Protection Warrior: Single Target and AoE Macros (MoP - 5.4.2)...

[Sethadon 0]

TALENTS:

1. Double Time
2. Enraged Regeneration
3. Disrupting Shout
4. Shockwave
5. Vigilance
6. Bloodbath

SINGLE TARGET MACRO: 

/console Sound_EnableSFX 0
/cast [stance:1/3] Defensive Stance
/castsequence [combat] reset=0.2 0,0,0,0,Victory Rush
/castsequence [combat] reset=0.2 0,0,0,Commanding Shout
/castsequence [mod:ctrl, combat] reset=0.2 0,0,Shield Barrier; [combat] reset=0.2 0,0,Shield Block
/castsequence reset=target/3 0,Shield Slam, Thunder Clap, Devastate, Devastate, Shield Slam, Devastate, Devastate, Devastate, Shield Slam, Devastate, Devastate, Devastate, Shield Slam, Devastate, Devastate, Devastate
/castsequence [mod:ctrl, combat] reset=0.2 Heroic Strike; [combat] reset=0.2 Revenge
/cast Charge
/cast [combat] Spell Reflection
/cast [combat] Berserker Rage
/cast [combat] Demoralizing Shout
/cast [combat] Bloodbath
/cast [combat] Shield Wall
/cast [@targettarget, combat] Vigilance
/use [combat] 13
/use [combat] 14
/cast [combat] Recklessness
/startattack [combat]
/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

MULTIPLE TARGET (AoE) MACRO:

/console Sound_EnableSFX 0
/cast [stance:1/3] Defensive Stance
/castsequence [combat] reset=0.2 0,0,0,0,0,0,Commanding Shout
/castsequence [combat] reset=0.2 0,0,0,0,0,Victory Rush
/castsequence [mod:ctrl, combat] reset=0.2 0,0,0,0,Shield Barrier; [combat] reset=0.2 0,0,0,0,Shield Block
/castsequence [mod:ctrl, combat] reset=0.2 0,0,0,Cleave; [combat] reset=0.2 0,0,0,Revenge
/castsequence [combat] reset=0.2 0,0,Thunder Clap
/castsequence [combat] reset=0.2 0,Shockwave
/castsequence [combat] reset=target/3 Shield Slam, Devastate, Devastate
/cast Charge
/cast [combat] Spell Reflection
/cast [combat] Berserker Rage
/cast [combat] Demoralizing Shout
/cast [combat] Bloodbath
/cast [combat] Shield Wall
/cast [@targettarget, combat] Vigilance
/use [combat] 13
/use [combat] 14
/cast [combat] Recklessness
/startattack [combat]
/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

Any input on these would be much appreciated.

 

Cheers!

Edited January 21, 2014 by Sethadon

[Estarriol 167]

I have to admit, I'm not really sure what your goal is here. I'm not sure what you're trying to do, so it's difficult to give comments.

 

Unless you absolutely need to stun, Shockwave is a waste of a GCD. Go Dragon Roar for single target or Bladestorm for fights with adds.

 

Are you trying to use Spell Reflection, Shield Wall, and Demo Shout all at the same time? You'll be very well protected for 12s and then next to naked after. I'd suggest using them individually or combining as needed.

[Sethadon 0]

I have to admit, I'm not really sure what your goal is here. I'm not sure what you're trying to do, so it's difficult to give comments.

 

Thank you for your feedback Estarriol, that is exactly what I was looking for. 

 

 

Unless you absolutely need to stun, Shockwave is a waste of a GCD. Go Dragon Roar for single target or Bladestorm for fights with adds.

 

You are absolutely correct here.  Only, I use Shockwave instead of Dragon Roar or Bladestorm as I find it helps me "set my hooks".  Preference thing is all.

 

 

Are you trying to use Spell Reflection, Shield Wall, and Demo Shout all at the same time? You'll be very well protected for 12s and then next to naked after. I'd suggest using them individually or combining as needed.

 

You are only partly correct here...

 

The first time this macro is run, yes, Spell Relection, Shield Wall, and Demo Shout fire simultaneously.  However, because their GCD's are at different intervals, you will find that most of the time these CD's do NOT fire simultaneously.

 

Cheers! 

Edited January 27, 2014 by Sethadon

[ragebarr 153]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I understand this right, what you're trying to do here is to automate Prot Warriors through the use of a macro.

