What is Spell Hit?
Spell hit is a combat attribute that increases a caster's chance to hit with spells. Spell hit is primarily obtained from talents or gear that has hit rating. The more gear with hit rating a caster has the lower the chance the caster's spells will miss (i.e. an enemy resist the spells). With patch 3.0.2, spell hit is capped at 100%; with enough spell hit, it is possible to reach a state where it is impossible for your spells to miss. A spell that fails to hit is shown as a miss, while misses caused by a target's resistance is shows as a resist. Spell hit has no effect on healing spells, as they will always hit.
Spell hit rating is part of the combat rating system that was introduced with Patch 2.0 and the Burning Crusade expansion. Each point of hit rating increases chance to hit with spells by a percentage. The exact percentage per point is based only on the players level. When the player's level increases, the points of +hit rating needed to achieve +1% chance to hit with spells increases as well. Viz, the percentage contribution by each +hit rating point is reduced when the player's level is increased.
Other than hit rating, Warlocks can increase chance to hit with talents:
Suppression, a talent at the top of the affliction talent tree reduces your chance to miss with Affliction spells by 1% per talent point (up to 3/3 for 3%). Note, this only effects Affliction spells. Your Destruction and Demonology spells will be unaffected.
Cataclysm, a talent at second tier of the destruction talent tree reduces your chance to miss with Destruction spells by 1% per talent point (up to 3/3 for 3%). Note, this only effects Destruction spells. Your Affliction and Demonology spells will be unaffected
Note: Neither of these talents effect demonology.
How spell hit chance is calculated
The spell hit mechanic has been confirmed by Blizzard CM Eyonix.[2] Base chance to hit is based on level difference between caster and target, starting at 96% for even levels, and going up or down from there, capping at a maximum 100%. Furthermore, the chance to hit is different for mobs (PvE) and player (PvP) targets.
Level Difference PvE PvP
-3 100% 100%
-2 98% 98%
-1 97% 97%
0 96% 96%
+1 95% 95%
+2 94% 94%
+3 83% 87%
+4 72% 80%
+5 61% 73%
For example, a level 70 caster attacking a level 73 mob will have a 83% chance to hit with spells in PvE. Furthermore, a level 70 caster attacking a level 74 or higher mob decreases by an additional 11% per level in PvE, and by 7% in PvP. Players many levels below their target will always have at least a 1% chance of landing a spell. This means you will have the minimum chance of hit against PvE targets at least 11 levels higher than you, and PvP targets at least 16 levels higher.
For casters, 1% of additional hit amounts to 1% additional damage statistically, up to the cap based on level of the mob being attacked.
What's the hit cap at level 80?
The question that everyone wants the answer to! At level 80, the highest level mob currently present is level 83 (e.g. all Wrath of the Lich King raid bosses), a level 80 caster has an effective spell hit rating cap of 446. That assumes no other spell hit sources.
446 hit rating
(That's to give you 100% chance not to miss)
The following table summarizes how much hit rating is needed for a certain level, after all talents and buffs are taken into consideration. To use the table, first add up how much hit you already have (don't forget the possibility of a draenei in your group or debuffs on your target that can increase your chance to hit with spells), then look up that row to find the hit rating cap for targets level 80 up to 83. End-game raiding casters generally use the level 83 column, as the effective level of bosses are 83.
Current % Hit lvl 80 lvl 81 lvl 82 lvl 83 Notes
0% 105 131 157 447 No talent bonuses or buffs
1% 78 105 131 421 Draenei Heroic Presence
2% 52 78 105 394
3% 26 52 78 368 Destruction warlocks with Cataclysm or Affliction warlocks with Suppression
To summarize:
To hit a level 83 raid boss at 80 you'll need +447 spell hit without talents, or +368 spell hit with full specced suppression or cataclysm. At level 80, 1% hit chance is gained from 26.23199272 points of hit rating. You still need 17% (untalented) to be capped, giving a cap value of: 26.23 x 17 = 445.91 = 446.
The effect of Hit chance on Critical Hit chance
Unlike the melee combat system, spell crit makes absolutely no difference to hit chance. All spells, regardless of whether they are treated as binary or not, roll hit and crit separately. Conceptually, the game rolls for your hit chance first, and if the spell hits you have a separate roll for whether it crits.
Overall chance to crit over all spells cast is thus affected by hit rate. To calculate overall crit rate, multiplying the two chances together:
Code:
crit rate over all spells = crit * hit
For example, a caster with no spell hit rating gear or talents, against a mob 3 levels higher (83% hit chance), and 30% crit rating from gear and talents:
Code:
crit rate over all spells = 30% * 83% = 24.9%
In addition, direct damage spells suffer from partial resistance, but again, that has no effect on whether a spell hits or not.
