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Threat Mechanics

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Cleavis edited this page Mar 30, 2021 · 29 revisions

Tanking mechanics are split between Survivability Mechanics (mob hitting player) and Threat Mechanics (player hitting mob).

This page is specific to Threat Mechanics.

Officially confirmed by Blizzard

Source: https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/new-bug-battle-shout/249633/2

  • The threat generated by Battle Shout is not capped at 5 party members and is increased when affecting targets such as Hunter and Warlock pets within the same party.

Common Definitions

Aggro

The current target of the mob being tanked

Threat

Imaginary points that contribute toward defining Aggro

  • In most situations, the player with the highest threat will have aggro.
  • For the sake of defining threat, a standard of 1 damage = 1 threat is used.
  • Actions can generate non-integer amounts of threat.

Threat Table

The list of players a mob is tracking threat for.

  • If you are in combat with a mob, you are on its threat table.
  • Some actions require you or your target to be on a mob's threat table before they will add to your threat.

Actions that cause you to be added to a mob's threat table include:

  • Body Pulling - e.g. getting too close to an aggressive mob or linked mobs that is/are out of combat.
  • Dealing Damage to a mob.
  • Debuffing a mob, with exceptions: Hunter's Mark, Mind Vision, and Mind Soothe will not place you on threat tables.
  • Healing a friendly target already on a mob's threat table.
  • Buffing a friendly target already on a mob's threat table.
  • Raid boss combat pulse - every 2 seconds, raid bosses in combat put everyone in the instance into combat and onto their threat table.
  • In-combat proximity - some mobs will periodically put players around them into combat and add them to their combat table. Not all mobs do this.

Common Actions that Generate Threat

Doing Damage

Every 1 point of damage done generates 1 threat.

  • This is the standard around which all other threat values are defined.

Healing

Every 1 point of healing generates 0.5 threat.

  • Healing threat is applied to the healer.

Buffing and Debuffing

Applying buffs and debuffs generates varying amounts of threat.

  • Threat is generated for each buff applied (e.g. Battle Shout)
  • Debuff threat is applied only to the mobs being debuffed.
  • Reapplying buffs and debuffs continues to generate threat.

Power gains

Most special effects that cause a gain of mana, rage, or energy generate threat.

  • This includes mana potions, rage potions, and thistle tea.
  • This does not include hp5 or mp5 effects such as troll racial eating.
  • Power gains threat is split among all mobs that the gainer is in combat with.
  • Power gains are not affected the same way by threat multipliers (stances, e.g.) as other abilities.
  • Drinking does cause some (small) threat.

Threat Multipliers

  • Battle Stance threat multiplier is 0.8x
  • Berserker Stance threat multiplier is 0.8x
  • Defensive Stance threat multiplier is 1.3x
  • Defiance Talent 5/5 threat multiplier is 1.15x while in Defensive Stance

Threat multipliers are multiplicative

  • Example: Defensive Stance 1.3x and Defiance Talent 5/5 1.15x taken together results in (1.3x)(1.15x)=1.495x threat multiplier

Aggro Thresholds

  • To become the new aggro ("rip") at MELEE range, you must be 10% above the current aggro.
  • To become the new aggro ("rip") at RANGED range, you must be 30% above the current aggro.

Threat Values

Spell threat values testing available here. Initial work by Resultsmayvary here. Values were tested on live patch version 1.13.6.37497 with threat API macro /run local _,_,_,_,t=UnitDetailedThreatSituation("player","target") if t then DEFAULT_CHAT_FRAME:AddMessage(t) else DEFAULT_CHAT_FRAME:AddMessage("No threat") end to dump between abilities. Note several abilities have threat multipliers ('Multiplier' below) on the damage they do in addition to additive (sometimes called 'Innate Threat' in other sources, 'Threat' below) bonus threat.

