WotLK Pre-Raid gear listFollow

The following is the result of waiting for the Queue Boss.... wish I knew a better strat for it ;)
UPDATE: Shadowpanter is back up to date and uses a much more complete system that the one I used here for this short-list. The more I think, the more I'd like to run the numbers more completely on this list (like my DK weapon list) but that would just be duplicating Shadowpanther's work, which is silly. So.. hmm.... not sure. Anyway, added a few crafted pieces and realized that no cloaks were in the list, sorry guys!
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So, what DO we need before we head on into raid, our minds full of shiny epic dreams of boss-smitin' progression? Well, I hope this is, partially, the answer to that question. After using lists such as these for my other toons (thanks Maintankadin and Warlock's Den!) I decided to expand on the research I was doing for my own rogues upgrades, and present a list of viable pre-raid gear that anyone (and I do mean ANYONE) can score in preparation to enter early Wrath of the Lich King raiding. Now there is even less of an excuse for your fail DPS! (HA!)

The criteria is to have a list of reasonable gear for any rogue -- especially those brand-spankin'-new to raiding -- to use in current raid content without being forced to endlessly grind instances for drops (although that's one option) or require extensive rep grinding. Both of which can be very useful for drops but it can be daunting to farm the same instance for a week or more. Don't be fooled into thinking you'll be top of the meters or OMFGPWNAGE with this gear. It's only a very bare starting point!

Therefore the list will be based on Quest Rewards and items available via Revered or Honored reputations.. I will add regular and heroic drop options as well as exalted rep items at a later date (i.e. the next long queue). This list is not meant to replace other, more extensive lists (such as ShadowPanther.net) but to form a base for those just getting ready to dip their toes into the vast pool of raiding.

Right now, I'm not including weapons but they'll be coming soon.

You will notice rough APEP (Attack Power Equiv.) numbers associated with each piece. They are only very rough guides to the relative value of the piece and should NOT be the only factor in your decision making process. For more on stats read the Rogue Compendium on these forums (aka The Sticky) and Elitist Jerks.

PLEASE NOTE: This list is in progress and I fully expect to have to update it, frequently. I encourage corrections and suggestions. Off-topic and unquantified posts to this thread will be rated down if only to keep the thread clean and easy to access. Please keep to the spirit of the thing ;)


HEAD
Headguard of Retaliation - Quest - 336 APEP
Helm of Cheated Fate - Heroic Gundrak - 389 APEP
Weakness Spectralizers - Engineering - 358.5 APEP


NECK
The Severed Noose of Westwind - Quest - 153 APEP
Necklace of Arcane Spheres - Heroic Violet Hold - 207 APEP


CHEST
Whale-skin Breastplate - The Kalu'ak, Honored - 265 APEP
Dark Arctic Chestpiece - Leatherworking - 275.5 APEP
Hardened Tongue Tunic - Quest - 321.6 APEP
Crystal-Infused Tunic - Heroic Nexus - 330.7 APEP


BELT
Glitterscale Wrap - The Oracles Revered - 234 APEP
Treasure Seekers Belt - (May have been removed from loot tables, QQ)
Sharp-Barbed Leather Belt - Heroic Utguarde - 290.8 APEP
Trollwoven Girdle - Leatherworking - 324.8 APEP


LEGS
Grotesque Butchers Pants - Quest - 189.4 APEP
Cured Proto-Drake Leggings - Quest (Horde) - 235.5 APEP
Dark Arctic Leggings - Leatherworking - 262.5 APEP
Mind-Expanding Leggings - Kirin Tor, Revered - 365.2 APEP
Azure Strappy Pants - Frenzyheart Tribe Revered - 382 APEP
Chain Gang Legguards - Heroic Violet Hold - 342.5 APEP


HANDS
Rough Climbers Grips - Quest - 223.2 APEP
Charged-Bolt Grips - Heroic Halls of Lightning - 254 APEP
Handwraps of Preserved History - Quest - 300 APEP
Gilt-Edged Leather Gauntlets - Heroic Utguarde - 340.2 APEP


FEET
Rhino Hide Kneeboots - Quest - 226.2 APEP
Jormscale Footpads - Crafted BOE - 232.5 APEP
Boots of the Whirling Mist - Heroic Halls of Stone - 292.6 APEP


SHOULDER
Shoulderpads of Fleshwerks - Quest - 194.8 APEP
Charred Leather Shoulderguards - Alliance Quest - 215.2 APEP
Spaulders of Frozen Knives - The Sons of Hodir, Honored - 240.8 APEP
Spaulders of the Careless Thief - Heroic Nexus - 256.1 APEP
Trollwoven Spaulders - Leatherworking - 302.8 APEP


WRISTS
Njorndar Furywraps - Quest - 151.1
Drake-Champion Bracers - Heroic Oculus - 221.3 APEP
Advanced Tooled-Leather Bands - Heroic Halls of Lightning - 240.6 APEP



Thanks all for checking out the little list. On-topic discussion, corrections, suggestions, etc are encouraged.

