Petrus' Cataclysm Master Gear List

We actually sold our first Soul Blade for 100k the first week of raiding. Both of the tanks already had Cookie's, and we decided that the repair gold was a better investment.

I would strongly suggest putting several pieces of DPS gear into this list, as many are excellent for tanking. Don Rodrigo's Necklace (world drop) is IMHO the BiS tank neck before heroic modes, as no neck has more mastery than it. Elementium Deathplate is clearly a better tank BP than Hardened Elementium Hauberk. Beech Green Belt is arguably a better tank belt than the JP vendor belt, and is definitely a better tank belt than any of the other 346 options. I would also say Signet of the Elder Council is the second-best pre-heroic tank ring, leaving it also BiS. Finally, the plate DPS legs off the last boss of Vortex Pinnacle are also perfectly acceptable tank gear, comparable to the JP vendor tank legs.

I'll consider it but I've generally stayed away from putting any outwardly DPS-oriented pieces on the list save for trinkets, and only one of those (Crushing Weight) has any non-tank/pure-dps stat on it (the haste proc). This is for tanking gear, and while some DPS gear may be useful as tanking gear because of mastery, I somehow feel that adding it and advocating its widespread use by tanks would be a bit irresponsible. It's one thing to get hit and expertise to smooth out our threat, but it's another entirely to get stats such as crit or haste that have minimal value to us. While the DPS pieces may have a lot of stamina and mastery, that's not all we need as tanks.

I realize this isn't a Democracy, and it's Petrus thread to do what he/she wants. But you've done a great job keeping the page simple and I like it exactly how it is. I do not wish to see any DPS gear.

inthedrops wrote:I realize this isn't a Democracy, and it's Petrus thread to do what he/she wants. But you've done a great job keeping the page simple and I like it exactly how it is. I do not wish to see any DPS gear.

Two things:

1. For reference, I am a "he" as my real name (Peter) isn't that far off of my in-game name (Petrus). I took a lot of Latin IRL so I often respond to either name, both in-game and out. My former Latin teacher still uses them interchangeably when I go and visit (though usually in the vocative form "Petre").
2. I should have a new list up by next Tuesday with any fixes/new drop locations in place. I decided I'm not going to include what I call "blatantly" DPS pieces, i.e. ones with crit or haste on them. Just exp/hit/mastery/dodge/parry.

I am curious as to why the crafted BS chest is rated higher than the JP chest. I understand there is an ilvl difference and an armor difference. Seems like the JP chest with the 2 sockets is a better piece

Griffith wrote:I am curious as to why the crafted BS chest is rated higher than the JP chest. Seems like the JP chest with the 2 sockets is a better piece

I agree with your statement.

http://www.wowhead.com/item=62362

From earthen ring exalted. Reforge the haste into dodge/parry. Pretty nice if you don't have acces to epic tank rings.

Obviously a survival item, since it has no str.

inthedrops wrote:

Griffith wrote:I am curious as to why the crafted BS chest is rated higher than the JP chest. Seems like the JP chest with the 2 sockets is a better piece

I agree with your statement.

I also somewhat agree, hence why I haven't bought the chest myself. I think some re-ranking of good mastery pieces vs. poorly-itemized epics without sockets might take place this time around (today/tomorrow).

Hello Petrus,

First I want to say Thank you for making this list it made my life a lot easier with what I needed from where without flipping though wowhead. Here is the location of the last pieces of loot to help you out a bit:

Petrus wrote:2. [Rage of Ages] (Heroic) - Unknown
3. [Rage of Ages] - Unknown

Nefarian (Source)

Petrus wrote:Shoulders:

1. [Pauldrons of the Apocalypse] (Heroic) - Unknown
2. [Pauldrons of the Apocalypse] - Unknown

Nefarian (Source)

Petrus wrote:Chest:

1. [Battleplate of the Apocalypse] (Heroic) - Unknown
2. [Battleplate of the Apocalypse] - Unknown

Cho'gall (Source)


