Uncritability
As a tank our first priority is to attain uncritability - especially at the level cap. This means at level 80 you must have 540 defense. While leveling it is not absolutely essential to be uncritable but it is a goal that a tank really should be reaching for at each level of progression. Having this goal will make your gear choices easier and will help you avoid falling massivly short on defense when you do reach level 80. To be uncritable at each level this is what to shoot for:
- Level 71: 495 Defense
- Level 72: 500 Defense
- Level 73: 505 Defense
- Level 74: 510 Defense
- Level 75: 515 Defense
- Level 76: 520 Defense
- Level 77: 525 Defense
- Level 78: 530 Defense
- Level 79: 535 Defense
- Level 80: 540 Defense
My New Gear
Here is some of the new tanking gear I have picked up recently that has replaced my previous epics. All of these are either quest rewards or items that I crafted. Some of these were outright upgrades and some were sidegrades. I found myself switching to some of the new gear even if it wasn't a huge upgrade simply because I love the aesthetic of Northrend gear.
- Betrayer's Choker
- Tundra Pauldrons
- Expelling Gauntlets
- Tempered Saronite Belt
- Tempered Saronite Legplates
- Tempered Saronite Boots
- Saronite Defender
- Crescent of Brooding Fury
As soon as any tank reaches level 74 the first priority must be picking up your new tanking weapon. The quest Wanted: Ragemane's Flipper rewards a choice of some amazing tanking weapons that will surely replace any weapon you had previously. I wouldn't be suprised if these weapons wouldn't last until level 80. They are that good.
Don't you just love those names! I took the axe for the extra defense and it just looks amazing. The hammer is also a good choice but I would recommend avoiding the sword as it does not have any defense on it.
4 comments:
I'm going for the Mace for the Dwarf racial.
The Tanking Mace HQM will last you till lvl 78 at which point if your running "Halls of Lightning" HOL you can get the Eternally Folded Blade. That's a very nice upgrade Tanking Sword upgrade all the way to 80 and into Heroics. Its easy to get as it drops from the 2nd boss in the instance and it did drop fairly often in Beta and has more defense as well.
After that if you run Utgarde Pinnacle you will get lots of lvl 78+ Tanking upgrades with lots of defense pieces from that one instance alone. Its a very fun instance, loved it in Beta, kinda like SH a bit. On Heroics from same instance Utgarde Pinnacle it drops a awesome lvl 200 Tanking Sword only one of all the new instances and it did look awesome in Beta. Something to get i would say.
To be honest this quest is not worth doing. You think it is because you have not leveled up farther.
At 77 you will head to icecrown or storm peaks. Eventually you will *need* to do both to unlock a few factions. In Icecrown there is a quest not too far in that gives a MUCH better tanking sword, http://www.wowhead.com/?item=44745 Blade of the Empty Void:
Blade of the Empty Void
Binds when picked upOne-Hand Sword
124 - 231 Damage Speed 1.60
(110.9 damage per second)
+24 Strength
+41 Stamina
Durability 90 / 90
Equip: Increases defense rating by 19 (3.86 @ L80).
Equip: Increases your parry rating by 14 (0.28% @ L80).
Why bother with the flipper quest at 75 when you'll get this at 77? Further there is an even better one at 120 dps that drops in Halls of Lightning normal...which can be done at 77 as well.
So don't go out of your way with this quest...you'll basically never use it.
Nuf, thanks for the head's up on some nice upcoming gear. So yes, these weapons may not last until 80 but the quest is still worth doing. You get XP and you will most likely be doing it anyway. Plus, saying that the weapon will never be used is a bit of a stretch. I'll use it for at least two levels and until I can get that other quest done.
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