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Honor points and marks reset in WotLK
We all had an inkling this was coming, right? I mean, it is Blizzard and they do things that are occasionally "evil." So it should be no surprise to anyone that Eyonix announced today that they will be resetting all the honor points when Wrath of the Lich King is released.In his post he does mention that they will be putting in a few new items that are purchasable with honor points only. At least those that have piles of points saved up can get something. Let's just hope that it's something you can use. They will be appearing on the PTR shortly.The reasoning behind this is that Blizzard wants there to be an even playing field when everyone hits 80. If people saved up tons of honor points and marks, they could be used to immediately purchase the newest PvP gear. That would create an imbalance.
Interesting items in the data files
I've been looking through the Wowhead latest additions page, and found some interesting-looking things. Caveat: some of these are probably datamined, we may never see them in game, etc. Still, it's fun to look at. Intravenous Healing Potion. This does the same thing as Mage-summoned Conjured Mana Strudel (except for the whole group), and shares a cooldown with food. Despite the name, I'd say this is not meant to be used in combat. And based on the medical-themed name, I'd say it's probably going to be created via First Aid. Wintergrasp Commendation. Apparently bought with marks from Wintergrasp; the interesting thing here, of course, is that these are bind to account (BtA), so you can effectively PvP on one character and send honor to another. Does this open the door for my much-coveted BtA badge-type tokens? I hope so. Ghostly Skull. This small pet is apparently sold in Dalaran for 40g, and it looks awesome, in my opinion (see screenshot above -- the skull is in the top-left corner). I will be getting one as soon as possible on my DK. Tacky? Maybe. But I don't care. I like that Blizzard is going in a lot of different directions in LK; this really seems like more innovation than it was from classic to BC, from items to class skills to world environment. I'm sure there's more cool stuff that I've overlooked. Have you come across anything interesting, either in the beta or on the various sites?
Ask a Beta Tester: The Drakkensryd, Dispersion, and other stuff
We'll get started with Gareth's question... How is the Storm Peaks coming along? Seems like it has a lot of history and culture behind it. This zone has been closed off more than it's been open. There are a few hefty bugs that they're trying to iron out that forces them to seal it off now and then, since the bugs bring the entire world server down. That and there was an XP exploit that the beta testers found and needed to be dealt with mighty quickly, so it was sealed off for that as well. As far as the history and culture, I loved what I saw. A lot of Titan lore, a lot of Dwarven history. The introduction to the zone is pretty awful, though. Your first quest hub in the culture-rich zone is a Goblin town (K3) full of whimsy that has little to do with the zone's overall story. I guess you need to keep the mood light sometimes, though. Still, despite the silly Goblins, it was one of my favorite zones while I could get in there. Blizzard has thrown around the term "epic scale" quite a bit, and I think Storm Peaks really displays that. The place is absolutely massive, in the good way. Watch the video above if you want an example of the quests you'll be seeing. Be warned, it's kind of a spoiler in that doing this quest for the first time really leaves you in awe. Watching it beforehand might take that away a little.dotorion asked...Does Northrend have a 'level requirement' like Outlands?
Ask a Beta Tester: Draenei, titles, and more glyph discussion
It's that time again, folks. Let's get this party started with Gary's question...Any new storylines for the Draenei?I haven't seen any major representation for them throughout Northrend, no massive plots just focusing on them, but they do have a presence and they are right there alongside the Alliance and the Argent Crusade. In some of the early quests, you do some unraveling of a cultist plot, and it's the Draenei fueling the investigation. Apparently thousands of years of the Legion trying to infiltrate your ranks makes you pretty good at sniffing out spies. A lot of their quests are that sort of thing, lending support to the Alliance rather than leading the charge like they did in Outland.There are a few other quests that show that the Draenei are starting to grow accustomed to Azeroth, and are settling into a calmer life there. They're not fleeing exiles anymore. Azeroth is home to a lot of them these days, so they'll fight Azeroth's fight, and some of them just plain want to live life. Explore and go on whimsical adventures like the rest of us.Jake asked... Are Prot Paladins having less downtime now with the buff to Blessing of Sanctuary?
