Bear Tank Gear Progression Phase 1
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First thing first! This is mainly my list of gear that I'll be rolling on and/or going after. I by no means did the math on every piece of gear on this list. If you are looking for a pre-raid BIS list there are plenty of those already from people like @Taladril and @Skarm Tank. If you have a suggestion to add plz let me know!
What is this than?
This is a super helpful reference list of gear that tanking Druids can use to find upgrades or alternates as they are gearing up in Phase 1. Instead of filtering through WoW databases to find that one piece of gear you can just look at this list.Head
- Wolfshead Helm - This is not really a good tanking helm but its probably what you have leveling up. Its good item to have in the open world even after level 60.
- Bone Ring Helm - Big Raw Stats
- Shadowcraft Cap - Different Big Raw Stats
- Ghostshroud - Alternate to Shadowcraft Cap. Slight reduction in stats.
- Mask of the Unforgiven - Hit is hard to come by so this is super nice helm to have for threat gear.
Necklace
- Talisman of Evasion - More or less the only and best option for Phase 1.
- Mark of Fordring - is nice but there are direct upgrades latter and taking it mean giving up Fordring's Seal one of the best healing rings (aka pick wisely)
Shoulders
- Wyrmtongue Shoulders - The go to Shoulders
- Atal'ai Spaulders - getting "of the Monkey" or "of Defense" can be frustrating to solo/duo farm. It can be worth it.
- Truestrike Shoulders - Truestrike is always nice to have when getting to hit cap is required. Wyrmhide Spaulders are way easier to get a hold of if all you are after is hit ratting.
Cloak
- Stoneshield Cloak - lots of Armor. Probably going to be expansive on the AH but a for sure pick up if you can.
- Bloodmoon Cloak - not the best for Bear but if you are running UBRS you will most likely end up getting this before the other options
- Shadow Prowlers Cloak - Also drops in UBRS solid alternative to Stoneshield Cloak.
Chestplate
- Warbear Harness - Easily craftable chest. Great starting point.
- Mixologist's Tunic - less stamina but more total stats than Warbear Harness
- Breastplate of Bloodthirst - Hard/expansive to get but will last you into BWL
Bracers
- Wicked Leather Bracers - EZ pick up on your way to level 60.
- Shadowcraft Bracers - Going to be an upgrade from most greens
- Blackmist Armguards - A forsure pick up for me
Gloves
- Wicked Leather Gauntlets - Again EZ pick up on your way to level 60.
- Shadowcraft Gloves - nice upgrade from most Greens. Should hopefully not be too expansive on AH.
- Slaghide Gauntlets - Crazy good Try to get of Monkey or of Defense variation. Will last all the way into AQ.
- Devilsaur Gauntlets - Great for Threat
Belt
- Vosh'gajin's Strand - Easy quest. Easy starting point. Should be better than what you leveled with.
- Serpentine Sash - Big chunk of stats
- Frostbite Girdle - Alternate Big chunk of stats
- Cloudrunner Girdle - Highest armor belt for pre-raid
Legplates
- Warbear Woolies - Too easy to craft. Should be an upgrade from most leveling Green items.
- Warstrife Leggings - The go to pre-raid pants
- Devilsaur Leggings - Great for Threat
Boots
- Swiftfoot Treads - easy to get solid stats
- Shadowcraft Boots - Not many better options than these.
- Cadaverous Walkers - Low drop rate deffinetly pick these up it you don't have Shadowcraft Boots yet
Rings
- Thrall's Resolve Horde Only - very very good ring
- Ring of Protection - crazy good will last through BWL
- Naglering - Solid all around ring. Great for Dungeons and AOE tanking
- Painweaver Band - Threat Ring
- Blackstone Ring - Love that Hit ratting. Threat Ring.
- Band of Flesh - a downgrade of Myrmidon's Signet
- Myrmidon's Signet - World Drop. Lots of raw stats but is replaced somewhat quickly compared to Ring of Protection.
Trinket
- Mark of Tyranny - one of the best trinks but have to pick this over Blackhand's Breadth so be aware
- Mark of the Chosen - solid trinket. Easy to get quest reward.
