How does FHR work?

This was a question from DeluksZ:


Quote:




Hi. I'd need to know how FHR works. FHR activates after a block or after a hit? Let me put this way: Do I need FHR if I use a 2H weapon (ergo 0% block) or I don't? I try to build a similar bear druid as my barb but since Conc is uninterruptable I didnt really care about FHR. I don't know if I should focus on FHR with a 2h weapon or not with the druid.




Since my reply was too long, there's a lack of info in the wiki/forums and I'd like people to correct me in case I'm wrong I've decided to post here...

In short, you don't need to worry about FHR that much on a blocking build, but it's important when using a 2-hander.

The game first checks defense: if the hit misses it misses and if not the game checks for blocking. If successful you do the block animation (except when in an uninterruptible attack like WW or conc) and how long that takes will depend on the character class and how much FBR you have. If you don't have block or blocking is unsuccessful you get hit, but you only get interrupted and go into the FHR animation when you lose more than a certain percentage of your hp in a single blow, as follows:

If the attack (most attacks) deals more than

- 1/16 of the targets max HP, they have a 37.5% chance to go into fhr

- 1/8 of the targets max HP, they have a 75% chance to go into fhr

- 1/4 of the targets max HP, they have a 100% chance to go into fhr

This is contrary to what I've read on these forums before, namely that you always go into fhr when losing more than 1/12 of your max hp.

Regarding Druids:


Code:

Druid (Wolf)
Frames FHR  FBR
9 - 0%
8 - 7%
7 0% 15% 
6 9% 27% 
5 20% 48% 
4 42% 86% 
3 86% 200% 

Druid (Bear)
Frames FHR FBR
13 0%  -
12 5%  0%
11 10%  5%
10 16%  10%
9 24%  16%
8 37%  27%
7 54%  40%
6 86%  65%
5 152%  109%

Wolves have good FHR breakpoints but are slow blockers. In addition, when Fury is interrupted (whether by a block or hit recovery animation) the rest of the hits in the Fury cycle of 5 hits will miss, and since you'll be interrupted more often when wielding a shield this is another reason to go 2h.

Bears have fairly terrible breakpoints all round so it's perhaps a good idea to go with a Shael-SS in that case *(So, it turns out this is a terrible suggestion. If you absolutely need to wield a shield then go you should try to minimize your block chance. Another approach would be to go for the 86% breakpoint (not hard to attain with Shael-Jalal's and/or Ribcracker) and skip blocking in order to get more HP, which will mean you'll go into FHR less often.

Good luck!|||Thanks for your informative post.

The 1/12 rule is indeed wide spread across these boards ... if it is a relic of old patches then it sure has stuck around longer then we should allow, I'll be linking to this thread in the stickies once I've got them sorted out.