As more information
comes out about the new gearing system, I cannot help but giggle like my
now-4-month-old. Allow me to explain why with a summary of the current
system.
As it stands now in
Mists of Panderia gearing, like other expansions before it, gear has fixed
stats. The majority of gear, in fact, doesn't have a thing you can do to change
it without spending gold to buy enchants (1 for almost every slot), gems, and
visiting the reforge NPCs. Gear is so customizable, in fact, that getting a new
piece of gear almost seems like more of a chore than a gain once you figure in
your hit, expertise, crit, and haste caps.
Fast forward to
what we know about Warlords of Draenor gearing:
- Few slots
enchantable, and more powerful enchants.
- Gem slots
are uncommon, with no socket bonuses, and Metas are completely gone
- Gear has
3 stat groups, primary, secondary, and tertiary.
- Armor has
primary and secondary stats. Primary stats change with spec for hybrids.
- Non-armor
gear (necklaces, trinkets, rings, and cloaks) has secondary and tertiary stats,
and Blizzard still hasn't said definitively if they will have primary stats as
well.
- Weapons
will have primary stats, and are likely to have secondary and tertiary stats.
Primary stats are
just that, your bread and butter. Without them, you may as well be hitting
Garrosh with a plastic spork. For casters, this means intellect; plate -
strength; non-plate melee means agility. Stamina will be on all armor items.
Yet to be clarified is if Stamina will be included on jewelry.
Next are the
secondary stats: Critical Strike, Haste, Mastery, and Spirit (for Healers).
Everyone is going to want these. As it stands now, raid and likely dungeon boss
drops are going to have fixed values for these pieces.
Lastly, you have
tertiary stats. This will be things like Multistrike (hit your target again for
30% damage), Lifesteal, Cleave (hit nearby targets for reduced damage, and
others, as well as a chance to have a higher item level or a gem socket.
On top of this, if
you are a hybrid, the primary (but not secondary or tertiary) stats will change
when you switch specs. So, gearing a Moonkin that you want to dungeon tank
with? Gather your gear and emphasis Crit and Mastery. Gearing a resto shaman
but wanting to do enhance in dungeons? Gear for haste and use the same gear for
both.
The bottom line is
the concept of optimal, as well as best in slot gear, is largely going away.
Yes, you can still gear for specific stats, but the lack of customization from
reforging will mean that we can actually get a new piece, equip it, and continue
on, without having to spend gold on a reforge and an enchant without having to
worry about how it will ruin our optimization.
