First off my new name in-game is CALANON. So I guess this by way of new introduction... Smiles..

QUESTION ONE

Found this and was wondering if the information is still current?

The Bear Form +30% modifier is adjustable with the talent Feral Instinct, granting up to +15% threat. The talents stacks additively, which means that if you spec 3 points into the talent you will gain +45% threat (+30% threat from bear + 15% from the talent). The talent does NOT stack multiplicatively for druids, it does however for warriors (e.g. +30% * 1.15 = +49.5%).

Below are the values listed for the druid threat generation ability's BEFORE the Bear Form +30% to +45% is added.

Maul: Innate Threat + Damage done
Innate threat for Maul is a constant number that differs from rank to rank.
Rank 7 innate threat: 207
Rank 8 innate threat: 322 (not 100% confirmed)

Example: Maul Rank 7 does 400 damage. Total threat generated is (400 + 207) * 1.3 = 789 threat. Feral Instinct takes this to 880 threat (400 + 207) * 1.45).

Swipe: Damage done
Example: Swipe does 100 damage. 100 * 1.3 = 130 threat.

Mangle (Bear): Damage done * 1.3
Example: Mangle crits for 1000 damage. 1000 * 1.3 * 1.3 = 1690 threat (1885 for 3/3 Feral Instinct).

Lacerate: 285 innate threat + damage done * 0.2
Say you lacerate 3 times for 21 + 22 + 21 instant damage, and Lacerate ticks for 752 over a period.
Total threat generated: (285 * 3 + (21 + 22 + 21 + 752) * 0.2) * 1.3 = 1323,66 threat.

Faerie Fire (Feral): 108 threat for Rank 4. Rank 5 is unknown but is supposed to be a little higher.

Thorns: Threat generated equal to damage dealt (25 damage
is the same as 25 threat), modified by the Cat/Bear Form/Defensive Stance/other threat multipliers. Threat reduction buffs like Salvation or Tranquil Air affects it as well. Unknown if affected by Patch 2.1 Subtlety.=

Enrage: 5 threat for each point of rage gained.
Threat is also generated from the rage gained when shifting into bearform with the Furor Talent. For example: 10 rage gained from shifting or from using improved enrage will give an instant of 10 * 5 = 50 threat.

QUESTION TWO

I usually use while TANKING Kara FF to pull then Mangle, Lacerate and hit any AP trinkets when they come up. If I am worried about losing the mob cause of high DPS Spike I use my taunts.

Last night I started running with a new group and the Raid Leader suggested I use Maul instead of Lacerate, and of course my taunts as a last resort only.. He brought this up because he said I should be generating more aggro quicker then I am.

SOOO... What is everyone's thoughts to this..

QUESTION THREE

http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Hyjal&n=Calanon

I am still running Kara and working on my Tier 4 set and my new Guild just started running Gruul and now Zula'man. WOuld you be so kind as to look at my current gear and give me any thoughts and input to improving/changes .. Also feel free to check out my Talent tree. I know I need to upgrade one of my GEMS for sure as it is a lower level and I have not added an enchant to my new boots yet.

Again Thanks for everything.. I will be donating to the site when I get paid. It is def worth makin sure we are well supported.


CALANON

Good questions, that I don't have the answers to...

For whatever reason Theorycrafting rarely comes up on this board. I found that the Druid math geeks seem to hang out either here (http://www.gurgleblaster.net/forum/) (Emmerald's Forum, the guy that make the Druid XLS), here (http://druid.wikispaces.com/) (Druid Wiki) and here (http://elitistjerks.com/f31/t16902-feral_druid_megathread/) (Elitist Jerks).

Good luck, and I hope to see the answers....

Question1: AFAIK they changed that a few patches back, now it multiplies for us Druids as well.

Question2 + Question3:
If you change some of your talents that would really help your threat generation.
I'd suggest that build for tanking: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/druid/talents.html?0100000000000000000005032321323221053 0125105500301000000000000
Feral Aggression is simply not worth 5 points, and neither is Improved MoTW.
Feral Instinct will increase your threat considerably, and the 10 extra rage from Intensity are very nice to get that extra Lacerate/Mangle/Maul out in the first few seconds of a fight.
These two talents should really help your threat generation problem.

Regarding your ability rotation:
When tanking only one mob, I'd start of with a starfire/moonfire combination, switch to bear, activate Enrage and hit the mob with Maul and Mangle simultaneously. Follow up with Lacerates, and keep a stack of 5 up on the mob. Use Mangle every time the cooldown is up and don't forget to refresh your Lacerate stack. Use Maul only if you have enough rage.
Once you have a stack of 5 Lacerates on the mob, you should be able to afford Maul on almost every swing, while still being able to keep Lacerate and Mangle on the mob.

