Some tanking nerfs in 4.0.3a
This was initially announced yesterday when they “clarified” blocking in Cataclysm and announced some tweaks to Holy Shield and our mastery. Then, a whole new raft of changes hit the fan. Here’s everything, plus commentary:
Holy Shield will be changed to increase block value by 10% (40% total) instead of increasing block chance by 15%. Since this will cause Mastery to become more valuable, the amount of block granted by Mastery will be reduced to 2.25% block chance per point of Mastery, down from 3%.
Paladin tanks are not intended to go cap block as fast as they can. It’s fine if you want to do that, but we don’t treat it as “the new defense cap” and we don’t balance paladins assuming they have a 100% block chance. That is something the community identified as being not only possible, but likely, and one of the reasons we changed the way block works for paladins.
So we’re looking at a total loss of at least 21% block from what we have now. 15% from Holy Shield no longer provided block chance, and 6% from the free 8 Mastery skill you get for training the stat. That is a huge, huge loss. And I’m sure will make it fairly impossible to block cap until the last tier or the one before it, looking at ilevels.
Which, honestly, is not a bad thing. Sure, having a constantly up 30% damage reduction is fantastic, but that’s not something we want to be balanced around by default. It’ll result in harder hitting bosses and will force a move away from the stated goal of a tank being able to take a lot more hits before death.
Sounds to me, honestly, like they’re retooling tank damage across the board as Cata draws closer. Reports from the beta are that tank damage was ridiculous, comparable to the 2-hits-and-you’re-dead Wrath philosophy, so they’re nerfing tank damage reduction and reducing damage in tandem.
Guardian of Ancient Kings — Damage reduction changed from 60% to 50%. Cooldown still 2 minutes (talented). Duration still 12 seconds.
Probably part and parcel with the reduction of boss damage. You don’t need as much damage reduction if the boss isn’t hitting for as much. Of course, hold onto your salt until we see the content ourselves and can judge accordingly.
Armory Feed
@thorianar
29 October 2010 at 1:46 pm #
I fully understand the changes and why they did it, I just don’t like that they did it.
My mind gripe about the change is simply ’cause Blizzard itself said that the difference between shield tanks was that Paladins would block more often, while Warrior would block harder. This change, in the way it is, basically draws paladins away from the designed philosophy of the class.
At the same time, I have to idea how they would fix the problem of paladins reaching block cap so fast.
@Anafielle
29 October 2010 at 2:05 pm #
I’m glad. It was very gimmicky to block cap right now and we all had to know it was not intended.
This might be a nerf, but it makes me happy that they are still looking very carefully at tanks – and future-proofing our stats through the end of the next expansion. I don’t want to end up with Icecrown Radiance v2.0 in the last patch of Cata, and clearly, neither do they.
The SotR nerf is also not unexpected at all. Our threat is too backloaded on a 3 HP SotR. I think, from what I read, that CS is getting a boost to compensate. Honestly, I think they’re going in the right direction, even if these do feel like nerfs right now. I have confidence we will be more balanced in the end for it.
But those assholes better not nerf our precious SotR before I have a chance to kick Rhidach’s ass. Seriously. One more week, it’s all I need.
@Rhidach
29 October 2010 at 2:10 pm #
Dear Blizz: Please nerf ShoR before Tuesday. Check’s in the mail. Love, Rhidach.
@Anafielle
29 October 2010 at 3:26 pm #
In the eternal words of Kologarn: YOU FAIL! ‘Cuz I’m the one with GC’s personal email address.
*emails GC*
Yo Greg, my man.
Remember all those beers I bought you at the Hilton? Well, you have a chance to pay me back now, bro. Please don’t nerf SotR before I have a chance to break 120k. As a side note, I don’t think “Rhidach” on the server Lightninghoof really needs all that 277 tier. That guy is such a ninja. You should nerf it back down to 251.
Hearts, stars, and rainbows,
Anafielle
I love the rivaly (sorry for bad spelling) :P that is what makes you better :D and hopfully pass the rival ;) gl :D
Total mitigation and mitigation scaling with mastery scares me a lot, based on current numbers.
Mel is in near-perfect 277 gear, reforged for mastery, and has ~54% block chance. I’ll be dropping to 33% block chance – a 40% nerf in blocking, with a 33% buff from block value. It’s a net increase in damage taken. With less block chance, it’s even more of a nerf.
Comparing to the other shield tanks, warriors have a higher base block chance, and a higher average block value (between hold the line and baseline critical block), and their mastery scales better.
If total damage reduction is the new major metric, paladins will be falling behind warriors on baseline mitigation, and warrior mastery is marginally more powerful for TDR, as well. Counting cooldowns, paladins fall even further behind on physical fights where Shield Block is a more powerful cooldown than Divine Protection, although the gap narrows (without closing) on large magic-damage fights.
I’m not entirely certain where druids and DKs match up on TDR after the changes.
That said, if there’s a tier we have to be behind in, I’d rather it be T11 than later tiers.
Ill sit down till all changes are made … dont wanna be like crazy in every announce :(