Prot pallies, how do you plan on spending you valor?

[xtramuscle]

After looking at the VP gear, its obvious we want alot of it for BIS pre HC gear, but the only thing I can see that is a clear upgrade for me is the relic; and buying a relic on week one just feels so dirty to me \

Anyone actually took the time to work out the 'best' way to go about spending VP this patch?

[davep]

Relic, Neck and Cloak aren't upgradeable in Heroic DS so those will probably be your best choices between those 3. Since cloak wasn't upgradeable last tier I'm going to get that first.

[Asur]

Relic, Neck and Cloak aren't upgradeable in Heroic DS so those will probably be your best choices between those 3. Since cloak wasn't upgradeable last tier I'm going to get that first.

This is pretty much my plan as well. I'm glad I'm not pigeon holed into saving valor for tier so I can actually get offset pieces quickly.

[Maester]

Only about 3 items for me in there because I'm not hit capped yet, meaning if it doesn't have Mastery, I'm not getting it. Already got the relic, getting the trinket next and I can't remember the third one.

Hoping that the tank chest drops from Murazond and the shield drops from Alisa Dawnslayer, and the rest of my gear before normal mode DS I'll get from LFR and FL runs. Yes, I went into detail, because I can.

[morphling8]

Ring -> Cloak -> Neck -> Relic.

Afterward if I'll buy whatever hasn't dropped for me, if anything.

[Siafubringer]

Yah, not super excited about the prot pally VP gears BUT hey, all my tier will come from raids and LFR. I will concern myself with stats and gear as it comes.

[BlackMagicMarkel]

Guess I'm dirty, bought the relic as soon as I could :P. At the very least, I would suggest getting:

Forgesmelter Waistplate
Fire of the Deep
Guardspike Choker
Stoutheart Talisman
Indefatigable Greatcloak

You may also find that getting armor with both dodge and parry might be more suitable, depending on how your are in regards to block capping. In that case, these are decent options:

Bladeshatter Treads
Chestplate of the Unshakable Titan
Gauntlets of Feathery Blows

I'm personally staying away from the boots and chest, as Stillheart Warboots are easily obtainable in DS, and will be available in LFR mode next week sometime. Our tier chest, Chestguard of Radiant Glory is very well itemized, and I strongly suggest not passing it up. As for the gloves, our tier Handguards of Radiant Glory has hit and dodge. With Exp being (arguably) better than hit for us, I think it's a suitable replacement.

[Deleted]

I bought the relic first, then I'll grab Neck > Ring/Belt the rest is crap.

[Siafubringer]

I was also looking at the Relic as a first. I gotta wonder: why make the socket gem specific (red) if you are not gonna have a socket bonus? Not that I usually match sockets 100% but curious why they thought that was the way to go instead of a prismatic socket.

[Oerba Yun Fang]

I spotted a trinket in the VP vendor that looked really sexy. Had loads of mastery. Think I'mma be buying that first.

[xtramuscle]

Thank you Blackmagicmarkel (and others) for you posts.. I was lucky enough to leave FL in FULL BIS - the relic (check sig for armoury) I've decided against the waist, and neck you linked as they actually have less mastery than my current toys. The trinket does look tasty, but again not a massive upgrade to my HC Beth trinket (altho the dodge is nice, an auto proccing when you need CD are great). Not really in love with that cape either, but I suppose I will get it after my relic.. time to get dirty! \o/

[davep]

The first 5 items that Blackmagicmarkel listed is what I'm getting, probably not in that order though. 4 of the 5 are BIS, the belt isn't BIS but it's better then Normal Blackhorns belt and Heroic Blackhorn is a ways away so I think I'll get that soon.

---------- Post added 2011-12-03 at 11:19 AM ----------

I've decided against the waist, and neck you linked as they actually have less mastery than my current toys.

They have less mastery but having a avoidance as a secondary stat on it, where as you have expertise on your neck and waist, will probably make it better. With your gear your should be shying away from Mastery since you are way over the CTC cap at this point, also getting hit or expertise is even more worthless then before with the threat and vengeance increase they gave us.

[Deleted]

They have less mastery but having a avoidance as a secondary stat on it, where as you have expertise on your neck and waist, will probably make it better. With your gear your should be shying away from Mastery since you are way over the CTC cap at this point, also getting hit or expertise is even more worthless then before with the threat and vengeance increase they gave us.

Wrong.
After capping mastery you can either go and get expertise / hit or you stack stamina.
Depends on the encounter but if your healers aren't struggling with their heals it isn't wrong to increase your dmg output.
Especially with encounters like ultraxion etc. where every dmg matters (on hc I think).
Relic -> Ring and then the trinket sometime.

[Deleted]

Bought Relic, will buy neck next week since their isnt one in DS. Maybe buy a few bits and bobs but im going to buy all the deathwing looking armour for transmog. Want my paladin in full deathwing armour

[xtramuscle]

Wrong.
After capping mastery you can either go and get expertise / hit or you stack stamina.
Depends on the encounter but if your healers aren't struggling with their heals it isn't wrong to increase your dmg output.
Especially with encounters like ultraxion etc. where every dmg matters (on hc I think).
Relic -> Ring and then the trinket sometime.

On HC Rag I tanked with 8% hit and around 35-41 exp, ranked 3rd in the world on about 20k dps.. In DS I will be enchanting and gemming for stamina, and putting anything over CTC to exp/hit for maximum dps. Thus making the exp on belt and neck a very useful stat, more so than added avoidance even.

[Shelly]

Wrong.
After capping mastery you can either go and get expertise / hit or you stack stamina.
Depends on the encounter but if your healers aren't struggling with their heals it isn't wrong to increase your dmg output.
Especially with encounters like ultraxion etc. where every dmg matters (on hc I think).
Relic -> Ring and then the trinket sometime.

Um .... most folks choose between stacking stam or lowering mastery and increasing avoidance at that point.

[coltsown]

Bought relic day one and am planning on buying trinket next. Have mats for the bracers from bs which are far better than the vp or drop from ping pong. If I can actually get drops out of DS, streak of 3 drops in 9 weeks on Firelands HC, I will be using the valor to buy os gear.

[davep]

Wrong.
After capping mastery you can either go and get expertise / hit or you stack stamina.
Depends on the encounter but if your healers aren't struggling with their heals it isn't wrong to increase your dmg output.
Especially with encounters like ultraxion etc. where every dmg matters (on hc I think).
Relic -> Ring and then the trinket sometime.

The damage a tank can do with hit and expertise cap is minimal and won't make or break an encounter. I would suggest getting more stamina through gems since a lot of the encounters in DS are very heavy magic damage and reforging for more parry/dodge to keep CTC capped, this will help the healers a lot in DS especially with all the damage going out in all the encounters.

[Mustakrakish]

Don't raid yet but will most likely just go in order or head > chest > boots. Then fill in the gaps with the cheaper ones first.

[xtramuscle]

The damage a tank can do with hit and expertise cap is minimal and won't make or break an encounter. I would suggest getting more stamina through gems since a lot of the encounters in DS are very heavy magic damage and reforging for more parry/dodge to keep CTC capped, this will help the healers a lot in DS especially with all the damage going out in all the encounters.

I strongly disagree with the section I bolded. When we first killed HC Rag, I was tanking and doing 11k DPS. Gaining more hit/exp allowed me to push my DPS to 20k, and allowed us to bring lesser geared players and still make the DPS requirement for 1 meteor in phase 3. It can, and does make or break encounters and I expect fights like HC Ultraxion to be a very similar story