Thundarpants
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| Stamina gear for Mage tanks |
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Stamina gear for Mage tanks - The High King fight in Gruul’s Lair
Fair warning, this will be an “eye bleeder” so take your time going through it. This is some gear research I did for my guild when we first started hitting Gruul’s Lair. It has most of the best armor pieces that come from 5 man’s and Karazhan, the previous instance anyone going to Gruul’s has probably been working. It doesn’t include any peripheral equipment like rings, trinkets, necklaces, etc….. But y’all could fill in the blanks there if you wanted to help up and coming Mage tanks out. I find that even on my heavy raiding server folks are still at the lower end of the instances and trying to get into the 25 player events.
I’ve slowly been accumulating drops, crafted and raid gear to the point that I actually have Item Rack turned back on and have different farming, trash mob and heavy Stamina gear for particular events set up. I know most casters are not the crazy multi set types. Get a good set and roll with it. I’ve found it necessary to have some alternative gear setups to use. I think the Tanking Warlocks in the Curator event were the first evidence of this in TBC instances. And now with our first peek into Gruuls, you Mages get to do what you do best….. aggro hog a boss!
What you need: Stamina AND +Spell To Hit stats. (Do not underestimate how important that +To Hit is going to be because of the need to Spell Steal)
I’m going to start hitting the highlights that I can quickly research up and know about already. I’ve already found a couple new pieces that have great potential in the 5 mans so that green, nonslottable Stam gear does not have to be used, and still gives the same or better Stam stats in the end.
Craftable Mage Tank Gear
What can I say……. Battlecast is the premier starter set for really heavy Stam gear on a caster. I wear the Battlecast Hood myself because of the awesome stats. My only complaint is the lack of any +To Hit stats on it, but you can augment that stat on other pieces.
Battlecast Hood
145 Armor
+43 Stamina
+28 Intellect
Red Socket
Blue Socket
Socket Bonus: +3 Spell Crit Rating
Durability 60 / 60
Requires Level 70
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 43.
Materials:
X12 Imbued Netherweave
X8 Primal Might
Primal Nether
Battlecast Pants
156 Armor
+42 Stamina
+27 Intellect
Red Socket
Blue Socket
Socket Bonus: +3 Spell Crit Rating
Durability 75 / 75
Requires Level 70
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 46.
Materials:
X12 Imbued Netherweave
X8 Primal Might
Primal Nether
Gem slotting ideas:
I know we are going after heavy stam gear here, and in some cases we will forgo recommended slotting and put heavy one stat gems in to really boost a particular stat. I don’t think that’s absolutely necessary in this case. The slotting recommendations actually work in your favor this time.
Blue socket: Solid Star of Elune +12 Stamina
Red Socket: Glowing Nightseye +5 Spell Damage and +6 Stamina
Total Stam per piece slotted like this:
Head +60 Stamina
Legs +59 Stamina
And you can retain a small amount of your crit and good spell damage. But if you don’t feel that Spell Crit is really what you need for this fight, you can squeeze 6 more Stamina out of both the head and pants by dropping The Solid Star of Elune in both slots. Crit really isn’t important for this fight, but you may also want to wear these for other boss fights as well.
I found this in the Jemcrafting section. And it looks like it’s a freebie pattern from the trainer that does not require a drop. I was going to offer it up as a cheaper alternative to the Battlecast, but I don’t know if it really is. Check out the mats and decide for yourself, but it starts out with 42 Stam and 2 blue sockets.
Crown of the Sea Witch
Binds when equipped
127 Armor
+42 Stamina
+20 Intellect
+20 Spirit
Red Socket
Blue Socket
Blue Socket
Socket Bonus: +5 Spell Damage
Durability 50 / 50
Requires Level 70
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 23.
Materials:
X12 Khoruim Bar
X4 Mecurial Adamantite
X20 Jagal Pearl
X3 Shadow Pearl
Gem slotting ideas:
Blue socket: x2 Solid Star of Elune +12 Stamina
Red Socket: Glowing Nightseye +5 Spell Damage and +6 Stamina
Total Stam if recommended slotting used +72!
Three Stam gems….. +78!
Spellstrike Head and Leg pieces:
Spellstrike really isn’t the gear you would want to use to Tank, but if you have it, the + Spell to Hit is more important than the Stamina if you can get other Stamina pieces in your Tank set. One part of the tanking process is to use your spell steal, and he will resisting you big time. The Spellstrike pieces are heavy +To Hit stat pieces. If you have it, keep it on. Get your Stam elsewhere.
