BiS Arms Warrior Pre-Raid Gearing Guide

[nac]

As the title suggest are there any guides out there for BiS arms warrior pre-raid gear? Looking to change to arms from fury and want to see if such a guild exsist's.

[Machoen]

I've been looking for this also, edit your post if you find one.

[Josephinex]

I got online today looking for the same thing myself. The only thing remotely close is on Maxdps.com, and they have used poor choices for stat priorities and ability ranks in rotation (so it's not helpful).

It is important to keep in mind that in terms of raid readiness, having everything BiS is not as critical as having your stats optimized and having a good rotation/grasp of play mechanics. Also, what item you get for a particular slot may be limited by it's cost in gold, rep, emblems, or farm ability. If the BiS is 20,000g on the A-H, but an almost as good item drops off a heroic boss, you may want to grab some buddies and farm the heroic. Please note that there are several high ranking items that require arena PvP; if you have a buddy that wants to see you geared up for raids, this is a great opportunity. The arms warrior provides an incredible boost to the entire raid's dps, so your buddies ought to want you in the game.

Remember your stat priorities as you go. Hit (8%)> Expertise (soft cap 26)> STRENGTH>Crit and Mastery>Haste. Reforge haste whenever you can as it's almost useless for an arms warrior. All dungeon items listed are from the heroic versions.

PRE-RAID ARMS DPS GEAR

Helm:
Reinforced Bio-Optic Killshades (525 Engineering needed)
Vicious Gladiator's Plate Helm
Anomuran Helm

Neck:
Vicious Gladiator's Choker of Proficiency
Gift of Nadun
Buc-Zakai Choker
Pendant of Quiet Breath
Red Sky Pendant

Shoulders:
Pauldrons of Edward the Odd (reforge the parry)
Heaving Plates of Protection (reforge the parry)
Vicious Gladiator's Plate shoulders
Pauldrons of the High requiem
Raz's Pauldrons

Cloak:
Floating web
Wrap of Great Turtle (reforge dodge)
Vicious Gladiator's Cloak of Prowess
Geordan's Cloak

Chest:
Elementium Deathplate
Earthen Battleplate (the stats on Chestguard are actually better, but you'll want the set bonuses for dps as you add pieces)
Vicious Gladiator's Plate Chestpiece
Breastplate of Raging Fury
Breastplate of Risen Land

Wrists:
Alpha Bracers
Terborus's Rotating Bands
Vicious Gladiator's Armplates of Proficiency

Gloves:
Vicious Gladiator's Plate Gauntlets
Earthen Gauntlets
Reaping gauntlets
Fingers of Light (reforge parry) NOTE: You may have to struggle with tanks about these. They have 10 more strength than any other heroic gloves and parry is arguably a better stat for arms than haste. Make sure your group knows upfront that you want to roll for these.

Belt:
Belt of Ferocious wolf
Vicious Gladiator's Girdle of triumph
Elementium Girdle of Pain
Beech Green Belt
Garr's Girdle of memories
Belt of the Forgemaster

Pants:
Earthen Legplates
Corefire Legplates (reforge haste)
Alpheus Legguards
Legguards of Winnowing Wind
Offline Greaves (these are only iLevel 333, but they are a quest reward, so go get them!)

Feet:
Treads of Savage Beatings
Boots of sullen Rock (reforge parry)
Vicious Gladiator's Greaves of Triumph
Greaves of Wu the Elder

Rings:
Vicious Gladiator's Signet of Accuracy
Blauvelt's family Crest (reforge haste)
Band of Bees (reforge haste)
Ring of Battle Anthem (reforge dodge)
Vicious Gladiator's Signet of Cruelty
Nova Band
Skyshard Ring
Ring of the Darkest Day
Elementium Moebius Band reforge (dodge)

Trinkets:
Darkmoon Card: Hurricane
Mark of Khardros
Sharpened Twilight Scale
Death's Choice
Deathbringer's will
Harrision's Insignia of Panache
Lifeblood Alchemist Stone (req Alchemy)

2H weapon:
Zin'rokh Destroyer of Worlds (need max Archaeology)
Vicious Gladiator's Greatsword
Bloodthirsty Gladiator's Greatsword
Foe Reaper
Forged Elementium Mind Crusher
Blade of the Fearless
Arced War Axe
Vicious Gladiator's Pike

Ranged Weapon:
Crossfire Carbine
Vicious Gladiator's War Edge
Muffled Bunderbuss (quest reward, very easy to get)
Abatement Canon

Do keep in mind that even with good gear, gems, and enchants, arms warrior dps is low compared to other dps players. But your raid utility more than makes up for this. Happy Hunting.