The Art of War(craft): Battleground Achievements part II
Last week we took a look at some of the Battlegrounds Achievements that can be unlocked in Wrath of the Lich King and examined how they could change the game for the better. Goal-oriented Battlegrounds PvP is certainly something to look forward to in this age of mindless fighting in the mid-field or roads. Having Achievements certainly make it prone to the glory hounds, but it also helps to keep everyone's eyes on the prize.Eye of the StormBecause it's a new Battleground not associated with any faction (which makes me feel like I'm not fighting for anything worthy), there's no reputation to be gained and no associated gear to be obtained. This means that there are virtually no retroactive Achievements for the Eye of the Storm. There is the basic Achievement of Eye of the Storm Victory, which all but the most hapless and luckless of combatants will get. There is the Eye of the Storm Veteran iteration, which requires 100 wins in the Battleground. Not quite as easy to get, but most of us will get there eventually.
Forum post of the day: Dueling debate
Like any other form of PvP, you either love dueling or you hate it. Dueling is a great way to learn how to maximize abilities and test combos and macros. There are very few established guidelines for how to appropriate ly duel. Borkovic of Caelestraz asked in the official forums if it is acceptable to heal in a duel. Fliara of Terenas stated that protocols vary depending on server and faction, and suggested that rules should be established beforehand. The first response, by Mlcho of Kirin Tor who takes an "all's fair in love and Warcraft" approach, was met with considerable agreement throughout the thread: Use everything in your power to produce a win. Who cares if you use a pot? Who cares if you bandage? If they whine, it's because they weren't prepared.
[UPDATED] The potential of Arena points for Wintergrasp
A new spell popped up in the latest Beta build called Wintergrasp Rewards, which indicate that there might finally be another way to earn Arena points other than to participate in Arenas. Granting Arena points through Lake Wintergrasp also indicates an interesting direction for World of Warcraft PvP. [UPDATE: Blizzard has stated that Arena points from Wintergrasp is only for the Beta to allow accelerated purchase and testing of PvP gear -- thanks Cuer] Despite the ongoing and earnest efforts of Blizzard to balance classes for PvP, particularly Arenas, the format doesn't lend itself well to a complete balancing of classes. Because of the required team synergies and map limitations, there will always be class specs that will suffer in the Arena PvP format.Battlegrounds PvP, on the other hand, is more open and spontaneous, even in pre-formed groups. No classes or specs are shunned, and every player enjoys relative viability and success. Giving Arena points through Wintergrasp achieves two things: first, it opens up Arena rewards to people who do not participate in or have limited success in Arenas; second, it greatly incentivizes participation in Lake Wintergrasp. The only question left is the matter of Personal Ratings, which is a requirement for most of the current gear, a trend likely to continue in Wrath of the Lich King.
Phat Loot Phriday: Star's Tears
"Water?" I hear you asking. How could plain old mana water be Phat Loot? But this is no ordinary water, my friends -- it's also known as Cheater's Juice. This, dear readers, is Arena water.Name: Star's Tears (Thottbot, Wowhead)Type: Common ConsumableDamage/Speed: N/AAbilities: Requires level 65. On drinking, restores 7200 mana over 30 seconds. Which isn't that great -- you can get this water from any Mage, right? But this water doesn't come from a Mage, and that's what's so special about it. It's the cheapest vendor water you can buy -- just 25s and two (that's right, two) Honor points per 5, in stacks of 20. Just one BG will earn you enough to not worry about the Honor points, and overall, you'll save money (probably even cheaper than that Mage you're tipping every time you log in) every time you buy it. And, as Arena players all know, this is the only non-Mage water usable in the Arenas. As the tooltip says, it's "carefully extracted for warfare use," so Arena players who can duck out of combat (Hunters, for example, can Feign Death out of combat and drink) can get back some mana fast even without a Mage in the group. Plus, as all Warcraft players (and bloggers) know, tears are the tastiest drink of all. Mmmmm tears. QQ moar pls. How to Get It: This tasty drink is just a vendor away -- you've got to run to the Officer Accessories Quartermaster in each capital city to pick up your couple of stacks. That's Brave Stonehide in Orgrimmar, and Master Sargeant Biggins in Stormwind City. Give them your money and a couple of Honor points, and the drink is yours. Who needs Mages anyway?Getting Rid of It: You could, um, drink it? Otherwise, you can sell it back to the vendor for 1s 25c, which is suprising -- these are the tears of stars, people! Famous people cried their eyes out just so you could have these!