- Smoking Heart of the Mountain - Enchanting Trinket one of the best you can get
- Force of Will - might as well pick this up while farming for Warstrife Leggings
2H Weapons
- Manual Crowd Pummeler - You should be farming these as its your single best source of threat
- Warden Staff - AH pick it up if you can but Phase 2 in DM has an alternative Unyielding Maul
- Impervious Giant - This is not really that great of a weapon but for low level 50s im totally picking it up and hit % gear is always nice to have
1H Weapons
- Rubidium Hammer - Highest Armor 1H in Phase 1
- Swiftstrike Cudgel - The only % hit 1 hander druids can use Phase 1
- Ardent Custodian - I'm not picking this one up because Warden Staff is less rare and better but if you happen to get it while leveling. It can be worth keeping.
Off Hand
- Tome of Knowledge - more or less the best option for Off Hands besides random greens
- Totem of Infliction Alliance Only - An alternative for Alliance if you don't trash this mid level 20s quest reward
Idol
- Empty - There will be nothing here until Phase 6 as Idol of Brutality is the one and only option for tanking
Bonus
Items you should know about- Ash Covered Boots - May or may not be available in Phase 1 but they are very good boots
- Malefic Bracers - Very good bracers but I'm assuming they wont be available until Phase 2
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@Hitchhiker42 Thanks for this, great stuff. I've added to the front page with a custom thumbnail
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The idol looks to be phase 6.
Malefic and Ash boots do look to be phase 2.
I would recommend mentioning Totem of Infliction, even if it is Alliance only for offhands. Combined with the Rubidium Hammer it gets you most of the way to a Warden Staff at 170 armor.
The Gargoyle Slashers gloves should probably deserve a mention as well. Str/Agil/Stam/Crit gloves out of Scholo.
Otherwise, looks great!
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@Caedmon Thank you. I didn't know about Totem of Infliction and Gargoyle Slashers should be on there now. I was distracted by the other options and forgot them. As fare as the idol goes the slot will be empty for most of Classic yes?
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@Melderon No Thank You! It looks fantastic.
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There are a couple idols in phase 5, the claw/rake one, the rejuv one and the cast-time healing touch one. Nothing for tanking.
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@Hitchhiker42 Just don't turn in the quest! https://classic.wowhead.com/item=13289/egans-blaster
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Comments on Egan's talks about how you keep it after turning in the quest, someone will have to double check when Classic launches.
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Rolling Gehennas - thanks you for your guide
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Using the stat values from Taladril's spreadsheet of:
1 Stamina = 6.24
1 Agility = 2.29
1 Dodge = 39.5Plenty of necklaces beat out Talisman of Evasion (69) significantly, such as Hunter's Insignia Medal (94). Is there another reason the Talisman comes out on top?
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Since you have some that are questionable to be in Phase 1, you should add Phantasmal Cloak from Scholo. It's got about 70 armor more than any non-Stoneshield cloak with loads of Stam and Str. Considering Stoneshield will be a high-demand tanking cloak with Cloak of Warding not out yet, would be a worthy alternative.
In general I wouldn't be surprised if the Patch 1.4 Strat/Scholo gear is in Phase 1. That's around (or exactly) when they reduced those from 10 to 5 man instances and improved the loot. Considering we're starting with them as 5 man, it could be a possibility that loot is in Phase 1 (but not the 1.10 added gear)
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@Phayge
Yes Talisman of Evasion has less total "score" but an item like Hunter's Insignia Medal is valued way less because we have other option for more stamina. For example some people have Bone Ring Helm on their pre-BIS list to make up the stamina while other take Shadowcraft Cap as the balanced option.TLDR is that we can make up any any raw stats in other slots. but we can't get the 1% dodge on other items slots so most people take Talisman of Evasion.
As fare as adding in more items to the list I would rather update the list in a new post as we are so close to the release and will know for sure what items will and will not be available. Phantasmal Cloak is 100% a solid item choice if you don't already have Stoneshield Cloak.
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Why stop with Hunter's Insignia Medal as BIS then? Just because its a quest reward? The BoE green necklace, Prismatic Pendant, is 16 stam over the Hunter's 15.
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I have still not seen those Ash Covered Boots.. Im wondering when they are going to release or if they recently have?