As far as the crafted chest vs others:

Using Hardened Elementium Hauberk has our base


Hardened Elementium Hauberk
+102 Strength
+228 Expertise

vs

Icebone Hauberk & Battleplate of the Apocalypse
! ! Assuming you use sockets to meet meta requirements and socket bonus (Puissant):
+73 Parry
+173 Hit
+60 Stamina
+40 Mastery

or

Hardened Elementium Hauberk
+40 Parry
+228 Expertise

vs

Reinforced Sapphirium Chestguard
! ! Assuming you use sockets to meet socket bonus (Solid & Defender's):

+208 Mastery
+120 Stamina


Personally I have Crafted Hardened Elementium Hauberk and replaced as soon as Icebone Hauberk was on the Auction house, as I already met Meta requirements I was able to put 2 Solid gems in changed stats to (+53 Parry, +173 Hit, +120 Stam). As for the Reinforced Sapphirium Chestguard, I plan to use this only for 2 piece requirements on its own it is not really worth it over my Icebone Hauberk at this point(+102 STR, +208 Mastery vs +93 Parry, +173 hit, +60 Stam).

This is just my opinion, again thank you for this List.

-Kristinna

The Heroic quality of BoE trashdrops doesnt seem to have made it live, since ive never seen it or heard from anyone who has.
Some input on the guide in general otherwise:

Petrus wrote:Head:
1. [Daybreaker Helm] (Heroic) - Valonia, Bastion of Twilight (Heroic)
1. [Dragon Bone Warhelm] (Heroic) - Maloriak, Blackwing Descent (Heroic)
1. [Reinforced Sapphirium Faceguard] (Heroic) - [Crown of the Forlorn Conqueror] and [Reinforced Sapphirium Faceguard]

Judging by the Heads, it definately seems that T11 head wont be used when going for 4set.
While Valiona (not Valonia ^^) head doesnt have as much Mastery as the one from Maloriak, atleast its socket and socketbonus makes up for that, not to mention about 100 more strength, and something usefull instead of Expertise.

Petrus wrote:Neck:
2. [Ironstar Amulet] (Heroic) - Atramedes, Blackwing Descent (Heroic)
2. [Rage of Ages] (Heroic) - Unknown
4. [Elementium Guardian] - Crafted
5. [Carrier Wave Pendant] (Heroic) - Ascendant Lord Obsidius, Heroic Blackrock Caverns
5. [Darkhowl Amulet] - Temple Guardian Anhuur, Heroic Halls of Origination
5. [The Lustrous Eye] - 1250 Justice Points

I like [Rage of Ages], but sadly Artamedes hc is a bit easier than Nefarian
Also, i wouldnt rate [Elementium Guardian] > nr:5s, id even rate it below.
In my eyes, hit and expertise is a waste, when comparing gear its more or less worth nothing to me.
So that means the exchange is 60sta vs 100-120 mastery. On a 1on1 basis, id rather take 1mastery over 1stamina.

Petrus wrote:Back:
1. [Ironstar's Impenetrable Cover] (Heroic) - BoE
2. [Gray Hair Cloak] - 1250 Valor Points
2. [Floating Web] - 1250 Valor Points
2. [Ironstar's Impenetrable Cover] - BoE
2. [Wrap of the Great Turtle] - Vendor - Requires Guardians of Hyjal - Exalted
2. [Zom's Electrostatic Cloak] - BoE
3. [Billowing Cape] - Asaad, Heroic Vortex Pinnacle
3. [Burned Gatherings] - Karsh Steelbreaker, Heroic Blackrock Caverns
3. [Shroud of Dark Memories] - BoE
3. [Twilight Dragonscale Cloak] - Crafted

Thisone is just awkward.
The Crafted Back deserves a lot more than beeing ranked with the other blues imo.
Compared with the Hyjal back, the differance is 41sta vs 62str + 15mastery + 15dodge.
Thats not an "upgrade" as much as a sidegrade imo, and its definately better than any other blue back.
Actually making it close to BiS if not BiS, depending a bit on if the 372 BoE cloak will be obtainable or not.