 

Just the thought of that kinds of feels wrong to me. In the current active mitigation paradigm, tanking relies on using your abilities and cooldowns to react to or to prevent events. The way I see this macro going, you're just trying to use everything pretty much on cooldown, which definitely is not something that should be encouraged for any tanking spec in this game.

[Estarriol 167]

Ragebarr puts it very well. I don't know of any situation that would benefit from using Spell Reflection on CD, for example, it's a 5s duration and it must be used to reflect in that duration or it was wasted. Using it blindly on CD is not likely to end up reflecting a spell well. Similar thinking makes macroing Demo Shout and Shield Wall together a poor choice. If there is some heavy hitting mechanic in a boss fight, using this macro would make you overly safe for the first hit, then starve you for CDs.

 

I'm also confused about what you mean by setting your hooks. If you're having difficulty picking up bosses, then DRagon Roar is still more useful. If you're having trouble picking up trash, there's likely a larger issue. Trash should, in most cases, be easy to keep threat on with a good TC rotation. Bladestorm would still be better for keeping finicky packs due to its higher damage. Shockwave will vengeance and Riposte starve you for the crucial few seconds as you're picking up adds as well as putting you in danger of simultaneous swing timers.

[Sethadon 0]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I understand this right, what you're trying to do here is to automate Prot Warriors through the use of a macro.

 

You are absolutely correct here mate! 

 

Just the thought of that kinds of feels wrong to me.

 

Whether macros should be used in this manner or not, is a whole other discussion on its own.  One-button macros are embraced by some and disapproved by others.  Your personal preference has been noted. Thank you. 

 

In the current active mitigation paradigm, tanking relies on using your abilities and cooldowns to react to or to prevent events. The way I see this macro going, you're just trying to use everything pretty much on cooldown, which definitely is not something that should be encouraged for any tanking spec in this game.

 

Simply put, an effective one-button tanking macro should make life easier for healers (through higher mitigation uptime), while simultaneously controlling single / multiple target mobs, as these macros do.

 

You may not encourage tanking this way, and again your personal opinion has been noted. 

 

Thank you for your feedback.

[Sethadon 0]

Ragebarr puts it very well. I don't know of any situation that would benefit from using Spell Reflection on CD, for example, it's a 5s duration and it must be used to reflect in that duration or it was wasted. Using it blindly on CD is not likely to end up reflecting a spell well. 

 

Very true Estarriol. This spell will likely be wasted a high percentage of time; but on that same token, it will also be effective from time-to-time.  Due to the fast pace / high intensity level of the game, I would rather have it be effective some of the time, as opposed to rarely (or never) because I didn't react in time, or forgot to cast it entirely. But that's just me.

 

If you can effectively incorporate Spell Reflection into your rotation manually, by all means do it that way.  I just prefer to automate and forget about it. 

 

Similar thinking makes macroing Demo Shout and Shield Wall together a poor choice. If there is some heavy hitting mechanic in a boss fight, using this macro would make you overly safe for the first hit, then starve you for CDs.

 

Demo Shout (1 minute CD) and Shield Wall (3 minute CD) will only be cast simultaneously once for every three times Demo Shout is cast.  Meaning, you will have 60% reduced damage uptime for 10 seconds when this occurs, plus an additional 2 seconds @ 40% after Demo Shout falls off.  On top of that, you will have 10 seconds reduced damage @ 20% each minute thereafter, thanks to Demo Shout, until such time as they are fired simultaneously again at the 3 minute mark.

 

This provides maximum mitigation uptime, but at the expense of total control over these two spells.  Again, this seems like a preference thing here, and might be worth discussion in another thread.

 

I'm also confused about what you mean by setting your hooks.

 

I absolutely love it when Shockwave is cast with Demo Shout up, as it allows me to take advantage of my Glyph of Incite and take 3 free Cleaves while the mob is stunned for 4 seconds with no where to go.  This is what I meant by "setting my hooks".

 

If you're having difficulty picking up bosses, then DRagon Roar is still more useful. If you're having trouble picking up trash, there's likely a larger issue. Trash should, in most cases, be easy to keep threat on with a good TC rotation. Bladestorm would still be better for keeping finicky packs due to its higher damage. Shockwave will vengeance and Riposte starve you for the crucial few seconds as you're picking up adds as well as putting you in danger of simultaneous swing timers.

