Epic jewelcrafting recipes go factional on the PTR, goggles and tier 6 gear also get changes.
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Feb 23rd 2008 at 5:25AM
World of Raids has discovered something hiding in the latest patch build: All the epic gem cut recipes from current 25 mans will now be available from the Shattered Sun Offensive at various reputation levels.While no vendor has been found for them, the most likely candidate would seem be Shaani, one of the new NPCs we mentioned yesterday. In fact, I would call this even further evidence for the likelihood of epic gem transmutes from the lab set up by Mar'nah from the Razorthorn Rise daily, also mentioned in that article. Certainly, if casuals will be able to learn epic gem cuts from a daily grind reputation, it would make sense that they'd also be able to obtain epic gems to cut from somewhere other than the AH. It really does seem like Blizzard is preparing for Wrath of the Lich King with this patch, giving more and more opportunities for the casual player to catch up so they can start the expansion on a much more equal footing with the raiding player than they did for the Burning Crusade.
In other item and trade skill news from the latest build, the new goggles will now require more ingredients to make, mostly extra primals of various types.
Finally, most of the new tier 6 gear had previously been stripped of stamina, but now has it back, though in slightly smaller amounts than before. This should be good news to all those Druid Tanks who were a bit concerned about what use the gear would be for them, at the least.
Oh, and the scaling bug continues to be hilarious.
Filed under: Engineering, Realm News, Patches, Items, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, News items, Jewelcrafting
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Arya Feb 23rd 2008 6:02AM
I hope they don't forget to update the Alchemy Stone.
my2cents Feb 23rd 2008 6:41AM
Indeed it does seem like they're trying to give casuals a chance to catch up. I can see why this upsets some people, but I wonder if they're doing this in order to make the WOTLK "gear reset" less drastic than it was for TBC. In other words, if casuals have a good chance to get some T5-T6 equivalent gear before the xpac, a gear reset can be achieved without having to make lvl 70 northrend blues better than kara epics.
Nluvnit Feb 23rd 2008 7:08AM
Only thing is these recipes being available from a faction vendor doesn't really help "casuals" as the mats required only drop in Black Temple. So unless they change that, it's still only for the high-end raiders. My guess is that the mats will start dropping in the new Sunwell raid now.
Jordrah Feb 23rd 2008 7:39AM
its being speculated that an alchemist will be able to transmute the gems, which would be awsome
Bearskunk Feb 23rd 2008 7:24AM
so jewelcrafters continue to get sugar blown up their asses to make even more gold and everyone else can at best hope for raid drops for their profession?
fLUx Feb 23rd 2008 7:32AM
I think you will find JC will proberly make less now these are easier to get....
SaintStryfe Feb 23rd 2008 12:37PM
I donno about your server, but JC recipes still are drops on mine, and a desirable one like Solid Star of Elune still go from 400 to 600 gold a pop, while the gems only turn about 5 to 10 g a of profit a piece.
Some great, easier-to-get recopies sounds good to me.