APPROVED - App: Hikaro(KO - by GM Fright

Zen_- · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts:

The application submitted by Hikaro(KO is as follows:

GM Fright · Officer Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 2698

Hikaro,

Thanks for the application. If you're able to, create an alt on Suramar this evening so that we can chat a bit. I should be able to hop online around 5 server at the latest.

-Frightening

Zen_- · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts:

Yeah, I've had a character made on that server for a bit now, been trying to catch someone but past 2 days there've only been like 2 people online ><

Zen_- · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts:

The character's name is Hikarò(alt+149) [my name is currently taken by some inactive level 30 pally... I opened a ticket to get it removed for me :P]

Ourstateobzen · Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts:

Hey, well-written app, appreciate it.

I did have a few questions about your spec choices. In your first prot spec, I noticed you took 3/3 blood craze, 2/2 safeguard, piercing howl, and thunderstruck. In your second prot spec, you also took blood craze, safeguard, and thunderstruck, but added impending victory, heavy repercussions, and dropped piercing howl and incite. Now, I'm guessing that you did some moving around for some sort of situational benefit, as that is the reason my prot spec contains safeguard, but I'm still curious. Could you please explain your spec choices?

Again, appreciate the app, look forward to hearing from you.

Zen_- · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts:

I use both my specs depending on different fights, both of which however are made for tanking progression where every little bit helps, which is the reason for maximum survival in both specs. The first spec has piercing howl and safeguard for fights with a second tank, and possibly with adds (such as nefarian). My second spec on the other hand is meant more for a really hard progression fight where am I'm main-tanking (possibly the only tank). Impending victory isn't a very strong talent, but when pushing the last 10-20% of a progression boss, every little bit helps and that heal might just let a healer get out an extra heal to keep a DPS alive or something.

I do however intend to change a couple things. For one, I intend to change places with heavy repercussions (and vigilance) and incite. Where heavy repercussions will have better use in the 1st spec, where I might have less rage by not always tanking. In my second spec incite would be better because I have less GCD particularly during the final 20% where I might be trying to use devastates and victory rush, meaning HS (off GCD) could have more uses, with my rage also being higher with the lower rage cost abilities being my main use.

I could also remove safeguard or thunderstruck (and vigilance) from my second spec to allow to have both heavy repercussions, incite and impending victory. Seeing as how this spec is mainly for hard fights where I can't as much do something like intervene another tank and such, meaning the little bit of extra DPS coming from having both could work out better.

Sterne1140 · Raider Joined: 09 Sep 2008 Posts: 350

Solid App. Thanks for applying.

If you do get accepted and decide to join, I just have a few questions/points. Do you have offspec gear? If so are you even remotely proficient with it? The reason I ask is that the current tanking team take turns switching in and out of offspec roles. This keeps our tanks up to date on fights in case someone should be absent from a raid or two. It also helps prevent burnout.

Thanks and goodluck.

Zen_- · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts:

Am I proficient in fury? Yes, very, I spent most of wrath as DPS actually... However, especially with the turn blizzard took with fury and it not being as comparable to other DPS atm, I really don't have much intention in DPSing. :S

It never was what I enjoyed most, that's for sure, and if it's not comparing to other classes...

If it makes you feel any better, I can assure that I'll only miss a raid if some kind of apocalypse happens, and I don't get burnt out. :P

Ourstateobzen · Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts:

Yeah, Impending Victory is just...kind of a weird talent. I see a lot of people saying the talent is marginal at best, but then I see people like Grafarion in Vodka who has it in his (presumably) single target spec. I honestly hope they buff it, either increase the health window or increase the heal.

In your single-target spec I would strongly recommend you take out blood craze, thunderstruck, and safeguard. Replace them with War Academy, Deep Wounds and Incite. Thunderstruck is all right for an aoe spec, but the benefit is vastly outweighed by those other talents for a single target spec. Same with blood craze, if there's only one thing hitting you, blood craze uptime will be next to nil and probably end up being mostly overhealing. And yeah, like you said, you won't spend much time intervening people as the MT.

