Prot Paladin, Advice welcome. Glyphs/Gems and a shoulder Question!

[Riste]

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/character/bloodscalp/Riste/advanced

This is my very first Charachter, and my only 85. i am pretty new to WoW, i was a hardcore UO/EQ player for many years, took a break and then came here.

Just looking for some advice on my toon. i am trying to get onto some raiding as i have not done any of it yet, but i just about to start ZA/ZG.

525 BS/Mining
i tried to follow the guides here the best i could, just would like to know if there is anything i could do better.

I can make Ornate Pyrium Shoulders and reforge and enchant to tank specs a little, kinda like my helm, is that a good alternative till i can get a set of za/zg shoulders?

Thanks

[Fetzie]

Gems: You have a 40 dodge rating gem in your belt. Otherwise I am not really a big fan of pure mastery gemming, I prefer a more balanced approach with puissant emeralds in yellow slots.

Talents: The second point in Wrath of the Lightbringer is worth much more threat than the third point in Rule of Law. It doubles the damage of the ability you are using most (crusader strike), 5% crit to CS and WoG is nothing in comparison.

Glyphs: Remember to reglyph to Crusader Strike (Prime) when tanking mostly single target stuff. The Consecration glyph is useless, it gives you about 300 extra damage every 30 seconds per target in Cons.

Gear: The ornate shoulders are the healing set. You would be better off running Grim Batol for the shoulders from the third boss. There is a blue 346 helmet from justice points too, which is better than the 358 pvp craftable. Doing Tol'barad daily quests for about a week will net you an excellent trinket that tanks in heroic firelands still use for specific bosses (321 mastery + resist use). There is also a 346 ring from Therazane reputation.

[Riste]

SO i should replace the 40 Dodge gem on the belt, and do all of my 40 mastery with what? PDE?

[Fetzie]

Get a level of stamina that you are happy with. I personally prefer a slightly larger health pool at the sacrifice of avoidance and mastery, but then I am raiding heroic modes. If you are ok with the amount of health you have, and are not dying to bursts of damage than by all means, keep the 40 mastery gems. If you say you are happy with the health you have, and healers have enough time to heal you, then you can't be doing it that wrongly. It is fine to disagree with a guide or with someone if you can justify your point of view.

But yes, you most definitely should replace that 40 dodge gem

[Riste]

well i cant say that iv really been tested hard yet with my health pool. im thinking i will need more with ZA/ZGs.

I will respec that one intho wrath of the lightbringer. im not sure how i ended up doing what i did, but that is moste assuredly wrong.

i havent done any of the Tol Barad stuff yet. ie been working in Molten front to get my Recipies. i will start on that too.
i have been grinding therazene rep a bit.

[sifuedition]

My strat, and what seems to be the most common strat for pallies starting in gear is mastery heavy but not exclusively mastery.
Socket
Red=parry+mastery (fine ember topaz)
Blue=mastery+stam (puissant dream emerald)
Yellow or prismatic=pure mastery

This is of course assuming the socket bonus is a tank stat.

Every piece of tank gear should have dodge, parry or mastery. Some dps pieces are hard to tell and may make a decent filler piece. Socket bonus is often a clue. Some alternate tank pieces may be mastery+hit or mastery+expertise. If it has haste, crit, agil, spirit or intellect it is definitely not a tank piece. Don't be concerned if you have to farm regular dungeons or reg heroics for some time before stepping into a zandalari. Those are a significant step up in difficulty.