Prot Talent Question

[Kothnok]

I've been leveling my warrior as Prot from 56 on and I've found that Improved Revenge (chance to stun target) and Improved Shield Bash (silence target as well as interrupt cast) have been invaluable to me.  I've noticed that several prot tanks I've run across that are 70 do not have these abilities.  Why is that?

[Gutboy]

In my understanding, those special talents don't work well (or at all) once you get into tanking raids, so the usual recommendation is to skip them in your L70 build. (I never leveled as prot, so I didn't get used to using them in the first place.  )

http://www.tankingtips.com/2008/08/09/warning-the-following-talents-are-hazardous/

GB

[khader]

What Gut said!!!

Improved Shield Bash and Improved Revenge become less useful as the content level increases.  More and more mobs are immune to stuns or spell interrupts so the points in those talents are better spent else where.

For spell casters its usually enough just to interrupt their spells.  In a raid there are usually other classes to help out.  Improved Shield Bash can be fun in PvP however.

Improved Revenge is only a chance to stun mobs.  Sometimes it works when you want, sometimes not.  In a raid there are others better at CC plus many mobs are immune to stun.  Use Concussive Blow for stunning mobs when possible and necessary.  It's also useful as another interrupt on spells.

[Kothnok]

Thanks. 

Basically another instance of "welcome to 70, now change how you play."

[usonian]

Leveling as Protection is certainly a long, tedious, difficult process and those talents are meant to help you when you're out in the world.  Unfortunately the only thing a protection warrior can do well is tank instances so you should be doing that as much as possible if you want to level as prot.  If you primarily level by running instances and plan on doing so after 70, those talents really aren't that useful.  Like Khader said, most bosses and instance mobs are immune to stuns and silence effects so the points are better spent in areas that increase your survivability, threat generation, etc.  You'll still be using shield bash and revenge (a lot) for threat generation  when tanking, but their improved forms aren't necessary.

If you aren't going to be running many instances until you hit 70, I would definitely switch to arms or fury until about 68.  You'll save yourself a huge amount of time and headache.

[Kothnok]

My plan was to instance as much as possible (similar to how I leveled the priest).  That plan hasn't born much fruit, though.

[Gutboy]

Big problem with warriors is you can't practice tanking and threat management when you solo... 

GB