Don’t spec 12/53/6

I’ve seen a really dopey idea being discussed in certian quarters regarding how to spec when 3.1 drops. We only have one real “oh shite” cooldown to use, the argument goes, so the solution suggested is to create a new one with the Improved Lay on Hands talent. The spec to make such a “cooldown” is this.

This is a bad spec, don’t do it.

Here’s why: as a tank you have two primary jobs. One is to stay alive as long as possible, and the other is to generate enough threat to keep the mob on you. Just out of curiosity, how does spending valuable talent points on increasing your heals by 12% help either of those?

The ultimate goal with this silly idea is to turn Lay on Hands into an 11 minute (with the new glyph) +50% armor value boost.

But, as always, the devil in the details, and the details bear out that Imp LoH isn’t as great as it seems.

To use myself as an example, I have 23391 armor, which provides 60.6% damage reduction. Physical damage reduction. Keep that in mind, the word physical here is key.

If I popped Imp LoH I would boost my armor to 35086, and my damage reduction would jump to 69.7%. A gain of 9.1% damage reduction. And even if you had more armor, damage reduction from armor is capped at 75%.

Once again though, this is all physical damage reduction. Say what you want about Pallies, we are not hurting in the physical damage reduction department. What’s primarily keeping us from being ideal Sarth 3d tanks is magical damage, which we are just about defenseless against.

All this spec does is saddle us with unnecessary talents for a weak “cooldown” that doesn’t even help where we hurt the most.

I want a new cooldown as much as the next guy. Gimping ourselves is not the way to do it.

8 Comments to “Don’t spec 12/53/6”

  1. Galyan 7 April 2009 at 4:17 pm #

    I agree that this is a horrible waste of points. I lol at any tankadins with this spec.

  2. Anon a Mouse 7 April 2009 at 10:39 pm #

    While I agree it’s not a good spec, isn’t the point of the spec also for the 11-min LoH (vs 15-min assuming glyphed). For longer fights, that 4-min window of full health oh-sh^t button could be the difference in rule #1: ‘stay alive as long as possible”

    I enjoy your blog and you did a good analysis of the armor aspect of it. Care to comment on the reduced cooldown ?

  3. Rhidach
    @Rhidach
     7 April 2009 at 11:59 pm #

    Hi Anon, that is a great point! Overall though, I don’t think 4 minutes off the cooldown is a good return on an investment of 12 talent points. Especially, in my experience, because I tend to pop LoH in a panic right before a massive heal and waste it anyways, haha.

  4. Tom 8 April 2009 at 7:13 am #

    I could see it maybe being useful in the same way the priest’s glyphed Guardian Spirit will work: it might be nice for learning boss encounters in Ulduar, when you know you’re going to wipe a lot. Then having an extra 20-30 seconds of each fight might be somewhat useful.

    I don’t think thats really the best way to learn encounters tho, so I think I’m with you. Practice the way you play.

  5. honorshammer
    @honorshammer
     8 April 2009 at 8:19 am #

    I actually just did a post on my spec for 3.1 and I’m leaning towards 13/52/6. This spec picks up Improved Lay On Hands for the cooldown, as well as Aura Mastery. Aura Master is really nice. It’ll be your Fear break on Auryia, and the boost to Frost Resist will help you survive Frozen Blows from Thorim.

    All the other specs I looked used those points in threat talents. I find the points in Holy to be well used. There are 5 marginally useful points in Divine Intellect, but that will increase your mana returns from Replenishment and Divine Plea, which you will have up all the time in 3.1.

    I’m looking forward to trying the spec out.

    I like your analysis, but the tone is a bit over the top. You never show how this spec ‘gimps’ a Paladin tank.

    This is a new patch, people are experimenting and trying new things.

  6. Rhidach
    @Rhidach
     8 April 2009 at 8:23 am #

    @honorshammer: You’re right I wrote this on the fly and I think I was a little harsher than I should have been. I’m looking forward to seeing how the spec works out for you.

  7. honorshammer
    @honorshammer
     8 April 2009 at 8:26 am #

    One other point I thought about after I left my first comment, Armor is actually not as bad as you make it out to be. Yes, Paladins are fantastic at Physical mitigation. But right after the Dragon trys to cook you with his breath weapon, he’s usually got a claw (PHYSICAL) or a bite (PHYSICAL) coming in right behind it. The extra armor will help against those attacks.

  8. Doxa
    @PinkRaidFrames
     8 April 2009 at 9:30 am #

    Rhidach, as usual, you’re right. Horrible spec, imho.