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Comment by 10128

In 3.1 this ability is tagged to change to a direct 20% reduction of armor for five combo points. This is a copy of a post I made on the Sunder Armor page :

If the target had 30,000 armor, and you were meant to hit it for 10,000 damage, you would only deal 3,368 damage. After having applied Expose Armor to reduce the armor to 24,000, you would deal 3,884 damage, a 516 absolute or 15% relative increase in damage.

If the target had 10,000 armor, reduced to 8,000 with EA, the increase would be from 6037 to 6557. That's a 520 absolute or 8.6% relative increase in damage.

We can note that applying EA will have a static absolute damage bonus effect.

To simplify, you can say that applying your EA enables 5.2% of your total damage to completely ignore armor.

This will be the exact same effect with a Warrior's Sunder Armor, or a Hunter pet Worm's Acid Spit.

An additional 5% armor reduction can be achieved with a Druid's Faerie Fire, a Warlock's Curse of Weakness or a Hunter's pet Wasp's Sting.

Comment by amythe

This is a very useful, and very underused skill rogues have. As an HaT rogue I almost always throw this on first, followed by SnD, followed by Rupture, before I start eviscerate spamming. I notice a full 5% difference in DPS when my expose armor wears off. As of 3.1, this will increase, and any rogue not putting this in the beginning of his or her rotation (Might want to add a Glyph of Expose Armor as well) in heroics and 10mans should kick themselves.

Note however, this will not be necessary and in fact should avoided when a warrior is main tanking. He may use Sunder Armor as his first means of aggro, and if you throw a quick 5-point EA, his sunder armor's can't get put in place and he may lose aggro.

Comment by 189509

True it is a substantial increase at first glance...but in order to use it you need to use combo points for it instead of rupture, envenom, or SnD (If you have don't have CttC). Envenom easily crits for over 10k so without doing the math I'd say that for personal dps this is NOT something that should be incorperated into a rotation (save HaT specs). BUT that armor reduction is also raid-wide so that's something to consider if you don't have a warrior MTing. Just alittle something I wanted to add...

Comment by 223389

I'm guessing there is no use for this during PvE leveling? I suppose useful for PvP and PvE raiding.

Comment by 475776

Expose is very useful during PvE as a solo rogue. Since there are typically in humanoid/undead camps a caster and warrior npc. Against the warriors you have to notice the dmg reduction from the warrior's armor.

Actually, expose armor is more noticable against low armor targets than high armor targets. As taken from wowwiki: "Expose Armor increases melee damage against the target. This damage increase is proportionally greater if the target has lower armor to start with... For example, someone with 4000 armor points at level 70 would take roughly 16% extra damage after a full expose armor, while it would be nearly 9% for 15000."

Comment by 505931

Probably the worst thing ever for a warrior -.- It's great, that after you've built up a good five sunders, to see a rogue clear it after you've been specifically told to Sunder.. and the rogue has been told NOT to expose.

Comment by Lindentree

Suspending is delaying. It doesn't reset the swing timer anymore, so it's not as big a delay as it used to be, but it's still a delay of 0.5 seconds for Arms warriors, 1.5 seconds for Fury warriors (exception: Bloodthirst procs). This means that for every 6 Slams an Arms warrior makes, he loses 1 white swing or heroic strike and the rage that entails, and for every 2.3 or so non-Bloodthirst Slams a Fury warrior makes, he loses a main hand white swing or heroic strike and an offhand white swing, and the rage that entails.

6 Slams in exchange for a white swing and the rage it would have given is a DPS increase for geared Arms warriors, but Slam is still bad enough that the Arms "rotation", rather than being a simple priority system, revolves around juggling procs so that you use Slam as little as possible without leaving a GCD free. And because warriors' rage generation scales exponentially with gear, at low levels of gear six slams are not worth the white swing and its rage, because you're having a hard enough time keeping up the rage for your bread-and-butter abilities, let alone your lowest-DPS, spammable, no-procs-associated, rage-fix-delaying Slams.

***

At the time I wrote my earlier (now deleted) post, I was still in ~ilvl 200 gear for my dps set, still had rage generation problems, had not yet figured out that Arms isn't a simple priority system, apparently didn't realize that TfB didn't proc every tick, may not have had Improved Slam talented, and was generally an idiot for downplaying the dps loss of an Arms warrior for not using every GCD.

That said, I was still right, if for the wrong reason. Any warrior should use Sunder over a rogue using Expose Armor, because while a GCD lost by an Arms warrior not Slamming is a DPS loss, a 5-point finishing move lost by a rogue is a much higher DPS loss. And Fury warriors are practically built to be sunder-bots, as their 8-second rotation has not one but two gaps of 1-1.5 seconds based on whether or not Bloodthirst has procced. Barring a lucky string of Bloodthirsts, a Fury warrior keeping up Sunders loses close to 0 dps for it.