Thanks very much for taking the time to respond to our questions, also. It's really nice for us to be able to smoothly communicate with new apps.

Zen_- · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts:

Well like I said, both my specs are still meant to be very survivability oriented, to go with progression. My DPS isn't too big of an issue as the tank during progression, where making sure to stay alive is a little more important than doing a bit more damage. Once things get a bit more on farm than the extra DPS can help push through just that little bit faster, but for now it's better to stay alive.

Obviously the differences are very marginal, but every little bit can make the difference between a kill and that last 5-10%. My second spec, which is more single target oriented, will most likely be switched to also have incite in exchange for safeguard and vigilance.

It is a difficult choice though with my second spec between that small heal of blood craze, and war academy. Where War Academy does go nicely with the extra devastates that you expect to use with impending victory. The decision would however be made after some time raiding with the group to see whether the DPS needs just that little push, or if it's the heals that need that help. (My last guilds healer core was VERY weak)

Ourstateobzen · Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts:

Hikaro(KO wrote:

(My last guilds healer core was VERY weak)

Trust me. We know how that goes.

*looks at our healers*

Zen_- · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts:

Exactly ;) so I prefer to take the safer approach and than change as needed. I'm not someone who's afraid to change specs and glyphs regularly, just to fit exactly what's needed.

Alinthsux · Joined: 08 Jan 2011 Posts:

Aside from the spec choices Obzen was talking about you look pretty good. My opinion on the healing talents for warriors are pretty much like this: Blood Craze and Impending Victory bring so little to the table that if they're what decides if it is a kill or not did we really deserve the kill the begin with? Placing faith in the RNG and the little 5% heal after 80% of the fight is already over seems a little sketchy to me, but some people prefer to min/max to those extremes.

The threat and damage gains from moving those points around are much more beneficial imo. Especially since our DPS tends to get trigger happy. A lot.

/glare@Obzen

Now what I really like is that you chose to max out the mastery gems instead of the stam gems I use. I've been considering it for a while but I think I'll reserve that swap until I'm using all avoidance gear.

Basically you get my seal of approval. From what I can tell you have solid gear choices (Gravitational pull over Earthen Handguards and Lifebound Alchy Stone over the Symbiotic Worm). Oh also if you didn't see they finally added the blue Parry/Mastery tank gun to Vortex Pinnacle if you would like a little extra parry since I know it was frustrating during early Cata having no ranged slot choices.

P.S. I like your shield.

Zen_- · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts:

I dare ANYONE to try and pull threat from me ;) my 0.4% hit and 7 expertise will hold threat off anything. :\ infact, I was pretty sure they removed threat from the game entirely back at the start of WotLK?

Zen_- · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts:

and not reading your full post pays off in the bad way... no edit FTL!

The point with all mastery is, I make sure I have roughly around 150k for normal modes and around 160k for hard modes. The rest goes purely towards mastery, which really shines with the way they changed healing. It's much easier to heal a tank who just takes less damage, rather than someone who spikes. Raid buffed I've come REALLY close to the 100% avoidance mark (including block), with roughly 37-60%~ chance to critically block. That really helps smooth out the damage to keep things more predictable for the healers.

Oh man you have NO IDEA!!! I spent EVERY free second I had checking the AH for that gun... I bought the first gun to show up on my server for (luckily the guy was not very intelligent...) 17k... Same night my guild gets a drop so I sold it for 35k :P

Yeah, I've got all the trinkets at my disposal, and switch between them depending on certain fights. (magmaw and valiona trinkets) The shield was funny because I went from the crafted shield, to the shield off nef, to the world drop shield...

If I notice that the raid needs that little bit of extra damage, than I'll move the points around, it really depends on what's really needed, because those last points are somewhat left to preference. I for one much prefer the survivable approach of that min/max board. Min/maxing to those extremes is why I dropped blacksmithing for Alchemy even though I had all the other trinkets at my disposal. And hopefully blizzard sticks with their promise of upgrading that trinket as the patches roll out :P