Threat
From WoWWiki
Threat is a measure of an NPC's aggression towards a player. Each NPC has a threat table, and the character at the top of the list is usually the target of its aggression. In-game, this is known as having Aggro from that particular NPC. The NPC will attack that character if possible, unless another character manages to change the NPC's target. See the Aggro page for more information on how this targeting behaves.
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Changes to Threat Levels
Several abilities and effects increase a character's threat level against a mob. Note that the effective amount of threat generated can be modified by talents and spells. See the Threat Tables below for details.
Basic NPC attacks do not modify threat; a character being attacked is neither gaining nor losing threat from it. However, some NPCs have special moves that affect threat.
Threat measurements are normalized so that 1 point of damage generates 1 point of threat.
Many abilities generate additional threat that is not tied to their effect (damage dealt, buffs, debuffs). The bonus threat values are listed below.
Threat caused by beneficial effects is divided amongst all NPCs that are aware of the character. This global threat applies to heals, bonus threat from buffs (such as Battle Shout or Arcane Brilliance), and power gains (such as a Mana Potion or Rage Potion).
Healing threat is global, and is normally .5x of the amount healed. Healing effects cause no threat if the target is already at full health.
Example: Player 1 is involved in combat with 5 mobs. Player 2 (priest) heals Player 1 for 1000 health, and has no threat reduction talents. A 1000 heal generates 500 threat, however that 500 threat is split amongst the 5 mobs. Each of the 5 mobs now has 100 threat towards Player 2.
If a power gain (Rage/Mana increase) shows up in the combat log, the effect usually counts as a buff with bonus threat attached to the event. There are no Energy-increasing effects that appear to cause bonus threat. Normal power regen does not generate threat. Normal health regen also does not generate threat.
For debuffs and attacks, any bonus threat is divided amongst the affected targets. For example, the bonus threat of Cleave is divided between the 2 targets of the attack, while the bonus threat of Sunder Armor is applied directly to the target of the attack. Some attacks (such as Thunder Clap and Searing Pain) have a threat multiplier instead of a bonus threat value.
Threat Tables per Class
Threat auras persist, and affect the threat of abilities that are used while the auras are active. Threat Modifying Abilities directly change the level of threat. For abilities that generate both damage threat and bonus threat, only the bonus is shown.
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Stacked Threat Auras
Threat Auras stack in a multiplicative fashion. A common but wrong assumption is that due to this mechanic, threat reduction effects provide less benefit the more a player has; in fact, threat reduction is always equally powerful, no matter how much a player has.
The only known exceptions to the general multiplicative behavior are the Improved Righteous Fury and Feral Instinct talents. Feral Instinct is additive with Bear Form's modifier for a 1.45x total bonus (instead of 1.495x if multiplied). The increase from Improved Righteous Fury is multiplied only with the bonus of Righteous Fury (.6x), rather than the full multiplier (1.6x).
Example 1: You are a Warrior in Berserker Stance (.8x threat generated) and are affected by Blessing of Salvation (.7x threat generated):
Your total threat reduction would be: 0.8*0.7=0.56 or 56% of threat generated - a total of 44% threat reduction.
Example 2: You are a Paladin casting a heal (.5x healing done). For healing, Paladins also have an innate threat reduction (.5x). Consider that Righteous Fury is active (1.6x threat generated), and you have the talents for Improved Righteous Fury (RF is now 1.9x threat generated):
Your healing threat would be: .5 * .5 * (1 + (0.6 * 1.5) ) = .25 * (1.9) = .475x healing done.
Threat Modifying Items
| Item | Effect |
|---|---|
| Bloodfang Armor 5 part set bonus | 25% improved Feint Threat reduction |
| Bracing Earthstorm Diamond | -2% |
| Formula: Enchant Gloves - Threat | +2% |
| Formula: Enchant Cloak - Subtlety | -2% |
| Nemesis Raiment 8 part set bonus | Reduces the threat generated by your Destruction spells by 20%. |
| Bonescythe Armor 6 part set bonus | Reduces the threat from your Backstab, Sinister Strike, Hemorrhage, and Eviscerate abilities by 8% |
| Vestments of Faith 6 Part set bonus | -10% |
| Muck-Covered Drape | -473 Threat |
| Black Amnesty | -540 Threat |
| Grace of Earth | -640 Threat ~ 30 Yards, 5min cooldown |
| Fetish of the Sand Reaver | Reduces the threat you generate by 50% for 20 sec |
| Jewel of Charismatic Mystique | -1075 ~ 30 Yards, 5min cooldown ([TBC]) |
| Hypnotist's Watch | -720 ~ 30 Yards, 5min cooldown ([TBC]) |
| Shrouding Potion | -1500 ~ 30 Yards ([TBC]) |
| Timelapse Shard | -901 ~ 30 Yards, 2min cooldown ([TBC]) |
Known bugs
Some threat reduction abilities are also affected by threat reducing auras.
Example: Rogues have .71x threat as an innate ability. Feint reduces threat by -800. However, the innate threat reduction affects feint, which causes it to remove only 568 threat.
Additional notes
- Being noticed by an aggressive NPC does not generate any threat. This behavior places that character on the NPC's threat list, but with a threat value of 0.
- Threat doesn't decay (passively degenerate over time) unless a specific encounter is designed that way.
- A character's threat level is reset if the character leaves combat with the mob (dies, moves far enough away).
- A character's threat level cannot be negative.
References
- 60-70 Threat values list | 06/12/2006 23:28:25 UTC by Lavina <Essence of the Blade> The Venture Co
- Kenco <Unity>. Some Threat Values and Formulas. [1]
- Oohla (Frostmane/EU). Actual threat per rage and threat per sec.
- Tanking Blog
