Monthly Archives: April 2012

Warrior Block Calculations – Part 4

In the last three posts, we’ve built up the equations we need to calculate the survivability stat weights for warriors. In this post, we’re going to summarize the equations we need, and then plug in numbers to see how it … Continue reading

Posted in Tanking, Theck's Pounding Headaches, Theorycrafting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Warrior Block Calculations – Part 3

So far, we’ve developed the general expressions for warrior block mechanics, and we’ve worked out the warrior rotation and the effects of parry haste. In this installment, we’ll work out the last two pieces to the warrior block mechanics puzzle: … Continue reading

Posted in Tanking, Theck's Pounding Headaches, Theorycrafting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Warrior Block Calculations – Part 2

In the last installment, we calculated expressions for the normalized scale factors $Delta_i$ that represent the effectiveness of a given stat at reducing damage taken. To finish the job, we need to calculate explicit expressions for the variables $rho_h$, $rho_e$, … Continue reading

Posted in Tanking, Theck's Pounding Headaches, Theorycrafting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Warrior Block Calculations – Part 1

In response to my earlier work on paladin MoP Block mechanics, several of my warrior friends asked if I could perform a similar calculation for their class. I thought that it would be a relatively straightforward calculation – after all, … Continue reading

Posted in Tanking, Theck's Pounding Headaches, Theorycrafting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

MoP Block Calculations – Part 4

In this final installment, we’re going to use a Monte Carlo simulation to see how accurately the analytical model portrays the results of a more realistic (i.e. discrete event-driven) combat scenario. If the simulation agrees very well with the analytical … Continue reading

Posted in Tanking, Theck's Pounding Headaches, Theorycrafting | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

MoP Block Calculations – Part 3

Last time, we painfully ground through the necessary calculus to develop relationships between different stats – armor, avoidance rating, block rating, hit, expertise, and haste. In this installment, we’re going to bring all of that together and start comparing those … Continue reading

Posted in Tanking, Theck's Pounding Headaches, Theorycrafting | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

MoP Block Calculations – Part 2

Suggested subtitles: How to make String Theory look easy Why I quit theorycrafting 101 reasons I should have majored in History In the last post, we worked out the basic math modeling of our new block mechanics. That was actually … Continue reading

Posted in Tanking, Theck's Pounding Headaches, Theorycrafting | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

MoP Block Calculations – Part 1

There’s been some question about how the new block mechanics will affect our damage intake, and how the different stats (dodge, parry, matery, hit, expertise, and even haste) will compare for minimizing that metric. While damage intake isn’t always the … Continue reading

Posted in Tanking, Theck's Pounding Headaches, Theorycrafting | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Dragon Soul Retrospective

Hello Monday morning. Time for some delicious QQ to start the week off right! I really liked Cataclysm a great deal, and I cared deeply about having some compelling raid encounters to finish off what has become my favorite WOW … Continue reading

Posted in Design, Encounters, From Ana's Inbox | 23 Comments

Why I Went Retribution

I get this question a lot. I’m pretty sure I know what everyone expects me to say, especially following Meloree’s really moving post last week on the demise of tanking. It would be pretty easy to say that I stopped … Continue reading

Posted in Blogging, From Ana's Inbox, Raiding | 19 Comments