Petrus wrote:Chest:
1. [Battleplate of the Apocalypse] (Heroic) - Unknown
1. [Reinforced Sapphirium Chestguard] (Heroic) - [Chest of the Forlorn Conqueror] and [Reinforced Sapphirium Chestguard]

I assume the gear is just listed in a random order among those ranked on the same "ilvl".
As Tier chest is greatly superior to Cho'gall Battleplate.

Petrus wrote:Waist:
1. [Jumbotron Power Belt] (Heroic) - Omnitron Defense System, Blackwing Descent (Heroic)
2. [Hardened Elementium Girdle] - Crafted
2. [Jumbotron Power Belt] - Omnitron Defense System, Blackwing Descent

There does not seem to be the Conclave of wind loot in here.
Wowhead has trouble listing them aswell, since the enchant is "random".
The plate tanking belt however IS BiS by far aswell over Jumbotron imo.
Theres 3 different versions.
Parry/Dodge (Called Bouldercrag)
Parry/Mastery (Called Bedrock)
Dodge/Mastery (Called Rockslab)
Rockslab is clearly the best of the 3 versions, with Bedrock beeing close 2nd.
Heroic version got 180 of each stat, making them better than Jumbotron, by a small margin. (with Bouldercrag beeing the exception)
Normal version got 160 of each stat, making it clearly better than Jumbotron normal aswell. (with Bouldercrag beeing the exception)
And the Crafted belt deserves to be a rank below Jumbotron imo, for the simple reason of not having a socket.

Petrus wrote:Legs:
1. [Legguards of the Unseeing] (Heroic) - Atramedes, Blackwing Descent (Heroic)
1. [Reinforced Sapphirium Legguards] (Heroic) - [Leggings of the Forlorn Conqueror] and [Reinforced Sapphirium Legguards]
2. [Legguards of the Unseeing] - Atramedes, Blackwing Descent
2. [Reinforced Sapphirium Legguards] - 2200 Valor Points

Same as for Belt goes here.
372 Legs from Al'akir are as good as the other 372, if not even better (better than Artramedes atleast).
Bouldercrag beeing the "bad" version, and Bedrock/Rockslab beeing BiS.
Going for 4set will make Tier your choice.

Petrus wrote:Fingers:
1. [Bile-O-Tron Nut] (Heroic) - Omnitron Defense System, Blackwing Descent (Heroic)
2. [Ring of the Battle Anthem] - 1250 Valor Points
2. [Bile-O-Tron Nut] - Omnitron Defense System, Blackwing Descent

[Bile-O-Tron Nut] will only give you 88 dodge and 126 exp (about 50mastery if reforged) and 36sta, vs 127 mastery on [Ring of the Battle Anthem], removing about 50mastery and you got the competition of 80 mastery vs 88dodge + 36sta. Its not a big win, but id say its an upgrade. However this shows how good the valor ring is, especially for less hardcore raiders.
Same goes for this just like for Legs and Waist.
Conclave has the current BiS ring with 143dodge and 143 Mastery, Rockslab/Bedrock beeing clear winners, and Bouldercrag beeing the looser as always. You CANNOT have 2x Permafrost rings of the same Ilvl at once.
Thus NO Rockslab and Bedrock of 372.
It IS however possible to have 2x Permafrost rings of different Ilvls, making a Rockslab hc + Rockslab normal very strong.
Normal version gives 126 (instead of 143) to each stat, and 285sta (instead of 321sta).
Making it have 1sta, 1mastery and 1dodge less than the Valor ring.
There are also some "dps" rings that could be considered just like the Neck.
Especially agi rings, they will give some decent avoidance aswell as mastery (rings without mastery are obviously not a choice)

Petrus wrote:Trinkets:
1. [Symbiotic Worm] (Heroic) - Magmaw, Blackwing Descent (Heroic)
2. [Symbiotic Worm] - Magmaw, Blackwing Descent

