World of Warcraft™

Why can't we block/parry/dodge Focused Assault? Blood Dks still have their block equavilent in effect for use against it. If their shields and heals work why shouldn't the other tanking mechanics work?

Because they think you blocking it would be too good.

Making it unblockable makes the worst-case situation the closest it can get across all tanks.

The unfortunate side effect of it being absorbable physical damage is that it makes the best case for DKs and Druids better.

You can comfort yourself in the knowledge that, while they might be better at dealing with the burst of FA, you're better at handling her regular melee.

I'll give you my absorbs on Hagara's Focused Assault if you give me your shield for Warmaster. Deal?

01/28/2012 10:29 PMPosted by Nerfheals

Making it unblockable makes the worst-case situation the closest it can get across all tanks.

Actually, making it magical would put it quite a bit closer, if I'm not mistaken, even considering AMS. As it is I think druids take about 20-25% less damage than warriors from Focused Assault (in addition to having Barkskin available). Making it physical but armor-ignoring would make it closer, too.

Physical damage that's mitigated by armor - whether it's blockable or not - is one of the least comparable sources of damage across all the tanks.

Why couldn't Blood Shield work on Inferno Blade or Flame Orders?

01/28/2012 11:26 PMPosted by Ahti

Making it unblockable makes the worst-case situation the closest it can get across all tanks.

Actually, making it magical would put it quite a bit closer, if I'm not mistaken, even considering AMS. As it is I think druids take about 20-25% less damage than warriors from Focused Assault (in addition to having Barkskin available). Making it physical but armor-ignoring would make it closer, too.

Physical damage that's mitigated by armor - whether it's blockable or not - is one of the least comparable sources of damage across all the tanks.

Is druid armor that far ahead that their 24% magic passive vs. warrior 10% is less of a difference?

Indeed it is.

Alright, then.

well, that and if FA were magic Warrs could have spell block for the 1st and 3rd and bridge the 2nd w/ a SW- effectively negating the passive DR advantage bears have for it. Pallies would actually prob end up the worst w/ such a change, though.

Depends if they need 40% magic DR less than 20% phys/20%magic DR from Div Prot.

01/28/2012 11:44 PMPosted by Judgesyou

Why couldn't Blood Shield work on Inferno Blade or Flame Orders?

Why couldn't blocking work against Alyrazor cleaves or Shannox/Riplimb Dots?

Grats - you have now discovered that the world of small advantages swings either way from encounter to encounter. This is where Block doens't work. Taste the flavour.

you can avoid heroic focus if you have a paladin, shaman, warrior, druid, hunter or DK besides the main tank.

Assuming she works like any normal boss, Distract doesn't work. Never tried it, but bosses have been Immune to Distract for many tiers now.

Yeah, I'm not sure that Distracting Shot works on her. Regular Taunts from across the platform work okay though.

01/29/2012 12:16 AMPosted by Slashlove

This is where Block doens't work. Taste the flavour.

To be honest, my larger gripe is that Shield Block also doesn't work, which effectively means that I can cover approximately one Focused Assault in every 6 personally with Shield Wall (2/6 with Last Stand, although frankly Last Stand is pretty weak since Focused Assault is effectively more about the total healing requirement over its duration, which Last Stand does little to modify.)

But yeah, welcome to flavor country I guess.

01/29/2012 12:07 AMPosted by Cbredbeard

Why couldn't blocking work against Alyrazor cleaves or Shannox/Riplimb Dots?

01/29/2012 12:16 AMPosted by Slashlove

Taste the flavour.

Besides, are you seriously whining about the easiest bosses for Tanks in Firelands? If we want to debate flavor of damage intake, I'll gladly swap you Critical Block for Savage Defense on the more difficult bosses, but in the end what it boils down to is that some bosses favor us, others favor you.

Anyway, when it comes to Hagara, hit a CD. She doesn't throw that many out on Heroic per phase, no one else is in need of Raid or External CDs if they're doing the fight correctly*, nor are Healers stretched thin to plant and blast you with healing on top of using personal healing boosts themselves.

*People are soaking Ice Lances properly, AoE goes out swiftly during Ice Tombs, and you don't have morons slowing down how quickly you get through Ice/Lightning phases. Seriously Tank damage is the lowest problem factor on this fight compared to doing Zon'ozz and Yor'sahj.

BUT FASC BLOCK ISN'T OP FOR THIS FIGHT NERF NERF NERF

01/29/2012 01:25 AMPosted by Judgesyou

BUT FASC BLOCK ISN'T OP FOR THIS FIGHT NERF NERF NERF

Perhaps you can point to a fight where you think block *IS* OP, because by my napkin math it looks to me like against any damage value, an unblocked hit on a druid only hits for about 10% more than a blocked hit on a warrior. And druids have a solid 10-12% more total health (depending on trinket choices and the like this can obviously be smaller, of course).

The worst-case-scenario between the two is really pretty close, even on very large hits - and a heck of a lot closer than the difference between the two tanks against Focused Assault.

(P.S. not arguing for nerfs to Hagara or druids or anything, I just think that people largely have their facts wrong about the difference between druids and the block tanks at this point.)

01/29/2012 01:31 AMPosted by Ahti

(P.S. not arguing for nerfs to Hagara or druids or anything, I just think that people largely have their facts wrong about the difference between druids and the block tanks at this point.)

Druids have been and still are completely OP for almost everything, no one is denying that. Concerning the plate tanks, block has been pretty OP this expac.