Gem Attributes - Blue & Melee DPS?

[Nurvus]

Apart from melee DPS all classes and specs have something going for them in each color.
Even when some specs ignore socket bonus for a certain superior gem attribute, there is still a mathematical decision - a choice - behind it.
For melee dps, however, there is no choice at all.
Enhancement Shaman might be an exception to this, but would they ever gem Mp5 (Infused)?

Spirit Casters:
Red = SP
Yellow = Crit, Hit, Haste, Int
Blue = Spirit

Mp5 Casters:
Red = SP
Yellow = Crit, Hit, Haste, Int
Blue = Mp5

Hunters:
Red = AP, Agi, ArP
Yellow = Crit, Hit, Haste, Int
Blue = Mp5, Stamina (Survival)

Tanks:
Red = Dodge, Parry, Expertise
Yellow = Defense, Hit, Haste, Crit
Blue = Stamina

Melee:
Red = Str, AP, Agi, Expertise, ArP
Yellow = Crit, Hit, Haste
Blue = >Nothing<

Suggestion: Expertise as a Blue gem attribute.
It's not always necessary, depending on gear, so it would be a choice.

Socket bonuses (with blue sockets) wouldn't be an illusion for Melee DPS anymore... we might actually use them.

[Nikoll]

at this opint of this xpack Idc. Mastery, if it is gemable, should be blue. Dunno if mastery is gemable or spec or gated stuff. Haven't put a lot of thought into it.

[Wartorn]

http://www.wowhead.com/?item=49110 + http://www.wowhead.com/?item=41398

[Nurvus]

http://www.wowhead.com/?item=49110 + the tbc version of 3% crit dmg

2 Blue sockets covered. (I need a link to that "tbc version of 3% crit dmg" that fits into a blue socket...)
Often you get a few more than that in your gear.

Still not the best design, is it?

[JukeSkywalker]

Seriously?


Casters DON'T gem blues. You get 2 for your meta if youre a dps, and thats it. If you have 3 blue sockets in your gear all-told, you gem 2 of them with the best 2 socket bonuses, and the other is usually a Runed, a Reckless, or even a Quick.

[Nurvus]

Seriously?


Casters DON'T gem blues. You get 2 for your meta if youre a dps, and thats it. If you have 3 blue sockets in your gear all-told, you gem 2 of them with the best 2 socket bonuses, and the other is usually a Runed, a Reckless, or even a Quick.

Casters do gem blues, depending on spec. I'm not talking about "pure blue gem".
I'm talking about Blue, Purple or Green - the blue "portion" of the gem that is useless to melee, but useful to casters.
You actually get something meaningful out of a Purified Dreastone as a lock, Energized Eye of Zul as resto Shaman, etc.
Melee DPSers have no benefit whatsoever from the Dreadstones, Eye of Zul or Majestic Zircon.

Whether your class gemmed Spirit/Mp5, and maybe now doesn't, and maybe might do so again in the future, is not the issue here.
There is actually a design that encourages casters towards ignoring the blue socket bonus or not, often depending on the rest of your gear - but the design exists.
Melees have no design at all towards blue gems - Nightmare Tear. No design, just a specific scenario.

Casters have choices like "Do I go 23 sp + 12 sp & 12 spirit + 5 sp from socket, or ignore socket and go 46 sp?"
That's a 40 sp & 12 spirit vs 46 sp - and since Spirit actually helps you heal better or dps better, you actually make a choice there.

A Melee deciding between 40 str or 20 str + 10 str&15 sta + 6 str socket bonus, isn't facing a choice. It's always 40 str all the way.

[jai151]

Tanks:
Red = Dodge, Parry, Expertise
Yellow = Defense, Hit, Haste, Crit
Blue = Stamina

Are you high?

That being said, yes, melee have no direct upgrade blue gems to match a socket or activate a meta. Blue seems to be used primarily for raising/restoring pools (Health, MP5, Spirit, etc) and I don't know what would really fit there for melee.

[Unholyground]

at this opint of this xpack Idc. Mastery, if it is gemable, should be blue. Dunno if mastery is gemable or spec or gated stuff. Haven't put a lot of thought into it.

Mastery is a static bonus you get for placing a certain number of talent points into a tree. Has nothing to do with gems aside from many gem stats will become irrelevant such as armor penetration.

[evan_s]

Enhancement Shaman might be an exception to this, but would they ever gem Mp5 (Infused)?

No enhancement shaman should EVER gem for MP5. We have TONS of mana regen/saving capabilities from talents (Imp storm strike, Shamanistic rage, Shamanistic focus and elemental focus). Really we generally do so well we don't even take all of those instead opting for other talents that add even minor dps increases.

As an enhancement shaman I would like to see something other than sta or tears for a blue slot. My warlock uses SP/Spirit gems for several of his blue slots because he gets as much or more spell power as gemming straight spell power and gets some other slight benefits from spirit (possible mana regen outta 5 second rule and lifetap scaling with spirit).