My gear and sockets~~

[Manhandle]

The World of Warcraft Armory

Hi everyone,
I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on my gear and my sockets/enchants, etc.

I'm currently MTing ssc(3/6)/tk(3/4)/MH (we are 2/5 with attempts on Kaz but idiots blow us up from OOM.. We've done about 3 attempts on him so far.) anyway...

I feel like my avoidance should be higher than it is, but there really isn't anything I can do about it. The only fight so far that I've noticed myself getting kind of destroyed is Tidewalker in SSC.

The only gear I have atm that I can swap out is I have a Gnomeregan Auto-Blocker 600 I use over my darkmoon card when I need more threat faster. My threat is very good, and I usually don't have many people chasing me down on the threat meter. I have considered 2% threat to gloves, but I like the extra bit of avoidance the agility gives me since I don't seem to have threat issues. (Atleast in our current content.)

I have The Unbreakable Will but I prefer to use the Cleaver of Unforgiving because of the socket, parry, and the 5 expertise I get from being an Orc and equipping an axe.

I have thought about buying a Brooch of Deftness over my SSO neck , but the Aldor proc gives me the 4% dodge (45sec internal CD). Yes, I've read comparisons but I'm still rather skeptical to change due to the extra dodge is nice. (Again, I don't have threat problems, also holds me back to switching.) Also, I know someone will mention it but I have never seen a Moroes' Lucky Pocket Watch or Ancient Aqir Artifact drop... or I would definately use that full time over my darkmoon card.

What it comes down to is should I stop worrying about my avoidance? I feel for the content I am doing right now I should have more, but maybe I just think about it too much. I would appreciate comments, but please don't reply and tell me to socket everything stam, because it won't work.

Also don't suggest gear for me to get because I know what upgrades I -could- get, but I am only looking for comments on my current gear/sockets/enchants. Thanks alot.

[ebs2002]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm a fan of socketing/enchanting items based on their best utility, so you can have a very strong EH item with poor avoidance, and a very strong avoidance item with poor EH (comparitively). However, if you only have one piece of gear that you're wearing for all fights...well, first of all, shame on you, and second of all, I'm a fan of going for the socket bonus if the socket bonus is stamina.

That said, your gear...

I'm not a fan of going for the socket bonus for your T5 shoulders. 3 block rating is utterly worthless, and I would have opted for 15sta in both, or 10dodge in both depending on what your other shoulder options are. If you don't have other shoulders, then 15stam in both, since it doesn't have a good socket bonus.

Your cloak shouldn't have 12dodge enchant, that's a subpar enchant for any tank. While it's your only threat enchant option available, the amount of threat it gives is negligible. Give it 12defense or 12dodge, or 120armor if you choose. Just not agi.

Your ZJ BP is loaded with stamina. This kinda baffles me. You seem unfocused...you gemmed for the socket bonus on your shoulders (with an awful socket bonus), but you skipped the socket bonus on the chest, which has an awesome socket bonus. If you can, I'd put 15sta gems in your shoulders, and 10dodge/10defense or 5dodge/7sta 5def/7sta in your chest to get the socket bonus. Also, 150health is a pretty lackluster enchant nowadays with 15defense and 15dodge available. I'd suggest those instead.

Looking at your shield and weapon...you went for the socket bonus in your weapon, but not in your shield. Both give 3sta...Again, what's your focus?

I could keep going, but really, I think you need to tell us what you were trying to accomplish with your gemming (and maybe re-evaluate that yourself). Why did you make one decision versus the other? It almost looks like you just picked your gems at random.

[Manhandle]

Thanks for the reply.

After reading your post I did have to think about my randomization of sockets. But this is why I'm here afterall.

I always ask the opinion of other tanks for socketing certain pieces of gear. I have a couple good friends who are in full tier 6, and sunwell gear and they tell me to only socket stamina. But according to damage I take in certain situations I think that is pretty sloppy of a tank if you can't carry your own mitigation and making your healers hate you. (Not asking for a flame from that statement, but that is my reasoning for wanting to socket avoidance, and trying to keep EH.)

I didn't actually socket my shoulders for the socket bonus, I socketed it with a red/blue because I wanted an avoidance gem in them. Should I have just sticked with 10 dodges if that was the case? I like parry for the fact in return of a parry you gain the up to 40% faster next swing, so apparently parry is > dodge gems?? Thoughts on that would be nice. (10 parry = .45 parry, 10 dodge = .52 dodge)

I understand your point of my chestpiece with 6 stam socket bonus yet I didn't get it. In my axe I got the socket bonus because, again, I wanted an avoidance gem, and it was yellow so I put in the 10 defense, because it was just as good as dodge/parry since I was getting the bonus? or is that a bad thing to look at and I should have gotten a 10 dodge?

Hopefully I'm not sounding like a douche. :P

I'm trying to maximize stamina (EH) whereas I want to keep my avoidance up. Suggestions are to re-socket my shield/chest? What would you do differently otherwise? I know you were poking at me to see why I did certain things. I'm trying to answer but possibly in a sloppy way for which I apologize because you are trying to help me. =)

For my 15 stam gems, its because every tank I've ever talked to say STAM STAM STAM. Then, I look at other tanks who do socket 10 def/10dodge gems.

Also, on my cloak I HAD mats for 12 dodge rating on my cloak, but I was talked out of putting that on and put on 12 agility because a friend of mine told me I was an idiot for NOT putting on agility, maybe I need some new friends. :P

Any other ideas? I'd appreciate it.

[Andenthal]

What ebs is saying is that you need to make a determination on what each piece of gear will be used for, and gem/enchant it for that purpose. Each piece of gear should be min/maxxed for it's purpose. Do not try to balance each piece of gear out so that it's good for threat/avoidance/EH. Carry multiple pieces of gear around with you, not just trinkets and weapons. If you need more threat - put on a threat piece or 2. If you are lacking in avoidance, toss on a piece with avoidance gems in it. Trying to a make a "1 size fits all" set of gear does not work well for Warrior tanks.

Take your axe for example. You say you wear it because you like the threat, but you socket it for Avoidance? Stick a +hit gem in there, and toss Executioner in there as those are your best options for threat on weapons. If you need more Avoidance on your weapon - swap out your Unbreakable Will that's what it's for.

Do the same for each piece of gear. Determine the strengths and weaknesses of the item. Ask yourself, "What am I going to use this piece of gear for?" Then gem/enchant accordingly.

You keep saying that you "wanted more avoidance" and "your avoidance should be higher". Any particular reason for that? Did someone tell you you need to hit some magic number for Avoidance? I think that if you double check your gear and gem/enchant selections - make a few changes - your HP will drop a little bit, and your Avoidance will go up a notch.