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Maintankadin

WotLK Gear Enchants and Gemming Advice Discussion Thread.

Petrus
Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:06 am
I wrote that back when almost nobody was 80 yet - the statement, however, still stands. A lot of us will use 22 def for the uncrittability for a long time.

Also, remember, uncrittability and the block cap are different things. I'm about 10% off of the block cap but uncrittable, personally.
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vya
Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:41 am
As long as we're including crafter-only enchants, you should include the engineering glove rocket launcher (can't link from this computer). Manaless single-target pull on a 1 min cooldown.
Majiben
Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:00 pm
Just a bump until this gets a sticky.
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Kellel
Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:01 pm
yes, this one definitely needs a sticky!
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Petrus
Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:14 pm
I'll add the engineering enchant later, though any serious tank should probably get Armsman on their first solid pair of gloves that they'll have for a while.
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vyaine
Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:10 pm
anyone know where you find the cuts for the orange stalwart and champion gems? or did they just get scrapped in the beta.
econ21
Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:45 pm
Excellent resource, Petrus, but why don't you annotate the list a little? e.g. give your opinion of the best in class enchant and best gem for a specifc colour gem slot? There might not be a "right" answer, but the discussion of the pros and cons in the BC gem/enchant guide was very informative.
Majiben
Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:34 pm
I can't see it being more TPS than +2% threat. It's a wonderful pulling tool and many engineering tanks will use it on their heroic's gloves.
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Petrus
Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:59 pm
I figured I can always add it later, plus some slots don't have a clear "winner" of enchants (i.e. bracer) yet.
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Digren
Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:22 am

Digren's Guide to Item Enhancement (Gem and Enchant Guide)

So this is my attempt at a "guide", which I wrote a while ago but didn't post as there was already a "list". It includes the type of recommendations that others have asked for. Of course, at this point the comments are just my own, but I could improve them with feedback and consensus.

General Theory

In Burning Crusade, uncrittable was easy, almost automatic, before stepping foot in the first challenging instance. It was uncrushable that became the focus of gear guides and upgrade strategy pre-Kara. That's all changed in WotLK. The new defense requirement - 540 total defense, 689 defense rating from gear - puts a heavy focus on achieving uncrittable before being put to the test.

Blizzard has thus changed the game for item enhancement. Rather than focusing solely on stamina for gems, the need to gem for both stamina and defense (plus some nice new socket bonuses) make a balanced approach viable. Likewise for enchants, defense may be the early favorite for many slots, with several other options open once 540 is achieved.

One thing that hasn't changed is the baseline stamina / defense ratio for gems. Basically, Blizzard values defense rating at 150% that of stamina when itemizing gem sockets. This can be seen when, for example, swapping a Solid Majestic Zircon for a Thick King's Amber costs 30 stamina for a gain of only 20 defense rating, or likewise swapping a Solid Majestic Zircon for an Enduring Eye of Zul costs 15 stamina for a gain of 10 defense. Of course socket bonuses should be considered when planning such a swap.

This ratio often doesn't apply to enchants. When the options for an item enchant skew one way or the other, it's generally best to pick the one favored by the imbalance. For example, the BC enchants for bracers offered either 12 stamina or 12 defense rating. This ratio clearly favors defense rating, as it's relatively "cheaper" (in terms of stamina lost) to put defense rating here than it is to swap out a gem. This is also true with the BC-era 15 defense enchant to chest, which outweighs the new 18 stamina armor kit (and of course the WotLK defense enchant trumps both).

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Gemming

Gems are available for most any stat, but most paladins will favor defense and stamina as the primary options for yellow and blue, respectively. There may be more controversy for red slots, with strength, dodge rating, and parry rating available, but the synergy of threat and mitigation offered by strength makes it an initial favorite. It's also unaffected by the diminishing returns added to dodge and parry rating, which will punish those who chose those gems when combined with the high stat values surely to appear on later WotLK gear.

Red Gem Slot
    Bold Cardinal Ruby, +20 Strength, Crafted (Jewelcrafting)
    Bold Scarlet Ruby, +16 Strength, Crafted (Jewelcrafting 390)
    Sovereign Dreadstone, +10 Strength and +15 Stamina, Crafted (Jewelcrafting)
    Sovereign Twilight Opal, +8 Strength and +12 Stamina, Crafted (Jewelcrafting)

    Digren says, "Red offers gems for strength, dodge, and parry rating with equal units, which means they have very different benefits. Many tankadins will prefer strength for the combined threat and mitigation, and most of those will use a combo gem to push up stamina."


Blue Gem Slot
    Solid Majestic Zircon, +30 Stamina, Crafted (Jewelcrafting)
    Solid Sky Sapphire, +21 Stamina, Crafted (Jewelcrafting 390)
    Enduring Forest Emerald, +8 Defense Rating and +12 Stamina, Crafted (Jewelcrafting)

    Digren says, "Pay attention to the poor value of the Solid Sky Sapphire. With only +21 Stamina, it's under the 150% ratio defined for most gems. A piece with one red and one yellow gem slot, for example, would net only +21 stamina and +16 defense rating if pure blue and yellow gems were used in those slots. However, if two combo gems, the Enduring Forest Emerald, were socketed instead, the net is +24 stamina with the same defense rating."


