How to get raid-worthy gear but not run LFR (applies to WoD as well)

[ShasVa]

How do I go about getting raid-worthy gear without having to go through that insufferable LFR mode? I'd really not like to be in that toxic environment ever again if possible.

[Garkanh]

timeless isle gear with burdens and some luck on the world bosses will get you geared for flex part 1 (ilvl 520). then do flex and normal.

[Deleted]

Do Ordos/Celestials, get 496-gear and use burden of eternity on them, get some 522 pvp-pieces if possible, thats how I would go about it.

Actually gonna take a fresh dinged character and see how fast I can get him flex-ready without stepping foot into LFR, could be a fun challenge.

[ShasVa]

Do Ordos/Celestials, get 496-gear and use burden of eternity on them, get some 522 pvp-pieces if possible, thats how I would go about it.

Actually gonna take a fresh dinged character and see how fast I can get him flex-ready without stepping foot into LFR, could be a fun challenge.

I wish you luck with that challenge.

In WoD, will it be possible to skip LFR entirely?

[Socialhealer]

i believe the only way would be the

craftable 522 boots/head
craftable, 553 belt/legs
celestials can drop 550 gear, all pieces except chest/shoulders/head? and 553 tier gloves/legs
farm timeless isle for burdens of eternity thats 535 ilvl pieces
farm 50000 timeless coins for 535 trinket from timeless isle npc
grind honor or justice points then trade that into honor and buy 522 pvp items
do arena for conquest points buy 550 pvp gear(better than anything from flex/LFR, except trinkets)

- - - Updated - - -

I wish you luck with that challenge.

In WoD, will it be possible to skip LFR entirely?

i believe they said so heroic 5mans will drop gear equal to LFR. offering a different gearing path.

[drockrock]

You can run Heroic Dungeons to gear up for raids in WoD.

[Qly]

LFR is only 528 upgradable to 536 so it's not all that great
I boosted my rogue a couple of weeks ago and she's 544 now with a combination of:
- Ordos
- Celestials (both 550 pvp gear and 553 pve tier gear)
- Craftable gear (legs and belt)
- Arenas (cap is 12200 now which should get you weapons, rings, an expensive set piece and 2 unexpensive ones) which are 550 and are better than anything you'll get outside normals and heroics (upgraded flex is 548)
If you have a friend that's geared he can carry you to cap in about 4 hours, if you have another friend thats fresh as you, then it's gonna take longer, i'd say 2 sittings of 4 hours (done both)
- 522s from honor - get honor from thunder isle, and the 3 bosses in the enemy base in karasang
- timeless isle 535s (at least 1 "free" another just from questing and rep farming)
The only thing you'll miss from lfr are trinkets, as SoO trinkets are VERY good, even LFR ones, and of course tier gear..
However, by the time you're a bit geared you can start doing flex and skip lfr

[Alroxas]

I wish you luck with that challenge.

In WoD, will it be possible to skip LFR entirely?

Yes. Your gearing paths in WoD is much more flexible. On one hand you could go do LFR after Normal Dungeons or you can go do Heroic Dungeons which rewards loot that is approximately equal to LFR gear in WoD.

Note that if you want to do Heroic Dungeons in WoD you will either have to get a Silver in Proving Grounds first (so you can use the LFD tool) or form a premade group of 5 people (similar to how Heroic Scenarios currently work in Mists).

As for gearing in Mists to skip LFR, your options are pretty limited. Timeless Isle tokens are 496 (boosted to 535 with Burdens of Eternity) but these items aren't as well optimized across the board for all classes. The Celestials can drop 553 ilv (Normal Raid) gloves and pants which allows you to pick up the 2pc bonus of T16 but you run the risk of getting PvP gear. And if you have completed the legendary cloak questline on at least 1 character on your account, you can go fight Ordos for some really nice raid worthy gear.

Don't forget to get the coins for the extra loot rolls.

Lastly, for a better raid experience, try going into Flex groups. 510~525 ilv should be able to handle the 1st two wings (first 8 bosses) decently. Openraid is a great resource and try to look for groups that are listed as beginner/intermediate level. Advanced groups are typically looking for speed runs and they are a bit more demanding of the players they want in.

[Socialhealer]

It's something that needs to be addressed in WoD. I hopped into lfr on my warlock alt I geared from timeless / celestials over the course of 5 months got 531 ilevel from that btw and lfr was the most horrible thing I have ever experienced. 3 wipes on malk people doing 60-100k Dps at best. Truely an appalling creation.

got my fresh druid to 523 in 1 week, nothing crafted no grinding just clearing LFR, but is a 574 heirloom mace cheating?

[ShasVa]

Silver in Proving Grounds - do you mean I should try for it now in MoP?

[Frozenbeef]

ordos/ celestials drop high ilevel but you need to be lucky/ use bonus rolls, then you can also use burdens to upgrade timeless isle gear

[lunchbox2042]

Most of the alts I play just do Ordos/Celestials weekly for gear. I stop running LFR once I get a 528 weapon and a trinket or two.

[Luneward]

It's something that needs to be addressed in WoD. I hopped into lfr on my warlock alt I geared from timeless / celestials over the course of 5 months got 531 ilevel from that btw and lfr was the most horrible thing I have ever experienced. 3 wipes on malk people doing 60-100k Dps at best. Truely an appalling creation.

Read their latest watercooler on WoD raiding. I'm guessing a much smaller difference between heroic dungeon and LFR loot. Normal dungeons will be enough to get ready for LFR. Also says that Heroic dungeons are going to be more difficult than LFR is. So it looks like they're trying for parallel forms of advancement instead of strictly linear. Will be interesting to see if it works.

[ShasVa]

This is my Protection Paladin (Holy off-spec, healing is actually not that bad) --> http://us.battle.net/wow/en/characte...yryso/advanced

LFR is useless to him now anyway. I've been lucky enough to get two Ordos pieces - they sacrifice the 4pc for greater stats, which is okay by me. Although sometimes Flex can be frustrating as well. In any case, I see no need to run LFR on this one now.

By the way, about that Proving Grounds requirement for WoD Heroic Dungeons...do I get it in MoP, or wait to get it in WoD?

[Vargur]

How do I go about getting raid-worthy gear without having to go through that insufferable LFR mode? I'd really not like to be in that toxic environment ever again if possible.

Do ToT heroic then, 540+ in a few resets.
In WoD, well, raid..

[MrExcelion]

PVP gear is very appealing to fresh 90s with this extra season. 522 Honor and 550 Conq

[Deleted]

luck and pvp gear will get you far, if you are lucky you can get 2p T16 and 2 warforged 559 pieces of timeless isle and fill up the rest with timeless/pvp gear.
Only crapy part is trinkets

[blackblade]

timeless isle gear with burdens and some luck on the world bosses will get you geared for flex part 1 (ilvl 520). then do flex and normal.

Alternatively, you can run 5mans for 522 pvp gear and vp gear (the VP gear being upgradeable.)

Arena is a good option too, Conquest gear is 550.

[Blackmist]

It's always been possible to skip LFR.

Getting into groups depends on you being there for Flex in the early stages before everyone has a load of loot and starts being a dick about it.

"Must have better gear than me" for casual content has been an issue since groups were running vanilla dungeons. It's not going to go away.

[Alroxas]

Silver in Proving Grounds - do you mean I should try for it now in MoP?

Probably not. Proving Grounds are getting overhauled in WoD and these new Proving Grounds are what you need to get Silver in to queue (via Group Finder Tool) for Heroic Dungeons in WoD. You can still preform 5 people to go do Heroic Dungeons without doing the Proving Grounds.