over capped def DK /w SsG

[allakaboom]

Okay so i have a super big question, my DK tank has 552 defense even without Stoneskin Gargoyle. So thats 12 overcapped and even if I replace abunch of gear with defense ill still be capped. So should I still use SsG? I mean it does gives 2% stam but are there DKs who use other runes or even a tank Ench?

Heres a link to my DK (keep in mind that he is an alt and I just got 2 new pieces and armory prob has loaded them yet... if it does its the 251 tank neck and 251 axe.) http://www.wowarmory.com/character-s...n=Deathscreamr

Thank you very mucho for the help.

he isnt undergeared by all means. He has 5753 GS. Isnt amazing but i mean he does have good gear.

[crazymunch]

You can pop fallen crusader on one of your weps for a bit of extra TPS/DPS as well as a bit of parry on proc, depends on whether you'd prefer the epeen of the 2% stam of SSG or the str/tps of RoTFC

[DesT.]

You can pop fallen crusader on one of your weps for a bit of extra TPS/DPS as well as a bit of parry on proc, depends on whether you'd prefer the epeen of the 2% stam of SSG or the str/tps of RoTFC

Epeen?... SsG wins every time due to the avoidance it gives as well. Defense also increases the damage reduction of IBF.

[BigGann]

There is not a cap on defense. Having more than 540 is a good thing, it's a great avoidance stat.

[crazymunch]

Disregard what I said above, I was thinking in regards of DW frost tanking, as when I logged onto his armory he was in a DW frost build/gear set

[Elovan]

There is not a cap on defense. Having more than 540 is a good thing, it's a great avoidance stat.

^This, it's not a defense cap, it's a defense floor, a minimum. Cap is simply used because it's easier to say.

[crazymunch]

^This, it's not a defense cap, it's a defense floor, a minimum. Cap is simply used because it's easier to say.

It IS the point at which def loses a lot of it's value though. Below 540 you'd gem def over anything else. Over 540 it's a nice stat to have on gear, but you'd rather take stam, bonus armour, dodge or parry over def once you've passed 540

[Elovan]

It IS the point at which def loses a lot of it's value though. Below 540 you'd gem def over anything else. Over 540 it's a nice stat to have on gear, but you'd rather take stam, bonus armour, dodge or parry over def once you've passed 540

Yes, but its not the same as hitting the hit cap. Getting more hit than 8% is a complete waste of stats (unless you're a ret paladin or enhance shaman, where it can help a little bit.) Getting more than 540 defense isn't a waste of stats, it's just not as good as if it was something else.

[BigGann]

It IS the point at which def loses a lot of it's value though. Below 540 you'd gem def over anything else. Over 540 it's a nice stat to have on gear, but you'd rather take stam, bonus armour, dodge or parry over def once you've passed 540

Defense is better avoidance than dodge/parry if I'm not mistaken.

[BoxofRox]

The 2% Stam translates into 1% Dodge 1% Parry 1% Miss, with no diminishing returns. SsG will ALWAYS be better.

That's just the end all facts.

[SGimley]

Armory currently has you listed at 577 Defense. That might be partly because your wep enchant, i am very unfamiliar with DK tanking but i can give you a small word of advice that will drop some of that def rating, swap out your shoulder enchant for the pvp +30stam +15Resil the resil is blah but the stam ups your health a tiny bit and only substitutes dodge. Also if im not mistaken you can swap the shoulder enchant 2chest gems, and bracer gem and still be def capped you would lose appox 9 defense.

4.93 rating =1 defense you would be losing 45 rating which is 9 Defense still keeping you above cap

[Spartanoble]

use ssg

[Deleted]

if you are far over the DEF cap, dropping SSG seems like a considerable option. that is, until you look at the alternatives:
1) FC? seems nice for threat, but if you have threat issues in raids as a DK, you are doing something wrong. you get enough runic power to bind rune strike to all your skills.
2) SwSh? 4% parry seems nice, but SSG already gives 3% avoidance through the DEF it gives, which means the real discussion is 2% STAM versus 1% parry. the 1% parry is unreliable, but the STAM will always be there.
3) blade ward? again, parry (with heavy DR), meh uptime and rubbish proc.
4) blood draining? if the proc stacks to 5, it is worth, on average, 2K HP. that 2K is 200 STAM. you need 10K STAM for SSG to beat it. also, the proc happens reliably, i.e. when you need it the most, i.e. when you hit 35%.

so, if you are unhappy with SSG, get blood draining.