I'm deleting my previous post because a lot of it was absolute crap, but I stand by Slam delaying the swing timer, Slam being a dps loss for new 80 Arms warriors, and warriors using Sunder over rogues using Expose Armor.

Comment by 11037

As a level 52 Rogue that has been leveling thru PvP, most people will try to take me out ASAP. I have tried to adapt to dying quickly by being the most annoying enemy to fight. Dismantles, stuns, and EA have become amazing. When you are a lower level, and if you play a little smart, you can find a nice utility role on the battlefield. That 56 Warrior in front of you is getting worked by a 59 DK. Cheap Shot, EA, Dismantle (after stun wears off duh). You just helped your ally more by using those moves than you did by trying to actually DPS. (Mainly applies when you are a lower level that would normally get stomped on, some people still get the classic ShS/Ambush treatment =P )

Comment by 582434

for deep assassination rogues when fighting a boss in cataclysm
get atleast a cp
cast https://www.wowhead.com/mop-classic/spell=5171#comments
get 5 cp
cast Expose Armor u should have Improved Expose Armor and Relentless Strikes u will only suffer a GCD this is to increase ur raid's physical dps if theres no warrior or they dont wanna do it. Now u can do Envenom for 10 energy and refresh SnD. If u need a dps explosion do Vendetta between EA and Envenom. With Coup de Grace and the target poisoned, mut and envenom will hit ATLEAST 40% harder who knows u might do a +20k crit envenom. This may not be the best build to u but i like it https://www.wowhead.com/mop-classic/talent#fshf0sGzRGobZMhc:TpsM0m = 70% harder mutilate for 30sec or poison wears off. it helps tank, healer and phys dmg ppl. 4got about Assassin's Resolve

Comment by Janrela

Anyone else confused as to what the icon for this is supposed to be?

Comment by 692839

I have to know, does this even stack up with sunder and is it worth it if the tank is a warrior? Just wondering, like I guess I feel like it can be pointless with say trash in dungeons, low level. Maybe good when you're attacking a target different from the tank but eh, I have so many ways to kill someone.

Comment by narrat0r

"Expose Armor" - unusable on female characters due to the game's T rating.
:D

Comment by Angxia

Seems like this has become kind of useless in the current state of the game. In pvp it is not worth using your combo points on, and as for pve there are many other classes that can apply the 12% armor reduction debuff without losing as much dps as the rogue.

Comment by Eillesthis

Since the Cataclysm, Expose Armor is comparable to and does not stack with Protection Warriors' Sunder Armor, Druids' Faerie Fire/, Hunters' Raptors' Tear Armor, or Hunters' Serpents' .

Comment by Superchief

Someday we'll ask "Hey guys remember that expose armor ability rogues had? What happened to that?..."

"B-Team /grumble"

Comment by WyvernVJ

Buffs and debuffs map (5.4.2)

Buffs

Stats
Effect: +5% Strength, Agility, and Intellect
Brought by: Any Druid (Mark of the Wild), any Monk (Legacy of the Emperor), and any Paladin (Blessing of Kings).

Stamina
Effect: +10% Stamina
Brought by: Any Priest (Power Word: Fortitude), any Warlock (Dark Intent), and any Warrior (Commanding Shout).

Attack Power
Effect: +10% melee and ranged attack power
Brought by: Any Death Knight (Horn of Winter), any Hunter (Trueshot Aura), and any Warrior (Battle Shout).

Spell Power
Effect: +10% spell power
Brought by: Any Mage (Arcane Brilliance/Dalaran Brilliance), any Shaman (Burning Wrath), and any Warlock (Dark Intent).

Haste
Effect: +10% melee and ranged haste
Brought by: Frost and Unholy Death Knights (Unholy Aura), any Rogue (Swiftblade's Cunning), and Enhancement Shamans (Unleashed Rage).

Spell Haste
Effect: +5% spell haste
Brought by: Balance Druids (Moonkin Aura), Shadow Priest (Shadowform), and Elemental Shamans (Elemental Oath).

Critical Strike
Effect: +5% ranged, melee, and spell critical chance
Brought by: Guardian and Feral Druids (Leader of the Pack), windwalker Monks (Legacy of the White Tiger) and any Mage (Arcane Brilliance/Dalaran Brilliance).

Mastery
Effect: +3000 mastery
Brought by: Any Paladin (Blessing of Might), and any Shaman (Grace of Air).

Debuffs

Weakened Armor
Effect: -12% armor
Brought by: Any Druid (Faerie Fire), any Rogue (Expose Armor), and any Warrior (Sunder Armor).

