Blood Pact: Dungeon gearing for warlocks in patch 4.3
by Tyler Caraway 
Nov 29th 2011 at 6:00PM
If I did not know any better, warlocks, I would think that the world was conspiring against me. Last week I had promised that I would be doing a gear list from the newest 5-mans to be released with patch 4.3, but I was deterred by not having access to Wowhead's marvelous PTR site. This week, it's Blizzard itself attempting to knock this train off the tracks by releasing the ability list and talent calculators for Mists of Pandaria. While the talents are important in their own right, nothing from said ability list was really all that shocking; indeed, a majority of it I had predicted rather well in last week's issue.
Therefore, despite all attempts to get me to focus otherwise, I will actually be keeping up my promise and providing you with a cleanly laid-out gearing list for the next patch (which should be coming out tomorrow, truth be told). To prevent you from wasting your days farming for an item that you might replace, valor point items will also be listed given that you can earn the currency through 5-man content. Let's be on with the show!
Quick Mists abilities breakdown
To give a small aside to the important changes that were brought up by the revealing of the ability lists, here's a quick rundown of anything that you might be interested in. Only demonology has Bane of Doom; in fact, each spec only has access to a single Bane. It seems Wild Imps will happen, and yes, it sounds adorable -- I mean evil ... it sounds evil. Illidan's Whatever was changed to Mannoroth Fury -- same effect in that it gives all your direct damage abilities splash damage, but now deals 10% splash passively and 100% on activate.
The level 60 talents were completely revamped and still focus on survival, though now at the cost of health instead of mana, which is pretty interesting. Yes, for those who doubted, Malefic Grasp does deal damage just like any other channel. Our new ability for the expansion is Demonic Portal, which is essentially a Demonic Teleport except anyone in the group can use it. Destruction keeps Fire and Brimstone, only it's totally reworked and now awesome. Demonology's Immolation Aura has been virtually removed and now replaces the Inferno talent -- oh, and they get Carrion Swarm, which is totally awesome. Finally, all DoT refreshes have been removed. That's all folks, now -- on with the gears!
Helm
Hood of Hidden Flesh 2,200 VP
Cowl of Highborne Sorcerors Mannoroth and Varo'then, Well of Eternity
Neck
Opal of the Secret Order 1,250 VP
Back
Nanoprecise Cape 1,250 VP
Shoulders
Mantle of False Virtue Archbishop Benedictus, Hour of Twilight
Chest
Robes of Searing Shadow 2,200 VP
Robes of Fate Murozond, End Time
Wrists
Chronoboost Bracers 1,250 VP
Hands
Clockwinder's Immaculate Gloves 1,650 VP
Pants
Time Traveler's Leggings Any Echo, End Time
Belt
Tentacular Belt 1,650 VP
Chillbane Belt Arcurion, Hour of Twilight
Boots
Kavan's Forsaken Treads 1,650 VP
Slippers of Wizardry Queen Azshara, Well of Eternity
Rings
Seal of the Grand Architect 1,250 VP
Horned Band Peroth'an, Well of Eternity
Trinkets
Bottled Wishes 1,650 VP
Foul Gift of the Demon Lord Mannoroth and Varo'then, Well of Eternity
Weapons
Orb of the First Satyrs Peroth'an, Well of Eternity
Fanged Tentacle Archbishop Benedictus, Hour of Twilight
Stalk of Corruption Archbishop Benedictus, Hour of Twilight
Jaina's Staff Echo of Jaina, End Time
Wands
Hungermouth Wand 700 VP
Points or farming
For a majority of slots, you're going to either have to waste precious valor points or continue to farm up gear from past heroics or via justice points, there's just no other way around it. I would have to say that this time around, cloth DPSers (and just cloth in general, to be honest) seriously took a gearing hit in terms of what can drop for us. Perhaps it is the grass is always greener complex, but it certainly feels as though there are more plate DPS or leather DPS drops than there are for cloth. Maybe I'm just going crazy.
One thing you certainly won't want for is a weapon, though. While two of them do come from the same boss -- one being a one-handed weapon, the other being a staff -- there's also another chance at a staff should you encounter Jaina while traveling through End Time.
