Before Raid Gear Build

[Auroro]

I am working on making couple sets of gears. These set of gear are not from raid dungeon. At the same time, I am not touching any of the crafted items or EoF badge items. This a gear guild for people who want to be cheap and willing to run multiple dungeon.

Enchantment and gemming choices will be base on Swizzle's guild in MMO-Champion: http://www.mmo-champion.com/class-ma...-mage-pve-faq/. Also because of the limited socket, I had to choose a couple purple gem for red sockets, to active the Meta. If you need me to change a couple gems or enchantment, tell me without doing any flaming. Also I choose to not pick what spec since some talent give hit rating. This just before talent and before raid.

Dungeon/2nd rank Badges:

The gears I am using are found in ToC (N/H) and Frozen Halls (Forge of Souls, Pit of Saron, Halls of Reflection). Because these bosses drop EoT, I choose to buy one of the trinket from the EoT badge vendor, Talisman of Resurgence. A huge note for those who said why there is no T9 set, hold on until the third set of gears.

This is 219 gears set, it hold ToC (N/H) gears and Frozen Halls (N).
219 gears set info
Gears:
Head: Tattered Glacial-Woven Hood
Necklace: Coil of Missing Gems
Shoulder: Frayed Abomination Stitching Shoulders
Back: Cloak of the Fallen Cardinal
Chest: Palebone Robes
Wrist: Wristguards of Subterranean Moss
Hands: Marwyn's Macabre Fingertips
Belt: Essence of Anger
Legs: Rimewoven Silks
Feets: Ice-Steeped Sandals
Ring #1: Sinner's Confession
Ring #2: Spiteful Signet
Wand: Coffin Nail
Trinket #1: Abyssal Rune
Trinket #2: Talisman of Resurgence

Ok, this is the 219 weapon choices. Comparing Chilled Heart of the Glacier, Unspeakable Secret, and Splintered Icecrown Parapet. Because there is no offhand in both ToC (N/H) and Frozen Halls (N), I would choose Unspeakable Secret.

You could take a wand from EoT badge vendor, Brimstone Igniter, and not use any of the wands I listed.

Since Abyssal Rune and Talisman of Resurgence are still good that I putting them into the second set and third set of gears.

Second set of gears take items from Frozen Halls (N/H). (Hold on for the T9 set)
232 gears set info
Gears:
Head: Sightless Crown of Ulmaas
Necklace: Arcane Loops of Anger
Shoulder: Very Fashionable Shoulders
Back: Cloak of the Fallen Cardinal
Chest: Ancient Polar Bear Hide
Wrist: Bracer of Worn Molars
Hands: Suspiciously Soft Gloves
Belt: Strip of Remorse
Legs: Rimewoven Silks
Feets: Prelate's Snowshoes
Ring #1: Oath of Empress Zoe
Ring #2: Spiteful Signet
Wand: Soulsplinter
Trinket #1: Abyssal Rune
Trinket #2: Talisman of Resurgence

Ok, now there is a offhand. This is the comparing list of weapon that have 232 item lvl. The offhand is Shriveled Heart. The weapon choice are Surgeon's Needle, Seethe, and Engraved Gargoyle Femur. I like Seethe+Shriveled Heart or Engraved Gargoyle Femur, one of the two is fine by me.

(note: If you want matching set, you need to get Cold Sweat Grips to match above set: Frozen Halls' Blue Cloth Set, it look cool with Engraved Gargoyle Femur )

Last set before you have to do some raiding to get better gear. I am trying to pick what would be a good off piece or just all T9 (232). I have to choose head or shoulder.

Can someone pick which one and the other one will be T9?

