Trinkets are a Tank’s Best Friend
Jaraxxus hits like a kitten, but you want snap threat to position him. A hit trinket shines here.
Trinkets are a very special kind of item. Unlike most gear, which has an assortment of stats, trinkets usually bring one stat in large quantities with a related “On-Use” ability. Where switching out a ring might give you -40 Stamina for +30 Hit, switching out a trinket might be -160 Stamina for +130 Hit.
A good tank knows that different fights call for different gear. For an Ulduar example, I Choose You, Steelbreaker (25 Man) requires a lot of Effective Health, while I Could Say That This Cache Was Rare (25 Man) will benefit from some serious threat. Keeping two different sets of gear up to date can be tough, though.
Gormok can make quick work of a tank. Stack Effective Health, but consider a glyph of taunt to avoid epic taunt fails.
This is where trinkets shine. You can give up a big chunk of one stat for another. In my earlier example, Steelbreaker would be much easier with Heart of Iron, The Black Heart, or Glyph of Indomitability in that trinket slot, while Mark of Supremacy is an attractive option for Hodir. You know what you are giving up, and what you are getting in return. Moreover, the changes are big enough to matter. You aren’t quibbling over 0.5% hit. You are getting a juicy 4% boost.
Does it really make a difference, though? Anecdotal evidence says yes. In my last raid I went heavy on Effective Health for Northrend Beasts, packing my Juggernaut’s Vitality and Glyph of Indomitability for a one-two punch on health and armor stacking. It kept me alive, though I did suffer two untimely misses on Taunt, one of which I was able to save with Mocking Blow, but the other led to a wipe. For Jaraxxus, I switched to my threat spec, and switched in Mark of Supremacy for Glyph of Indomitability, since the damage spikes are fireballs (and armor doesn’t help with that). The change in glyphs, talents, and 4% hit, resulted in an increase of around 2k TPS, which is nothing to laugh at.
So, what sort of trinkets should you keep in your bag? My recommendation is this:
Effective Health
Stamina and armor will both help with the vast majority of boss damage. Juggernaut’s Vitality and Glyph of Indomitability are perfect examples of this sort of trinket.
Stamina Stacking
Sometimes armor won’t save you. Jaraxxus has a nasty fireball, that can ruin your day if it gets off. Juggernaut’s Vitality is still a good choice, but drop Glyph of Indomitability for Heart of Iron or something similar.
Avoidance
Usually not a strong option. However, there are rare occasions when not getting hit at all is much better than being able to take it. Eitrigg’s Oath and Purified Onyxia Blood Talisman hit all the right notes, here.
Threat
As a tank, you will probably find yourself short on either hit or expertise at any moment. Packing on a little more of either should help you connect when you need to, and build that threat your DPS desires. Mark of Supremacy and Vengeance of the Forsaken are great examples on either end of the spectrum. Watch out, though, since threat trinkets are DPS trinkets, and if you don’t moonlight as a damage dealer, people might get the wrong idea.