Ask a Beta Tester: More Titan's Grip
We're back again with today's round of Ask a Beta Tester questions. I tried to answer as many as I could, but time is a fickle mistress and I was going to write some sort of metaphor here but I can't think of one, so if you would all be so kind, come up with one for me. If I didn't get to your question today, don't worry, we'll be doing these for as long as there are questions left to answer. Just post it in the comments section below, and we'll try to get to it as soon as we can. Jamesisgreat asked: How much gold are you getting rewarded per quest on average? I mean is it worth us saving up our gold for Wrath or are quests going to reward 100g a pop or something? Most quests throughout the starter zones give around 5g each, though group quests offer more. On top of that there are the green rewards you don't use that you can vendor, so you don't need to save a lot of money. I advise saving up a little bit though, because questing to 80 is not going to get you the (roughly) 8,000g you'll want to buy the ring that ports you to Dalaran. You won't be totally broke at 80 if you don't save money now, but you won't be able to run around and buy whatever you want either. Northrend is a big place, so that ring will be nice even if you only use it for the portal. You can be free to set your hearth elsewhere.
The Art of War(craft): A guide to obtainable PvP Achievements before Wrath
If you've been paying close attention to the Wrath of the Lich King Beta -- and let's be honest, how could you not? We've been covering it like crazy over here are WoW Insider -- then you might have noticed that Blizzard will be implementing a nifty little feature called Achievements. Of course, the first thing that jumped out at me (and probably you, too, since you're reading this column) were the PvP Achievements. I didn't plan to pursue Achievements actively. Not before I heard about the PvP Achievements, anyway. Now, it's one of the things I can't stop thinking about... more accurately, I can't stop thinking of how to complete them. There are quite a bunch of PvP Achievements to pursue, and most of them will only be tracked once the expansion goes live. But there are also some achievements that you can start working on right now because they'll be tracked retroactively (as far as I can tell). Let's take a look at those Achievements so you can get them out of the way before Wrath.One word of caution: all these Achievements are in beta and can change at any time before (and possibly after) the Wrath launch. So proceed at your own risk.
Armory updated with Season 4 gear
The World of Warcraft Armory has just been updated with Season 4 Brutal Gladiator and Guardian -- or Honor-bought -- gear. This update comes hot on the heels of the new Arena season, which began last June 24. This probably isn't what Robin had in mind when she asked if the Armory needs more information, but it's a timely addition to Blizzard's extensive database and may help players plan out their gear. For a more extensive overview of all the class armor sets, however, you can go check out WoW Insider's Season 4 gear guide.
Midsummer fire festival sparks world PvP
When I read through the forums, I see numerous threads lamenting over the lack of world PvP. The Burning Crusade added a handful of PvP objectives that often go unnoticed and the towers in the Eastern Plaguelands seem pretty lonely since everyone moved on to Outland. Since the beginning of the Midsummer Fire Festival I've seen at least a temporary resurgence in actual PvP. Of course the ganking is still going on, but I've seen many more fair fights.The way it works is you try to keep your own fires burning while putting the flames of your opponents out. I've seen numerous mini raids on major cities and massive skirmishes near the small-town fires. Like many players, I've got to give props to Blizzard for adding this mechanic to the festival. The buffs are pretty awesome too. I've enjoyed this celebration more than any WoW holiday in the past. Have you been joining in the desecrating fun? Remember to check out the "It Came From the Blog" event this Sunday, June 29 at 7Pm Eastern.
Breakfast Topic: How's Season 4 going for you?
