Insider Trader: Enchanting the Cataclysm
by Michael Gray 
Jul 27th 2010 at 5:00PM
Enchanting is probably the most fundamental template for improving a character beyond levels and gear. Even though jewelcrafters have been around for two expansions, people still talk about enchanted gear as being the baseline for character improvement. It makes sense, then, that the foundation is a flagship for gear enhancement in Cataclysm.
However, with a few small exceptions, the rules about which stats get enchantments are changing. As you'll see as we go through the new enchants one by one, many of the new enchanting standards will be based on procs. We can guess this change is in the interest of making the stat bonuses more interesting and "deep," so it's going to be interesting to see which enchants different classes prefer.
As warning, though, it's beta. It's almost certain some of these stats are placeholders or subject to change.
Boots and bracers
The boot enchant Assassin's Step wins for the coolest name in WoW enchants. It just sounds awesome. And it's pretty good for rogues and druids, since it applies 25 agility and a movement speed increase. Its speed and stat cousin is Lavawalker, which grants a movement speed increase and 35 mastery. If you're not interested in movement speed, you can just apply Mastery to your boots, which will boost that trait by 50. Major Agility serves the same purpose -- just 35 agility without the movement speed. Precision is the expected hit rating enchantment to use until you're at your class's hit cap. Boots can also use Haste, if you're trying to get that capped.
The bracer enchants are a little less flavorful. You have two basic options, Greater Critical Strike or Greater Speed. The speed enchant is a haste enchant, of course. Bracers can also take the enchant Greater Expertise. If you need a little spirit, then bracers might be a good option with Exceptional Spirit. Precision is also an option for bracers, which coupled with its boot version, will help propel you to your hit cap. Tanks will look to Dodge to boost their defense. If you're tank isn't dodge-inclined, there's still Major Stamina.
Chest, cloaks, gloves
The chest enchant actually now includes an option for Greater Stamina. While stamina is an option many tanks felt was missing from their chests in Wrath, I suspect it's now included in the chest lineup due to the greater stamina on all gear in Cataclysm. Survivability is supposed to be an issue in Cataclysm, but I just don't see a world where DPSers are going to pass up options to increase their DPS. That comes with Peerless Stats, which will increase all stats by 20. Chest will be a good place for spellcasters also with Exceptional Spirit.
Cloaks get Greater Critical Strike, which increases critical strike rating by 65. (There's a weaker version available for fewer materials, simply called Critical Strike.) Spellcasters might want Greater Intellect on their cloaks instead, boosting intellect by 50. Some tanks might be interested in having Protection on their cloaks.
Gloves are going to be some happy critters in Cataclysm. You can pick up Greater Mastery to boost mastery by 65. Alternatively, you have the option of rocking Mighty Strength for 50 strength. (The lesser version of Mighty Strength is Exceptional Strength, for a mere 35 points instead.) Haste is also available.
Yes, Virginia, you can get Superior Intellect on your shield. Also, Blocking is still a common use of shields. Protection is available if you just want raw armor.
Shields and weapons
Weapon enchants get interesting with their proc-based effects. If you're a melee class who is concerned with attack power, then Landslide will probably be an amazing enchant. It has a chance from melee attacks to provide attack power for 10 seconds. Power Torrent works similarly, but provides spellpower after casting spells or striking in melee. Lastly, Windwalk provide dodge for tanks occasionally after striking in melee. Heartsong will sometimes boost spirit after casting spells or striking in melee, while Hurricane will increase haste under the same conditions. Elemental Slayer is an interesting enchant for farming elementals in Cataclysm, although I think it will likely end up a leveling enchant. However, Avalanche is available as a direct damage proc against all targets, so that might prove more useful. Mending will be nice for people who want a little self-heal to minimize their downtime.
Each week, Insider Trader takes you behind the scenes of the bustling subculture of professional craftsmen, examining the profitable, the tragically lacking and the methods behind the madness.Filed under: Insider Trader (Professions)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Bernie Roscoe Jul 27th 2010 5:05PM
"Requires an iLevel 300 item or higher to enchant"
Wow. That's very interesting. I guess the only things we can use Cataclysm enchants on are... Cataclysm items?
elstor Jul 27th 2010 9:21PM
I find it interesting considering cata questing items are much lower than 300, so you can't even use these enchants until you have gear from heroics (My guess as to where 300s first drop is heroics)
SamLowry Jul 28th 2010 1:24PM
Crafters can make i359 items.