Spell Rank Threat Multiplier
Shield Slam 4 254
Sunder Armor 5 261
Revenge 6 270 2.25
Revenge 5 243 2.25
Heroic Strike 9 173
Heroic Strike 8 145
Cleave 5 100
Battle Shout 7 60
Battle Shout 6 52
Demoralizing Shout 5 43
Disarm 99
Shield Bash 3 156 1.5
Thunderclap 6 0 2.5
Hamstring 3 135 1.25
Overpower 4 0 0.75

Thunderfury

The proc from Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker was similarly tested @ level 60 on live patch version 1.13.6.37497 as above. Thunderfury's proc is divided into three components: (1) a damage component, (2) a single-target attack speed slow debuff, and (3) an aoe nature resistance reduction debuff. Components (2) and (3) are debuffs and do bonus threat on application. The amounts of threat of the three components are as follows:

  • 300 single-target nature damage (270 in Defensive Stance) has no special threat multiplier (1.0x)
  • Single-target attack speed slow causes 126 additional threat to the main target
  • Aoe nature resistance reduction debuff causes 126 additional threat to each target in range

All three components are affected by stance and other multipliers and total (300+126+126=) 552 threat before modifiers.

Battle Shout

  • Like other buff mechanics, Battle Shout generates more threat the more targets it buffs.
  • Buff targets must be in combat with the mobs you wish to generate threat against.
  • Battle Shout threat is not capped at 5 party members and pets.
  • Guardians do not receive shout buffs (Gnomish Battle Chicken, Mechanical Yeti, etc.)

Cleave

  • Cleave at R5 (lvl 60) does 100 bonus threat (and 50 bonus damage) to each target it hits. It does not split its threat.

Tests

Initial research into individual threat values was conducted during the final stress test, WoW Classic build 1.13.2.31407, including stance multipliers, aggro thresholds, and power gains testing, below. Followup testing on individual values was conducted on live WoW Classic build 1.13.6.37497, including Thunderfury testing, here.

Stance Multipliers

  • Threat Range corrected for 1.1x melee rip threshold
Stance Warr Dmg Dmg Threshold Dmg Rip Threat Range Multiplier
Battle 42 36 38 32.73 - 34.55 0.78x - 0.82x
Battle 43 37 38 33.64 - 34.55 0.78x - 0.80x
Battle 35 30 32 27.27 - 29.09 0.78x - 0.83x
Defensive 37 52 53 47.27 - 48.18 1.28x - 1.30x
Defensive 32 45 46 40.91 - 41.82 1.28x - 1.31x
Defensive 10 14 15 12.73 - 13.64 1.27x - 1.36x

Aggro Thresholds

  • Uses healing = 0.5x Threat per point healed.
  • Tests were conducted in Defensive Stance and have been corrected for Stance Threat Multiplier
Warr Dmg Healing Threshold Healing Rip Range Threat Range Threshold
102 256 307 Melee 98.5 - 118.1 0.97x - 1.16x
71 156 207 Melee 60.0 - 79.6 0.85x - 1.12x
108 269 324 Melee 103.5 - 124.6 0.96x - 1.15x
97 311 365 Ranged 119.6 - 140.4 1.23x - 1.45x
116 391 442 Ranged 150.4 - 170.0 1.30x - 1.45x
116 338 393 Ranged 130.0 - 151.2 1.12x - 1.30x

Battle Shout Testing

  • Rank 2 Battle Shout (Threat = ~12)
Test # Shout Targets Times Shouted Mobs in Combat Threat Range Observed
1 1 1 1 10.23 - 12.50
2 2 3 1 68.75 - 75.57
3 1 2 1 22.99 - 27.19
4 1 1 1 11.19 - 15.38
5 1 1 2 5.59 - 6.99
6 1 2 2 11.89 - 12.59
7 4 1 1 47.57 - 48.27
8 6 1 1 71.84 - 76.73
9 6 1 1 71.70 - 75.90

Improved Demo Shout

  • No difference in threat was observed with Improved Demoralizing Shout.
Spell Rank Imp Talents Trials Threat Range Observed
Demoralizing Shout 1 0/5 5 11.19 - 11.54
Demoralizing Shout 1 1/5 4 11.30 - 11.32

Improved Shield Block

  • 5/5 Improved Shield Block Power Gains Threat test
  • Needs more extensive testing + Bloodrage + Rage potion + Unbridled Wrath
Stance Rage Gain Dmg Threshold Dmg Rip Threat Range Observed
Battle 1 4 7 3.64 - 6.36
Battle 1 4 7 3.64 - 6.36
Defensive 1 5 6 4.55 - 5.45

External References

Kenco's Guide @ Satrina's

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