monk class uses Agility Leathergear for tanking and tank with a polearm. There is no ranged slotitem for a monk (because the ranged slot is being removed in 5.0)Monk tanks will share gear with Guardians (druid tanks).

• Stat Priority- This section is all theory at this points but as a general idea the stat priority would be similar to that of a Guardian Druid.

Stamina > Agility > Mastery > Dodge/Parry > Hit/Expertise > Haste > Crit

• Professions- Every profession has some kind of bonusto encourage people to take them.

Profession	Bonus	What is means
Alchemy	Flasks last longer and potions are stronger	Stronger armor/ health potions
Blacksmithing	Extra socket on bracers and gloves	Extra stats on bracers and gloves
Enchanting	Ability to enchant base stats on rings	Enchanted rings
Engineering	Tinkers for armor buff/ damage reduction (can backfire)	Medium risk for higher stats
Herbalism	Heal over time ability that increases haste	Extra self heal
Inscription	Shoulder enchant	Better stats on shoulders
Jewelcrafting	Three (3) jewelcrafting gems	Equals about two (2) extra gems
Leatherworking	Bracer and leg enchants	stats on bracers and legs
Mining	Stamina increase	Extra health
Skinning	Critical Strike bonus	*not good for tanking*
Tailoring	Leg and cloak enchants	leg stats, cloak proc (tho most likely not a tank one)

• Racial Bonuses- Every race in the World of Warcraft can be a monk, with the exception of Worgen, and Goblin.
  • Alliance
    • Draenei- Racial heal ability, and increased hit rating.
    • Dwarf- Armor buff that removes DoTs.
    • Gnome - Can remove snares.
    • Human - PvP trinket.
    • Night Elf- Chance to not be hit.
  • Horde
    • Blood Elf- AoE silence that regenerates Chi.
    • Forsaken (undead)- Can remove sleeps and fears.
    • Orc- Attack Power boost.
    • Tauren- Increase to base health, AoE stun.
    • Troll- Increased attack speed buff.
  • Neutral
    • Pandaren- Double effect from food buffs.

As details for the upcoming expansion are released, I will be updating this post with information about the Brewmaster class and its abilities and the new talent tree and what the ability functionality for tanking is.

Theorizing on stat weights is way early. We will have to see if and how brewmasters use blizzards new active mitigation stuff they are hyping.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The_Id10t

For this particular post I will focus mainly on the monk class mechanics and theory crafting more so than I will the pandaren (but I will touch on them breifly in a few moments). -Drunkenidiot

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As details for the upcoming expansion are released, I will be updating this post with information about the Brewmaster class and its abilities and the new talent tree and what the ability functionality for tanking is.

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The Brewmaster is not a class, it's a spec of the Monk class. It is unclear in your current OP what you are focussing on.
Secondly, you automaticly assume that they can't Parry. Are you sure of it? And would in the activa tanking model Haste (more Chi) not be better than hit/exp?
And finally, tailoring & LW don't give better leg stats, they just give them cheaper. And only Mistweavers will be getting something from the Tailoring one (LW will do tank/melee stats)

Depends on how they restore Chi; does mainly only regen over time, or does dignificant amounts come from other sources such as damage taken or avoidance? and if elements of their Active Defence systems need to land on the enemy (like DS) or not (like wrath's GoDP) Haste could well be above expertise (as it will be for blood DKs come 4.3)

Thanks for the input guys. I made a couple corrections on stuff I either missed (parry) or fixed some wording (tailoring/ leatherworking bonuses)

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Originally Posted by Tengenstein

Depends on how they restore Chi; does mainly only regen over time, or does dignificant amounts come from other sources such as damage taken or avoidance? and if elements of their Active Defence systems need to land on the enemy (like DS) or not (like wrath's GoDP) Haste could well be above expertise (as it will be for blood DKs come 4.3)

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Chi functions like energy not runic power. So it restores over time. I would still say that haste isn't that important until we find out specific numbers on stats. But with the limited info we have on Monk at this time I would still put hit/ expertise over haste because Jab does not generate light or dark points if it misses. Jab is the primary builder you use to be able to use other harder hitting abilities.

But Energy gain is affected by hAste, thus why it's attractive to all rogue specs. the reason Haste is attractive to DKS is that it speeds up rune regens

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tengenstein

But Energy gain is affected by hAste, thus why it's attractive to all rogue specs. the reason Haste is attractive to DKS is that it speeds up rune regens

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Yes I know this, but since you are not using just Chi I would haste isn't that important. You use chi to build up L&D Points then spend those while chi regenerates.

Saying haste will be attractive to monks is like saying it is attractive for DK's while it is an honorable mention dodge, parrry, and mastery are way more important.

The thing is, Chi is required for Jab, which in turn provides with Light/Dark Energy.
Assuming that the tanking mechanics in MoP will be as advertised, a 5% increase in Chi generation equals a 5% Power generation increase, which ends up being 5% more self-healing abilities pressed. It might not be a big deal in 25 or even 10 man raids, but it might actually matter in 5mans (read: challenge modes).
I also never said that Haste would overshadow Avoidance or Mastery, leethaxor, I merely said it will most likely be above hit/exp, because Blizz has clearly stated they don't like the missing survival abilities like Death Strike on DKs, hit/exp caps should not be something a tank should be worrying about.

That said, it came to me that with that much Agility, they'll probably end up having a high crit rate just like bears, so they might tie in some defensive abilities into crits. Something like how Savage Defense works. But they probably don't have it figured out themselves yet, so I'll wait till about next summer for the beta/launch to give us some nice juicy information.