Physical Vulnerability
Effect: +4% physical damage taken
Brought by: Frost and Unholy Death Knights (Brittle Bones and Ebon Plaguebringer), Retribution Paladins (Judgments of the Bold), and Arms and Fury Warriors (Colossus Smash).

Magic Vulnerability
Effect: +5% spell damage taken
Brought by: Any Rogue (Master Poisoner), and any Warlock (Curse of the Elements).

Weakened Blows
Effect: -10% physical damage done.
Brought by: Blood Death Knights (Scarlet Fever), Feral and Guardian Druids (Thrash and Thrash), Brewmaster Monks (Keg Smash), Protection or Retribution Paladins (Hammer of the Righteous), any Shaman (Earth Shock), any Warlock (Curse of Enfeeblement), and any Warrior (Thunder Clap).

Slow Casting
Effect: -50% casting speed (-25% on players)
Brought by: Any Death Knight (Necrotic Strike), Arcane Mages (Slow), any Rogue (Mind-numbing Poison), and any Warlock (Curse of Enfeeblement).

Mortal Wounds
Effect: -25% healing received
Brought by: Arms or Fury Warriors (Mortal Strike and Wild Strike), any Rogue (Wound Poison), any Hunter (Widow Venom), and Windwalker Monks (Rising Sun Kick).

Note: Buffs and debuffs provided by pets, profession perks, items and any other NPC are left out on purpose.

Comment by Tethic

EA has now become a viable option for Rogues. By utilizing Glyph of Expose Armor, EA now adds full stack of the debuff. Along with the change that instead of costing CPs EA now actually awards a CP, the only cost is the 25 Energy and a GCD. Finally adding this ability to my tool bar after several expansions of going without.

NOTE: Just a warning, make sure you don't use this with a War or Feral/Guardian Druid in your run.
Edit: Grammar

Comment by 1073687

Does it stack with Find Weakness ?

Comment by Thottbot

I am pretty confident in this observation. I used expose armor all the time, forcing myself to believe that during the course of a fight it helped.

However, I feel like after using it, my miss rate increases. Miss, Miss, Miss, hit, Miss, hit, Miss, Miss, Miss. Against a regular bear....? Comeon! Some sort of glitch.

This is not just one instance of missing. It happened all the time.

Love the game, feel this ability doesn't work.

Comment by Thottbot

Your missing is based on the fact that dual weilding has the inherent miss factor in it. This is to make classes that have an option between dual weild and using two-handers more balanced. There are ways of increasing your hits. Make sure your weapons your using are at the highest skill for your level EX if your level 40 you should try to have 200 in daggers, swords, maces or fists. Also the level of enemy your facing also factors in. If they are higher than you... you will miss more. Also you can get talents or items that will increase your chance to hit.

Comment by Thottbot

love this skill to death when im fighting warriors in defense stance, it cuts their AC in half.

Comment by Thottbot

what does it mean when it says 1 point, 2 point, ect i dont get that

Comment by Thottbot

it's just that a warrior's sunden armor is far better. at 60, SA=450*5=2250 > EA=1700. even if u have the improved EA, rogues have to get the combo points first, then EA, and by the time they do that the warrior has already lowered some of the armor. AND sunden armor does not stack with EA. if u're a rogue, u better let the warrior sunden and u just do dmg, cause that's what u're supose to do, while he debuffs and takes hits.
don't get me wrong, i like rogues far more than warriors :D

Comment by Thottbot

Have to agree wich of both is going to decrease armor on instances. thats all a bout it. :)

Comment by Thottbot

with another rogues expose armor?

Comment by Thottbot

Useless skill. I never use it.

It may be helpful when duelling a Feral Druid in bearform with a &*!@ load of AC, but other than that, useless. I guess you could use EA on a Warrior too, but if you do you're a fool. The amount of combo points you'd be wasting on lowering the Warrior's armour could of been spent in a Rupture/Kidney Shot, which hurts more (plus you aren't getting whiplashed while wasting CP on EA instead of KS). A Rogue stays alive by not being hit, and a Warrior can take you out in 2-3 shots with crits+Overpower crits (if they got the talent). Gotta watch out for those, ouch.

Oh and about using EA in instances, you're joking? Using an EA before a Warrior has applied Sunder Armor's to the target can cause a lot of bad stuff happening. Don't ever use it in instances unless you're told to do so.

Comment by Thottbot

this skill is awesome if cheap

Comment by Thottbot

1. not good in instances for reasons mentioned above
2. Bad in pvp, for those 5 Cp could be better used towards a evis or Kidney.
3. Not useful in solo play against a mob around your lvl, because u should be doing enough dps that EA isn't necesary.

Useless. Possibly one of the most useless skills in the game.