If you were hoping for a quick way to be able to farm gear up for your alts in order to shoot them off into the Raid Finder in an attempt to get some Dragon Soul loot, then be prepared to do some lower dungeon farming if you haven't already fully decked them out from the current set of heroic instances. At a cap of 1,000 valor points per week, it's going to take some time to fill out your gear.
Blood Pact is a weekly column detailing DOTs, demons and all the dastardly deeds done by warlocks. We'll coach you in the fine art of staying alive, help pick the best target for Dark Intent, and steer you through encounters such as Blackwing Descent and The Bastion of Twilight.Filed under: Warlock, (Warlock) Blood Pact
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nyold Nov 29th 2011 6:20PM
why are some slots missing in VP? Like shoulders for example. A quick survey to wowhead indicates that there's no viable iLevel 397 unless you're raiding? There is iLevel 384 from raid finder, but it's still not 397.
Task Nov 29th 2011 6:29PM
The shoulders from the DS 5 mans drop so theres your option if you can't get T12.'
Though yes your only other option is the LFR DS or reg DS raid.
Ronzily Nov 29th 2011 6:37PM
Does that surprise you? You weren't able to get raid-level shoulders without raiding in the previous two tiers as well. I don't think Blizzard's design is that you can get all equivalent gear just from grinding dungeons.
If you're not going to be raiding, there's no *need* to have that gear, anyway!
Kolyarut Nov 29th 2011 7:28PM
But people have killed Deathwing already, so clearly raiders don't *need* to have that gear either!
It never ceases to astonish me that so many people still pull out that tired old line which is refuted so often.
Wilk Nov 29th 2011 6:25PM
Regarding the Pandaria ability lists, Fel Armor, while still there in name, is now essentially Demon Armor with the demonology +10% stam talent attached to it. It might just be a placeholder, but the mage Molten Armor doesn't give dps bonuses anymore either, so it could be a trend.
Regarding the gear, thank you for this. It's very handy to have this information gathered in one place.
Altarnun Nov 29th 2011 7:33PM
not forgetting the rather nifty quest rewards as well :)
http://www.wowhead.com/zone=5789#quests
Altarnun Nov 29th 2011 7:35PM
Well, gloves anyway :p
Zenith Nov 30th 2011 1:24AM
I fear that the new fire and brimstone may just be too awesome and be majorly nerfed -at least the rain of fire stun part unless it has a cooldown on either the ability(which may need to be recast due to movement) or just on the stun component(makes it great for a shadowfury replacement if you want another talent)
Also something I noticed us that destruction now get conflagrate before immolate and that it doesnt require immolate anymore, although it would obviously work better with it on due to several mechanics, it gives destro some much needed instant(as in mobs that need to die in a few seconds) burst
Concerning Mannoroth's fury, I read it as not full on splash damage, but rather that every enemy between you and your target will get hurt a little too - I would guess this includes other mobs standing on top of the target, but it may still require some very tricky(or unMannoroth-like xD) positioning for its full effect
Joel Batista Nov 30th 2011 2:22AM
Blood pacts have to have stipulations. You don't just make "blood pacts". You make a blood pact to never tell where you hid the body.
http://www.wellsphere.com/skin-beauty-article/essence-of-argan-review-a-unique-potion-for-your-skin-and-hair/1559725
madhattermd01 Nov 30th 2011 9:48AM
This gear is definitely not best to get in certain aspects. Comparing all the weapons still, the FL boe drop Spire of Scarlet Pain is still the best 2 hander before Ragnaros's Sho'ravon, Great Staff of Annihilation. The one handers and off handers they offer to use are well below the total of the FL stuff. Not to mention this isnt broken down by spec. Since wanting more mastery gear is different than wanting more hit/haste gear for afflicion and destro.
goldeneye Dec 2nd 2011 3:51AM
I really hope that, at some point, Metamorphosis' lack of cooldown and duration gets some screentime. Coupled with the +armor and -critreceived it gives us, Soul Link to further reduce dmg taken, VW Sacrifice shielding, etc all we need is Vengeance, our own version of Righteous Fury and the ability to queue as a tank !!