The Imbued Netherweave set:
This set is great for its overall cost to manufacture. But IMHO doesn’t have the staying power, or can be easily replaced with better gear for the slot locations. This can be a quick fix until you can acquire or have crafted something better. Good Cloth robes are very rare, and the Imbued Robe is better than most of the world or 5 man drops. The Pants and Boots are easily replaced with better stuff.
The three set bonus is +Spell Crit, and for this activity, it’s not all that helpful. So don’t feel any need to try and get the 3 piece set bonus activated. Just use this stuff as fillers until you can get those slots replaced. Another perk, every one of these pieces can get the Knothide Leather Stam armor kit attached to them. They are not worthy of Epic level Spellthread.
Imbued Netherweave Robe
155 Armor
+42 Stamina
+28 Intellect
Durability 80 / 80
Requires Level 70
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 33.
Equip: Restores 11 mana per 5 sec.
Imbued Netherweave Boots
102 Armor
+30 Stamina
+21 Intellect
Durability 40 / 40
Requires Level 69
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 23.
Equip: Restores 8 mana per 5 sec.
Imbued Netherweave Pants
126 Armor
+39 Stamina
+26 Intellect
Durability 65 / 65
Requires Level 67
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 30.
Equip: Restores 10 mana per 5 sec.
5 Man Mage Tank Gear - Normal level
Most of our Warlocks have gone past the need to go for the Oblivion set pieces. The Mage Dungeon set kinda sucked for y’all. I see a lot of Mages and Priests that go for it. At least 2 pieces. Not all of the Oblivion pieces are uber Stam items but they have one very important thing to note on several of the Oblivion set pieces, it carries +Spell To Hit stats.
And if you’re going to try and farm the instances for these pieces, take a frikin enchanter with you. We know how instance farming runs are hit or miss. Might as well make some shards and roll on em if you don’t get what you need.
Shadow Labyrinth - Murmur
(Last Boss)
Robe of Oblivion
Binds when picked up
Chest Cloth
156 Armor
+30 Stamina
+20 Intellect
Red Socket
Yellow Socket
Blue Socket
Socket Bonus: +6 Stamina
Durability 80 / 80
Requires Level 70
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 40.
Sethekk Halls - High King Ikiss
(Last Boss)
Trousers of Oblivion
136 Armor
+42 Stamina
+33 Intellect
Durability: 65 / 65
Requires Level 68
Equip: Improves spell hit rating by 12
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 39.
Not socketable with gems, but starts out with good stam stats and the much needed hit rating for the spell steal.
The Shattered Halls - Warchief Kargath Bladefist
Gloves of Oblivion
Binds when picked up
Hands Cloth
97 Armor
+33 Stamina
+21 Intellect
Durability 30 / 30
Requires Level 70
Equip: Improves spell hit rating by 20 (1.6%@70).
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 26.
Shadow Labyrinth - Murmur
(Last Boss)
Spaulders of Oblivion
Shoulder
117 Armor
+25 Stamina
+17 Intellect
Yellow Socket
Blue Socket
Socket Bonus: +3 Spell Hit Rating
Durability 50 / 50
Requires Level 70
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 29.
Gem Slotting Ideas:
I’d go with the slotting recommendations here.
Yellow Socket: Great Dawnstone +8 Spell Hit Rating
Blue Socket: Solid Star of Elune +12 Stamina
The Steam Vault - Warlord Kalithresh
(Last Boss)
Sash of Serpentra
Waist
88 Armor
+31 Stamina
+21 Intellect
Durability: 30 / 30
Requires Level 70
Equip: Improves spell hit rating by 17
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by 25
The Steam Vault - Warlord Kalithresh
(Last Boss)
Vermillion Robes of the Dominant
156 Armor
+37 Stamina
+33 Intellect
Durability: 80 / 80
Requires Level 70
Equip: Improves spell hit rating by 12
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 42.
I’d like this little beauty as well. There are very few worthy caster robes out there. Especially from the 5 mans. This one is pretty damn nice.
As you can see, the Sash of Serpentra and this robe both drop off the same boss. Making Steam Vaults a worthy farming instance to get started. It’s frikin easy too! The Tailoring Pattern for the Battlecast Hood also drops from this boss, so they REALLY want you to work this instance over big time if you are a caster. So If you have some tailoring friends that do not have the pattern yet, you can entice them to join you with this potential juicy drop!
