[Patch 3.2] I Feel Diminished

Shield of Righteousness: Now deals 100% of shield block value as damage instead of 130%. In addition, the benefit from additional block value this ability gains is now subject to diminishing returns. Diminishing returns occur once block value exceeds 30 times the player's level and caps the maximum damage benefit from shield block value at 34.5 times the player's level. Source)

This news actually came out about a week ago. I wanted to let some time pass before I commented on it because initially I was just mad and that is rarely a good state of mind for a reasoned analysis of a change.

So what does this change actually mean? For a Level 80 tank, diminishing returns start to kick in at 2400 Block Value (80*30). Block Value caps at 2760. Every point of Block Value you get from 2400 to 2760 contributes less and less. For instance, let’s say you’ve got 2400 Block Value exactly. You get an ‘upgrade’ in Tier 9 that increases you Block Value by 80 over the old piece of gear. Your Block Value will not go up by 80 for the purpose of figuring out Shield of Righteousness damage. You will only see your Shield of Rigtheousness hit increase by, I’m guessing at the actual number but something less than 80 let’s say 60.

The bottom line is that your Shield of Righteousness goes from doing 3621 per hit to 3681 per hit.

Your Block Value will go up by 80 for determining how much damage you take off a Blocked hit.

So when you block instead of seeing

Auriaya hits Honorshammer for 13794 (2400 Blocked)
You get

Auriaya hits Honorshammer for 13718 (2480 Blocked)
Your new 80 Block Value item gave you only 60 points for offensive block value, but the full 80 for defensive block value.

Are we likely to start hitting the Diminishing Return on Block Value in anything but a gimmick Block Value set?

A Paladin with his 4 piece Tier 8 set bonus and a Libram of Obstruction is getting pretty close to the diminishing return point. I’m less than 200 Block Value away myself.

I must be using Block gear and gimping my stats, right?
Well, you see, this screenshot was taken in my ‘Boss’ tanking set. That set has exactly 3 pieces with Block Value on them: T8 Shoulders, Gloves and my Bracers of Hapless Prey. I’ve been trying to replace my Bracers for a long time, and just have been unlucky with drops. I’m very excited there’s a new BoE Blacksmithing plan for tanking Bracers next patch.

Both T8 are an upgrade (albeit a minor one) over the Naxx25 Tier 7 pieces in those slots. So 2236 Block Value was achieved without a crazy block value set.

But this change won’t happen until Patch 3.2, that’s the real context to look at it in. At that point (barring additional PTR changes) my Libram of Obstruction will have 100% uptime and my T8 4 piece bonus will have double its current uptime. That means I’ll be sitting at 2236 Block Value more often than I am in 3.1.

Furthermore, in 3.2, I’ll be chasing after my T9 set pieces. Unless I’ve done my math wrong, T9 has more Block Value on it than T8. It also has more Strength, which will further increase our Block Value towards the cap.

The theorycrafting geniuses on MainTankadin have been crunching the numbers and I’d like to share their findings with you.
  • The change to ShoR means that BV is much more limited as a threat stat.
  • Point-for-point, STR > Hit > Expertise, and everything else sucks.
  • In terms of itemization and ipoint allocation, the best way to analyze it is to split it into three regions:

  • If your raid-buffed BV is <2500> BV > Hit > Expertise > AP
  • If your raid-buffed BV is > 2500 but <2950> Hit > Expertise > AP, with BV rapidly declining in value
  • If your raid-buffed BV is > 2950 Hit > STR > Expertise > AP, and BV is worthless for threat
  • Block Value from gear is probably not worth considering as a threat stat for much longer, as we'll start hitting the diminishing returns region just due to the STR on our gear very soon.
  • Hit and Expertise are both solid threat stats, and these changes especially encourage us to start gearing for the hit cap and expertise soft-cap.
  • Comments

    Argon said…
    It doesn't sound that bad to me, from what you are describing. The amount of Block Value you can get on your PvE gear is probably going to stay under the point where DR starts kicking in hard, and block value isn't a very good threat stat right now anyways. I think it was just supposed to be a decent one in 3.2 before they announced the current changes. It seems reasonable for Block Value to be a defensive stat and not a threat stat.

    This seems like a change purely to keep people from stacking block value for crazy burst in PvP (maybe this is more of a problem for warriors than paladins?), and that they are trying to avoid any real changes from the current PvE situation.
    While I'm not sure on the whole diminishing returns aspect of it... the reducing of sheild of righteousness from 130 to 100 is because they are doubling the block value on items.

    They didn't want threat to jump too much or for it to be insane burst in PvP.
    Anonymous said…
    you think the T8 shoulders are an upgrade over the T7.5 even though you lose dodge and parry with the switch? i realize they have more stamina, but choosing block over avoidance?
    Honors Code said…
    They're pretty close being only half a tier apart.

    I disagree that it is traiding Avoidance for Block. It's trading Avoidance for Effective Health.

    You lose a bit of Dodge and Parry and get Stamina, Armor, Strength, Defense and Block Value.

    Parry and Dodge are going to be hit by DR.

    And they give me my 4pc bonus.
    Rhidach said…
    Considering how close the DR/cap looms here's a crazy idea: what do you think about not going full 3/3 in Redoubt so that we have a little more breathing room for BV in our gear, while freeing up a talent point for something else?

    What that something else is, I have no idea.

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