Phat Loot Phriday: Titansteel Shield Wall

Name: Titansteel Shield Wall (Wowhead, Thottbot, Wowdigger)
Type: Epic Shield
Armor: 7350
Abilities:
- 211 Block, +36 Strength, +69 Stamina
- Increases defense rating by 64, and at this level, while I'm not a tank expert (I leave that to the pros), Defense is what you want.
- So obviously this is a tanking shield. It's not the absolute best tanking shield in the game (in fact, we covered another one right around this level that drops in CoT: Stratholme, and there's a nice one in Naxx, too). But it is a very good tanking shield, especially for when you can get it, and if you don't want to deal with RNG (and want to put your hard-earned profession to good use), this is the one.
- It's Bind on Equip, too, so you can buy one or sell one -- see below.
Titansteel is a little tougher. You'll need Titanium Ore, which you can find from the nodes in Icecrown (or via a Transmute, but that's a last resort). It's three titanium bars per one titansteel, so you'll need nine total. And then you'll also need one Eternal Fire, Eternal Earth and Eternal Shadow for each Titansteel bar, so three each of those. Be at least 440 Blacksmithing, put it all together with some sweat and blood over and anvil, and the shield is yours.
We'll note here also that since the item is BoE, you could just buy one off the AH -- average price is around 2500g. But it's much more fun to make one yourself.
Getting Rid of It: As pretty as it is, you probably will be exchanging it whenever your lucky day comes in Heroic CoT: Strat or Naxx. But don't worry about that -- you can sell it off to vendors for 13g 10s 92c, or it'll disenchant into a Dream Shard or (small chance) an Abyss Crystal (never mind, Epics become Crystals, my mistake).
Filed under: Blacksmithing, Items, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Instances, Phat Loot Phriday, Leveling
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Unsavory Jan 16th 2009 8:54PM
The Thunderfury in the screenshot makes this more awesome.
Angus Jan 17th 2009 9:39AM
I'm pretty sure that's Invisusira. One of the more insane tankadins out there, and one of the cooler ones. Made tankadin movies doing insane things before tankadins were considered good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SW7Irjrgxw&feature=channel_page
Halfdragon Jan 17th 2009 6:10PM
"You'll need Titanium Ore, which you can find from the nodes in Icecrown (or via a Transmute, but that's a last resort)." So actually you get the titanium ore from anywhere saronite ore spawns. Similar to khorium from BC, Titansteel is a rare spawn of a saronite node.As the above poster said, it is quite easy to farm it in Sholzar Basin.
Horris Jan 16th 2009 10:27PM
I was lucky enough to nab one of these for 950g on my realm's AH. They usually go for >2000g, so I was excited about that.
Totheground Jan 19th 2009 11:12PM
only goes for 500 on my server :)
OIK2 Jan 17th 2009 12:46AM
BS is a BA...why do u think they call us BS Artists?
Babyblizz Jan 17th 2009 7:07AM
average price 2500g?!
I'm on Stormreaver EU, and I got this shield for 700g by buying all the mats separately. . .
The AH buyout price is on about 800-1000g..
Sílversnö Jan 17th 2009 7:24AM
Am I missing something here? Isn't this shield ALOT better than Leeka's Shield? It's got better stats all over, with the exception of Strength, of which it only has one (1) less. Or are people referring to some other shield when they talk about the shield that drops from CoS?
Aylia Jan 17th 2009 7:30AM
Royal Crest of Lordaeron (http://www.wowhead.com/?item=43085).
I'm still using titansteel over it, because of the defense.
KaonNemesis Jan 17th 2009 7:38AM
While this is a nice shield it is the "worst" of the 3 eaily obtainable ones at 80, and should only be worn if you really need the help reaching the defense cap.
Titansteel Shield Wall < Royal Crest of Lordaeron < Crygil's Discarded Plate Panel
Royal Crest of Lordaeron (from Heroic Culling)
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=43085
Crygil's Discarded Plate Panel (for a measly 35 hero badges)
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=40701
There's really no reason not to be using Crygil's. If you're really that desperate for defense then put a defense enchant on it for the time being.
vocenoctum Jan 17th 2009 10:30AM
While your point is valid, when a tank just hits 80, Heroic CoT or 35 badges is not exactly as "easy" as throwing some mats at a blacksmith and having this shield.
Aylia Jan 17th 2009 7:44AM
In response to KaonNemesis, what do you do when you have defense on your titansteel already? :-) (and on your chest as well, obviously).
Angus Jan 17th 2009 9:48AM
You ding 80, you want a lot of defense to get to 540. You upgrade to mostly tier pieces and you again are looking for pieces to get a lot of defense because you lost so much of it with those epics.
I'm gemmed for defense in a few spots, enchanted for it, and have this shield. I am still looking at upgrades and wondering where I am going to make up the lost defense on the blue pieces I have.
The hardest part of tanking is the juggling game with gear.
borgy78 Jan 17th 2009 3:59PM
screw the shield i like the sword LOL! its shiny!
Xanivard Jan 17th 2009 1:38PM
Is that Invis in the pic?
Pathological Jan 17th 2009 2:42PM
Sure looks like her. The dead giveaway would be the Thunderfury.
Shisho2k Jan 17th 2009 2:44PM
I found it to be highly useful. It's fairly easy to obtain, and it it's a shield you can raid with.
The high defense alone isn't what makes a tank item great. You tend to juggle defense around on gear items / gems / enchants to suit what you have at the moment to maintain your defense cap.
This shield allows you to go light defense on other items that might have way higher potential to provide better tanking stats. So I wouldn't dismiss it, because of how easy it is to "hit defense cap in Wrath". The excessive defense allows you flexibility.
You might find yourself in Naxx getting new legs for example that gain an incredible amount of tank stats, but downgrades defense a significant amount from your previous item and puts you below defense cap. So what? Bank your Naxx gear until you find enough defense gear to compensate? This shield can allow you to cover it on multiple items that seem unusually light on defense for their item level.
joester Jan 17th 2009 4:09PM
I have this shield and the one in CoT. But I think this shield is better for warriors since it increases other stats on defense. And also. This shield is hella sexy looking.
The CoT one looks horrid.
Corrupted Jan 18th 2009 2:06PM
As a holy priest that also has a warrior tank (used to be the other way...funny how things work out), I can tell you that hitting 540 def is not the end all - no more then bear tanks that only stacks stam (bad night in Naxx on that one..).
You need to balance against other tank type stats. When I'm healing a heroic and we pug a tank with 27k buffed hp (thats pretty much where all those crafted blues will put you), I know we are in for a rough one regardless of the defence. That tank was probably someone who just hit 80, stacked defence and said "let's run a heroic!". DPS classes can get away with that, but not tanks and healers.
Someone will always ask, usually after the first wipe, "What's your defence at?" thinking that this one number makes a tank.
Also, tanking has changed a ton in Wotlk. No one CC's anymore, so the tank is getting hit more then ever (if he/she is doing their job).