<('.')>

and a random question:
How the hell do bears, cats, zhevra, croc's, etc parry? They parry my strikes. WTF

Comment by Thottbot

This move is not useless at all. It is way better than eviscerate in pvp at hi lvl's Instead of doing hi instant damage it makes your other moves do waaaaaaaaaaay more damage. At lvl 70 with this on a mage i can crit em for 2k off backstab. do it twice thats 4k hemmorhage or sinister strike depending on spec till 5 combo points and eviscerate for a !@#$load cuz expose armor lasts quite long. However i dont think a mage would be stupid enough to wait around for all that. =)

Comment by Thottbot

Indeed, this skill is completely useless in raids.

However, until level 70, it does come in handy a few times, but that's no reason to ever to use the improved talent. It acutally DOES come in handy when having a Druid for a tank, and it DOES help to overcome certain difficult solo challenges,like defeating elite mobs or special creeps.

And the usefulness of this skill ends here. It's a waste of points to use in pvp, and if you use it in raids, you might just whipe and get yourself kicked.

Comment by Thottbot

right now i'm 53 with about 50% blues on and a few enchants. My armour is 1399 and "reduces physical dmg by 22.19%". My expose armour Without the imp. talent removes 1375 @ 5 cp. so, fighting a similarly geared rogue, this talent translates into "+ 22% dmg for 30 seconds". I don't know the armor formula, but with the imp. EA talent it seems I could drive the target (er, myself) into negative armor and get an extra 10%.

The point? This talent works far better against the squishier classes.

Therefore, on a shield bearin, plate huggin pally my lvl with..say 7.5k armour, this would only reduce his armor total by about 20%. assuming the pally has 50% dmg reduction. i would only end up gaining + 10% dmg (assuming armour and dmg reduction scale at the same rate). on a rogue, we saw it conveniently removed nearly all my armour and would result in about +22% dmg. Against clothies? It could easily take them straight into negative armour. add to Imp. EA and who knows? +30%? 40%?

at it's highest lvl, EA will remove 2-3k armour. quite a big chunk out of the unforturnate mage.

currently, i'm mutilate specced with imp. kidney shot and scaling pts in opportunity. when CB is up I do a 5cp EA, hope for a cp from ruthlessness, Kidney 1 cp and run back for a quick Cold Blooded Mutilate. At this point mutilate gains: 50% from Poison, 30% from Lethality, 10% from Find Weakness, 9% from imp. Kidney, 20% from Opportunity (at lvl 55), and a tasty X amount from EA. needless to say, it crits hard as heck, easily out dmgs my evis, and leaves 3-4 cps and a huge armor debuff on the target afterwards. not a bad deal for me. if i could do it more than once every 3 mins i'd definitely get imp. EA.

still, many rogues dislike EA. It often seems more prudent to eviscerate the target straight off, rather than attempt to rack up dmg over 30 seconds. After all, squishy targets are meant to die fast and make you pay dearly for every second you keep them alive. nonetheless, EA adds a unique dimention to the rogue. that little energy bar often requires you to take your time anyway. 30 seconds give you plenty of time to blind, bandage, restealth, or what not, leaving the clothie to realize he's suddenly wearing nothing more than his boxers. Just think of it as catching a mage with his pants down.

Personally, i like to use E.A. if my kidney fails or if I expect the opponent to blink/trinket out. Sometimes I'm running too low on energy and EA right before i vanish. Still think this move would be much cooler if it reduced defense skill instead.

Comment by TerribleAtGames

I might be stupid and an amateur with melee classes, but I find absolutely no use of this Rogue skill.
Of course it would be nice to decrease the target's armour, but that is something that should be done at the beginning of a fight. Not as a finishing move!

Links

Expose Armor

Expose Armor

25 Energy	Melee Range

Instant

Weaken the target's defenses, applying [Glyph of Expose Armor: 3 applications of]the Weakened Armor debuff. Awards 1 combo point.

Weakened Armor
Weakens the armor of the target by 4% for 30 sec. Stacks up to 3 times.

Spell Details

Duration

n/a

School

Physical

Mechanic

n/a

Dispel type

n/a

GCD category

Normal

Cost

25 Energy

Range

5 yards (Combat)

Cast time

Instant

Cooldown

n/a

GCD

1 second

Effect #1

Trigger Spell

	Weakened Armor

Effect #2

(Unknown Effect #328)
Value: 1
PVP Multiplier: 1

Flags

Is Ability
Cannot be used while shapeshifted
Do Not Sheath
Initiates Combat (Enabled Auto-Attack)
Discount Power On Miss
Requires main hand weapon
No Helpful Threat
Taps immediately

Expose Armor

Buff

Spell Details

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