Cheers!


Edited, Dec 12th 2008 1:26am by TherionSaysWhat

Reserved Again

I've been seeing a lot of expertise or haste in place of traditional hit. I've been saving some of the haste gear, but wasn't sure if I'd be using it or not. Do we have an ideal haste and expertise level yet?

The lack of Hit is something that I'm more than a little puzzled by although I'm seeing it more on the gear from Naxx. They sure do seem to be trying to push Haste and Expertise on us a bit more as Thomas points out. Honestly, I have no idea why they'd push Haste so much, but /shrug.

I'll be getting to the weapons soon and I'll be looking into those pieces mentioned. Damn, I'm already seeing a couple of pieces of faction-specific quest rewards that I didn't include... but need coffee first.

Thanks guys ;)

There's a serious lack of heads with metas for rogues until heroics.

http://www.wowhead.com/?item=37293#comments would be better than the one from H Gundrak, surely? (from H Occulus)

I'll spreadfsheet it when I get a bit more time. Really need to get excel, as the macros won't work on openoffice.

Edited, Nov 20th 2008 1:44am by Kavekk

I also seemed to notice that the expertise cap is still roughly the same as it used to be as opposed to hit which almost doubled.

17 expertise gives 4.25% reduction, and a boss has what, 5% 6% Dodge/Parry?

And a correction to my previous post. The Thrown weapon from revered with Kalu'ak is actually a polearm and I'm just blind. The gun out of VH(Prison Wardens Shotgun) is still quite nice though.

Haste is generally one of the last stats (it's after expertise and hit on the list) that you want to add to your gear. If it's already on the gear and the MAEP balances in favor of the piece with haste, of course you'll take it, but it's weighted less than expertise and hit for precisely that reason: haste is worthless if you're still getting dodges and misses.

It also increases the effect of Combat Potency and Focused Attacks, not Relentless Strikes (as Relentless Strikes is a static bonus on a finisher).

Expertise does exactly what I said it does in that thread. If you have more questions, perhaps further reading would be good.

http://www.wowwiki.com/Expertise would be a good place to start.

And Moo, Expertise itself doesn't change from 70 to 80. The rating to expertise ratio does, though. Each 15.77 rating at 70 is 1%. As noted in the sticky, 26 expertise (or 102 rating) is needed at 70 to negate boss dodge. At 80, that number increases to 214 expertise. It is of course less with WEx, but I'm guessing many rogues will be going mut for raiding.

Edit: BTW Leodumb, his name is Therion. Not Theroin.

Edited, Nov 20th 2008 8:47am by Theophany

Im really not replacing any gear till 78-80, I have all the skill and matts for the weakness spectralizers. My BlackSmith buddy already made me the 1.6 speed daggers. And my leatherworking buddy already has sets of gear that are nice to start heroics. Then from heroics, chase emblems, chase T7 2 piece, do 25 man naxx. I dont think the team I run with is going to do 10 man nax much, for free emblems possibly, but the emblems of valor are much much better.

Hate to break it to you, but those are inferior to the Kirin Tor daggers (120 DPS, 1.40 speed).


Rating:% ratio changes as you level, so of course that will change. At 70, my crit was near 35% (actually over). Now at 77, my crit is about 21%.

Uh, the stats are better on the Rivener. Stam is worthless, and after raid buffs, the Rivener's Agi puts it closer to the Shanker.

I'm not saying it's better flat-out. I'm saying they're equivalent, and with one taking rep (which you can do in a night easily) and the other taking Titansteel (6x bars = 6 days to make, or 6 people to pay off for their cooldown), I think it's obvious which one is better.

you have a great point there, its definitely not the easiest to chase dagger. Im doing good on the rep any how, doing all the quests gets you near there.

Librarian's Paper Cutter

that guy is another really good chase but it seems to drop off trash in a heroic. so.. not really ideal either. So I guess its Kirin'tor daggers ftw. I wish Anarchy wasn't 1.8 speed. '
it seems like the next upgrade would be Murder off of Sapphiron, or Webbed Death off of Anub'rekhan. that can't be right. Or omen of ruin if it drops off the trash for you. I dont generally like having trash drops in my "Gear to chase list"

not at all for pve raiding you really want fast/fast for mutilate.

Ceremonial Pyre Mantle from King Ymirion in Utgarde Pinnacle.

206 APEP according to the EJ stat weights.