Here is the build without the head or shoulder. (will edit once someone pick the head or shoulder)
232 with T9
Gears:
Head: Khadgar's Hood of Conquest/Sunstrider's Hood of Conquest
Necklace: Arcane Loops of Anger
Shoulder: Khadgar's Shoulderpads of Conquest/Sunstrider's Shoulderpads of Conquest
Back: Cloak of the Fallen Cardinal
Chest: Ancient Polar Bear Hide
Wrist: Bracer of Worn Molars
Hands: Khadgar's Gauntlets of Conquest/Sunstrider's Gauntlets of Conquest
Belt: Strip of Remorse
Legs: Khadgar's Leggings of Conquest/Sunstrider's Leggings of Conquest
Feets: Prelate's Snowshoes
Ring #1: Oath of Empress Zoe
Ring #2: Heartmender Circle
Wand: Soulsplinter
Trinket #1: Abyssal Rune
Trinket #2: Talisman of Resurgence

The weapon remain the same as set two.

I hope I did not miss anything.

BOE:

Since some people want the BoE and the Crafted also listed as well I am putting them as their own list you may add them to the list I created at your choice. I will not post the price since there is too much vary between server.

ICC: (will add more item soon)
Wand: Nightmare Ender (264) (Dreamwalker/Sack of Frosty Treasures)
Shoulder: Stiffened Corpse Shoulderpads (Trash)
Wrist: The Lady's Brittle Bracers (264) (Deathwhisper/Sack of Frosty Treasures)
Ring: Marrowgar's Frigid Eye (264) (Marrowgar/Sack of Frosty Treasures)

ICC Crafted:
Feets: Deathfrost Boots
Legs: Leggings of Woven Death
Legs: Lightweave Leggings
Feets: Sandals of Consecration

ToC Crafted:
Wrists: Bejeweled Wizard's Bracers (A)/Bejeweled Wizard's Bracers (H)
Chest: Merlin's Robe (A)/Merlin's Robe (H)

Edit: Add the fix to the set 3.
Edit: Added the BoE list. : :-\ :
Edit: Fix one of the ring in set three since you would have a lot of EoT to get that ring.

[DirewolfX]

So not sure whether your going for Arcane or Fire (it will probably change things).

For set 3, get Ancient Polar Bear Hide from Ick instead of T9 chest and get both T9 helm and shoulders. Shoulders are a must, though.

Honestly, you shouldn't worry about BiS stuff pre-raiding, cause people will eventually get some EoF gear or some random raid drop. Just get whatever is an upgrade at that time.

[Auroro]

So not sure whether your going for Arcane or Fire (it will probably change things).

For set 3, get Ancient Polar Bear Hide from Ick instead of T9 chest and get both T9 helm and shoulders. Shoulders are a must, though.

Honestly, you shouldn't worry about BiS stuff pre-raiding, cause people will eventually get some EoF gear or some random raid drop. Just get whatever is an upgrade at that time.

Someone ask about the best before raid gear build in the PVE Mage guild. I was bored and thought I should answer it as well.

Mostly arcane or fire spec.

Thank for telling me what to change for the Set 3.

Right now I am building set 2 with the Cold Sweat Grips. While I am building this set, I will save my badges for the T9 set, I just bought Talisman of Resurgence, it was a bigger upgrade from what I have.

Do you agree about what I said about the weapons?

I can said that set 3 would work in ICC raid for 1-2 wings.

Also this build does not count the holiday event that is coming up soon. Midsummer boss will drop lvl 80 cloak and I saw a very good one there.

Anyone that is trying to build their mage up to raid both TOC and ICC should do that boss. Shroud of Winter's Chill been upgrade as well as Cloak of the Frigid Winds. They are 232 item lvl.

[Tassir]

Someone ask about the best before raid gear build in the PVE Mage guild. I was bored and thought I should answer it as well.

Mostly arcane or fire spec.

Thank for telling me what to change for the Set 3.

Right now I am building set 2 with the Cold Sweat Grips. While I am building this set, I will save my badges for the T9 set, I just bought Talisman of Resurgence, it was a bigger upgrade from what I have.

Do you agree about what I said about the weapons?

I can said that set 3 would work in ICC raid for 1-2 wings.

Also this build does not count the holiday event that is coming up soon. Midsummer boss will drop lvl 80 cloak and I saw a very good one there.

