Isk
08-24-2003, 05:05 AM
What is a soft cap?
A soft cap is a point beyond which gains are minimal. You'll still see improvements beyond that soft cap, yes, but not in significant quantities.
What's the AC soft cap?
Through a number of parses prior to PoP, a general consensus was reached at a point between 1200-1300 AC. This meant that, once you hit that range of AC, you'd likely be better off raising raw HP, especially if you raided.
A common theory was that ubermobs such as Yelinak and the Avatar of War possessed such high ATK ratings that only a then-unattainable AC rating would yield significant mitigation benefits.
So, what makes PoP different?
A number of parses and theory suggest that the ATK levels of mobs in PoP are low, much lower than in prior expansions. This means PoP mobs do not hit for max/higher damage very often, and extra AC can reduce the frequency of max/higher damage hits. This is apparant on many mobs, such as Xegony.
Some time ago, parses revealed mitigation benefits as high as 2100 AC in PoP.
In summation?
If you are raiding but not fighting PoP mobs, an AC level of 1200-1300 is a good goal. After that, stocking up on HP gear is wise.
If you are in PoP, any extra AC is beneficial, at least to 2100. Don't forget about HP gear though (most high AC items from PoP have high HP as well, so you may not have to make choices between AC or HP).
If you primarily duo with a shaman or druid, extra AC may be more beneficial than extra HP.
Also, of course, AC does nothing to mitigate spell damage. Evaluate your situation and future goals to tailor upgrades to your individual needs.
If anyone has links to or copies of original AC parses, please PM them to me and I'll post them here. Thanks!
A soft cap is a point beyond which gains are minimal. You'll still see improvements beyond that soft cap, yes, but not in significant quantities.
What's the AC soft cap?
Through a number of parses prior to PoP, a general consensus was reached at a point between 1200-1300 AC. This meant that, once you hit that range of AC, you'd likely be better off raising raw HP, especially if you raided.
A common theory was that ubermobs such as Yelinak and the Avatar of War possessed such high ATK ratings that only a then-unattainable AC rating would yield significant mitigation benefits.
So, what makes PoP different?
A number of parses and theory suggest that the ATK levels of mobs in PoP are low, much lower than in prior expansions. This means PoP mobs do not hit for max/higher damage very often, and extra AC can reduce the frequency of max/higher damage hits. This is apparant on many mobs, such as Xegony.
Some time ago, parses revealed mitigation benefits as high as 2100 AC in PoP.
In summation?
If you are raiding but not fighting PoP mobs, an AC level of 1200-1300 is a good goal. After that, stocking up on HP gear is wise.
If you are in PoP, any extra AC is beneficial, at least to 2100. Don't forget about HP gear though (most high AC items from PoP have high HP as well, so you may not have to make choices between AC or HP).
If you primarily duo with a shaman or druid, extra AC may be more beneficial than extra HP.
Also, of course, AC does nothing to mitigate spell damage. Evaluate your situation and future goals to tailor upgrades to your individual needs.
If anyone has links to or copies of original AC parses, please PM them to me and I'll post them here. Thanks!