The first day of Season 4 has come and gone, and with it, I'm sure a lot of players spent a lot of time recovering from the switchover and beginning the climb to Gladiator rank for the end of Season 4. Arena players rushed out to buy new Season 4 gear -- at least the stuff that didn't need a high rating -- while many battleground regulars probably went to get their hands on the Season 2 gear for Honor points. I'm sure a lot of teams started play today if only to try to push up their rating and get more gear earlier. If you're a little overwhelmed by all the Season 4 hubbub whipping around, let WoW Insider get you squared a way a bit better. You can check out our Season 4 Information roundup, chock full of useful articles that will help you get the most out of this season, or you can check our Season 4 brutal gladiator gear roundup for information on all the new stuff you can spend your Arena and Honor points on. If you plunged right into the thick of things, how did you do? Did you fight enough Arena battles to get a set of bracers, or are you waiting for the teams to settle into proper brackets before you dive in? Did you just stick with buying some season 2 gear or a new belt with some saved up Honor points? Or, did you just sell armor patches and gem cuts to everyone looking to kit out their new gear? Let us know how the new season's treating you!
Brutal Gladiator's Aegis
The Brutal Gladiator's Aegis is the armor set for Shockadins, or spell damage-based Paladins. It is a lamellar, or plate armor usable only by Paladins and is usually matched with Guardian's Lamellar armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Big Zokk Torquewrench in Netherstorm and Ontokk Shatterhorn in Shattrath City. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall. Brutal Gladiator's Lamellar GauntletsThe Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. Arena gloves are also the only item with the exception of relics to have spec-specific bonuses, although Flash of Light isn't incredibly useful to the offensive-minded Shockadin. It is the same bonus as the Ornamented Gloves. The gauntlets have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent): 1239 Armor (+98)+50 Stamina (+6) +34 Intellect (+4) +34 Spell Critical (+5) +19 Resilience (+0) +40 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)Increases critical effect chance of Flash of Light by 2%Classes: Paladin WoW Insider says: The gauntlets are a marked improvement from its Season 3 predecessor, with the exception of Resilience (Season 3 and 4 armor pieces have exactly the same Resilience ratings). If you have the Arena points for it, it's a good buy, but the on-equip bonus could have been better applied to Holy Shock.Brutal Gladiator's Lamellar LegguardsThe leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, which isn't too difficult to obtain. For many players on median-ratings teams, it might take a few weeks to purchase at a cost of 1875 Arena points. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase. The legguards have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):1735 Armor (+138)+77 Stamina (+7)+35 Intellect (+6)+45 Spell Critical (+6)+35 Resilience (+0)+54 Spell Damage / Healing (+7)Classes: PaladinWoW Insider says: Although an improvement over its Season 3 equivalent, the lack of sockets mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants. Although the arena point requirement is relatively low, the chest armor is probably a better purchase if you can manage it.Brutal Gladiator's Lamellar ChestpieceWith three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece, and is the next best purchase after the gloves. Although the personal rating requirement of 1600 may be prohibitive to some players, it costs the same as the leg armor and should be sought after. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The chestpiece has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):1983 Armor (+158)+73 Stamina (+7)+36 Intellect (+5)+44 Spell Critical (+6)+31 Resilience (+0)+37 Spell Damage / Healing (+6)Socket Bonus: +4 Spell CriticalClasses: PaladinWoW Insider says: A team and personal rating of 1600 isn't an impossible goal, although more difficult for Shockadins, who are sparse in Arenas. If you can manage it, however, the chest piece is the best armor piece you can get for its cost and low barrier of entry. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.Brutal Gladiator's Lamellar HelmThe helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. At 1700 personal rating, some players will have a more difficult time obtaining this piece, which costs the same as the chest and leg armor pieces. