When to Gem Expertise/Strength in Reds?

[Rootkitworm]

My question is, has anyone done any numbers on how much mitigation a +16 Strength gem is going to give over +16 Expertise after the Expertise Dodge Cap (which is Expertise of 26 correct?). I would think before the Expertise Dodge Cap, that geming red slots with +16 Expertise would be overall more worthwhile for mitigation and the extra dps. I have been geming straight Expertise, Hit, Defense, Stamina gems, or some combination. Matching all my sockets pretty much. From reading current articles on here, it seems DPS is a tank job as well now; no need to gem for avoidance, nor for exclusively stamina. I still have mutiple sets for Offtanking/Threat, and one with more avoidance stats for tanking Bosses. But for the most part that is only a difference in trinkets and rings. Any thoughts, numbers, tips appreciated.

[Agrocasey]

I never gem straight 16 of any stat in a red or yellow socket, I always gem 8 of stat/12 stam cuts. Although it is part of our job to do DPS now, and TPS as always, Stamina is still very important, and will be even more so when new content comes out.

In terms of Str vs Expertise, I personally will keep stacking Exp/Stam gems till I reach the hard cap, but thats also due to the fact that the rare quality Str/Stam gem is not currently available to JC's. I'm not sure what the current expertise hard cap is, but I remember reading an EJ thread a while back, that showed evidence that it was 55 expertise skill. I haven't done any maths on this though, but my thinking is that a missed attack (whether it was dodged, parried or missed) will lose me more threat than the equal amount of strength I would have gotten from stacking strength rather than expertise, and the difference would become more prenounced, the more strength you have.

For yellows, I'm currently way past the defense cap, so I've started gemming hit/stam. Once I reach the hit cap, the only other alternatives would probably be crit/stam or haste/stam. I would probably favour crit/stam since it would help with deep wounds (I'm loving the 15/5/51 spec) as well as give me more big numbers with my shield slam and other abilities (Who doesn't like big numbers :P). Haste really only affects HS for us, since our GCD isn't reduced by haste the way casters are.

[Rootkitworm]

Bosses almost always have some kind Dot/Rend spell ability they do as well where that extra Stam would help, and where Expertise would do nothing. I might change some gems around to the Exp/Stam ones like you mentioned. Altho at this point, still being in Heroes gear, I might just hold off on changing anything till I get upgrades. I have about 18 Badges of Valor atm, and right now I am using Dps bracers Bracers of Lost Sentiments - Item - World of Warcraft to tank with but put a +16 Defense gem in them with my BS socket.

[Agmar]

That's not an easy comparison to ever make, but expertise is definitely better.

Understand that expertise will give you 'mitigation' up until you're at like 15% parry reduce. Dodge has nothing to do with it. The parry haste mechanic is the whole point, but while you're still getting dodged, expertise is especially WAY better to gem for than str.