Weapons for Brewmaster

[Drunkonbrew]

I have a fully upgraded Screaming Tiger from MSV so ilevel 497 but recently I got the heroic version of Gara'kal from the third boss and my off hand would be the lfr (not upgraded) from the last boss in HoF. Just wondering what would be a better choice.
Thanks

[Bezoar]

From my experience good two hander > great + mediocre 1 hands

[R0ninX3ph]

The general rule for weapons is go for the higher ilvl of the two. H Gara'kal is 502 and the Claw is 483, which gives an average item level of ~492, which is lower than the 497 of the polearm. However, you need to remember that the Claw is sha-touched and can take that shiny gem from the legendary quest that you should have, and if you have completed the next stage, having the prismatic socket is even more bonus stats.

Combined with DW giving a steadier flow of Elusive Brew procs I personally would go with the "lower" ilvl option of Gara'kal and LFR Claw over the double upgraded polearm. Remember, in 5.3 upgrading is returning, so if you are super unlucky with drops before that, you will be able to double upgrade both of your weapons to be easily better than that polearm.

[Drunkonbrew]

Awesome thanks! I'm gonna just keep both and see what I like for different fights.

[houndstooth]

I have a 484 inscription staff on my BM Monk and recently I also picked up a a 502 LFR 1h axe and a 476 LFR Fist of Gara'jal.
Just in terms of pure primary and secondary stats, it was still pretty close....even if I considered two 502 LFR weapons.
For comparison:

484 staff:
1093 agi
1639 stam
729 crit
729 master

502 1h weapon x2:
948 agi
1664 stam
660 crit
660 mastery
[2 blue gem sockets]

The big difference of course is the DPS. I guess that just depends on how important that is to you in your raid. For me the 502 +476 just wasn't enough of an upgrade (luckily I got the 502 staff a day later).

[R0ninX3ph]

I find it interesting that you would choose go to with the 2H, though congrats on the 502 Staff ( ), I originally was 2H but once I was able to, I switched to DW and have never looked back, I don't think I could handle not being able to bank on almost 100% uptime on Elusive Brew, 2H requires significantly more to make that a possibility than DW does.

[Alucin]

Sha touched gem... To upgrade or not...

Darkwood spirit staff (522) vs claws of shek'zeer N 2/2 (504) + kura kura, kazrajin's axe (522)

From my calculation, upgrade to staff gives:
-174 agi
+400stam
+226 crit
+645 mastery
-295 exp

Assuming crit, stam/crit for socket, reforges not included. I'd also lose 1x dancing steel.
Does this add up to a switch to the staff?

Also, can I put wrathion's prismatic slot on this weapon, keeping it on the claw too, in case I want to swap back? Or is it unique?

[Rorixis]

Sha touched gem... To upgrade or not...

Darkwood spirit staff (522) vs claws of shek'zeer N 2/2 (504) + kura kura, kazrajin's axe (522)

From my calculation, upgrade to staff gives:
-174 agi
+400stam
+226 crit
+645 mastery
-295 exp

Assuming crit, stam/crit for socket, reforges not included. I'd also lose 1x dancing steel.
Does this add up to a switch to the staff?

Also, can I put wrathion's prismatic slot on this weapon, keeping it on the claw too, in case I want to swap back? Or is it unique?

I dual wield double kura kura and they both have the prismatic slot. As for the swap, u can use the dual wield when u need higher dps and steadier elusive brew gain. If u need higher survivability such as a spell damage fight u could use staff - in that case i would prolly gem the staff with stamina.

[Alucin]

Was your second axe an improvement over a sha touched fist?

---------- Post added 2013-04-06 at 01:32 AM ----------

ok... after tonight i have...

http://www.wowhead.com/item=95507 Darkwood Spiritstaff - 522
http://www.wowhead.com/item=94954 hand of the dark animus -522
http://www.wowhead.com/item=94759 Kura-Kura, Kazra'jin's Skullcleaver -522
http://www.wowhead.com/item=86226 Claws of Shek'zeer 2/2 - ilvl 504

...
help.

[Areohotah]

Was your second axe an improvement over a sha touched fist?

---------- Post added 2013-04-06 at 01:32 AM ----------

ok... after tonight i have...

http://www.wowhead.com/item=95507 Darkwood Spiritstaff - 522
http://www.wowhead.com/item=94954 hand of the dark animus -522
http://www.wowhead.com/item=94759 Kura-Kura, Kazra'jin's Skullcleaver -522
http://www.wowhead.com/item=86226 Claws of Shek'zeer 2/2 - ilvl 504

...
help.

Use hand of dark animus and kura kura. put a prismatic socket on both. dancing steel both.

[Wombus]

Was your second axe an improvement over a sha touched fist?

---------- Post added 2013-04-06 at 01:32 AM ----------

ok... after tonight i have...

Darkwood Spiritstaff - 522
hand of the dark animus -522
Kura-Kura, Kazra'jin's Skullcleaver -522
Claws of Shek'zeer 2/2 - ilvl 504

...
help.

I wish I had these problems! If in this situation I would absolutely go for Hand + Kura-Kura with prismatic sockets in both, and dancing steel on both. The synergies between elusive brew and stagger from 2pce t15 are outstanding so I wouldn't want to pass up the more and steadier charges of EB.

I think you'll also find after factoring in enchant uptimes and the extra sockets from 2x1hs your overall stat gains are higher than using a staff.

[Alucin]

I wish I had these problems! If in this situation I would absolutely go for Hand + Kura-Kura with prismatic sockets in both, and dancing steel on both. The synergies between elusive brew and stagger from 2pce t15 are outstanding so I wouldn't want to pass up the more and steadier charges of EB.

I think you'll also find after factoring in enchant uptimes and the extra sockets from 2x1hs your overall stat gains are higher than using a staff.

yeah, i know it sounds like whinging, but i've got them all on coin rolls when i've been going for tier or trinkets - i think i'd much rather have 2 pc T15 than 20 different weapons to pick from, any of which are good.

[Deleted]

is the claw of shekzeer ilvl517 a better offhand than any 1hand on this tier (15)? including upgrades from 5.3 (thunderforged heroic upgraded would be ilvl549)


that would be

ilvl549
(5430.1 damage per second)
+772 Agility
+1288 Stamina
+486 Critical Strike
+554 Haste
+red socket
+60agi
+prismatic

= 912 agi, 966 crit, 554 haste, 1288 stamina -- 5430.1 dps

vs

ilvl 517
(4030.1 damage per second)
+637 Agility
+955 Stamina
+478 Critical Strike
+332 Expertise
+500agi
+prismatic

= 1137 agi, 798 crit, 332exp, 955 stamina -- 4030.1dps