This one's by request this week -- Twitter's own @Random_Tangent recommended it to us. We've done a few Ulduar items lately (we'll have to go phat next week), but here's another nice one.

Name: Stormedge (Wowhead, Thottbot, Armory)
Type: Epic Two-hand Axe
Damage/Speed: 594 - 892 / 3.50 (212.3 DPS)
Abilities:

• Um, it's badass?
• +106 Strength, +125 Stamina. Which means this is a straight-up 2h DPS weapon -- the Strength adds a huge damage bonus to Warriors, Death Knights, Feral Druids (edit: well nevermind then), and Paladins by giving them a +212 attack power just from the weapon alone, not to mention other places Strength is used. Shamans also get a buff -- not quite as big, but still nice.

• But here's the real kicker: improves hit rating by 96. Warriors with 3/3 precision need 164 hit to reach their hit cap, and this weapon, by itself, adds 96 of that. That's wild. It means that you can sacrifice hit in other places for more stats there.
  
• Also increases your armor penetration rating by 74. I am too low on the theorycrafting ladders to have a clear idea of what Armor Penetration does yet, but I do know that it means your attacks hit as if your opponent was wearing less armor. So more damage for you. The always knowledgeable Matthew Rossi tells me: "It helps you stack up a sizeable ArP, with 2.93% reduction in just a weapon slot." Which is good, right?
• And speaking of Rossi, this weapon is not unique, which means that yes, you Titan's Grip-obsessed Warriors can wield them two at a time. Which is probably where all of that Strength comes from -- carrying two of these around is a workout in itself.

How to Get It: Like another weapon we've profiled lately it drops from Hodir's cache of winter, the pile of goodies you get for defeating him in normal mode up in Ulduar. Finish him off, win the roll against all of the other 2h damagemongers trying to get their hands on this one, and the weapon is yours. Easy, right?

Getting rid of it: Sells back to vendors for 27g 82s 7c, and if you really want to ruin a Warrior's day, you can disenchant it in front of him into an Abyss Crystal. As a consolation, you can tell him that there are better weapons in the game anyway -- after you've gotten Stormedge, try getting Aesir's Edge next.

Tags: 10-man, abyss-crystal, armor-penetration, axe, hit-cap, hodir, matthew-rossi, phat-loot, phat-loot-phriday, raiding, stamina, stormedge, strength, two-hand, ulduar

Filed under: Items, Analysis / Opinion, Humor, Raiding, Phat Loot Phriday, Bosses