Botanica - Warp Splinter
Warp Infused Drape
Chest
156 Armor
+27 Stamina
+28 Intellect
Red Socket
Blue Socket
Yellow Socket
Socket Bonus: +4 Spell Critical Strike Rating
Durability: 80 / 80
Requires Level 70
Equip: Improves spell hit rating by 12
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 30.
Again, not a really heavy Stam piece all by itself, but three gem slots that can be socketed with heavy Stam Gems. And, of course the Spell Hit rating I keep harping on.
Gem Slotting ideas:
If you forgo the recommendations to make this a tanking piece, you’ll stuff x3 Solid Star of Elune +12 Stamina and end up with a total of +63 Stamina. Which makes this piece actually better than the Vermillion Robes listed above. They both have the +12 hit rating, you only lose out on a little Intellect and DPS.
Botanica - Laj
(4th Boss)
Devil-Stitched Leggings
136 Armor
+32 Stamina
+28 Intellect
Red Socket
Yellow Socket
Blue Socket
Socket Bonus: +5 Spell Damage
Gem slotting ideas:
Not spectacular, but it comes with 3 gem slots. You can stuff it full of Blue Stam gems, but you may want to consider a +To Hit gem in that Yellow socket.
With x3 Solid Star of Elune +12 Stamina = +72 Stamina
With one Great Dawnstone +8 Spell Hit Rating and x2 Solid Star of Elune +12 Stamina = +60 Stamina
Karazhan Raid Gear - If you are heading to Gruul’s, you’ve probably been working over Kara and have it on farm.
Shade of Aran
Mantle of the Mind Flayer
Shoulders
146 Armor
+33 Stamina
+29 Intellect
Durability: 60 / 60
Requires Level 70
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 35.
Equip: Increases your spell penetration by 2
Opera Event - Wizard of Oz
Ruby Slippers
134 Armor
+33 Stamina
+29 Intellect
Durability: 50 / 50
Requires Level 70
Equip: Improves spell hit rating by 16
Equip: Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 35.
Augmentations:
Now, if you are going to spend the time effort and money to have a piece like Battlecast Pants made, do go cheap at the last minute and put some crap ass Spellthread or leather Stam armor kit on it. Put something of worthy quality on it:
Runic Spellthread
Requires Level 60
Use: Permanently embroiders spellthread into pants, increasing spell damage and healing by up to 35 and Stamina by 20.
Materials:
Rune Thread
X10 Primal Mana
Primal Nether
Food: If you are Tanking, make sure that you use the right food and the good stuff. Fisherman’s Feast and Spicy Crawdad have a +30 Stamina boost.
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| 05/14/08 07:16 |
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Evil Geek
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Joined: 10/18/2005
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| RE: Stamina gear for Mage tanks |
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Great post and alot of interesting gear info that helps other classes too. I've been researching the high end content and watching tactics videos and saw some great drain tanking going on in a raid at Tempest Keep ( Kael'thaS Sunstride), stamina seems to be a warlocks best friend too (I'm still a newb of course).
Thanks !
• Guild Wars: Mutants [MU] • Age of Conan: Ampian Forerunners •
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| 05/14/08 16:43 |
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meumesmo
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| RE: Stamina gear for Mage tanks |
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Very Nice TP!
And yes, Stamina and +Dmg is an Aff. Warlock's best friend. Well TP can tell you all about it =P
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| 05/14/08 17:20 |
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Thundarpants
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| RE: Stamina gear for Mage tanks |
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Yeah, with our Life Tap ability and things like Siphon Life from the Affliction tree health = mana and mana = DPS potential. A lot of this gear is great for the up and coming Warlock working the 5 man TBC instances even if you aren't looking for Caster "Tanking" gear. Both the Affliction and Destruction Locks like to have a lot of Stam.
I was really pleased with our dungeon sets with TBC. It was so good that the Mages prefered it over theirs in most cases. Just don't get me ranting about that stingy butthead Murmur. I had my raid drops before I got my Oblivion Robes. It was very frustrating. I must have went to Shadow Labs a million times TRYING to get it.
I've been working on my TBC destruction build guide again. I'll try to get it finished quick so that it has some viability before the next expansion.
World of Warcraft
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Because she's not......
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| 05/15/08 07:22 |
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