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Armor & Block

Updated on 21.2.2023, 14:47

Explanation on how Armor & Block works

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Written by
Panthea#6618

Armor

Armor reduces the damage you take from physical attacks (except bleeds).

This damage reduction is hard capped at 85%.

Damage taken after armor=Damage taken before armor*(1armorarmor+k)

K is a value that depends on the content you are in.

Example: If I take 10k damage in SoD mythic (k = 3545), and I have 2500 armor. The calculation will be:

10000*(125002500+3545)=5864.35

Therefore I would take 5864 damage from that attack after armor.

Each class has its own way of increasing armor further:

Druid

Ironfur increases armor by 1xAgi for 7 seconds and stacks asynchronously (i.e. a new stack does not extend the previous but acts as its own buff)

Demon Hunter

Demon Spikes increases armor by 0.75xAgi for 6 seconds and can stack in duration (i.e. if you use 2 charges of it you will have a buff for 12 seconds)

Death Knight

Bone Shield increases armor by 0.7xStr for 30 seconds or until all charges are consumed. Using Marrowrend will add 3 more stacks and refresh the duration.

Monk

Does not have any rotational abilities which increases their armor. However, Stagger is the cornerpiece of reducing damage taken which will be explained in more detail on the Monk page. The Mighty Pour legendary can increase armor by 50% for 8 seconds when you use Celestial Brew.

Paladin

Shield of the Righteous increases armor by 1.7xStr for 4.5 seconds and can stack in duration (i.e. if you cast it twice you will have a buff for 9 seconds)

Warrior

Does not have any rotational abilities which increases their armor.

Working Though An Example

To further elaborate with a Paladin example. Shield of the Righteous increases armor by 1.7*Str. It may be useful to know how much damage reduction SotR provides, so let's work that out.

SotR Damage Multiplier=Armor Multiplier After SotRArmor Multiplier Before SotR

=1(armor+1.7*str)(armor+1.7*str+k)armor(armor+k)

I'll leave the simplification working as an exercise for the reader, but in short:
SotR damage multiplier=11.7*strarmor+1.7*str+k


SotR damage reduction=1damage multiplier=11.7*strarmor+1.7*str+k

Because there is a relation between the ilvl of the content and K, there is also a relation between a pvp opponent's ilvl and k. As such, trying to calculate armor based off of the tooltip while outside of an instance and targeting a player, yourself or without a target can give unexpected results.

K values

Base/open world: 2500
Season 1 M0/M+: 2455
Castle Nathria LFR: 2500
Castle Nathria Normal: 2662.5
Castle Nathria Heroic: 2845
Castle Nathria Mythic: 3050

Season 2 M0: 2785
Season 2 M+: 2845
Sanctum of Domination LFR: 2845
Sanctum of Domination Normal: 3050
Sanctum of Domination Heroic: 3282.5
Sanctum of Domination Mythic: 3545

Season 3 M0: 3172.5
Season 3 M+: 3282.5
Sepulcher of the First Ones LFR: 3282.5
Sepulcher of the First Ones Normal: 3545
Sepulcher of the First Ones Heroic: 3842.5
Sepulcher of the First Ones Mythic: 4175

Block

Paladin Warrior

Damage taken after block=Damage taken before block*(1blockblock+k)

Additionally Warriors can preform Critical Blocks from their Mastery.

Damage taken after critical block=Damage taken before block*(12*blockblock+k)

This damage reduction is hard capped at 85% (0.15 multiplier)

Paladin

Bonus Block Chance=Mastery PointsMastery points*v+h

Mastery Points=Base Mastery Points+Mastery RatingMastery Rating Per Percent

=8+Mastery Rating35
v = 0.0067

h = 1/0.94

Final Block Chance=Base Block Chance+Holy Shield+Bonus Block Chance

=10+15+Bonus Block Chance

Warrior

Bonus Block Chance=Mastery Block Effect Coefficient*Mastery Points(Mastery Block Effect Coefficient*Mastery Points)*v+h

Mastery Block Effect Coefficient = 0.5, from Mastery: Critical Block effect#2

Mastery Points=Base Mastery Points+Mastery RatingMastery Rating Per Percent

=8+Mastery Rating35

v = 0.0067
h = 1/0.94

Final Block Chance=Base Block Chance+Spec Aura Block Chance+Bonus Block Chance+Shield Block (If Active)

=10+8+Bonus Block Chance (+ 100 If Shield Block Active)
Where Shield Block grants Shield Block Effect#1 (100%) block chance while active.
Spec Aura Block Chance can be found on the Protection Warrior Spell on Effect#10 (8%)
A successful block can then roll for a critical block instead

Critical Block Chance=Mastery Crit Block Effect Coefficient*Mastery Points

Mastery Crit Block Effect Coefficient = 1.5, from Mastery: Critical Block effect#1

Chance that a given hit will be critically blocked = min(Block Chance, 100) * Crit Block Chance

Death Knight Demon Hunter Druid Monk

You cannot Block attacks.