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The helm has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):1611 Armor (+128)+77 Stamina (+7)+34 Intellect (+6)+34 Spell Critical (+6)+33 Resilience (+0)+50 Spell Damage / Healing (+7)Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience RatingClasses: PaladinWoW Insider says: If you've managed to obtain the chest piece, there's little reason not to try and go for the helm, which has a Meta Socket. Although it is an improvement over its Season 3 equivalent, the disparity is not so great that players unable to obtain the helm can easily make do with the ratings requirement-free Vengeful Gladiator version.Brutal Gladiator's Lamellar ShouldersThe 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms. Although it is the cheapest item after the gloves, it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The shoulders have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):1487 Armor (+118)+50 Stamina (+6)+28 Intellect (+5)+32 Spell Critical (+4)+22 Resilience (+0)+33 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience RatingClasses: PaladinWoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator shoulders are purely for show. Aside from the gloves, the shoulders have the lowest point-for-point improvement over its Season 3 equivalent among all the Brutal Gladiator armor pieces. The shoulders are an item players only pick up if they reach 2200 rating levels, but not compelling enough to climb ratings for. Guardian's Lamellar BeltBecause it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Aegis, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The belt has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):1115 Armor (+88)+49 Stamina (+6)+35 Intellect (+5)+34 Spell Critical (+4)+26 Resilience (+0)+40 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)Classes: Warrior, PaladinWoW Insider says: The belt is identical in every way to the Guardian's Ornamented Belt with the exception of +healing. Shockadins with a mind to stack more Healing for versatility would do well to explore the option of mixing and matching. That said, the accessibility and affordability of the Season 4 belt makes it an extremely good purchase.Guardian's Lamellar BracersThe only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Coupled with the fact that bracers are visually insignificant, being hidden under gloves or robes, the urgency to obtain them is very low. They also have a modest 1575 personal rating requirement, necessitating participation -- and moderate success -- in Arena play. The bracers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):841 (+69)+33 Stamina (+4)+20 Intellect (+3)+23 Spell Critical (+3)+15 Resilience (+0)+30 Spell Damage / Healing (+3)Socket Bonus: +2 Resilience RatingClasses: Warrior, PaladinWoW Insider says: As with the belt, the bracers are virtually identical to Guardian's Ornamented Bracers, and players may want to try and forego +11 Spell Damage for a +27 Healing. There are much better purchases among the Season 4 items despite the mere 11,794 Honor cost. A minimal upgrade from its predecessor makes it a less compelling sale.Guardian's Lamellar GreavesThe most visually important match of all Guardian items, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The bracers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):1363 Armor (+108)+49 Stamina (+6)+35 Intellect (+5)+34 Spell Critical (+4)+26 Resilience (+0)+40 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)Classes: Warrior, PaladinWoW Insider says: The greaves are the best Season 4 Honor-bought pieces that players can buy. Although players should probably purchase the belt first, achieving a 1700 rating is worth the grind for an armor piece that is a decent upgrade from its predecessor and a visual match for the rest of Brutal Gladiator gear.%Gallery-25440% Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.
Brutal Gladiator's Felshroud
The Brutal Gladiator's Felshroud is the armor set for crit-based or Destruction Warlocks. It is a felweave, or cloth armor usable only by Warlocks and is usually matched with Guardian's Silk armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Big Zokk Torquewrench in Netherstorm and Ontokk Shatterhorn in Shattrath City. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall. Brutal Gladiator's Felweave Handguards The Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. The bonus is the same for both Warlock-specific sets, giving a bonus against spell interruption when casting Fear. The handguards have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent): 306 Armor (+13)+56 Stamina (+6)+23 Intellect (+5)+26 Spell Critical (+4) +23 Resilience (+0)+44 Spell Damage / Healing (+4)Gives 50% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting Fear.Classes: Warlock WoW Insider says: These gloves are low-cost and have no rating requirements, making it a good purchase specially for starting Arena players. Although Destruction isn't as popular in Arenas because of comparatively lower survivability, these gloves give good burst potential to those specced for it. It is identical in all stats to the Mage's Silk Handguards.Brutal Gladiator's Felweave TrousersThe leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, which isn't too difficult to obtain, and Destruction Warlocks should find it an achievable target. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The trousers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):442 Armor (+18)+74 Stamina (+7)+30 Intellect (+6)+39 Spell Critical (+6)+30 Resilience (+0)+60 Spell Damage / Healing (+7)Classes: WarlockWoW Insider says: The lack of sockets mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants. Although it doesn't have as much +Stamina as the Dreadweave Leggings, Destruction Warlocks will find the +39 Spell Crit Rating (1.49% at Level 70) to more than make up for it.Brutal Gladiator's Felweave RaimentWith three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece, and is the next best purchase after the gloves. 