Cataclysm Beta: New blacksmithing items revealed

From armor to weapons, there's a wide assortment of gear already datamined by the folks at MMO-Champion and I have to say some of this stuff is astonishing. We've talked about gear resets before when previous expansions come out, but when you're looking at such a massive DPS increase between an epic weapon dropped by the heroic Lich King and the crafted weapon you can equip at level 81, it seems like this expansion is really serious about it. Just one example is this level 80 blue tanking hat with 290 stamina on it, a clear sign of the increase in health pools we were told we'd be seeing. The new design paradigm of Cataclysm is definitely showing up in these items. It's safe to say that if you haven't been raiding, you'll probably catch up quickly, and even if you have you'll be replacing items pretty early on.
Filed under: News items, Cataclysm






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Josh Brown Jul 1st 2010 1:34AM
Man this is like Christmas... I can't wait for cata... or a beta invite? eh, eh?
Tom Jul 1st 2010 2:53PM
And did I miss the Memo on this one, or are "One-Handed Exotics" new?
Ron Jul 1st 2010 1:43AM
Wow, that's...awesome! Easily replace my crappy gear...
zdave Jul 1st 2010 1:41AM
funny to see Shadowmourne replaced so quickly.
er, wait, funny isn't the word i'm looking for. help me out here?
Xevius Jul 1st 2010 1:46AM
Tragic?
Disappointing?
upsetting?
Bikhai Jul 1st 2010 1:48AM
rawful?
Hivetyrant Jul 1st 2010 1:49AM
Expected?
zdave Jul 1st 2010 1:50AM
actually i think funny describes it best.
Mark Jul 1st 2010 3:18AM
this reminds me of that video...
"Hey Shadowmourne! This green has better stats than you!"
Tomatketchup Jul 1st 2010 6:29AM
Mourn?
Mourning because it's in the shadow when Cataclysm comes out?
Heilig Jul 1st 2010 9:46AM
Don't go nuts just yet. The gear we're currently wearing is going to change too. i don't know how much of a difference it will be, but I have heard reports of toons gaining 7K health just from logging in.
Keveline Jul 1st 2010 10:58AM
Almost makes me feel bad for people who shelled out 15k gold for a Battered Hilt.
Almost...
Morighan Jul 1st 2010 1:48AM
Except all the data mined items are post "Cataclysm stat adjustment", so it's pretty meaningless comparing them to the current stuff.
While the ilvl on the crafted items is certainly a huge jump, we don't know that similar things won't happen when the stat adjustments happen.
Matthew Rossi Jul 1st 2010 2:01AM
You can look at the stats adjusted for various BS items in that list, including ones currently in game like the Legplates of Painful Death.
http://db.mmo-champion.com/i/49903/
Those are iLevel 264 epic crafted pants. You can see how stat adjustment affects in game items: it doesn't increase their stats. Shadowmourne doesn't get 60 DPS in patch 4.0.
Natsumi Jul 1st 2010 2:11AM
Yes, but look at the top end on that crafted sword! 1900 OMGWTFLAZERZPEWPEWPEW!! As a Warrior that is just as important as the actual stats on the weapon itself, our attacks are all based on weapon damage making a 272 top end increase a HUGE DPS upgrade. It's even further exaggerated by the immense amount of +Str on the weapon, not to mention the smexxeh new mastery Stat on it. I'd be sad about it, but I'd shard my ICC weapons right quick for mats to enchant that bad boy.
Fletcher Jul 1st 2010 1:49AM
I'm pleased to see that the 2h weapon is an actual sword, as opposed to one of the interminable fugly 2h axes Wrath has been festooned with. I'm not an axe fan - give me a 2h sword or a mace any day.
zdave Jul 1st 2010 1:52AM
i, too, am a fan of the falic symbols. giant 2h sword? yes, please!
Fletcher Jul 1st 2010 2:29AM
It's "phallic". And that's got nothing to do with it; I just think axes are ugly. There are some exceptions - the DK 2h starting axe for one - but largely they're ugly.
zdave Jul 1st 2010 3:41AM
damn, knew i spelled that wrong. honestly, though, i was not making fun. i think the big 2h weps are symbols of power. i laughed so hard the first time i saw somebody with shadowmourne. it's so ridiculously small!
Saint Jul 1st 2010 5:39AM
I'm an Axe man, and there's just something about cleaving someone in two that just says "dayum". I mean, I'm sure a sword could cleave someone, but it'd probably take a whack or two.
Mmm. Mayhem.