(More crafting/aether extraction = more free time!)

Looking over some of the data on how avoidance works in this game, I found it's really easy to represent it in a spreadsheet. Almost seemed too easy.

And yeah, I'm a spreadsheet addict. I don't know how to stop.

So this post can provide either of:

1. A useful tanking spreadsheet to determine the importance and results of various gear/manastone balances and choices. As well as any discussion on it and various other tanking stuffs.

2. Discussion and ultimately implementation of corrections, to make it a rather useful tanking spreadsheet to determine the importance and results of gear choices. As well as discussion on it and various other tanking stuffs.

Here's what it looks like:
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/1633/ffxi607.jpg

I also attached the sheet to this post if anyone wants to check the equations/fiddle with the values and numbers.

In the screen, the spreadsheet is only comparing total damage taken between various levels of block. But the numbers can be manipulated to compare much more as well. I can explain it all further too if necessary.

Here some of the assumptions in regards to this sheet and general tanking:

1. The percents in the preceding spreadsheet apply to a mob the same level as the player, thus the accuracy used should be close to that of the actual player's accuracy; just lower. Supposedly mobs have lower accuracy than players of the same level.

2. The base evasion/parry/block rate from gearset1 and further is using my current stats with some playing around, and can be adjusted to determine your avoidance %s (just make sure to adjust mob acc).

3. A parry mitigates 40% damage.

4. Parry and block mitigation occurs after all other damage reductions.

5. Avoidance is checked in order; from evasion to parry to block.

6. The avoidance 'caps' for evasion, parry, and block are 30%, 40%, and 50% respectively.

7. Your block, evasion, and parry chances are determined based on the accuracy of the mob vs your block/eva/parry values. ((STAT - MOB_ACC)/10 = chance))

8. Average damage taken is determined by MOB_ATTACK - (PLAYER_DEFENSE / 10)

Anything involving any of this, corrections to make, other tanking concepts, the spreadsheet, personal/other people's tests, etc... feel free.