Bear Tanking- A Question

[Zurii]

So I'm new to the whole bear tanking thing. I've gotten my expertise and my hit up, but I seem to notice I have unusually low health compared to other tanks.. I sit at about 116k unbuffed in bear form. I'm in all 333+ gear so this worries me, I want to start heroics but I don't feel like I have enough health and if I start to gem for stamina I'm going to lose my hit and expertise cap.

Is this normal or should I start looking for different gear options?

Edited for the 16k health typo lawl.

[zulatae]

link armory please

[Zurii]

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/characte...rd/rhuu/simple

Thar you go.

[staart]

Unless you have significant threat problems (threat seems fine in cataclysm) there's not really much point in gemming/itemising for hit and expertise.

[jaxus]

I think many people are stating that, because of the way Vengence scales, you don't really need to be hit/expertise capped. I wouldn't really be gemming or enchanting for either (I think I have a expertise enchant right now on 1 piece of gear because I wanted the enchanting skill up, but w/e). As for your health, you're going to be very similar to other tanks. Bears no longer have larger pools than other classes. We get a 16% bonus from going bear form total. That's it.

Replace the hit gem in your chest, put the stam gem there, put something like agi/stam in the red socket and get the mastery bonus. Enchants also will help with a lot.

[zulatae]

so when you say you have 16k health...that is a typo right? my 80 druid has more health out of bear form. my enhance shaman has 60k health at 84. and from the amount of stamina in the gear you currently have equipped you should have more.

[jaxus]

I think they meant 116, because they're at about 100 in NE form.

[Deleted]

Gem: Sta/Agi


Entry level gear for HC is 333, you should sit at 115k unbuffed.

Reforge everything to Dodge.


Even with this gear, more than 3 mobs = usually you die, you HAVE to use CC in HCs now.

Go and have some fun!

[rabbimojo]

Unless you have significant threat problems (threat seems fine in cataclysm) there's not really much point in gemming/itemising for hit and expertise.

Well, last I checked Savage Defense does require you to land the attack.

[Zurii]

Yeah.. Meant 116k haha my bad.

[jaxus]

I wouldn't reforge everything to dodge. Mastery is still what many people consider a superior stat. Yes, at a point mastery will become less potent and reforging for dodge will become more attractive, but in blue gear, you're nowhere near that point.

[zulatae]

Gem: Sta/Agi


Entry level gear for HC is 333, you should sit at 115k unbuffed.

Reforge everything to Dodge.


Even with this gear, more than 3 mobs = usually you die, you HAVE to use CC in HCs now.

Go and have some fun!

This. In the beginning you want to focus survivability. Meaning gem stam and agility. Get your dodge up and health as much as you can

[MrHappy]

keep in mind bear stam has been nerfed to be at par with other tanks so dont expect to be having alot mroe life than a war or pally or dk tanks

[Zurii]

Alright so 116k for entry heroics should be fine? And.. I should worry about dodge more then hit/expertise?

[zulatae]

have you ever heard of thebigbearbutt[dot]com (can't post links)

It is a useful site

[Fojos]

This really doesn't have anything to do with your question, but I'd try to gear for agi ring/neck/cloak instead of str pieces. As for your health, like others have said, you're enchanting and gemming hit. Besides, many other tanks also use stamina trinkets, which make quite a big difference.

[tushn]

Well, last I checked Savage Defense does require you to land the attack.

Yes, but having more hit and expertize does not increase that chance. Higher crit increases the chance to proc it.
The system doesnt check if the target gets hit/parried/dodged before its checks if its a crit or normal attack.

[Cheezee]

Hit and expertise are not a big deal right now since you shouldn't be worried about parry haste or tanking more than 2 mobs at once in a heroic. Stamina is, once again, king. What you really need to do is work on your Therazane and Earthen Ring reputations for the helm & shoulder enchants.