Saturday, January 24, 2009

HIT ME! DPS Armor for the Holy Priest (Part Two)

Last article I found some weapons and trinkets that would be useful to increase spell hit rating. Today I will explore the world of cloth armor. Thankfully, vests have been left out of Northrend, probably because they don't keep our legs warm enough. Unfortunately, depending on your choice to get this gear, a lot of it looks about the same. Much like any fighting force, we now have uniforms. You fashionistas will just have to accessorize with a cute mini pet.

Let's start with Robes. The most obvious piece on your character, this one also is the one most heavily laden with stats. Before I go into easily attainable blue gear, I want to touch on crafted epic gear. If you heal raids, more than likely you have already crafted a Moonshroud Robe, or even a Spellweave Robe for the additional haste rating. So you know the materials are not very hard to come by. Therefore, I propose you set your mind to gathering the needed materials for the Ebonweave Robe. Why? Why not? I thought I'd throw in that it would work in any spec, but shadow doesn't need as much hit to cap, so you'd probably favor one of the other two for the added spirit. It's just nice to have.

Blue quality robes are not too hard to acquire. From Boss drops, we have to offer Water-Drenched Robe. With luck, Ichoron from Violet Hold(heroic) will be one of your encounters, and he will drop it. This is the most desirable choice, for the sockets and higher hit rating, even if it is very serviceable looking and blue. From reputation purchases, the Kalu'ak sell Turtle-Minders Robe. It comes in a lovely shade of red, and hitting honored with the Kalu'ak is just a matter of doing all the quests in a couple of their areas. For 25 gold and small change, it is a worthy purchase! From quests, we find that the quest requiring Loken's tongue in Halls of Lightning comes with a very nice reward. Robes of Lightning look like many of the green quest rewards, so if you had some greens you were working around, this would not clash.

For the head, another crafted item comes to the forefront. The materials are not hard to gather, and it is indeed a stylish addition the the normally drab uniform. The Hat of Wintry Doom is not only stylish, but very useful, as it sports a meta socket! From questing, we have earned The Argent Skullcap. See Brother Keltan on the Horde flagship in Icecrown to get the quest that takes you to the Argent Vanguard. Alternately, you Alliance need to seek out Absalan the Pious on your faction flagship to start the same quest chain. It opens up a new area and you get the hat as a reward. There are no auction house options, and no boss drops for this slot. There is a item you can purchase for clams, Sea King's Crown, available in the Borean Tundra from a murloc. There is a quest you can complete in Storm Peaks that will get you Mildred's Cowl. I only mention these for the additional socket, and if you cannot attain the others.

Pants? Forget about 'em. The highest level hit rating pants I found in blues were the Oblivion set pants. Highest green? From a quest in Netherstorm. Epic quality pants drop in the Eye (heroic), Sapphiron in heroic Naxxramas, and a random drop in heroic Naxxramas. Like I said, forget about it. Those mages want their hit, and so do those warlocks. Let them have it.

For the feet, there, again, are no blue items. Instead of automatically going for green, I looked at epic quality items, and found some attainable items. Titan-forged Slippers of Dominance can be purchased for 15 Wintergrasp Marks of Honor. Those who know me, know I don't PvP. Or rather, PvP infrequently and only in groups or when I have a reason. I have no idea how long it takes to garner 15 of these marks, so I wish you good luck. I am more likely to try for option 2, Xintor's Expeditionary Boots. At 40 Emblem's of Valor, this is not an expensive purchase, and if you have been healing Naxxramas or pugging Archavon a bit, you probably have these in mass quantities. After you have bought all your wonderful healing gear, buy these. Then buy your twink some heirloom items :) For those not so motivated, or the questing type, I offer a green, Leiah's Footpads, from a quest in Icecrown.

For the hands, there was only one blue option, a drop from Violet Hold. If you encounter Lavanthor, he may drop Lava Burn Gloves. You can, however, craft or have made for you, the Ebonweave Gloves. If you run Naxxramas a bit, you might be able to con your way into Gloves of Dark Gestures, by reasoning that you need the spirit. But, again, if the mage and the warlock and the shadow priest need them, please don't stand in their way, much. There are two green quest reward that have hit on them, but I didn't see them as interesting enough to link, mostly for their lack of anything else worthwhile to a level 80, as they are very low level.

For the wrists, the choices are equally slim. No blue level items were available. There are two epic options, one of them being Wraps of the Astral Traveler. At 60 Emblems of Valor to purchase, this would be a frivolous purchase only justifiable if I had nothing else I needed to use them on. If Preceptor's Bindings drop fairly regularly while you are in Naxxramas, perhaps the caster DPS will eventually allow you take these for your own. There are some useful options from quest rewards, like Fleshwerk Shackles from Icecrown, Soothsayer's Wristwraps from Zul'Drak, Highseas Wristwraps from Dragonblight, or even Icestriker Bands from Howling Fjord.

It seems the shoulders may also be difficult. If you are running Naxxramas, Loatheb and Gluth both have a chance to drop a shoulder token in regular mode, which result in Heroes' Mantle of Faith. If you aren't running Naxxramas, there are several green options from questing. The best option, from a quest in Icecrown, is Mantle of the Underhalls. Not as good, but worth mentioning, are Spaulders of the Runeseeker, from a quest line that portals you to Un'goro crater, and for Alliance, Bell-Ringer's Shoulderpads from Grizzly Hills.

I haven't forgotten the belts. From reputation, an easy belt to acquire is the Sash of the Wizened Wyrm. Honored with Wyrmrest is along your journey to revered for the helmet glyph, and 14 gold and change is a daily quest away. From boss drops, Meathook in Heroic Culling of Stratholme might drop Belt of Unified Souls. Flowing Sash of Order drops in Heroic Halls of Lightning from Loken. The death knights in Icecrown offer Lithe Stalker's Cord as a reward for scouting for Malykriss. There are epics to be had, as well, but I think I have been reaching a bit far. We don't know yet whether we are keeping this spec!

Now, I imagine this could be a starter list for about any caster DPS looking for some hit rating. But, I have tried to compile a list with an item for each slot because holy priests need so much! Coming soon, enchants and gem choices, also known as Part Three....

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