Ask WoW Insider: When to gem and enchant?
by Mark Crump 
Jun 23rd 2008 at 9:00AM
Hi! After nearly two years of fiddling around with far too many alts, I finally got a rogue to 70. I'm working on gearing to be able to do heroics and maybe some of Kara with friends before Wrath comes out. My question is this: at what point is it worth it to drop money on nice gems and enchants? I'm mostly still in quest rewards and I'm still saving for my epic flyer, so I'm somewhat loath to drop the gold just yet. At the same time, I want to be a solid addition to my group and I know that maximizing gear is part of that. Any advice on when this is a practical expense?
Thanks,
Greta
Deciding when to gem and enchant items is a tough call. For you, if the item you would enchant/gem is going to be upgraded in Karazhan, I'd pass on upgrading it -- the extra little bit the gem/enchant would infer frankly isn't worth the cost. If the item you have won't be upgraded until after Karazhan, then feel free to gem/enchant it.
Now, since not only do I not play a rogue -- or even play one on TV -- I'll let the more knowledgeable Rogue players chime in.
Got questions? Don't wait! Send them to us at ask AT wowinsider DOT com and your query could be up in lights here next week.
Filed under: Ask WoW Insider, Analysis / Opinion, Raiding
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Lechter Jun 23rd 2008 9:12AM
There is an overabundance of melee DPS available to raids. Because of this, it is important to squeeze every possible drop out of your gear to make you the top contender for the precious few slots available.
A raid slot is a privilege, not a right. If you don't go out of your way to be the best you can be, then don't expect a raid guild to go out of their way to accommodate you.
Saithir Jun 23rd 2008 9:32AM
Quite pointless to say all that when the person is specifically saying that she is aiming "to do heroics and maybe some of Kara with friends before Wrath comes out"...
Hot$auce_Magik Jun 23rd 2008 4:40PM
What that response has to do with the question at hand, I don't know...
But I hate the way people who raid sort of talk down to people who don't, or are just getting into it.
The dude quite clearly stated that he wanted to essentially do some casual raiding with friends...Why must you bring your jerkish, elitist attitude into the picture?
xenothaulus Jun 23rd 2008 9:13AM
Buy cheap +hit common gems and throw them in there, ignoring the socket bonuses. This will help you a *lot*, and the gems shouldn't be more than 3 or 4g, even cheaper if you buy them "raw" and have someone cut them for you. Get some basic enchants like assault and +agi for your boots and you're good to go for a while. Don't worry about your weapons until you get want you want from Kara, then get mongoose on both of them. You can put +dmg or fiery or whatever's cheap for you right now if want a glowy.
innajunglestylee Jun 23rd 2008 10:25AM
Decent advice, though raw gems are not so cheap since 2.4 and Brilliant Glass. But even still, it's worth the cost.
Zali Jun 23rd 2008 1:45PM
Gem vendors have an assortment of very inexpensive gems that will give you a little boost up. I'm currently at lvl 65 on my Warrior and have a few pieces of gear that can be slotted, and that is what I've done, even though I can get blue gems cut for free, and have a stack of uncuts sitting in the bank... I don't want to waste them on gear I will be replacing shortly. The gem vendors are a perfect compromise.
My main is a 375 enchanter and I've tossed enchants on any BOE gear I put my warrior in, but I don't go looking for anyone to do the BOP stuff. Enchanting is an expensive process and it hurts a little bit everytime I enchant something just to dump it a few days later. I recommend checking out some of the recent posts that WOW Insider has done on gearing up for Kara. Get the easiest stuff you can get your hands on, with the assumption that it is going to go bye-bye as soon as you walk into Kara.
To make up any difference on raid night, just make sure you show up with enough consumables to give those extra well-fed buffs, and battle elixers, etc...
Also, find an enchanter friend or guildie. Give them all of your BOE greens that you get running around the world, you can get several every day just from the daily quests. Ask them to DE them for you so you can save up some mats for enchants. Ask nicely and they might say, "Heck, 12 arcane dust is nothing. I'll just toss that on there for free." If a guildie knows that you're trying to gear up to be an asset to the team, they are likely to be helpful.
Talk to the GL as well, about guild bank rules and how to trade for enchants or gems. Let them know that you're putting in the effort to be part of the raiding team. "Hey, GL, I'm trying to get geared up for Kara, could you give some advice on gems and enchants? Should I get them on this gear? What do you think? Let me know where you want me gear-wise so I can get there." The GL will scratch their head and wonder if Christmas came early. "A guild member who is actually trying to do stuff, and doesn't just want stuff handed over?" They will jump at the chance to help you.
Rob Jun 23rd 2008 1:56PM
Those red gems (even green quality) run 15-20g now. The yellow gems (geren quality) are pretty cheap. Those +6 hit gems will go a long way. Many of the enchants are dirt cheap, ie assault, +12 agi for cloak, etc. I'd get all the green quality gems and cheap enchants you can get, unless the gear is level 65 or green. I just made 4 epics this weekend (windhawk set, gloves of living touch), and gemed those with the best blue quality gems i could get, and some decent enchants. I may never upgrade them things being the way they are (at least until mid-Wraith), so it's a good investment. My advice is to gem/enchant what you can now. Don't pay more than 100-200g though.
