Tankadin changes in patch 3.2

These are the changes (so far) that the tankadin will face in patch 3.2:

• Block Value: The amount of bonus block value on all items has been doubled. This does not affect the base block value on shields or block value derived from strength. [Blizzard is desperately trying to make block useful again. The first "fix" is to increase the block value of items, thus increasing the mitigation block gives warriors and paladins. In addition, it will increase the threat these two tanks can dish out.]

• On-Use Block Value Items: All items and set bonuses that trigger temporary increases to block value have been modified. Instead of increasing their block value amount by 100% like other items, they have all had their effect durations doubled. This applies to Glyph of Deflection, Gnomeregan Autoblocker, Coren's Lucky Coin, Lavanthor's Talisman, Libram of Obstruction, Tome of the Lightbringer, Libram of the Sacred Shield, the tier-8 paladin Shield of Righteousness bonus, the tier-5 paladin Holy Shield bonus, and the tier-5 warrior Shield Block bonus. [The amount of block value would have been too high if these items would have had their block value doubled. Making the duration longer gives the desired mitigation buff without insane spikey threat. The duration buff makes it possible for several of these items and set bonuses to have a 100% uptime.]

• Blessing of Sanctuary: This blessing now also increases stamina by 10%. This effect is not cumulative with Blessing of Kings. [Blizzard wants Sanctuary to be THE tanking blessing. The problem is that Kings is still better. I prefer 10% more agility (avoidance, mitigation, and threat), 10% more strength (mitigation and threat), and 10% intellect (mana) over the 3% damage reduction and mana regen.]

• Righteous Fury: No longer has a duration or mana cost, remaining until cancelled or death. Also cancelled when a Paladin activates a different talent specialization. [Thank you, Blizzard. Finally!]

• Seal of Vengeance and Seal of Corruption: These seals have been redesigned to deal substantially more damage. Now, once a paladin has 5 copies of the debuff from these seals on his or her target, on each swing the paladin will deal 33% weapon damage as Holy, with critical strikes dealing double damage. [Threat buff? Thank you!]

• Shield of Righteousness: Now deals 100% of shield block value as damage instead of 130%. In addition, the benefit from additional block value this ability gains is now subject to diminishing returns. Diminishing returns occur once block value exceeds 30 times the player's level and caps the maximum damage benefit from shield block value at 34.5 times the player's level. [The reduction from 130% to 100% is understandable since the amount of block value has been doubled on items. I don't really understand how the diminishing return works, though.]

• Ardent Defender: Redesigned. Any damage that takes the paladin below 35% health is reduced. This reduction applies only to the portion that pushes the paladin below 35% health (example: a paladin at 50% health takes a 40% hit; the first 15% hits as normal while the next 25% is reduced). In addition, once every 2 minutes an attack that would have killed the paladin will fail to kill, and instead heal the paladin for up to 10/20/30% of maximum health depending on the paladin's defense rating. [Wonderful and interesting. The first implementation Blizzard put on the PTR was too overpowered. But even this nerfed version is still good. In a way you could call it a passive Guardian Spirit on a 2 min cooldown.]

• Guarded by the Light: This talent will no longer cause Divine Plea's duration to be refreshed by using Judgement of Wisdom, Judgement of Justice, or Judgement of Light. [I assume this nerf was introduced to stop protection-specced PvP healers to keep mana regen up indefinitely. It's still lame. I find it very useful to be able to judge to refresh the Divine Plea timer in fights that require a lot of moving or tanking of several roaming adds.]

• Vindication: Redesigned. Now lowers target attack power, is consistent and does not stack with Demoralizing Shout. [Blizzard nerfed the heck out of Vindication recently, due to its effects in PvP. When they realized that the nerfed version was completely worthless, they decided to redesign it to a paladin version of Demoralizing Shout. I like it. It frees up rage/mana and a global cooldown for DPS warriors and warlocks. And it's yet another passive buff/debuff that the paladin can set up without interrupting his/her rotation.]

• Agility and Dodge Nerf, Parry Buff: The avoidance gained from agility and dodge will be nerfed by 15%. The avoidance gained by parry will be buffed by 8%. [This is just me simplifying the changes made. I'll let the math champions battle this one out. I think Blizzard's intention is to make parry more attractive and also to slightly nerf avoidance overall. They don't want another Sunwell Radiance aura "fix".]

• Exorcism: Now has a 1.5 second cast time, but can once again be used on players. [The only real nerf for tankadins. Blizzard is trying to make it up to us with the changes to Hand of Reckoning (see below). I will miss being able to pick up mobs with Exorcism. Single target pulls, I always use Exorcism. Multi-target pulls, I use Avenger's Shield and Exorcism. Picking up new adds at Thorim or Yogg-Saron, I always use Exorcism. When I want to push for threat over everything else, I use Exorcism instead of Holy Shield in my rotation. I will still be able to pull with Exorcism, but I won't be able to do it will running in or while fighting something else. I will surely miss Exorcism.]

• Hand of Reckoning: Redesigned. Now does damage only when target does not currently have the caster targeted, but damage done increased to 50% of attack power, occurring after the taunt effect is applied. [This is a nice change, since it makes it a much better taunting tool. The old version often failed if the person with aggro kept dpsing the mob, and I didn't have the cooldown or range to attack the mob directly after the taunt. It will be nice to be able to just cast this, and not have to follow up with a judgement or something. But while having the mob's attention, this does not bring the extra threat Exorcism did.]
  

Overall, these are some very nice buffs. Paladin tanks will be stronger than ever in patch 3.2.