Searix

Interestingly enough i figure you can get down to 2.155 in the current patch if those 2 are up. Wonder if it rolls down there.

 

Vulkaire

http://www.worldofraids.com/2008/ptr.../mage/mage.jpg

These new mage T6 set pieces are looking really good. A nice boost to haste without sacrificing crit, except on bracers which are just a flat upgrade of Nimble Thought. Single yellow sockets to put in dmg/haste gems assuming they add epic versions.

 

Nurru

I'm a bit annoyed that the new T6 pieces still have spirit. Despite the Evocation change it still seems to be considered a primary Mage stat.

< Aislinana> Why would it be my job to sleep with vontre? Don't I have standards?

 

LiquidHAL

I'm not sure what exactly "Spirit-Based Mana Regeneration: This system has been adjusted so that as your intellect rises, you will regenerate more mana per point of spirit." means from the patch notes. perhaps it'll make spirit not so useless.

 

◊ Acustar

Currently I use my spirit exactly twice in T6 content. Once for innervates after the AoE packs before RoS. And the other indirectly because I use Mage Armor as a part of my SR gear for Mother.

It would have to be a pretty incredible change for mages to drop Molten Armor vs Mage Armor.

 

Kaboomafoo

If they're doing it the way I'm thinking they are, then Blizzard is justifying their laziness (Not removing spirit after constantly being berated by raid mages with its uselessness) by increasing the amount of mana regen mages recieve from their abnormally (I guess) low spirit values due to their usually high intellect levels.

I'm more excited for the badge loot they're releasing! More spell haste and the gear it's on is amazing. Post-T6 loot. I'm curious about the tokens and badges they're using. If only the PTR character copy wasn't full :c

 

Vulkaire

The new tailoring items look pretty good. Although, with all this new gear lacking +hit, it may become an issue. Especially for those of us who are lacking on Skull drops =(

http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/.../newtailor.jpg

 

Kaboomafoo

Oh wow, new tailoring stuff. Those look amazing. I'm definately replacing my Spellfire Robe with that one and my t5 gloves may be tossed for those gloves. The lack of +hit will definately be a problem for me, I'm already using a ton of hit rating gems. And to be honest I'd rather not put on Karazhan gear for BT/Hyjal and eventually Sunwell :/

 

Koosha

Emphasis on all of it lacking hit, I don't think I have seen an item with hit on it yet :l

 

Carnivean

Grandmaster Staff has 50 (!) Hit on it, it looks as it is needed

 

goodolarchie

I've suggested this numerous times, but arcane meditation needs to be moved down to 1st or 2nd tier talent to make spirit viable for mages, even if that means swapping it with clearcasting. Or they could just not nerf heavy arcane when it actually shows some viability (MSD nerf).

As far as the new hit itemization, I guess this just puts more emphasis on items like chronical, captured storms, spellthread, SoGD. I see a lot of potential in the new crafted rings also: http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/...elringneck.jpg

 

MetallicaRulez0

I'm really pleased with the stuff from Sunwell I've seen so far, other than the obvious flaws. Mostly the lack of Hit and the over-abundance of useless Spirit.

The thing I like most is there's FINALLY some red sockets on cloth gear. Hopefully I can muster up enough Hit to not use Pyrestones in them

 

aliengrey

I don't know why mages keep complaining about spirit on their gear. If you have a priest that buffs you with divine spirit then hey what do ya know? more spell damage.

 

Ztorm

The reason why mages complain about spirit is because it's too expensive. If 10 spirit = 1 spell damage for itemization cost, no mage would complain. However, 1 spirit > 1 spell damage in itemization cost, so the benefits would not outweigh the cost associated with it.

 

Jarlyn

The added spell damage gained from Divine Spirit from a mage with ~300 spirit unbuffed vs a warlock with (looking at their armories) ~150 spirit unbuffed is 15 damage, maybe scaling out to ~20 damage with DS/BoK. Assuming 1500+ raid buffed spell damage, that's about a 1% differential in spell damage, and in exchange, they have at least 2000, if not 3000-4000 more hitpoints and a larger mana pool to boot.

I realize warlocks are an exception because they use stamina differently, but I'd trade all the +spirit on my gear for larger amounts of stam/int without even blinking.

 

IcedTeaIsGood

Do you really need us to explain why this is not good?

