patch 2.0.10 notes on the PTR

[TheDragoon]

One could argue that dps warriors are in the same boat. If we're in tank gear than our DPS is only ok. If we're in DPS gear we don't generally last long when called upon to tank. Its the flexibility between fights that impresses me - or am I putting too much credit on druids after running with you, Arshes and company?

Oh, I agree 100%, it is the same situation. As always, gear makes a huge difference. If things aren't too tough, then you can get away with something that is not really suited for the task. But that also means you can't really do it mid-fight as some people seem to feel.

As for the credit for Druids, feel free to draw your conclusions as long as you realize that you're playing with damn good players who have geared up their characters for the roles you have seen them play. :)

If your tanking gear is radically different than your DPS gear, then please ignore the above statement and forgive my ignorance

It really is, particularly in the end-game. In my cat gear, I only run with about 10k health and 12k armor, fully buffed. I also have little-to-no crit reduction so I take some big crits. In my bear gear I usually have 14k heath and 24k armor. That's a big, big difference for a class that doesn't pick up -10% damage taken via defensive stance. A Druid cannot last long in a raid encounter if you're not in your tank gear. (for reference, I think I only use the same staff and cloak between my cat and bear gears… and that is only because I have had poor luck at getting better for my tanking gear!)

Some anecdotal evidence from the other day: On a trash pull in karazhan I was in cat form and then the tank died. I got aggro, quickly flipped to bear form and tried to tank. I was taking hits for ~1/3rd of my life whereas they were significantly less of a deal on the tank. Despite the fact that the healers quickly switched and started spam healing me, eventually I died due to the stacking heavy damage with a crit and the mob rampaged through the rest of the raid until it died. Had I been in tank gear, it wouldn't have been a big deal but I usually run with ~1200 AP with no +hit gear in bear gear while I have ~1900 AP in cat gear with maxed out +hit gear which means my DPS would take a major hit by sitting in tank gear.

You're missing something vital. If the Druid's Innervates/Rebirths are required at some point, they are definitely worth more than DPS

Quick note before we go off on a tangent, Warriors DO have some cooldown skills that are similar in power to Innervate/Rebirth if not the same use in Shield Wall, Recklessnes, Last Stand and Death Wish. Certainly, Recklessness will not help out if a healer is out of mana, but similarly Innervate will not help to burn down the last part of a boss during an enrage or survive the assault when the warrior is tanking. :)