Anyone that is trying to build their mage up to raid both TOC and ICC should do that boss. Shroud of Winter's Chill been upgrade as well as Cloak of the Frigid Winds. They are 232 item lvl.

That was me that mentioned it. The intent was to give a general direction where a new mage player could gear his alt (or new main) ideally before setting into a raid.

Do keep in mind that both fire and arcane may require different gear, depending on if we were maximising each pre raid set.

At bare minimum, I was considering making 2 sets, both in t9 gear, each set for each raid-viable spec. If someone had the extra time, they could make an additional 2 sets covering t10.

And I do not agree about your list with weapons, any other mage could just grab whatever weapon that was usable at the time. It is clear that the pre raid BIS is quel'delar, or for the poor: seethe. and their OH: shrivelled heart.

you could also make a list of BOEs a mage may be interested in I.E. cloak/shroud of displacement, ladys brittle bracers, blood queens crimson choker to name off a few.

I would also not include the cloaks from the summer events. you'll make many a frostbadge by the time a holiday event rolls in. Your better off just mentioning the frost badge cloak, or a 219 equivilent.

[Auroro]

That was me that mentioned it. The intent was to give a general direction where a new mage player could gear his alt (or new main) ideally before setting into a raid.

Do keep in mind that both fire and arcane may require different gear, depending on if we were maximising each pre raid set.

At bare minimum, I was considering making 2 sets, both in t9 gear, each set for each raid-viable spec. If someone had the extra time, they could make an additional 2 sets covering t10.

And I do not agree about your list with weapons, any other mage could just grab whatever weapon that was usable at the time. It is clear that the pre raid BIS is quel'delar, or for the poor: seethe. and their OH: shrivelled heart.

you could also make a list of BOEs a mage may be interested in I.E. cloak/shroud of displacement, ladys brittle bracers, blood queens crimson choker to name off a few.

I would also not include the cloaks from the summer events. you'll make many a frostbadge by the time a holiday event rolls in. Your better off just mentioning the frost badge cloak, or a 219 equivilent.

OK, then reason why I did not listed any of the BoE that drop in ICC because they cost somewhere between 5k gold to 10k gold in the AH. I am not making a guild that tell people that they need to have a lot of gold to get those items, same with crafted items. I do agree about the weapon however same reason why i do not listed is that it cost 10k gold and the drop rate is 2%, you have to ask guild member if they are willing to farm for it, meaning killing all the trash before the first boss and reset it.

I just reminding people that the summer event is the best time to get very good cloak, they are the only cloak in the game that are 232 and are not in the raid.

I do agree that arcane and fire spec have different needs from gear however the gear choices in Frozen Halls and ToC is limited. You have to understand that i build these set of gear base on the limit and chance to get those gear. The only time you would see the different is in the Set 3, where you can choose 4/5 of T9, and the last one can be whatever.

If you did win the Hilt then grats, if not then seethe or the staff would help more and is fine in ICC.

[Tassir]

Alright, heres my bit.

the 219 and the 232 non-t9 set seem like a waste: noones going to aim for them, and it seems more logical to use pieces from those sets to piece together 2 232 t9 sets, one with the hit rating for fire, the other with the hit rating for arcane.

what I meant for weps/BOEs was to put them in seperate lists: LISTS instead of gearsets. this is to show a non-raiding/fresh 80 mage whats availble, at what price/drop. It should be the fresh 80's thought to use BOEs from raiding instances to fill the gaps in his/her current gear.

the 2 sets of t10 are for the same idea: using 219-232 heroic gear/BOEs to fashion a working gearset with reasonable stats and caps like hit, achieved for the spec he decided to play.

don't forget to mention crafted 245 gear. Merlin's and bejewelled are still very nice.