Spell Hit Gear
Head
The Argent Skullcap - Reward from quest
Hat of Wintry Doom - Created by Tailoring
Faerlina's Madness - Dropped by
Neck
The Rider of the Unholy - Reward from
Emeline's Locket - Reward from
Necklace of Taldaram - Dropped by Prince Taldaram in Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom Heroic
Chain of Latent Energies - Zone drop in Naxxramas
Thunderstorm Amulet - Zone drop in Naxxramas (25 Man)
Chain of the Ancient Wyrm - Reward from
Circle of Arcane Streams - Dropped by Sartharion in The Obsidian Sanctum
Encircling Burnished Gold Chains - Sold by Vendors in Dalaran, purchased with Emblems of Heroism, which drop in 10 Man raids. (Wrath of the Lich King Badges)
Hateful Gladiator's Pendant of Ascendancy - From PvPing
Deadly Gladiator's Pendant of Ascendancy - From PvPing
Shoulder
Mantle of the Corrupted - Zone drop in Naxxramas (25 Man)
Mantle of the Fatigued Sage - Zone drop in Naxxramas (25 Man)
Heroes' Plagueheart Shoulderpads - Warlock Tier 7 Robe from 10 Man Raids
Valorous Plagueheart Shoulderpads - Warlock Tier 7 Robe from 25 Man Raids
Chest
Robes of Lightning - Reward from quest
Raiments of the Titans - Dropped by Loken in Halls of Lightning. (Yellow Socket for +Hit)
Ebonweave Robe - Created by Tailoring
Turtle-Minders Robe - From Kalu'uk Quartermasters in Howling Fjord and Dragonblight
Gown of Blaumeux - Zone drop in Naxxramas
Heigan's Putrid Vestments - From Heigan the Unclean in Naxxramas
Gown of the Spell-Weaver - From Alexstrasza's Gift in The Eye of Eternity
Heroes' Plagueheart Robe - Warlock Tier 7 Robe from 10 Man Raids
Back
Shroud of Akali - Dropped by Gal'darah in Gundrak
Cape of Seething Steam - Dropped by Volkhan in Halls of Lightnint
Dark Soldier Cape - Sold by Duchess Mynx the Ebon Blade Quartermaster in Icecrown
Dark Shroud of the Scourge - Dropped by Noth the Plaguebringer in Naxxramas
Hateful Gladiator's Cloak of Ascendancy - From PvPing
Deadly Gladiator's Cloak of Ascendancy - From PvPing
Legs
Leggings of Atrophy - Dropped by Anub'Rekhan in Naxxramas (25 Man)
Legwraps of the Defeated Dragon) - Dropped by Sapphiron in Naxxramas (25 Man
Leggings of the Wanton Spellcaster - From Alexstrasza's Gift in The Eye of Eternity (25 Man)
Feet
Boots of Impetuous Ideals - Zone drop in Naxxramas
Xintor's Expeditionary Boots - Sold by Vendors in Dalaran, purchased with Emblems of Valor, which drop in 25 Man raids. (Wrath of the Lich King Badges)
Hands
Lava Burn Gloves - Dropped by Lavanthor in The Violet Hold
Ebonweave Gloves - Created by Tailoring
Gloves of Dark Gestures - Dropped by Anub'Rekhan in Naxxramas
Gloves of Grandeur - Dropped by Sapphiron in Naxxramas (25 Man)
Gloves of the Fallen Wizard - Zone Drop in Naxxramas (25 Man)
Wrist
Preceptor's Bindings - Zone drop in Naxxramas
Bindings of the Expansive Mind - Zone Drop in Naxxramas (25 Man)
Wraps of the Astral Traveler - Sold by Vendors in Dalaran, purchased with Emblems of Valor, which drop in 25 Man raids. (Wrath of the Lich King Badges)
Waist
Sash of the Wizened Wyrm - Sold by Cielstrasza the Wyrmrest Accord Quartermaster in Dragonblight
Belt of Unified Souls - Dropped by Meathook in The Culling of Stratholme Heroic
Flowing Sash of Order - Dropped by Loken in Halls of Lightning Heroic
Girdle of Bane - Dropped by King Ymiron in Utgarde Pinnacle Heroic
Cincture of Polarity - Zone Drop in Naxxramas (25 Man)
Plush Sash of Guzbah - Sold by Vendors in Dalaran, purchased with Emblems of Heroism, which drop in 10 Man raids. (Wrath of the Lich King Badges)
Rings
Voodoo Signet - Reward from
The Prospector's Prize - Dropped by Krystallus in Halls of Stone Heroic
Signet of the Malevolent - Zone Drop in Naxxramas
Deadly Gladiator's Band of Ascendancy - From PvPing
Weapons / Off Hand
Cursed Lich Blade - Dropped by Novos the Summoner in Drak'Tharon Keep Heroic
Telestra's Journal - Dropped by Grand Magus Telestra in The Nexus Heroic
Flameheart Spell Scalpel - Sold by Archmage Alvareaux the Kirin Tor Quartermaster
Sulfur Stave - Zone Drop in Naxxramas
Watchful Eye - Zone Drop in Naxxramas
The Soulblade - Dropped by kel'Thuzan in Naxxramas
Haunting Call - Zone Drop in Naxxramas (25 Man)
Surplus Limb - Zone Drop in Naxxramas (25 Man)
Greatstaff of the Nexus - From Alexstrasza's Gift in The Eye of Eternity (25 Man)
Ward of the Violet Citadel - Sold by Vendors in Dalaran, purchased with Emblems of Heroism, which drop in 10 Man raids. (Wrath of the Lich King Badges)
Deadly Gladiator's Focus Staff - PvP Arena Item
Wands
Wand of Blinding Light - Reward from quest
Frail Bone Wand - Reward from quest
Ancient Measuring Rod - Dropped by Loken in Halls of Lightning
Wand of the San'layn - Dropped by Prince Keleseth in Utgarde Keep Heroic
Gemmed Wand of the Nerubians - Zone drop in Naxxramas (25 Man)
The Rider of the Unholy in Icrcrown
The Cleansing Of Jintha'kalar in Dragonblight
For Posterity in Gundrak
Valorous Plagueheart Robe - Warlock Tier 7 Robe from 25 Man Raids
Water-Drenched Robe - Dropped by Ichoron in The Violet Hold
What ever it Takes! in Halls of Lightning.
Judgment at the Eye of Eternity in the 10-person version of The Eye of Eternity
The Admiral Revealed in Icecrown
Disarmament in Utgarde Keep
Grand Widow Faerlina in Naxxramas.
The Crusaders' Pinnacle in Icecrown
by Akasha