Opruchnowski Jul 27th 2010 5:12PM
I don't see the benefit of the landslide enchant from a hunter's pov. It seems we would still be using massacre for a constant 110 ap as opposed to an occasional 10second up time of ap. Also, not even sure if the landslide procs offof ranged attacks.
theRaptor Jul 27th 2010 5:26PM
Those have to be place holder stats or else they are going to pull a Crusader and nerf the crap out of the proc times on Wrath enchants.
I really hope they are just place holder because enchanting a weapon should feel pretty epic IMO, those current enchants are kind of a blink and you will miss it.
Cybeloras Jul 27th 2010 6:15PM
It specifically says "when striking in melee." Hunters have never used proc enchants on their melee weapon.
Stuman Jul 27th 2010 6:50PM
Even if landslide procs off ranged attacks, I would still take massacre. A constant 110 AP is better than an 120 AP uptime for 10 seconds. Now, if it is 1200 AP, that might be another matter (depending on the math). Also, I wouldn't be surprised if Blizz makes some better enchants for ranged weapons to offset the fact that hunters don't (and should NEVER) melee their targets.
Natsumi Jul 27th 2010 5:17PM
I still prefer the Berserker enchant to the new Landslide, it gives more than twice the attack power for a small loss of armor. Not sure why you'd use landslide at all really, unless yiou are lazy and don't want to go back and farm older mats. :p
Siorra Jul 27th 2010 5:34PM
Can only presume these are placeholder numbers for the time being. Considering the haste enchant gives 350 haste, I'm guessing Landslide will proc 700ap.
Omegan01 Jul 27th 2010 5:50PM
I expect Landslide's AP buff to rise before Cata goes live. Dramatically.
Valtor Jul 27th 2010 6:43PM
I AM CAPTAAAAAAAIIIN PLACEHOLDER!!
Noyou Jul 27th 2010 5:20PM
Well lvl 300 are basically lvl 85 quest greens. You probably don't want to enchant those. The engineering crafted goggles are ilvl 359 to give you an idea. So yeah it looks like you can't slap cata enchants on your 271 raid gear but who knows how long it will even take to get mats for enchanting once the xpac drops. By then you might have replaced all your raid gear anyway :) We shall see.
Bronwyn Jul 28th 2010 9:17PM
You may be right but as an enchanter I have to say that it's a lot more fun to level your enchanting if you can put the enchants on your own gear, vellums or not :p
Kaorael Jul 27th 2010 5:28PM
To those who say they prefer older enchants, remember that those older enchants are probably going to change too, so the new ones will surely stay on top.
Natsumi Jul 27th 2010 7:21PM
Actually, Strength based DPS classes were still rocking Crusader in BC because 100 str was better than anything BC had, the only thing less effective is the heal it still procs fairly often even at 80. In Wrath people were using executioner for the ArPen Proc, which also has a decent proc rate, making it easier to hit soft cap for ArPen for those that don't have a Trinket. Some Rogues AND tanks still use Mongoose for the Agility and Haste.
Not all Wrath enchants are used nor are they all good. When was the last time you saw someone take Scourgebane or Giant Slayer or even Icebreaker? Some enchants are there because Blizz thought people would use them, but there is always someone out there that will find out which has a minuscule DPS increase and take that, and if that thing is Berserker, you'll see a lot of people running older content for mats. Just because it's Cata doesn't mean the stuff is better.
Manadar Jul 27th 2010 9:38PM
Heeeellooo Mongoose!
vazhkatsi Jul 28th 2010 12:03AM
helloo executioner!
Stella Jul 27th 2010 5:35PM
I wonder if Runeforging will be updated or perhaps DKs will have to use regular weapon enchants.
Orkchop Jul 27th 2010 5:40PM
Why? The Runforge enchants scale perfectly. They're percent based. 15% more STR (or 2% more STA) is just as awesome at level 85 as it is at level 8.
Faceless Minion Jul 27th 2010 5:43PM
They don't have to change any to still be able to be best in slot. Fallen Crusader will still be by far the best for any DK DPS - remember, the proc from it is 15 percent of your strength. As for tanking, though I the defense chants are naturally going the way of the dodo, a 4 percent parry option is still quite nice.