[Auroro]

Alright, heres my bit.

the 219 and the 232 non-t9 set seem like a waste: noones going to aim for them, and it seems more logical to use pieces from those sets to piece together 2 232 t9 sets, one with the hit rating for fire, the other with the hit rating for arcane.

what I meant for weps/BOEs was to put them in seperate lists: LISTS instead of gearsets. this is to show a non-raiding/fresh 80 mage whats availble, at what price/drop. It should be the fresh 80's thought to use BOEs from raiding instances to fill the gaps in his/her current gear.

the 2 sets of t10 are for the same idea: using 219-232 heroic gear/BOEs to fashion a working gearset with reasonable stats and caps like hit, achieved for the spec he decided to play.

don't forget to mention crafted 245 gear. Merlin's and bejewelled are still very nice.

I agree.

However, you do know that the list I created have 12.92% hit rating (Frozen Halls/T9), 15.21% (Frozen Halls H), 8.84% (ToC/Frozen Halls).

You have reach the hit cap for Arcane or Fire that is listed in the guild, created by Swizzle. I created the list with the alliance ideas however it is close to the cap for the horde as well.

TOTAL HIT REQUIRED

Arcane: 17%
TtW/fire: 17%
FFB: 17%
Frost: 17%

HIT FROM TALENTS

Arcane: 6% (Precision+Arcane Focus)
TtW/fire: 0%
FFB: 3% (Precision)
Frost: 3% (Precision)

RAIDWIDE HIT BUFFS

3% from Misery or Improved Faerie Fire
1% alliance from Heroic Presence

HIT REQUIRED FROM GEAR

Arcane: 8% (7% alliance)
TtW/fire: 14% (13% alliance)
FFB: 11% (10% alliance)
Frost: 11% (10% alliance)

You just need to go to ICC to get better gears. Also you can do ICC in all 232 gears, you do not have to go all 245.

I add the BoE list however the price vary in different server. Like one server might have a ICC BoE at 5k while the other one would have it at 12k.

I add the crafted BoE since you want know. I think they just a waste because you have to get the mats and find the person to created the armor. Again vary in different server with the price. IF you farm the mats that fine but again the elemental mats is vary from server to server. (Like my server is alliance friendly and horde player would have to take a longer time to get those mats.)

I will not post the price of the BoE since there is too much vary.

Here is the link for the BoE that you listed with T9: http://www.wowhead.com/profile=21397740.

I update the list however do you want me to add the ULD crafted items.

[Tassir]

I've taken that wowhead profile, and optimized it.

http://www.wowhead.com/profile=21404992

This should be the gearset of a preraid mage, in t9, specced arcane.

I did include merlin's and bewjeweled. I did NOT include BOEs from toc 25, or ICC.

[DirewolfX]

I think an important question to ask yourselves is:

Are you gearing up to raid or gearing up to be effective outside of raids?

If you're gearing up to raid, honestly, you don't need to max everything out. Aim for as many 232s as possible (and 219s in the rest of the slots, except for some odd items like Abyssal Rune). Definitely 232 weapon and 4pt9. Go Arcane so you reach hit cap easily. Once you're there, you should be good to get into some raids, and then the 251 gear will start flowing in and make the BiS list obsolete.

If you're not gearing up to raid, you can basically ignore hit for Arcane (you have 6% bonus from talents, and that's enough to have 100% hit on any non-raid mob) and only need like 6% for Fire. That makes your selections very different...

[Tassir]

I think an important question to ask yourselves is:

Are you gearing up to raid or gearing up to be effective outside of raids?

your forgetting the middle road: alts that with this gear, can jump into raids if needed, and still preform reasonably well.

I'd definately take that mage if it was someone's alt. It means that they know what their doing with the class.

[Auroro]

your forgetting the middle road: alts that with this gear, can jump into raids if needed, and still preform reasonably well.

I'd definately take that mage if it was someone's alt. It means that they know what their doing with the class.

you did not answer my question about ULD crafted items?

Should I add them?

[Tassir]

you did not answer my question about ULD crafted items?

Should I add them?

Forgot about that.

No. don't bother with uld craftables. Just mention that they could be used for a herald of the titans set. Nothing more.