Phat Loot Phriday: The Soulblade
by Mike Schramm 
Feb 27th 2009 at 6:00PM
Name: The Soulblade (Wowhead, Thottbot, WoWDigger)
Type: Epic Main-hand Dagger
Damage/Speed: 87-258 / 1.80 (96.0 DPS)
Attributes:
- +39 Stamina, +44 Intellect, +42 Spirit
- And yes, that Spirit makes this about as Warlock as daggers come, nowadays.
- Since all of the spellpower changes, caster and healer loot seems to be mixed up quite a bit -- almost anyone can use almost any of the nicest loot at the top. But Warlocks need Stamina, which this knife has, to Life Tap life away from, and they're also big fans of Spirit as well. You might have to make the case on a roll for this one, but combined with the name of the item, this is a Warlock dagger.
- Improves hit rating by 30, which doesn't hurt either, especially for Affliction Warlocks.
- Increases spell power by 481. 'Nuff said.
- And provides 576 Feral Attack Power. Which doesn't matter much to Druids -- this is not a weapon you'd actually want to go feral with -- but just shows that Blizzard is covering their bases with Feral AP.
To roll on, anyway. Like I said, you'll probably have to fight off a few other casters. But that's what that Fear spell is for, right?
Getting Rid of It: Disenchants into, you guessed it, an Abyss Crystal. Sells back to vendors for 21g 73s 15c.
Filed under: Warlock, Items, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Instances, Raiding, Phat Loot Phriday, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Lorsty Feb 27th 2009 6:10PM
wowhead says it only gives 461 spell power and not 481. Am I missing something here? @.@
Azizrael Feb 27th 2009 6:10PM
Yay for Warlock loot!
And drool... this would be a very nice upgrade from my Flameheart Spell Scalpel. I'm getting ready to start learning how to survive through Naxx (at long last), so this is going top of my list.
Lorsty Feb 27th 2009 6:12PM
Good luck and have fun =)
Burcemage Feb 27th 2009 6:19PM
In my eyes, im a Arcane Mage i could use this Dagger and would roll again a Lock for this Dagger. Everything helps me from stat wise realy. So i do not think myself that this should only be roll for Warlock. Since the Change too spell power any cloth pretty mutch, staff and sword is usefull.
Pugsly Feb 27th 2009 6:24PM
Never freaking drops..
AyaJulia Feb 28th 2009 2:47AM
Don't worry about them saying this is a Lock dagger. They like to incite riots in this column by proclaiming loot as one class only. Don't fool yourself into thinking this is any sort of unbiased perspective.
Selene Feb 27th 2009 6:34PM
(hm, hope this doesn't end up getting double-posted--my web browser is misbehaving)
Even as a lock that's drooling over this, I have to agree that this is an excellent weapon for other casting classes as well, and I would expect to be rolling against them on it.
While locks do get more benefit from stamina than (at least most) other casting classes, I don't think stamina automatically makes this a warlock weapon. In 10-mans at least, I don't find that I have any mana problems (though I can only speak from an affliction perspective): tapping a felpuppy or imp does nicely, and my various health-regeneration abilities keep me topped off enough for the occasional lifetap. Stamina is great, but I'll sacrifice stamina in a heartbeat for spell power :)
I certainly don't mean to sound like I'm disagreeing with the article, though--the author seems to have made it clear that other casters can get good use out of it too.
Now, I shall go back to drooling.
Xavs Feb 27th 2009 7:04PM
I would just like to inform you that "tapping your puppy" as you called it (Using Dark Pact) is a very inefficient way to get mana at level 80.
Life Tap at level 80 is actually like this
"Converts [1490 + SPI * 3] health into [1490 + SPI * 3] mana. Spirit increases quantity of health converted."
Which makes Life Tap>>>>Dark Pact, which isn't really that good.
Saves you GCD and therefore, ups your DPS.
I have yet to get this weapon, though it definitely does look very nice.
T Feb 27th 2009 8:25PM
While Life Tap maybe >> Dark Pact, as a healer, nothing is more irksome than a lock tapping themselves to near death and then they expect to be healed back up by the team healer. That turns me into a mana battery for the lock.
Kards Feb 27th 2009 10:42PM
Let him die next time. Maybe then the Lock will learn to throw a Life tap in at the end of his rotation and help keep a constant supply of mana.
Azizrael Feb 28th 2009 3:19AM
@T
As Affliction, it's just poor mana management to need to tap more than once at a time, and flat out rude to expect a healer to keep you up. I always try to save tapping until either Haunt is about to come back, or there's a HoT on me - and if your health and mana are both low it usually seems better to switch tactics from optimal DPS rotation to old fashioned drain style until you're able to get both back up.
darkronin Mar 3rd 2009 6:26PM
I wonder why they do this and not the tide....unless restricting it to 10 man only loot but the tide is hands down the best weapon for any lock, mage, holy paly.......
Nathan Feb 27th 2009 6:44PM
There is another blade u can pick up in there also Haunting Call http://www.wowhead.com/?item=40408 Drops off trash RAWR !!! Less spirit but more +hit. Also the graphic is way better for a lock I think. Really have u seen that Soulblade looks like a mini dagger.
WoWie Zowie Feb 27th 2009 6:46PM
i got this on my main (mage)
the spirit and stam mean nothing, the spellpower and hit clearly makes this up for grabs for any caster dps.
Dragis Feb 27th 2009 7:58PM
Wrrooong. The spirit on this isn't useless. Though it only gives a modest bit of SP to locks, it also contributes to higher amounts of mana from lifetap, and wasting time tapping in boss encounters is terrible.
To locks who say you don't run oom when fighting bosses: You're doing it wrong.
Falcrist Feb 27th 2009 11:49PM
"To locks who say you don't run oom when fighting bosses: You're doing it wrong."
Doing what wrong? I hope you're referring to the strategy of not lifetapping towards the end of a fight and just letting your mana run down. Because if you're affliction and can't stand in front of a boss or a targeting dummy or even Dr. Boom and dps indefinitely, then you need to learn to play the class. Mana has never been an issue with locks, and as affliction right now you can heal yourself for more than you need to lifetap away.
If you're an affliction lock, there is no such thing as OOM. (regardless of whether the healers are healing through your taps)
turtlehead Feb 28th 2009 12:20PM
"Wrrooong. The spirit on this isn't useless."
He said it's useless for determining who should/will roll on it and he was 100% correct, especially given it's the first consistently available strong one-hand caster weapon.
Jhestor Feb 27th 2009 6:56PM
Also, Balance druids receive spell-power benefits (15% of spirit turned into spell-power) so clearly it isn't just a warlock weapon.
Doc X Mar 2nd 2009 12:07PM
Warlock loot? I'm a balance druid and this is my go-to until I can get that awesome 520 spellpower mace. The +hit on the Soulblade is pretty awesome and one of the primary reasons I use it.
Reuben Feb 27th 2009 7:20PM
Not to be slightly off-topic, but has anyone here played The Legacy of Kain? I feel that this dagger bears a striking resemblance to the Soul Reaver, in more than just name. I'm not indicating a stealing of ideas, far from it, I actually think it's quite neat.
Anyone with me?