Could use some guidance with my Prot Warrior

[Jebron]

Hey all,

I've just started playing again after a few years away from WoW, and I started a protection warrior. I'm new to tanking and am still very much in the learning process. This week with the easy affixes in Mythic+ I got my keystone to +10. It wasn't too bad, but the Halls of Valor +10 was a complete disaster. Our group, with me tanking, couldn't even get past the first boss Hymdall. We wiped about 7 times before calling it quits, and I felt pretty bad for the healer. None of my active mitigation seemed to help and he could barely keep me up let alone the rest of the group.

I think this was a pretty big gear check for me and made me understand where my limits are right now. The problem is that I don't quite know the best way to move forward with my Prot Warrior. I'd love it if someone could give me a little guidance on what content I should be focusing on next in terms of efficiently in getting gear. I'm having a lot of fun doing Mythic+, I'd just like to be doing things that will also reward me with some upgrades as well.

One thing is I don't have a lot of time to dedicate to raiding, maybe only 2-3 hours a week. Having family (kids mostly) commitments limits the amount of time most days that I'm able to play to only an hour or so.

Here's a link to my profile: /wow/en/character/tichondrius/Flukefive/advanced

Thank you for any input anyone has, I really do appreciate it. I apologize for not being able to post the entire armory link.

[KrotosTheTank]

Well for one, it's Tyrannical week. That alone just makes bosses suck for the new/undergeared tank, you'll get there. It could also depend on the dps you ran with. Tyrannical makes fights longer as it is, undergeared dps make nearly every tyrannical boss hit their soft enrages reliably and exhaust you of all CDs.

The nice thing about Tyrannical is that it actually forces me to learn boss mechanics on bosses that usually die within a hero/lust window. Just focus on learning the fights and what you can do with each ability.

As for your spec, If you're new it's probably best you stick with Indomitable, but know that the sooner you learn to use devastator, the better off you'll be. For M+ I much prefer Anger Management over Heavy Repercussions; getting extra SW and LS out as well as the additional uses of Battle Cry are really nice and allow you to almost always have a CD up when needed. You've got a great legendary, that with good rage gen can keep you up when needed. I'd look for the darkmoon deck to replace your infernal contract unless you feel comfortable using it to it's best ability, it which case I'd then swap the exo out. You are also quite low on haste and heavy on crit; you're probably already aware of this and as a newer player (to Legion) I'm sure it's more of just using what you've got, but try to get that fixed, as the extra haste only helps you with mitigation and rage gen which only further strengthens your bracers.

I'm sure there's much more, but that's the best I've got for now.

[Soilx3]

You need to try and get your hands on more haste, ASAP. For mythic+ you really want as much haste as possible, but 25% at LEAST is a good guideline. Practice playing with Devastator and Vengeance, there are good guides on the Prot Warrior thread stickied above. Indomitable is, simply, inferior in pretty much every situation once you learn how to play with Devastator. Personally I use Booming Voice + Anger Management for mythic+, but Vengeance is probably the safer bet if you're having trouble surviving.

It's hard if not impossible to point you to a specific dungeon for upgrades these days with the WF/TF -system. If gold isn't an issue for you, consider buying and upgrading the Darkmoon Deck: Immortality as it's one of our best trinkets especially for m+ despite the low ilvl (865).

E: I'm a slowpoke

[Jebron]

Thank you guys very much for the input. I'm aware I definitely need some more haste on my gear and less crit, but it's the best gear that I've gotten up to this point. I think the raw stat increases from my current gear outway me lowering my ilvl for more secondary stats with gear from my bags.

I've tried to use Devastator a bit but I know I'm not getting the maximum effect from it, so I've kind of defaulted to Indomitable for the time being. Also, without Indomitable I hover around 3M health which sometimes becomes problematic for healers with my inexperience as a Protection Warrior. I definitely understand the overall mitigation is higher with Devastator and Vengeance but at my current skill level I'm having trouble maximizing it.

Would you recommend I continue to farm Mythic+ 5-9 keystones to get some of my lower ilvl pieces replaced if my main goal is getting to +15 one day? Currently LFR has very few upgrades for me I find. Raiding is a bit out of the question for me right now but I'm having a blast in Mythic+.

[Lyraat]

Would you recommend I continue to farm Mythic+ 5-9 keystones to get some of my lower ilvl pieces replaced if my main goal is getting to +15 one day? Currently LFR has very few upgrades for me I find. Raiding is a bit out of the question for me right now but I'm having a blast in Mythic+.

Yes. Mythic+'s will get you gear, AP, and, most importantly, practice. Devastator and Vengeance takes a bit of practice, but you'll see your dps increase dramatically once you get the hang of it. Nighthold may be a bit out of your league, but EN and ToV will still have upgrades for you. LFR, too: Titanforged and Warforged items as well as better itemized gear.

[Deleted]

Would you recommend I continue to farm Mythic+ 5-9 keystones to get some of my lower ilvl pieces replaced if my main goal is getting to +15 one day? Currently LFR has very few upgrades for me I find. Raiding is a bit out of the question for me right now but I'm having a blast in Mythic+.

Yes, even the lower keystones will still give you artifact power which will increase your HP pool by 0,75% per trait and those lower m+ 3 chest runs are decent for fishing for titanforged loot. Even if the loot doesn't proc you have a good chance of replacing badly optimized items with same ilvl but better stat pieces.

Also due to titanforge the LFR shouldn't be dismissed out of hand either just because the default ilvl items aren't upgrades for you. Things can and will proc some decent ilvls every now and then. You should at least run the Nighthold LFR for tier.

[Deleted]

If you want to improve your gear and mostly have time for 1-hour windows, I recommend you focus on M+, LFRs and portions of raids through PuGs (premade groups).

In terms of stats, as it was pointed out, you definitely need:
1. More haste and less crit (you can start by using HASTE gems and enchants on your items). Crit is often seen as the least useful stat (not useless, just less useful)
2. Better relics in your weapons (= more HP & more damage). You can also focus on the best traits for your playstyle (shatter the bones for DPS, dragon skin for maxed IP)

To get all this, you can:
1. Run M+ (I recommend you favor M+ levels you overgear for multiple chests + one maxxed for your weekly chest)
2. Do stuff-related and AP-related world-quests (it can proc WF and TF). Use World Quest Group Finder addon.
3. Run LFRs, as well as subscribe to premade groups for raids, even if you leave after a few bosses (everyone does that): EN and ToV
4. Get stuff you can upgrade with obliterum. Survey auction house for good rings and neck upgradable by obliterum (with HASTE primary stat, then mastery)
5. Upgrade your reputations to Legion factions to buy items from your class halls (you have certain very interesting armor pieces, which sometimes can be upgraded with class hall resources)

It is difficult to point all gear you could acquire, as there is pretty much everything you need in all M+ or LFRs.\
Below are a few useful links to study for HASTE/MASTERY gear. Don't hesitate to play with filters to plan what to farm and get (I excluded legs):
1. Head (LINK)
2. Shoulders (LINK)
3. Chest (LINK)
4. Bracers (LINK)
5. Gloves (LINK)
6. Belt (LINK)
7. Legs (LINK)
8. Feets (LINK)
9. Rings (LINK)
10. Stam trinkets (LINK)
11. Strength trinkets (LINK)

Hope this helps you plan your gear farming and improvement!