WoD and the Newfound Futility of Optimal

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.