Strength of the Clefthoof – Set changes
WoWHead.com had 2.1 patch changes integrated into their item stats already. I just happened to notice the other day when I was poking around. Assuming they were correct (which could be a big assumption), I headed over to Leather Armor (second floor, next to the whips), to check out the much-discussed changes to the Strength of the Clefthoof set. I have this complete set equipped and it was very highly rated tanking equipment on Emmerald’s Bear Tanking gear list.
You can do the research yourself if you want to – follow the link to the set. WoWHead has the new stats already displayed in the tooltip and a nice set summary. If you click an individual item, there is a link you can hover over for a tooltip of previous stats.
If you just want to cut to the chase, then here’s the set total changes when 2.1 goes live:
- -12 to Defense
- -23 to Stamina
- +658 to Armor
So, I got to admit, I haven’t looked much into the whole Defense stat so I don’t know if -12 to that stat is a big deal or not. but gaining 658 Armor and only losing 23 Stamina sounds like a tradeoff I’m willing to make. That a positive increase of 3,290 armor in Bear form while only losing 230 health. I think I’ll take that.
Again – assuming WoWHead has correct data and these are the actual changes, how do you feel about this change? Good change or bad?
I feel this change is very good! Personnaly after a certain point defense becomes less useful. This point is once you hit the Crit immmune level. The extra armor is even better.
The lose of stamina does stink, but if you have a earthwarden or the braxis staff of slumber( unsure of the braxis) you will be gaining 39 sta. So it is offsetting the lose there.
Bruennor
Bruennor – great comment as always. I just checked wowhead quickly and both Braxxis and Earthwarden are getting +39 Stamina. W00t!
The cutoff point where you become uncrittable is 415 Defense for druids. It’s very easy to get and once you hit that point you can start stacking +12 Stamina and +8 Agility gems to add to your survivability.
I am personally happy with the changes as well. Stamina simply makes us a mana drain for healers, where armor actually mitigates how much damage we take, causing the healers to have to heal less. There’s a druid on our server who, post patch today, will have over 33,000 armor.
Also, good luck to everyone on your epic flight form quests!
Oh I forgot to add. You will still receive crushing blows even though you may be crit immune. The only way to deal with a crushing blow is to have a large health pool and high armor mitigation.
Crushing blows only happen when you fight a mob that is 3 level above you. So this really only applies to bosses.
33,000 Armor
How? I’d love to see his armory profile!
33,000 armor….
I can’t wait to finish levelling my drood alt. I love tanking, quite a lot, but I hate the Warrior playstyle. Druid provides me with other options to explore, and that’s invaluable to me.
Main strength of druid is their versatility!
J, tanking is so much fun. We have some many choices available to us plus the fact that we also do a lot of damage in bear form as well. At anytime when I’m tanking a target, I’m constantly switching between using lacerate, maul, mangle, swipe, fairie fire, and demo roar. Its funny sometimes i’m sitting there screaming, ” Must have rage! Need more Rage! “.
Best of luck!
Bruennor
I’d agree J. DPS in cat form is fun too, but I really enjoy being a tank. It’s a lot more work than people realize, but keeping 3 or even 4 mobs busy sometimes as other party members go about their business and mop up is a blast. I don’t know what it is about it, but I find it to be very fun.
Cat is fun too though. Even with a lot of my fellow guild members having better gear, I’m consistently toward the top of the dps charts.
I was never much impressed with +def to begin with.. and I havn’t had much time to research the importance of +def when BC came out. I guess I focused more on Agi over +def…
I guess since Agi was giving me armor, attack power, dodge, and crit I weiged it with more importance that some stat that druids recieved 1/3 of the benefit of… since we don’t parry or block.