When tanking 2 mobs, hit one with starfire and the other one with moonfire (while starfire is casting, switch target to the second one and hit moonfire the moment starfire hits). Then go to bear, Enrage, hit the first mob with Mangle, the second one with Maul and then switch back and forth between the two. Use Lacerate on both (if you are good you can even keep a stack of 5 on both), Mangle on every cooldown and throw in the occasional Swipe. Maul can be used on almost every swing as well, because with 2 mobs hitting you rage should be no problem.
Also use symbols to mark the mobs and try to build more threat on the mob that will be targeted first by the raid, only keeping enough threat on the other one to counter healing aggro.

If you feel you will lose aggro any moment use a combination of Bash and Growl. Growl first, which will stick the target for 6 (or 4?) seconds on you. After that follow up with a Bash. This will give you good 10 seconds to regain a solid threat margin again. Also don't be afraid to tell your raid that you will lose aggro any moment and that they should cut back on damage for a few seconds.

If you have enough mitigation and avoidance, you could also think of switching some of your gear for more agi/crit and str/AP. Crit chance is not to be underestimated as tanking stat, as a critical hit is two times the aggro of a normal one, and gives you 5 additional rage.


Easy equipment upgrades:
Try to get
-Wastewalker Gloves (http://www.wowwiki.com/Wastewalker_Gloves), they are great for tanking.
- Better rings. Iron Band of the Unbreakable (http://thottbot.com/i27436) is great (and you can wear 2 of them), and if you are already running Kara you should be able to get the Violet Signet (http://thottbot.com/i29277).
- Idol of Terror (http://thottbot.com/i33509). It was added with the latest patch (2.3) and is absolutely great for tanking. It procs at least on every second mangle.


Regarding your enchants, I'd change a few things:
+17 dodge +16 defense on your head piece (from Keepers of Time)
+12 agi on your cloak (far more valuable than +12 dodge rating)
+15 agi on your gloves. Agi is far more important than AP for tanking (gives dodge and crit)
+12 agi on your boots


All that combined should really solve any threat problems you have.

I'd take the stam to boots over agi, but I like stacking stam where I can.

I only use maul when I have the excess energy, on boss fights and the like. Trash doesn't really hit hard enough once you have some good gear, so rage generation can become a bit of an issue.

Personally, I don't care for Brutal Impact, since I don't stack enough hit for it to land consistently, and far too many raid encounter mobs are immune to it. For farming and pvp, sure it's great, for raiding it's of very limited value. Other than that, I totally agree with the talent changes.

(QUESTION 2)
Last night I started running with a new group and the Raid Leader suggested I use Maul instead of Lacerate, and of course my taunts as a last resort only.. He brought this up because he said I should be generating more aggro quicker then I am.

SOOO... What is everyone's thoughts to this..

He is right, sort of. What your raid leader is asking for, is for you to work on your "snap aggro". Generate 3-4k threat within the first 1-2 sec is good snap aggro.

Rage allowing, the best way to get snap aggro is a simultaneous maul + mangle.

Different druids have different methods of tanking, and some prefer to stack lacerate as the first thing they do. Personally I find lacerate great for long fights, but for any trash mobs where the dps are going to start hitting your mob almost immedietely (and it will die in less than 30 sec), I'd suggest opening with Mangle, and Maul as well if you have sufficient rage.

I know Blizzard nerfed the aggro on Mangle, but even with the nerf it's still a great move for that initial few thousand threat.


I also noticed you said you use taunt when you think losing aggro could be imminent. In my experience it's best to actually wait until you have _definitely_ lost aggro, as taunting a mob that is already attacking you does nothing except use the cooldown (as far as i know).


-Annikk

I'd take the stam to boots over agi, but I like stacking stam where I can.
I actually have two pairs of boots, one focused towards agi and another focused towards sta. Something I generally would suggest for all tanking Druids; build 2 tanking sets. One aimed for HP, the other for avoidance/mitigation. Because dodge and armor are of little use if your enemy mainly uses magical attacks.
I suggested agi for Amerginus because of his threat issues.


Personally, I don't care for Brutal Impact, since I don't stack enough hit for it to land consistently, and far too many raid encounter mobs are immune to it.
I like it because I PvP a lot, and there the extra second is invaluable. In PvE it is not that useful, true.
But after building up my "default" tanking build I had 3 points left and put them into Brutal Impact and Grasp of Nature out of habit :)
You could put those three anywhere else. Primal Tenacity would be a good place. Natural Shapeshifter also suggests itself, but for pure tanking you really do not need it.