Hey all,
I think it is time we start to get the warrior theorycrafting going strong.
Warrior Tank Threat Build
The above build is what I am going to be using as a default template. It requires no Elder Gems so it is very friendly for the first few weeks in Wildstar.
As everyone and their mother is aware, it is perceived that Warrior still have threat issues after their Bulwark buff. A few of us recently discussed some of the mechanics in Mumble and I wanted to get those remarks down for posterity and sharing.
Thoughts on abilities:
Innate: Juggernaut: Threat boosts, shield boosts, all good stuff. Sucks it lowers our damage though :/.
Innate Activate: Bulwark: Small threat boost, nice damage reduction, cooldown reduced by Jolt T8 proc.
Menancing Strike: Nothing really needs to be said here, it is our "filler" spell and decent enough. Since we are using it 3x as much as any other ability (at least) it makes sense to boost it to T8.
Jolt: We didn't discuss the T8 of this ability but I had a slight epiphany. Jolts T8 has a 25% chance to knock 7.5 seconds off our Innate's cooldown (Bullwark). This is worded weirdly on the tooltip which is why I think we (or at least myself) missed it. Jolt's charges have 6 second cooldowns, so we can obviously expect to get 9-10 shots at that 25% during a patchwerk-style fight. While I detest depending on RNG for a cooldown, we have so many chances at lowering the CD that one could argue our Bulwark has roughly a 45-50 second cooldown (on average) if Jolt is being prioritized over Menacing Strike. This turns Jolt into an amazing CDR ability.
Atomic Spear: I really hate not having this at T8 in this build. T4 is absolutely mandatory for the damage boosting (a.k.a. threat boosting). Also, once we use EGs for abilities this will be where mine go. Highest threat return GCD. 10 second CD
.Atomic Surge: Necessary for threat, no other reason for it.
Plasma Blast: It's a taunt, if you need more than that you probably aren't a hardcore raider.
Power Link: This damage boost will help maintain threat in addition to making the DPS it tags love you. (Might consider putting AP into it.)
Defense Grid: Hey it's a CD, don't count on others being able to stand in it on a 40-foot raid boss though.
Plasma Wall: Channeled, so it is horrible for threat but great for mitigation.
Didn't Make The Cut:
Bum Rush: it makes you run the 15m when activated, even if that is through the boss. Would suck with cleave and backstab mechanics in place. Great for movement though.
Bolstering Strike: Lackluster at the moment, with a small buff this could become tanking Warriors iconic ability.
Polarity Field: While being a nice ability and basically a DoT for us, it just doesn't stack up to the others.
Expulsion: Maybe, if necessary in place of an interrupt ability.
Shield Burst: Comes down to another cool ability that doesn't make the cut due to threat concerns.
Kick, Flash Bang, Grapple: Interrupts and CC, Grapple being a nice Death Grip for AOE.
Sentinel: This could be necessary for progression if we can get it to reliably hit the MT.
Ability Order:
1-Bulwark - has the unfortunate condition of being a threat ability and a defensive one. This means we are going to be popping it ON COOLDOWN.
2-Power Link - group DPS boost.
3-Atomic Spear - best threat-per-GCD and has a stacking damage buff (and deflect one at T8).
4-Jolt - should never be capped at 3 charges, it is slightly more threat than Menacing Strike, and can lower the CD of Bulwark.
5-Menacing Strike - filler.
Defensive Cooldowns
Bulwark: Due to the nature of maintaining threat in Wildstar you will be using this cooldown as soon as it comes up.
Plasma Wall: Terrific cooldown on paper. -30% damage for 3 seconds every 8 seconds. Wow. However; this cooldown is a channel and stops you from DPSing to maintain threat, so only use it if you are blocking a big hit or have no chance of losing threat.
Defense Grid: A terrific cooldown you should pop as long as Bulwark isn't active.
Sentinel: Only effects other tanks or players. Will possibly be amazing for progression content if you can figure out a way of always casting it on the Main Tank. It targets the lowest health individual based on flat numbers, not percentages, making it hard to hit other tanks due to their much higher health pools.
Emergency Reserves: Not a very good cooldown, if there is some mechanic to restore TONS of shielding in a raid then it would be situationally awesome for that fight.
Bum Rush: At tier 4 this becomes a double charge cooldown with each one giving 3 seconds duration. Great for movement, but not usable on a lot of fights for mitigation.
AMPs
My AMP choices come down to prioritizing threat choices and picking up passive defensive ones.
Kinetic Fury, Full Force, and Power Link: These are all chosen for their roles in upping our threat. Power Link has the bonus of boosting group DPS.
Full Defense: I value Full Defense over Kinetic Buffer because of the synergy with Atomic Spear (more procs).
Kinetic Buffer, Fortify, and To The Pain: Kinetic Buffer will be my first AMP pick up through EGs. Beyond that I will chose between boosting my Deflect Critical Chance, Fortify, and To The Pain; whichever is best for the fight/my role in it.
The Math On Jolt (or any 25% proc ability with 10 charges per minute):
Formula:
P(x) = the probability of x
x = number of successes
N = number of trials
π = probability of success (25% in this case or 0.25)
Probability of getting X procs:
0: 0.0563135147094727 or 5.6%
1: 0.187711715698242 or 18.8%
2: 0.281567573547363 or 28.2%
3: 0.250282287597656 or 25.0%
4: 0.145998001098633 or 14.6%
5: 0.0583992004394531 or 5.8%
6: 0.0162220001220703 or 1.6%
7: 0.00308990478515625 or 0.3%
8: 0.000386238098144531 or 0.03%
9: 2.86102294921875E-05 or 0.002%
10: 9.5367431640625E-07 or 0.00010%
Now to math that actually matters...
Chance to get 2 or more procs during Bulwark's 60 second cooldown:
2 or more: 0.755974769592285 or 75.6% chance
I argue that because of the math on jolt, we can reliable say it makes Bulwark a 45 second cooldown.
This means that for 12 of every 45 seconds we are under the 100% threat boost buff (and the mitigation as well).
This means that, in practice, this Jolt build should put us in much more competitive terms than previously believed in comparison to Engineers.
TL:DNR:
Copy the build listed and use this ability priority order:
Bulwark > Power Link > Atomic Spear > Jolt > Menancing Strike