I just wanna say how good the procc of these trinkets are.
The HC version gives about 14% block.
Once you got pretty decent raiding gear, you will start getting close to 200k hp fully buffed.
35% of 200k is 70k hp, if an attack brings you down below that, then ensuring your next hit will be a block will make sure you cant be killed. (while it wont assure you block the next one, it will increase the odds by a lot, unbuffed with this trinket procced im at 94% at not getting a "real" hit, gonna be closer to 100 with full epic)
Even if bosses would hit you for 100k before block, that wouldnt really kill you if you blocked the next one (its funny on Chimaeron, this trinket has its maximum uptime there, blocking dubbleattacks will make you survive every one, even if your eating breaks aswell)

Petrus wrote:Weapons:
1. [Mace of Acrid Death] (Heroic) - Maloriak, Blackwing Descent (Heroic)
1. [Soul Blade] (Heroic) - BoE
2. [Mace of Acrid Death] - Maloriak, Blackwing Descent
2. [Soul Blade] - BoE

I think [Fang of Twilight] Should be considered aswell. Its mastery, agi and unfortunatly critt aswell tho.
But its quite an easy boss to take down (on normal obviously) and we have had 4 of them so far, and 0takers, so i guess noone really wants them xD
Not an optimal choice of gear, but imo [Soul Blade] isnt eather so.

Petrus wrote:Shields:
1. [Akmin-Kurai, Dominion's Shield] (Heroic) - Nefarian and Onyxia, Blackwing Descent (Heroic)
2. [Elementium Earthguard] - Crafted
2. [Akmin-Kurai, Dominion's Shield] - Nefarian and Onyxia, Blackwing Descent
2. [Blockade's Lost Shield] - BoE

[Blockade's Lost Shield] BiS shield untill Nefarian hc.
Thats not silly at all... xD

Its a good gearlist otherwise, even if id personally prefer a bit more comments/ranking between the different items.
Good work.

Treck wrote:While Valiona (not Valonia ^^) head doesnt have as much Mastery as the one from Maloriak, atleast its socket and socketbonus makes up for that, not to mention about 100 more strength, and something usefull instead of Expertise.

One on hand you give some though to a threat stat and on the other hand you damn a better threat stat.

Str = parry.

Treck wrote:Str = parry.

an amazing 23 parry rating.

100str vs 100 exp.
minor threat increase both ways
avoidance with only one.

Comments on Treck's comments.

Helm - I'd rate Dragonbone higher than Daybreaker. It's 92 STR + 197 Parry vs 135 Expertise + 127 Mastery. Especially given that we can reforge the Expertise, so make that 92 STR + 143 Parry vs 81 Expertise + 127 Mastery. Daybreaker's weakness is that doesn't have anything to reforge. Given Mastery > Parry and Expertise > Str, we have a pretty clear winner.

Neck - Crafted was rated higher on account of having a socket, I would imagine. Personally I'd just bump up the avoidance/mastery necks to that tier.

Belt - Dodge and parry are really equal now. Actually, I'd prefer parry, as dodge is somewhat more common. Also, Jumbotron has a socket, so I'd say it's at least equal to the Thunder Wall, depending on whether you'd prefer gemming stam to mastery.

The rest I pretty much agree with.

theothersteve7 wrote:Comments on Treck's comments.

Helm - I'd rate Dragonbone higher than Daybreaker. It's 92 STR + 197 Parry vs 135 Expertise + 127 Mastery. Especially given that we can reforge the Expertise, so make that 92 STR + 143 Parry vs 81 Expertise + 127 Mastery. Daybreaker's weakness is that doesn't have anything to reforge. Given Mastery > Parry and Expertise > Str, we have a pretty clear winner.

