Prot warrior inquiry

[Anethas]

I am a prot warrior ilvl 357 and currently sport 152k UB life, 2185 mastery for 20.19, 1365 dodge, 1749 parry, with 12 exp. My block, parry, dodge r 50.28, 13.94, 12.19 respectively. I have recently been running with much higher geared folks and they keep taking my aggro so do i just need to wait till i get better gear raiding or do I need to change something

[Quinafoi]

A tank that is meant to hold aggro on a target from equal level DPS. So if you're a T11 tank, you should be able to hold aggro off of T11 DPS. That's just simple numbers. A tank that is capable of holding threat off of a DPS that does 15k isn't going to hold threat off of a DPS that does 25k. This isn't a one size fits all game. However I would question just how much they outgear you as with the recent threat buff your inability to hold aggro may indicate you have other issues.

[Loganisis]

1. What's your spec? Do you have Deep Wounds?

2. What is your rotation? SS > Dev > Dev > Other with other being Rend > CB > SW. Although replacing a Dev with a TC to refresh rend is valuable if you get a good string of SnB procs.

3. What is your opener? Heroic Throw -> Charge + SB + Recklessness -> SS -> Go?

Talking about your defensive stats when you have threat issues (and with the 66% threat increase, the issue is your ability useage, not gear level) is like giving us your gas mileage and asking us if that is why you don't accelerate quickly. They are only slightly connected.

[Anethas]

1. What's your spec? Do you have Deep Wounds?

2. What is your rotation? SS > Dev > Dev > Other with other being Rend > CB > SW. Although replacing a Dev with a TC to refresh rend is valuable if you get a good string of SnB procs.

3. What is your opener? Heroic Throw -> Charge + SB + Recklessness -> SS -> Go?

Talking about your defensive stats when you have threat issues (and with the 66% threat increase, the issue is your ability useage, not gear level) is like giving us your gas mileage and asking us if that is why you don't accelerate quickly. They are only slightly connected.

Depending on the situation i heroic throw/heroic leap/charge SS>TC>cleave>SW and after that i stick rend ub there and hit revenge when it procs.

My main problem was yesterday when i only had like 6 exp and i did some reforging got it up to 12 and it hasn't been so bad

[Tengenstein]

You shouldn't need expertise as a tank. Its crutch for covering poor play style.

WHere are you losing aggro? single target? aoe? withing the first 30 seocnds, after the forst 30 seconds.

[Anethas]

heh usually early on but with multiple targets..i think its mostly due to them just attacking whatever they feel like attacking but i am pretty sure i am a little to blame

[Anethas]

they r mostly in firelands content currently about to move on to heroic

[Anethas]

I also recently respecced deep wounds out which saw my dps drop like 1500

[Loganisis]

1500 DPS drop is now a 7500 TPS drop....

Depending on the situation i heroic throw/heroic leap/charge SS>TC>cleave>SW and after that i stick rend ub there and hit revenge when it procs.

My main problem was yesterday when i only had like 6 exp and i did some reforging got it up to 12 and it hasn't been so bad

1. Like Teng said, Exp is not needed.

2. Yeah, you're doing it wrong. 6 GCDs, minimum, before you can spread Rend around via TC? You're going to struggle to keep AoE threat if you don't have rend rolling on your targets.

Charge>Rend>TC>SW> as needed.

Marking targets for kill priority and popping a few SS on the top target isn't bad either.

Also, Retaliation - pretty decent for AoE.

[Anethas]

I recently rediscovered retaliation as well...what happened to this anyways was it only available for battle stance or something?

yeah i totally see what u r saying about rend i am

[Tengenstein]

heh usually early on but with multiple targets..i think its mostly due to them just attacking whatever they feel like attacking but i am pretty sure i am a little to blame

meh If you're just AoEing trash down who cares...Vig the other tank and taunt whore you way good. Do as Logan says and you should be good.

[swelt]

I have recently been running with much higher geared folks and they keep taking my aggro so do i just need to wait till i get better gear raiding or do I need to change something

Can you clarify when you are having this problem? Are you tanking heroic dungeons with firelands geared dps? Are you starting to raid? Is it trash or bosses that you are losing threat on? Are you losing threat on the main target (lets call him 'skull') or on other targets?

I think a lot of the other responses have assumed a set of answers to those questions and based their advice on them. I think there might be some confusion.

[Gregasaurous]

Ok, i would say first, post your armory link (if you don't mind) that way we can see if there are any obvious problems in spec. Secondly, describe a exact situation where you would msot commonly lose aggro and what you're doing when it happens.

[Anethas]

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/characte...Anethas/simple

srry should have done that first

[Taelas]

If you're still having threat issues, I'd change your spec to something like this.

[Anethas]

See i have noticed people dont put points in blitz. Dont u have trouble with dps pulling your aggro because u cant tc right away. That is pretty close to how I had it but I decided to pick up vig for raids. I have been thinking of dropping it just because i don't really see that much benefit as compared with helping me push a little more damage

[Loganisis]

See i have noticed people dont put points in blitz. Dont u have trouble with dps pulling your aggro because u cant tc right away. That is pretty close to how I had it but I decided to pick up vig for raids. I have been thinking of dropping it just because i don't really see that much benefit as compared with helping me push a little more damage

o_O You don't need blitz for TC. It's a complete waste of talent points except for a very margial benefit, possibly, in heroics.

You need rage? Shout -> Charge. All the rage you need. Plus you should proximity aggro any mobs, so you should then start taking some damage.

Work in heroic throw on the pull (Shout -> HT -> SB/Charge -> Gogogo) or Shout->Heroic Leap for damage if you need it.

Blitz = really worthless outside of PvP

[Taelas]

No, it isn't worthless. Blitz can help if you charge into a pack and immediately Rend+TC, and while the stun is small, it can interrupt casting.

It doesn't help much in raids, however. The stun is mostly useless, as most mobs are immune to it, and while it still helps with groups, there are much more important talents.

[Tengenstein]

Baseline shouts give twenty rage, Charge gives 15, Rend costs 15, Thunder Clap costs 20. You have enough rage to immediatly Rend>TC. Additionally while Blitz does give you rage, a stunned mob doesn't melee thus cutting off your main source of incoming rage. Blitz isn't actually extra rage, its to make up for the rage lost due to not being melee'd.

Taking it for the Additional Stun is the only reason to take it, and to be honest is kinda superflous, we have enough stuns already for PVE encounters.

[Taelas]

So you add a Shield Slam or a Cleave immediately afterwards. Extra rage at the start of a fight is not bad, even if it isn't worth much. As I said, it's a 5-man talent, not a raiding talent.