3.02 Druid Gear

[rowdynick25]

I understand that Bear tanks are very good right now at lvl 80, but I have a question about lvl 70.

My druid just dinged 70 and I'd like to get him into Kara for a few weeks before the expansion comes out, but many of the items he was supposed to get are being changed. For example, The Thick Clefthoof Pieces, chest legs and boots, were the best in slot for a tank entering kara. Now, without a necessity for defense, and with the +armor being wiped off, I don't know whether they will be strong pieces, or what my alternatives would be. The same is true of The Iron Band of the Unbreakable from Durnholde; it had extra armor stam and defense, and I don't know how useful that will be.I had also followed a guide so I could pick up Earthwarden for tanking, but with the stat changes, I don't know whether that will be worth it either.

If someone could please clarify the changes to gear, and, if you know of any, suggest replacement gear if these pieces aren't as strong, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

[Tygroen]

The armor changes for gear won't be in effect pre-WOTLK.

[Semi]

Uhm.. it's coming with patch 3.0 that's coming a few weeks before Wotlk.

OP, just go for whatever has the most agi/stam.

[bobbi]

On the PTR, the armor changes have occurred, so they will effect you when the patch hits. It is important to remember that the removal of +armor as a stat only effect the leather pieces. Rings, Earthwarden, etc. will be uneffected. Also, the ability to be uncrittable via talents will be in place.

I haven't crunched the numbers on this, but in general this will make defense more or less worthless post-patch. It will still provide some small benefit, but so little as to make almost any other tanking stat preferable. However, given the armor bonus from dire bear, any remaining items with +armor become even more valuable.

What does this mean? Well, Earthwarden is likely still one of the best tanking staves due to the armor and other stats. Iron Band will still be quite good due to the armor and stamina. The Thick Clefthoof are the pieces I would have the biggest questions about. They do come with decent stamina and gem slots, but don't have any other tanking stats to speak of (agi, dodge, etc.). If you're looking at easy to acquire items, you might want to look at the Nomads Leggings from consortium rep. (I don't know it is better, but it was the first that jumped out at me as a likely one to compare).

The other thing to remember is that the other stats on pieces with +armor are being increased to compensate for the loss of that stat. Check wotlk.wowhead.com if you want to see what your pieces are likely to become after the patch.

[Tygroen]

Ignore my uninformed answer then. The last time I went on the ptr, the changes to armor had not been made to my knowledge, but that probably did change.

As to more bonus armor on rings and such, to my knowledge they have not increased the armor of anything in the cloak, ring, trinket, neck slots for 3.0. I double checked with wotlk.wowhead.com and the stats for the Great Violet Signet, and Slikk's Cloak remained the same.

And Earthwarden was a mace, not a staff, and is currently the best mace in game right now for feral druid tanks I am being a smart ass, of course.

[Semi]

I guess you only have feral pvp-gear?

It is true that pvp-gear still has the increased armor, but this will get fixed before 3.0 goes live (I hope).

[Tygroen]

I certainly have more than pvp gear, that just happens to be what I am wearing atm.

[bobbi]

Heh - true enough. Earthwarden is a mace.

Re-reading I wasn't very clear. I meant that the leather items with +armor are getting their other stats boosted to compensate for the loss of the armor increase. Rings, etc. with +armor would be unchanged.

I don't have the reference handy, but there was a blue post somewhere about the pvp leather retaining the +armor stat being a bug.

[rowdynick25]

Thanks for the clarification, I appreciate it.

Now what do you think would be best to replace the pieces that lost the armor. The Clefthoof Set lost the most because of lack of armor and usefulness of defense as a stat, but I was also looking into Manimal's Cinch, Umberhowl's Collar and Verdant Gloves, which will all have armor removed. Does anyone have suggestions for these spots (gloves, chest, legs, feet, bracers and belt)?

[Furo]

As someone said before, you can basically go with all rogue gear now.
Don't bother to look at the armor any longer, just go for the pieces with most stam and agi for tanking, ofc rings etc with bonus armor stay the same as before.