 

I must admit that because I fire this spell automatically from within the macro, I sometimes miss my multi-target mobs entirely, leaving me looking like a noob.  I have seriously thought about casting Shockwave manually, but for now have decided to leave it in (success rate is high, just not 100%).

 

As for Dragon Roar, simply put, I do NOT like its knock-back effect.

 

Bladestorm would be a viable alternative for sure, which (as you said) would alleviate my Vengeance and Riposte starvation early on.  I may have to give that a try just to see.

 

Thanks for your feedback too. 

Edited January 31, 2014 by Sethadon

[Estarriol 167]

Tanking requires reacting to events well. CD usage is essential and what you're doing here is alright for dungeons, LFR, and nothing higher. Simply put, you will never be a good tank with this. I know that sounds harsh, but your macros have guaranteed that you will be mediocre. Using CDs directly on cooldown is almost as bad as not using them. It is blind and unthinking. Such usage would be particularly bad on fights like Immerseus, Iron Juggernaut, Dark Shaman, H Nazgrim, Thok, Siegecrafter, and Paragons. Using your CDs on CD means you're not planning. You're not thinking ahead at all. You will get hit by something you could easily have mitigated better. An excellent example is Wavebinder Kardris. She has a reflectable cast, but it is only cast once every 20 seconds or so. Using SR on CD would maybe sometimes get it, but every time you blindly waste it, it's the difference in taking hundreds of thousands of damage versus doing hundred of thousands.

 

If you just don't know how to use it yet, that's fine. It's a learning experience thing, but if you use these macros, you cripple your learning. Planning the use of your toolkit is essential and if you never plan, then you will never know how to. Also consider the fact that high mitigation uptime is not the be-all end all. Having the correct mitigation up when it needs to be up is so much more important. For example, if you are at 80 rage with two seconds left before a big hit and you use SBlk, then you are unable to generate enough rage to have a full 60 rage SBar up before the hit lands. You'll take massively more damage than necessary and may even die. You'll keep your high uptime on SBlk, but at the cost of survivability. Furthermore, tanking isn't about having the most damage mitigated possible. If it were, all tanks would aggressively gear for avoidance. It has, by far, the most damage mitigation. However, for non-prot warriors, it is spiky damage intake, which is far more dangerous than overall damage intake. (Prot warriors can gear for avoidance because SBlk/SBar usage provides smoothness). Planning for spikes is part of tanking. With the dungeon journal and all of the guides available, there should be few surprises.

 

You say you don't like DR's knockback. That's alright because DR is for single-target situations. In other words, DR is for bosses. Bosses don't get knocked back. What you're essentially doing is only planning for AoE situations. You can and should be changing your talents to suit the fight. Bladestorm is great for trash and a few bosses, but DR is the go-to boss choice.

 

The other thing that bothers me is that you're using Demo Shout and Shockwave simultaneously. Shockwave stuns, so you're wasting three seconds of your damage reduction. You make make good use of those free Cleaves at any point because they're off the GCD. Additionally this tells me that you're not moving back when you Shockwave. The stun is long enough to sync their swing timers. In order to shockwave safely, you have to move back a bit so the mobs have to move to you, greatly reducing the chance you'll get hit by all of them simultaneously. This isn't as much of a big deal at current ilvls in heroic dungeons, but it is death in Challenge Modes, Proving Grounds, and will be death in early heroic dungeons in WoD.

 

Hopefully I didn't sound too harsh, but I wanted to convey what you're sacrificing in the name of ease.

[Sethadon 0]

Ok EST, we get your point - You're better than all of us, and everyone should learn how to tank exactly as you do, as precise control is (hands down) much better than simplicity.

 

BUT...

 

For those of you who do NOT want to be like Estarriol, and prefer simpler methods of accomplishing similar results, these macros may be help to you.

 

Cheers! :)

[Estarriol 167]

I don't believe I said anything of the sort in my posts. I merely hope to provide some insight or discussion. I attempted to be thorough in my explanations. Furthermore, I know I'm not the best. Thus I seek to continuously improve myself. I have outlined why and how I think you could be doing better. Your choices, however, are your own.

 

Farewell,

Esta