 

goodolarchie

The spirit/int change greatly helps druids and priests, who will probably need it with upcoming healing haste itemization. It doesn't do sh@t for mages aside from take away out itemization points. Unless arcane meditation is moved, mage armor isn't going to replace a shadowpriest.

 

◊ manly

As Koosha pointed out, I did made an immediate notice that the core problem of all new gear is that they are all particularly devoid of hit rating, which has rather deep implications. I fear this means we will be required in doing the unthinkable -- hit gems, which I have always been strongly against. Almost everything has haste rating, which is good news for fire mages, but not as much for the other specs. On the other hand, fire spec, with those items we currently know of, will not have enough hit rating to support the spec. So we will have to make serious sacrifices like hit gems, or severely rethink the way gearing up works.

I'll wait and see the full loot tables and go from there. But so far, no hit rating anywhere is shaping up to be a major roadblock.

Log on with different model:
1- Create a character of the desired model. Log on/off.
2- At character selection screen, select your actual character; mouseover the new, desired model character, and hold down left click; hit enter and release left click at the same time.
bug Arcane Potency only applies to the first Arcane Missile bolt.

 

spiderella

I'm curious as to the reasons behind this. My thinking has been hit gems are 'ok' because: a socket is only as valuable as the gem placed in it, and +hit gems compare favorably with equivalent red gems if under hit cap, and mostly: we're out of spinels. Just with the caveat that gemming for hit makes it costly to re-gem it at a later point. I suspect I'm missing something obvious here?

 

Unleash

Im really curious about how the hit rating will work out also. Looks to me like you will want the 50 hit staff, using skull, using the new jc haste ring, and mana attuned band all together. That should help make up for some of the hit, but your still going to find yourself short. Plus you have to keep 1 item of ur current t6 with the 3 new ones, which im assume you will be keeping the current t6 gloves giving you 20 hit there, plus possibly enchanting them for 15 spell hit.

Cant wait to get on PTR..

 

BrTarolg

Wow all the new mage loot is pretty overwhelming - first thing off the new tailored robe is *insane* - mats not seeming to require any BoP stuff, and beats everything else in the game by miles

New "sunmote" loot seems pretty good too, and so do the new t6 badges - but oh hot damn why all that spirit

If a little bit QQ, this interesting image I found from someone on the WoW forums (blasphemy, I know) pretty much sums up how I feel about spirit atm


I think its pretty obvious why the new tailored stuff is so good - no wasted spirit again!

 

◊ manly

Gemming for hit gear means youre constantly swapping gems around to pad up for low hit rating. But moreover -- hit gem has no impact on trash or bosses with adds that arent lvl+3. I would much rather gear myself in a way that I assume I have an elemental shaman alive than put hit gems when I can avoid it.

Don't get me wrong -- theres nothing wrong per-se in doing this, its more like a philosophy thing. I much prefer avoiding putting hit gems whenever possible.

Log on with different model:
1- Create a character of the desired model. Log on/off.
2- At character selection screen, select your actual character; mouseover the new, desired model character, and hold down left click; hit enter and release left click at the same time.
bug Arcane Potency only applies to the first Arcane Missile bolt.

 

epiphenom

Taking a quick look at the Sunwell loot so far determined, if we keep the T6 gloves, use the staff, wear Mana-Attuned Band and the Loop of Forged Power, and have a Skull of Gul'dan, we can probably just throw hit gems in every yellow socket with +2 spelldamage bonus and cap out. Using Lionseyes, that's 162 hit rating.

I'm more concerned about the seeming lack of spell haste cuts for epic gems. Hopefully that's just an oversight.

 

Vonwen

Well, that would explain why the staff has 50 hit rating on it... This huge amount is not that ridiculous if you get that kind of gear.

 

◊ manly

With what we have so far, I would instinctively guess the best path would be to keep T6 gloves/shoulder/boots/bracers, use the sunwell staff with 3x hit gems in it (+5dmg for YYY). Illidan crown, sunfire robes, pantaloons of growing strife, JC stuff if possible. The t6 belt would be used if youre hitcap otherwise, but if not, you would still be using belt of blasting. I think, although I have not done the math, that doing that very simple gearing should give hitcap.

Log on with different model:
1- Create a character of the desired model. Log on/off.
2- At character selection screen, select your actual character; mouseover the new, desired model character, and hold down left click; hit enter and release left click at the same time.
bug Arcane Potency only applies to the first Arcane Missile bolt.