I never said id rate any of them over the other.
Altho taking the gem into account aswell gives us:
92str + 197 parry + 50mastery +30sta
vs
20parry + 30sta + 45sta + 135 expertise + 127mastery
Transfer some exp to parry (for simplicity) gives us:
92str + 123parry
vs
45sta + 81 expertise + 87mastery.
And remember you dont have to spend a yellow gem somewhere else where you might not want it.
Its still a win, not as big tho.

theothersteve7 wrote:Neck - Crafted was rated higher on account of having a socket, I would imagine. Personally I'd just bump up the avoidance/mastery necks to that tier.

If it would have had mastery or dodge instead of expertise, it would clearly have been best.

theothersteve7 wrote:Belt - Dodge and parry are really equal now. Actually, I'd prefer parry, as dodge is somewhat more common. Also, Jumbotron has a socket, so I'd say it's at least equal to the Thunder Wall, depending on whether you'd prefer gemming stam to mastery.

While equal in terms of DR, your current gain from them are constantly changing.
You will also have a lot more parry than dodge, making you gain more avoidance by getting dodge than parry (unless your gear is extremly strange)
Jumbotron does have a socket, but so does the Thunder wall belt, making the choice beeing 1mastery or 19dodge.
And the socket, witch is yellow in Jumbotron and red in Thunder wall belt.

Yeah, the helmets are close enough to be rated the same.

How do you figure on tanks having a lot more parry than dodge? It seems to me that dodge is more common by a fair margin. Hmmm... looking at the top gear lists they seem to be roughly equal, so maybe there is a slight parry favoring at top gear levels. I certainly wouldn't say that it's "extremely strange" to have more dodge than parry, and reforging threat/mastery pieces does a bit to take care of that anyway.

I didn't know Thunder Wall had a socket. Wowhead is a bit confused by those belts.

The reason is cuz you got 3.5k str converted into parry, and about 150 agi converted into dodge.

Treck wrote:The reason is cuz you got 3.5k str converted into parry, and about 150 agi converted into dodge.

I went over my gear and I did indeed have a very strong (accidental) tendency to get dodge over parry. I hadn't been aware of it until you mentioned this. I have about 2% more dodge than parry, even with a parry cogwheel and a couple pieces reforged to parry.

You're totally right, in a normal gear set, dodge will be more valuable since you'll have ~1000 parry rating from Strength. Fortunately, parry from strength is just treated as parry rating on your character sheet, so it's easy to see.

Hey Peter,

First of all, thanks for a great list. It helped me out quite a lot so far.

I know you are reluctant to include DPS gear to lessen the possible confusion and keep the list short, however I would like to point you to [Belt of the Ferocious Wolf] as a valid alternative to [Hardened Elementium Girdle].

The basic stats are somewhat the same (only -20 STR), and mastery is exactly the same. The only differences are a blue gem slot, and 169 DR vs 149 CRS. From personal experience, I can say that I have been reforging DR to gain mastery, and am currently into increasing my Expertise (something many will be doing, since there's not that much pre-raid tankgear with Experience around). After reforging from CRS to Exp (or whatever you prioritize), the blue slot can easily be filled with a Mastery/Stamina gem or even pure STAM, while the prismatic socket (from the buckle) can easily be filled with additional STAM, Expertise, Mastery or whatever suits your fance, heck if you put anything blue in the already present socket, you even reduce the missing strength to -10 instead of -20, while the crafted tanking belt has no bonusses whatsoever...

Just thought it might not be such a bad idea to suggest at 60ish gold alternative to the 3k+ crafted belt...

First, thanks so much for the work you've done on this list. I used your last list almost all the way through LK and am so grateful to see another one being made.

My question is why do you put the crafted trinkets in a separate slot than mixing them into the lists for avoidance/stam/threat. I'm curious as to how they stack up against the other trinkets that we'll be seeing and if it's worth having the trinkets made.

Thanks again for the time and effort you've put into this. It is greatly appreciated.
-Prot of Korgath

Awesome, I know what I am doing tonight and on the weekend, well apart from maxxing my BS and JC, JC for the ring as I have the BS Gear already, i will be using this guid to gear my tank just that little bit more.

Your a champ

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