Spriest Stat Balance

[Csalt]

Hey hey. Long time reader, but this is my first post. I've had a question that's been bugging me for a while now, and am hoping the members here can help me out.

We all know the PP numbers for spriests, and we all know that a relative balance of stats is good to have, instead of just stacking a single stat like SP. That said, what stats take priority once you have others where you want them?

Assuming hit rating stays the exact same (just above cap), should we aim for 11% haste, even if it means dropping a little crit and some SP? This is my dilemma. I have 2 sets of gear - one that puts me at 9% haste, with crit and SP numbers right where I want them, and another that puts me at 11% haste, but drops 1% crit and 100 SP when compared to the first set. Though PP shows crit/SP to be superior to haste, I feel that each stat has it's advantages when you have certain amounts of it. Though numbers dictate it is not, is having that extra 2% haste worth the losses in other areas?

Basically, do you feel that there's a certain number you should have a stat at, even if it means sacrificing a technically superior stat? Is it personal preference or a numbers game?

I'm very sorry if this should be obvious to me, but I've gone over it in my head a million times, and have read about as much as I can without my brain exploding.

[Pheonixis]

I'd say stick with the set that gives you the most dps ^^

Well, take the gear that gives you 9% haste. I think you'll find it gives you more dps.

[Srsbznss]

SP is always king. followed by crit.

i try to keep crit over 18% (mines 20%) unbuff'd.

gem/chant for SP only. only need two blue gems for the meta. socket bonuses (unless they are more SP) are never needed.

haste fills in the rest of the slots. more is better, but it's lower then SP and Crit.

[Strykzor]

You want 9% haste as someone said.
Spellpower is our next best stat, its value will never diminish.
Crit is a close 2nd, the lower and higher your crit is the less value it is, the tipping point is around 40% crit, raid buffed
Haste, if you dont have a good ping, ie 100 or less, haste is a terrible stat, chances are u will bearly see a dps increase, Ulduar gear is choc-a-block full of haste gear, so u will end up with alot, quite sad really.

Hit, not worth the 1.2 pp as said on sp.com, its value varies the different ammounts u have.

at around 260 Hit rating SP is a better stat.

[Pheonixis]

You want 9% haste as someone said.
Spellpower is our next best stat, its value will never diminish.
Crit is a close 2nd, the lower and higher your crit is the less value it is, the tipping point is around 40% crit, raid buffed
Haste, if you dont have a good ping, ie 100 or less, haste is a terrible stat, chances are u will bearly see a dps increase, Ulduar gear is choc-a-block full of haste gear, so u will end up with alot, quite sad really.

Hit, not worth the 1.2 pp as said on sp.com, its value varies the different ammounts u have.

at around 260 Hit rating SP is a better stat.

However, you should ALWAYS aim to be hit capped...

[Funkbucket]

so after hit cap and about 19-20% crit? go for haste if possable?
or stack SP?

[Pheonixis]

If you just stack SP to the top of your ability, i.e gem and enchant for it, I think you'll find that the crit comes naturally, as a lot of the BiS-items have crit as well.

As mentioned, to get the bonus from your meta you'll need two blue gems, and it's abviseable to place them in such sockets that you get some good socket bonus from it. A great example is Collar of the Wyrmhunter which has a +9 SP as a socket bonus. Also, if there's any yellow sockets with like +5 SP or more you might want to consider putting an SP/crit gem in there.

[Srsbznss]

at around 260 Hit rating SP is a better stat.

umm... no. hit rating should be capp'd at 289. at 289 i sometimes miss my first cast (b4 missery get applied) and it is really annoying.

[Worshaka]

This is a very odd post... the OP says he understands you don't stack any single stat then goes on to ask what stat should he stack? There is no answer to that question because you never stack a single stat.

Basically there are thresholds for when each stat becomes better than another, and those thresholds are described by the PP values. So if an item has greater PP than another item it indicates it's an upgrade.

There is some discussion at the moment about devaluing haste once you reach 11.11%, I don't actually agree with those sentiments but it's obvious that the value of haste is diminished past 11.11%. To what extent is a bit of a mystery, some say the value of haste is 0 past this point but I highly doubt that is true. There is a post about shadow haste cap you can read through if you want to understand that discussion a bit more.

I don't agree with strykzor about Uld gear having massive amounts of haste, spriest BiS uld gear only has 420 haste, spriest BiS pre Uld gear was closer to 500. If you want to add the 4pc T8 bonus I guess you can argue its 660 haste, but the actual raw haste on gear is slightly less now than it was for the first tier of content.

In any case, getting back to the OP, you don't stack any stat... SP is an effecient gem and enchant choice compared to the crit and haste alternatives. SP & haste are guaranteed methods of dps increase whereas crit is subject to RNG and the law of averages. You are going to have to make up your own mind if you feel there are soft caps for stats such as haste, there is no available mathematics which can actually prove those caps due to the vast amount of variables and difference in encounters. If you want my opinion, go with the highest PP set you can obtain and try nto to let your crit or haste get too far apart.

[Csalt]

This is a very odd post... the OP says he understands you don't stack any single stat then goes on to ask what stat should he stack? There is no answer to that question because you never stack a single stat.

Basically there are thresholds for when each stat becomes better than another, and those thresholds are described by the PP values. So if an item has greater PP than another item it indicates it's an upgrade.

Sorry if my wording was awkward in that original post, but yes, I thoroughly understand that we do not single-stat stack as spriests. Basically, I was just wondering if it's preferable to make sure you have a specific amount of a stat (haste for example) before you start picking up others. To put it another way, if PP values change once you have more than a specific amount of a stat.

Still, you answered my (crappily worded) question perfectly guys. Thanks.

[Worshaka]

PP values always change, they are strictly only true for a specific set of stats, the moment those stats deviate the PP values are no longer correct.

There is some discussion about whether there is a soft haste cap... personally i've yet to read anything that conclusively proves there is one. My dps spikes every BL which is 30% haste so I don't see how haste has a 0 pp value past 600ish.

I still think the best strat is to get the highest PP value set you can get access to. Once you get there you can reassess what you feel your set needs... some like to drop a bit of haste for more crit. Personally i'd never drop any SP for crit or haste because SP is a guaranteed method of increasing DPS.

[Zoulis]

I'm also hanging between crit and haste...
i got 2263 spell power
       20.5% crit
       11% haste
completely unbuffed
hit capped ofc....And as i am a JC i am gemmed full spell power with the crit chance +crit strike dmg meta.

the only prob is that i wanna skip the pants from the tier set and get the shoulders instead...and as atm i have valo shoulder and KT leggings  i'll have a 2% haste decrease but a 1.5% crit inscrease.... though with the 4set bonus(only 3parts atm :S ) i will still be able to keep 2 MF in between of 2 MB and still have time to refresh a dot..... but then i'm thinking of just getting both pants(healing ones actually more spell power and haste) and shoulders and keeping my haste at it's current lvl perhaps +20 haste approx and my crit at it's current lvl.... this is my alternative.
But i think i will go with crit cause i think that after i can get 2 MFs inbetween 2 MBs haste should come without changing u'r other stats..

Cheers

Zoulis