Bone Jun 23rd 2008 9:18AM
I have 11 70's on 2 pvp servers. 10 are on 1 server, and the other one is quite lonely on a different one ;-). The 10 that are on one server, have their gear gemmed / enchanter generally well, since I have know all of the professions. There are some expensive enchants that I forgoe because I am trying to save up for my 4 more epic flyers. After I get my epic flyers, and if it isn't too close to Wrath, I will go ahead and start doing the expensive enchants. The one on the other server, has no enchants for blue gems, except for this one leg piece. I am kind of tight with the loner b/c I don't have the money flow potentional of my main server. My general rule, is if I am not going to upgrade it for quite awhile, I will go ahead and enchant the gear. It burns me that I have to spam /2 for an enchanter even though I have one (another topic all together).
Oldbear Jun 23rd 2008 9:24AM
Thanks for that info - just for fun - What might your total "/played" be?
neadamthal Jun 23rd 2008 10:14AM
i think you might play too much. as subjective as that is, i know :P
William Jun 23rd 2008 11:38AM
I agree with how it sux that if you have an enchanter you end up having to spam /2 for enchanters to enchant your gear... downright silly. I"m contemplating getting my enchanter switched to another account so that I can doublebox and enchant my own gear. It'll prolly be worth it to save gold. :D
BillDoor Jun 23rd 2008 9:19AM
Figure out your upgrade path. If it's a blue that you'll have for awhile, gem and enchant it. If it's an epic, gem and enchant it nomatter what.
If it's something you're going to have for the foreseeable future (no upgrades available at all... T6 gear and such), put Epic gems in it.
Saithir Jun 23rd 2008 9:21AM
If it's epic and it's from Karazhan, drop in some blue gems.
If it's not (or you don't have the gold), green gems are better than no gems at all, and you can always upgrade them.
Same thing goes for enchants. Check http://shadowpanther.net/enchantments-pve.htm (there's a section about the gems as well) and see what you can get without too much work.
Most of the materials are pretty easy to get, considering the amount of green stuff that you get from Shattered Sun Offensive dailies while grinding for your mount.
Chri Jun 24th 2008 1:40AM
Agreed, I have a fairly simple rule... Blue items get green quality gems, and epics get blue/rare quality gems.
Gem for +hit wherever you can.
The only exception to this I would say is the Fel Leather crafted set... if you're getting these set I would probably splurge for blue quality +8 hit gems :D
Agility to boots and cloak and AP to bracers I think are all fairly inexpensive. Keep an eye out for enchanters who are leveling their profession, I personally gave away a ton of +AP to bracers for free :)
You can also save a lot of money on gems if you buy the raw gem and find a JC to cut it. So if you're keen to get Glinting Noble Topaz, buy up some Noble Topaz and /2 LF JC.
Good luck!
Dranaerys Jun 23rd 2008 9:22AM
With daily quests and mob grnding spots yielding easily anywhere between 200-400g an hour, there is absolutely no excuse not to have top class enchants and gems on your gear. While I wouldnt waste any epic gems on Kara gear, blues are dirt cheap (as the first poster said, go for +hit and agi/hit gems. Grind faction rep (aldor/scryer) for the head glyph, grind CE for the shoulder glyph and save mongoose for a weapon you are going to be using for a long time.
Spend a weekend in BG and get yourself a S2 MH and OH sword for honour, mongoose 'em and youll be set for weapons for a long time to come (as long as you raid comabt swords, which si the spect of choice for top PVE raid dps), you wont be replacing that MH till SSC, and the OH til BT.
innajunglestylee Jun 23rd 2008 10:25AM
You mean Aldor/Scryer for shoulder glyphs (at minimum you need the honored one) and CE Revered for the head glyph, silly bunny.
The BG advice, painful to say, is true. Nothing from Kara/Heroics is going to outclass those for a rogue.
Kyudo Jun 23rd 2008 9:27AM
If it's green gear, gem it with greens. Don't bother enchanting.
If it's blue gear, green gems again--unless it's the gear you wish to take into Kara or Heroics (ie. Dungeon Set blues), then you will want to put blue gems in it and enchant it.
If it's Epic? Gem with blue gems and enchant it! If it's Epic and /won't/ be replace by Kara gear soon--put some Epic gems in it. :P
Pretty simple. Just hold off on the enchants since they're the most expensive. Pop green gems in everything if you reeeeally want to save money. Then once you have an Epic flyer, go and gem your heart out.
Hope that helps! Good luck with the gold grind. :P
Eternalpayn Jun 23rd 2008 10:01AM
Listen to this post. Everyone. It's good.
superfrank Jun 23rd 2008 10:37AM
some of the lower level enchants are pretty cheap, so if you're putting green gems, rather than leaving things unenchanted you could consider some lower level enchants
Khanmora Jun 23rd 2008 10:55AM
Don't forget that even armor kits can be used until you get pieces that you would like really nice enchants on. They are cheap (particularly if you can make them yourself or have a guildie make them).