Over at WoW Insider today I have the massive list of the best hunter gear to prepare you for Cataclysm heroics. Now in Wrath, our pre-heroic loot didn’t really matter, but Cataclysm promises to be a different story.
With the Dungeon Finder requiring an average gear ilvl of 329 for heroics and the heroics actually being challenging when we first get into them, it makes sense to plan your loot lists a bit more carefully than we did before — not to mention it’s nice to know reputation and instances you’ll be wanting to run as you’re leveling up your hunter in Cataclysm. This guide should answer your questions and get to heroic-ready. I’ll be hitting the pre-raid heroic gear lists next Thursday, FYI.
Cataclysm is just around the corner, and it’s time to put away the shiny new pets and start planning for level 85. We’ve already discussed optimizing our 80 to 85 leveling, so now we’ll focus on our level 85 gear. To that end, we have a massive info dump for you today. We are going to start by looking at our pre-heroic gear options and save the pre-raid gear for a next Thursday. Unlike Wrath, Cataclysm heroics promise to be actually challenging… Read More.
Are the Chaos Orbs, used in the Kickback 5000 for example, available before heroics? If so, where?
Thank You Kindly.
They are not. I suspect Frost made a boo-boo.
Whoops — I guess I got too excited about my eng gun and blacked out the heroic mats!
According to the wowhead link, the Finely-Tuned Throat Needler is only ilvl 333, and doesn’t require any Chaos Orbs (and based on the listed stats, it probably doesn’t deserve the double-star as best Heroic gear, either–it’s quite similar to the Volatile Thunderstick).
When are you sleeping these days? As always your work is greatly appreciated.
The inscription trinket seems to be a very good option too.
Sorry if this sounds ignorant, but I’ve never had to worry about the dungeon finder ilvl ratings before so I never really read up on them. When you say we need a 329 ilvl does that mean every piece of gear has to be above or is it a weighted average of all your gear?
And again, thanks for all the research.
On your character sheet if you expand out the detail to the right it will list your item level.
Also, the current (Wrath) system apparently works on the highest ilvl item for each slot that you [i]own[/i] (including stuff in the bank), not the ilvls for the items you have equipped. I assume Cataclysm will be the same.
@ bier
I am fairly sure it is just your average ilvl it looks at…at least, currently on live that is how it works.
Are the engineering head gear good to start heroics?
I was operating under the impression that the BoP Chaos Orbs would only drop from heroics, and thus you would not be able to craft the engineering ilvl 359 helms prior to completing at least some heroics..
Its worth noting that the engineer crafted Bows/Gun take chaos orbs too so while you might be able to buy one off another player before you do heroics they will be very expensive at first.
Any idea why the Big Bendy Blasting Bow (an ilvl 333 quest reward) is so bad compared to other ranged weapons of the same level. It has the same dps and Agi, but it have no stam and only one secondary stat.
I am hoping it is just a database error or stats from an older patch, because it looks like the most easily obtainable ilvl 333 ranged weapon (I can save my coin for the Kickback 5000 or Chicken Splitter).
Frost,
I started looking into what faction rep to grind and how I should spend my justice points once I hit Level 85 and noticed a few items that you didn’t mention in your article. Just wondering if these items are a function of the gaps and buggy information in the wowhead database or is it actually worth planning on grinding rep to get these items:
Sky Piercer is a level 346 crossbow that is obtainable once you hit revered with Baradin’s Wardens.
Spear of Trailing Shadows is a level 346 polearm that is obtainable once you hit revered with Baradin’s Wardens.
Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Ravenshadow, he may have left it out because of the nature of the faction involved. The Baradin’s Wardens (and Hellscream’s Reach for Horde) do not have tabards and are daily quest grind only. They can not be started until lvl 85 and the number of quest available depends on if your faction controls the zone or not. If your faction can pull off control every day during your questing time, you could hit revered in a week, if not could be up wards of 2 weeks. Most of the other reps you’ll be close to revered by the time you hit 85.
Based on that, I’d consider those items as heroic or pre-raid items, not pre-heroics.
Thanks, didn’t know it was a PvP faction, that explains it.
I am confused about Justice Points. I’ve been hovering around the 4k cap since I heard we can buy a couple of pieces of blue gear at 85 with them. However, I started wondering if we’ll get any Justice Points while leveling to 85. Will we get Justice Points for doing random daily normal dungeons while leveling? Thanks for the guides Frost; I appreciate all the hard work and I feel more prepared with all this great information!
I’m not certain, but I suspect that justice points are only something you’ll get in heroics.
This is fairly old, but if it stays accurate it looks like the only JPs you can get while leveling are 75 for the daily random:
http://www.wowhead.com/blog=170048/cataclysm-justice-valor-point-drop-quantities
By comparison, you get 75 for a single heroic boss.
So maybe it would be better to stay a little below the 4k cap just so those daily Justice Points don’t get wasted.
Another link that might be useful:
http://www.wowwiki.com/Justice_Point
Has a nice chart in there telling you what’s what (hopefully it’s still valid). You can get Justice Points outside of Heroics by doing dailies.
That chart isn’t entirely correct. You get JPs for all level 80 dungeon bosses whether it’s normal or Heroic (e.g., all the Frozen Halls instances give you 16 JP per boss even on normal mode).
Thanks for your hard work on ALL of the guides. I hope when Cata comes around that you are having a great time for all the hard work you put in beforehand!
Frost,
I have to 2nd Itukaaj on that, the job you do is superb, no idea where you find the time, I struggle runnning my guild, although I do spend 2 months at a time away working overseas, had to set up a new website to make things a little easier
Can’t even get in-game atm as the latest patches are to big to download at sea 
Without a doubt the best class guides around.
Well done,
)
Oh aye, the video for the lvl 1 raid is awesome
Just a little note. If you are missing a few points for average item level to get into a dungeon. Pick up some cloth/leather gear for slots where you are lacking. Equip them, then put them in your bags and your AIL will still be boosted.
Razorshell Chest
I’m working through my Leatherworking to make that chest. But I can’t seem to find this pattern anywhere. Wowhead isn’t helpful. It doesn’t list where I can get it. I visited the LW trainer in Twilight Highlands, and it’s not in her inventory. What am I missing?
Frost – think you missed a trinket that’s probably #3 or #4 on the dps list. Didn’t know it even existed until it dropped from mob today.
Heart of the Vile – http://www.wowhead.com/item=66969
Definitely better than Grace of the Herald.
Sorry forgot this – here’s the comparison of the 5
http://www.wowhead.com/compare?items=55874;56115;66969;55795;55266
Hey Forst
I have a feeling the Razershell Chest (and the set it self) Has been taken out… I heard the Tsunami Chestguard is good, but it’s Random stats (Got to Enchant it to get the stats).
Just curious, have you had a chance to look at the engineering Mechanical Dragonling?
http://www.wowhead.com/item=60403
Ive heard good things, but I was wondering if you had any opinions on it, Frost.
New Trinkets to look at – possible new top 3?
http://www.wowhead.com/compare?items=55874;56115;66969;55795;55266
I believe the bow from the Cruicble of Carnage Should be added in to the pre heroic Gear for us bow users. Since it requires five people and wow is all about group quest, in other words you should have friends or spam long enough to get help.
http://www.wowhead.com/item=63791 forgot to link