WoW Mathematics: Programming Your Warlock Tank

In a few rare NPC encounters, a warlock may be needed to tank a boss. Examples include Mimiron's Aerial Command Unit and Leotheras the Blind in Demon Form. While the focus of the warlock is to maximise threat, they may be interested in maximising DPS while generating the minimum amount of threat needed to hold aggro.

Fortunately, they have the mathematical tool of programming (not to be confused with programming computers) to work with. In its simplest form, linear programming, a certain value (e.g. profit, costs, or in this case a warlock tank's DPS) will need to be optimised (maximised or minimised). Of course, two chosen factors will influence that value (for this case, the number of casts of Shadow Bolt and Searing Pain), and, subject to several constraints, the right combination of both will need to be found.

This exercise gives a little insight to the workings of stat optimising utilities like Rawr.

The Time-Value of Health

This blog post builds on the concepts suggested in 'Not All Hitpoints are Created Equal', helping to adjust healing for the health level of the recipient.

Experts in finance speak of the time-value of money. Under this concept, the value of a certain quantity of dollars (or other currency) will decrease as time passes. Many attribute this to the fact that people want money now rather than later. Therefore, to keep this time-value the same, interest must be paid on top of this quantity of dollars.

Hitpoints restored by healing also seem to have this time-value, since a heal of the same size will be more valued the sooner it is received (considering that people wish to keep their health at a maximum). How should such heal weighting be done?

Of Ladders, Mirrors and Black Cats

Superstitious people may believe that performing certain actions endow bad luck on the one performing them, causing them great misfortune in the future. Are these worries justified?

Inspecting these superstitions further, it becomes evident that they do have substance, even if only a little! Think twice before doing any of the following...

Why should you not step on a crack on a footpath?

• If not careful, you could get your foot caught in one and trip.