[Kindran]

SSG is the best weapon enchant/runeforge for a tank no matter what defense you are at.
3% avoidance and 2% stamina

[Apostolic]

if you are far over the DEF cap, dropping SSG seems like a considerable option. that is, until you look at the alternatives:
1) FC? seems nice for threat, but if you have threat issues in raids as a DK, you are doing something wrong. you get enough runic power to bind rune strike to all your skills.
2) SwSh? 4% parry seems nice, but SSG already gives 3% avoidance through the DEF it gives, which means the real discussion is 2% STAM versus 1% parry. the 1% parry is unreliable, but the STAM will always be there.
3) blade ward? again, parry (with heavy DR), meh uptime and rubbish proc.
4) blood draining? if the proc stacks to 5, it is worth, on average, 2K HP. that 2K is 200 STAM. you need 10K STAM for SSG to beat it. also, the proc happens reliably, i.e. when you need it the most, i.e. when you hit 35%.

so, if you are unhappy with SSG, get blood draining.

All true, I personally think that blood draining is useless myself. If you are getting blow 35% a lot, then 2 things are happening. (note: this is on MOST fights, there are always exceptions.)
1) Healers are not topping you off soon enough, 2k healing is not going to save you from a next hit situation
2) You do not have enough health for your WotN to be absorbing those big hits.

25 Def + 2% Stam > any other enchant in the game. Avoidance + EH (along with the increase mitigation from IBF) in 1 enchant is way better then straight mitigation.

[Organoth]

A couple of things, first get the PvP 30 Stam shoulder enchant like someone already said. Unless you need Defense, which you don't, the Stam is worth way more then the Dodge currently. Also, put +10 Stats on your chest instead of 275 health. +10 Stats scales with raid buffs, even more so with the +30% buff in ICC currently. Enchants that just increase a flat vaule just don't scale as well. Also, as others have said, being over 540 Defense is NOT a bad thing, just don't Gem or Enchant for it past 540. Lastly, lose the PvP trinket and get something like The Black Heart http://www.wowhead.com/item=47216 from ToC 5 Regular. Using a PvP trinket just looks like someone worrying about their GS.

Oh, and switch to Blood Tanking, Frost is long out dated and you will lose it altogether in Cata. No time like the present to learn your new spec.

[blizzardcashshop]

It IS the point at which def loses a lot of it's value though. Below 540 you'd gem def over anything else. Over 540 it's a nice stat to have on gear, but you'd rather take stam, bonus armour, dodge or parry over def once you've passed 540

that's because you HAVE to be uncrittable or the slack is taken up by your raid

nothing wrong with being uncrittable and that much harder to hit, it's the avoidance you get from defense that makes it more valuable

you wouldn't gem for it after 540 because you don't have to, but you hopefully aren't gemming anything but stamina and a nightmare tear anyway

in wotlk, stam is king

[patrins]

the solution isnt to change your runeforge but to get as much tanking gear that doesnt have defense on it as possible (tier 10 chest, boots of kingly upheaval, pillars of might)

I'd consider all 3 of those (277 tier) to be effective health BiS (maybe not the boots), having extra defense isn't bad

the 25 defense on SSG doesn't have Diminishing returns since its flat defense not defense rating. you can go up to 565 defense before you hit heavy diminishing returns (the extra 25 obviously doesnt do anything as far as being crit but regardless you get the full value avoidance out of it until 565)

in the end replacing extra defense for armor/avoidance is pretty sexy and I'd definitely go for it. I'm able to wear 3 pieces of non defense tank gear and still be 12 defense over the cap

armory is patrin on bleeding hollow