[Muffin Man]

Thanks for putting the time into the list, a few comments.

I think you're over-valueing strength, which is most glaring on PvP pieces with not much rating but higher iLvl and hence strength. An example is the PvP helm versus 346 helm - ignoring socket bonuses you rate 60 strength > 160 crit rating.

You got the weapons spot on though since iLvl is both more strength and more weapon dmg (which is the king consideration), although I think Blade of the Fearless wins out for the 346 pieces unless you can't cap hit/expertise otherwise.

Which brings me to the 346 logjams, most of the pieces have identical strength and socket bonuses that account for differences in socket color, ie: http://www.wowhead.com/compare?items=63450;58096;56425 (I omitted chest with haste cuz that's undeniably worse). So it really comes down to if you need hit and if you prefer mastery or crit (most people are currently valuing them about equal). The same could apply to the guantlets, ect or course. The only thing is a 346 piece with haste of it is worse than one without, unless is overcaps you on hit/exp (which I'm just mentioning to be anal).

Last trinkets are incorrect. After DMC: Hurricane and Mark of Khadros; Death's Choice, Deathbringer's Will, Sharpened Twilight Scale don't belong on this list.
Instead those 3 should be replaced with:
Impatience of Youth
Magnetite Mirror (if you need expertise)
Might of the Ocean (if you need hit)
Figurine - King of Boars (maybe swap with the Eye, not sure)
Right Eye of Rajh
Heart of Solace

Sorry for all the criticism, i really do appreciate you putting the time into compiling that list. I don't have a BiS list that I'm keeping to myself just to sound smug, rather that my comments come from reviewing your post. So you've really done a lot of legwork getting us all started in putting together a BiS list. And hopefully someone will correct all the horrible mistakes I've made and we'll keep iterating until we get a list figured out.

[Josephinex]

Thank you for your suggestions Muffin Man. The list is heavily weighted toward strength for a couple of reasons. 1) when it comes to raw power to do damage, it's really important. 2) Capping for hit and expertise is pretty easy. My arms set is still nowhere close to BiS for most pieces and I'm already hit capped and at 22 expertise. Also, if you are specced properly, arms has a soft crit cap at 40%. This means talents alone give you a substantial amount of crit before you even equip a piece of armor. And of course, mastery is good, but it's so much better when every extra swing has a boatload of power behind it.
I do like your trinket list; those are all excellent choices to pick up. I know it's a little odd to have wotlk trinkets on such a list, but they are still really good stats. If you have them collecting dust in the bank just because of the iLevel, they ought to come out. Similarly, if you are going on an older content achievement run, get them if you can.

[Cielwyn]

Gloves:
Vicious Gladiator's Plate Gauntlets
Earthen Gauntlets
Reaping gauntlets
Fingers of Light (reforge parry) NOTE: You may have to struggle with tanks about these. They have 10 more strength than any other heroic gloves and parry is arguably a better stat for arms than haste. Make sure your group knows upfront that you want to roll for these.

Why would Parry rating be good for an Arms warrior? The only time you parry is if something attacks you, which should never happen in raiding, right? I'm skeptical that tanking itemization (even reforged) would ever be better than the gear itemized for damage.

[Destruyen]

Also, if you are specced properly, arms has a soft crit cap at 40%.

wrong.

100% - chance to be dodged - change to miss - change to glancing blow (25%) = crit cap

there is no reason to be concerned about a "soft" crit cap.

[marklar]

wrong.

100% - chance to be dodged - change to miss - change to glancing blow (25%) = crit cap

there is no reason to be concerned about a "soft" crit cap.

well, after 40% buffed crit change, crit no longer affects OP, so it is a soft cap. whether or not it changes stat priorities is another question, but it unarguably reduces the value of crit after that point.

[Mazar]

Why would Parry rating be good for an Arms warrior? The only time you parry is if something attacks you, which should never happen in raiding, right? I'm skeptical that tanking itemization (even reforged) would ever be better than the gear itemized for damage.

