Gemming new ZA peices

[Gnomorebs]

On my last two runs I finally acquired my Battleworn Tuskguard and Cleaver of Unforgiving.

With my current gear I sit at 490 def
The World of Warcraft Armory (http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Illidan&n=Gnomorebs)

Im having alot of difficulty with the gemming of the Tuskguard in particular, the meta gem on my Warbringer is throwing me off since I sit right on 490. Also have to think about the loss of def of my suneater.

I was lucky to have kept my dab's enigma (for what ever reason) :S but I want to be able to replace it one of my other better trinkets (various). Its hard to phrase but my mindset is I want to make these new peices the great upgrades I know they are. Still wrapping my head around 3.0 details. . . .

ty in advance

[Fayre]

You could enchant your chest and bracers with defense, to help retain 490? Its a smaller sacrifice to give up 150 hp or 12 stam for the defense rating from the enchants than it is to replace a 15 stam gem with a 10 def.

[Voradrac]

also consider a steelweave enchant on your cloak. I had to get that one to get back over 490 after swapping a few pieces around to up my hit and expertise

[Spazlord]

I had similar issues when the patch hit and I got a few really nice upgrades but had to re-gem/enchant a whole bunch of gear to balance it all out again. I went for Defense enchants to Chest (+16), Cloak (+12) and Bracers (+12) and I put a +8 Defense gem in my gun, as well as the Defense/BV Meta. I tried to keep my main tank gear in such a way that I can use non-def rings, trinkets and neck as these are pieces that I swap around for more threat/avoidance.

I lost some stam, but I gained stam on some new gear anyway, and I have the +500 Mining buff as well, so I came out ahead eventually.