Yellow Gem Slot
    Think King's Amber, +20 Defense Rating, Crafted (Jewelcrafting)
    Thick Autumn's Glow, +16 Defense Rating, Crafted (Jewelcrafting 390)
    Enduring Eye of Zul, +10 Defense Rating, +15 Stamina, Crafted (Jewelcrafting)
    Enduring Forest Emerald, +8 Defense Rating, +12 Stamina, Crafted (Jewelcrafting)

    Digren says, "With the need to stack defense early in WotLK to be uncrittable, straight defense gems may be viable in yellow slots. Some may choose the combo stamina gems for more refined balance above 540 defense."


Any Slot
    Bold Dragon's Eye, +27 Strength, Crafted (Jewelcrafting 375 Self Only
    Thick Dragon's Eye, +27 Defense Rating, Crafted (Jewelcrafting 375 Self Only)
    Solid Dragon's Eye, +41 Stamina, Crafted (Jewelcrafting 375 Self Only)

    Digren says, "Jewelcrafter tanks have these great options to choose from. The need for early defense makes the Thick Dragon's Eye quite attractive, but the slightly-better-than-average ratio for the Solid Dragon's Eye tilts in its favor as well. Start with one or more defense rating gems, then migrate to stamina as your gear allows."


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Enchanting

Whether attained through enchanting, some other trade skill, or through purchased kits, the options for enchanting are much more varied than with gems. Unfortunately the strategy is less flexible, as the general rule is "if there's a WotLK enchant for defense rating, use it." Slots without a strong contender for best enchant have greater flexiblity, such as the continued option for threat enhancement in the hand slot, or the trade off for mobility on boots.

Head

Shoulders


Back
    Enchant Cloak - Mighty Armor, +225 Armor, Crafted (Enchanting 430)
    Enchant Cloak - Titanweave, +16 Defense Rating, Crafted (Enchanting 435)
    Enchant Cloak - Steelweave, +12 Defense Rating, Crafted (Enchanting 375)
    Enchant Cloak - Dodge, +12 Dodge Rating, Crafted (Enchanting 300)
    Lightweave Embroidery, Chance to cause 1000 to 1200 holy damage when you damage an enemy with a spell, Crafted (Tailoring 420 Self Only)
    Swordguard Embroidery, Damage melee attacks sometimes increase your attack power by 300 for 15 sec, Crafted (Tailoring 420 Self Only)

    Digren says, "The relatively new defense enchants take what used to be a weak enchant slot and make it quite good. There's little reason to take less than the best. Are there any tankadin tailors?"


Chest


Wrist


Waist
    Digren says, "Poor tankadin engineers. They have to sacrifice the standard enchant, losing defense or stamina, to apply their profession to most slots, and their only unique slot has nothing of note for tanks."


Hands


Legs
    Frosthide Leg Armor, +22 Agility and +55 Stamina, Crafted (Leatherworking 425)
    Jormungar Leg Armor, +15 Agility and +45 Stamina, Crafted (Leatherworking 405)
    Nethercleft Leg Armor, +12 Agility and +40 Stamina, Crafted (Leatherworking 365)
    Clefthide Leg Armor, +10 Agility and +30 Stamina
    Jormungar Leg Reinforcements, +22 Agility and +55 Stamina, Crafted (Leatherworking 405 Self Only)

    Digren says, "Leatherworkers get a leg up with their BoP pattern, but everyone eventually reaches Frosthide as the best, if expensive, leg enchant."


Feet


Shield


Finger
    Enchant Ring - Assault, +32 Attack Power, Crafted (Enchanting 400 Self Only)
    Enchant Ring - Stamina, +24 Stamina, Crafted (Enchanting 400 Self Only)

    Digren says, "Enchanters get their self benefit here, with a much better stamina enchant to replace the now-defunct spell power options available in BC."


Melee Weapon
    Enchant Weapon - Superior Potency, +65 Attack Power, Crafted (Enchanting 435)
    Titanium Weapon Chain, 50% Disarm Duration Reduction and +28 Hit Rating, Crafted (Blacksmithing 420)
    Enchant Weapon - Potency, +20 Strength, Crafted (Engineering 350)

    Digren says, "Weapon slot has emerged as one of the weaker slots for WotLK enchants so far, with the BC-era Potency still seen as a viable option. Many may opt for the Titanium Weapon Chain. I expect testers to eventually determine how often and for how long a foe needs to disarm you to make it yield more threat than the raw attack power enchant."
Andryana
Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:46 am
Very nice guide Digren.
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dmok
Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:54 am
So for meta gems ... is there a clear winner yet as to which one we should be using? The +21 def +5%BV one is nice except for the fact that it requires 2 red gems. For that item cost, the TBC BV meta might be a better deal but if you're going that low, is the 32 stam +2% armour one better?
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Majiben
Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:58 am
The way I look at it the Stam/Armor meta will be better for most bosses. The defense/BV meta will be superior at AoE and fast rapid bosses.
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Petrus
Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:41 pm
If a mod could edit the initial post in this thread to include that fantastic guide from Digren, I'd appreciate it. I'd do it myself but I'd have to take all the time to go back and do the formatting (italics, links, etc.) myself and it's rather easy for you to copy straight from his post and put it into mine.

Very well written guide!
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