Maybe he means that, even if haste is better for damage, that gain is so negligible that that parry could be more useful overall.
I mean, surely parry won't save your ass from the impending spell of doom, but maybe if the stars align you actually parry it and gain another second for the group to kill that boss, right? RIGHT!? :0

Anyway, its right that a crit/mastery glove should be better than parry. But strenght is our best stat. So all in all, he have a point. Not the best point, but I think is valid.

[Destruyen]

well, after 40% buffed crit change, crit no longer affects OP, so it is a soft cap. whether or not it changes stat priorities is another question, but it unarguably reduces the value of crit after that point.

let me introduce you to my friend wrecking crew.

also, 40% is still wrong for the crit cap on overpower if you are attacking a raid boss.

[Josephinex]

Just to clarify, I'm a she.
Maybe he means that, even if haste is better for damage, that gain is so negligible that that parry could be more useful overall.
And yes, what this really means is haste is that pathetic for an arms warrior. Parry is also a lame stat for us, just not quite as lame.

This has changed slightly since the patch. The changes to mortal strike have improved (slightly) the value of haste for the arms warrior, but it's still right up there with resilience, dodge, parry, and spirit as far as what you want in gear. If you don't believe me, stack haste and hit the target dummy.



let me introduce you to my friend wrecking crew.

also, 40% is still wrong for the crit cap on overpower if you are attacking a raid boss.

Mortal strike was nicely improved in the patch. The crit cap for OP will be slightly higher than 40% on a raid boss because of their higher level, that is true. But the actual number is close to 40%. Strength is still a more important stat. I would be surprised if, with only pre-raid gear, you could be hit-capped, expertise-capped, and OP crit capped.

[marklar]

let me introduce you to my friend wrecking crew.

also, 40% is still wrong for the crit cap on overpower if you are attacking a raid boss.

what does wrecking crew have to do with a soft-cap?

[Destruyen]

well, after 40% buffed crit change, crit no longer affects OP, so it is a soft cap. whether or not it changes stat priorities is another question, but it unarguably reduces the value of crit after that point.

[Mazar]

Just to clarify, I'm a she.

I apologize. I only saw the quote and didn't see the name of the quoted person, then replied directly. Not like your nick doesn't give a hint, silly me. ·_.

EDIT: WAAAAAAITamoment. I just realized I have the hc Fingers of ligth in my tank set. All the internet is saying that hc Fol gives 215 strength. But in the tooltip only says 151, and that is what it really gives me.

Internet failz at data?

[Josephinex]

what does wrecking crew have to do with a soft-cap?

Nothing. It has to do with mortal strike.

"Lambs to the Slaughter: Instead of granting 10/20/30% damage to the next Mortal Strike, Overpower, or Execute, it now grants a 10% buff to any Mortal Strike, Overpower, Slam, or Execute that stacks 1/2/3 times.
Mortal Strike cost has been reduced by 5 rage." from 4.0.6 patch notes

This change to mortal strike was definitely needed and should have changed your rotation. You want 3 stacks of LttS as often as possible.(I'm guessing that's in another thread, but i haven't looked.)

[Josephinex]

Sorry Mazar, I should have been more specific. Fingers of Light Heroic has 215 strength. There is a regular version of Fingers of Light that is less sexy.

[Mazar]

No, I have double checked it and it's my fault. Don't know why, but for some reason I don't understand I thought the Greymane wall gloves I had were the Fingers of Light.

Move along citizens, nothing to see here (nothing but me deciding about sleeping or cutting my wrists with a spoon).

[Josephinex]

I hope you chose sleep; death by spoon is slow and painful.

[Mazar]

It's better when you do it yourself. You grow tired quickly and don't have to endure several years of a creepy unnatural stalker.

Ontopic, if people doesn't mind using an agility weapon until they got a strenght one, I would recomend the Slashing Thorns from HoO. Gives Hit and Crit, and the crit could be reforged to mastery if you double spec as a tank.

[Destruyen]

Ontopic, if people doesn't mind using an agility weapon until they got a strenght one, I would recomend the Slashing Thorns from HoO. Gives Hit and Crit, and the crit could be reforged to mastery if you double spec as a tank.

3 arena wins or 2 rated bg wins (which is easier as a tank spec to do) gives you the 2nd best in slot weapon....the vicious gladiator's war edge. it's seriously not that hard to get, 100% vendor drop rate, unless you have a ton of gold to buy crossfire carbine off the ah.