1600 is a modest target considering the reward. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The raiment has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):476 Armor (+22)+68 Stamina (+7)+21 Intellect (+6)+39 Spell Critical (+6) +26 Resilience (+0)+46 Spell Damage / Healing (+7) Socket Bonus: +4 Spell Critical Classes: WarlockWoW Insider says: Two Yellow Sockets mean more spell crit, including the offense-oriented socket bonus. The chest takes a -16 Stamina hit compared to the Dreadweave version, but this is the best burst Arena armor piece for Warlocks in Season 4. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.Brutal Gladiator's Felweave CowlThe helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. Destruction Warlocks should find a 1700 personal rating a manageable goal to get this cowl, which costs the same as the chest and leg armor pieces. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The cowl has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):426 Armor (+17)+74 Stamina (+7)+21 Intellect (+6)+28 Spell Critical (+6) +33 Resilience (+0)+54 Spell Damage / Healing (+7)Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience RatingClasses: WarlockWoW Insider says: One of the few pieces where Felweave has a little more raw +Spell Damage than its Dreadweave counterpart, the cowl is a perfect complement to a crit-happy Destro lock. It also has substantial upgrades from the previous season's fancily animated helm.Brutal Gladiator's Felweave Amice The 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms. Although it is the cheapest item after the gloves, it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The amice has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):339 Armor (+16)+56 Stamina (+6) +18 Intellect (+5)+21 Spell Critical (+4)+23 Resilience (+0)+44 Spell Damage / Healing (+4)Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience RatingClasses: WarlockWoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator Shoulders are peacock gear. The Felweave Amice has 1 point more Stamina than its Dreadweave counterpart, and has almost identical stats elsewhere except for +Spell Hit, which was forewent for +Spell Crit. Blue sockets are uncommon for PvP gear, and helps activate the Chaotic Skyfire Diamond. %Gallery-25440% Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.
Brutal Gladiator's Refuge
The Brutal Gladiator's Refuge is the armor set for Restoration Druids. It is a kodohide, or leather armor usable only by Druids and is usually matched with Guardian's Kodohide armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Big Zokk Torquewrench in Netherstorm and Ontokk Shatterhorn in Shattrath City. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall. Brutal Gladiator's Kodohide Gloves The Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. The PvP-oriented bonus of Cyclone cast time reduction is the same for the Brutal Gladiator's Wyrmhide Gloves. The gloves have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent): 354 Armor (+25)+49 Stamina (+6)+39 Intellect (+5) +21 Resilience (+0) +88 Healing / +30 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)10 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Reduces the cast time of Cyclone by .1 secs.Classes: Druid WoW Insider says: These gloves are low-cost and have no rating requirements, and the high Stamina and good +Healing make it making it one of the best Season 4 purchases, specially for starting Arena players. Brutal Gladiator's Kodohide LegguardsThe leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, which isn't too difficult to obtain, particularly for Restoration Druids. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The leggings have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):478 Armor (+35)+65 Stamina (+7)+50 Intellect (+6) +31 Resilience (+0) +114 Healing / +38 Spell Damage (+13 / +4)16 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Classes: DruidWoW Insider says: The lack of sockets mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants. The leggings are an excellent Brutal Gladiator piece, with over 100 +Healing and massive mp5 as an added bonus. Brutal Gladiator's Kodohide TunicWith three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece, and is the next best purchase after the gloves. Furthermore, 1600 should be relatively easy for Restoration Druids, who do extremely well in 2v2 and 3v3. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The tunic has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):541 Armor (+40)+69 Stamina (+14)+40 Intellect (+5) +27 Resilience (+0)+101 Healing / +34 Spell Damage (+13 / +4)11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5) Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience Rating Classes: DruidWoW Insider says: With +Healing that actually breaks the 100 mark without the benefit of sockets, this chest piece is easily one of the best purchases for healing Druids in Season 4. The additional Red Sockets can be used to pump up that healing even further, not to mention that it's a whopping +14 Stamina over its predecessor. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get. Brutal Gladiator's Kodohide HelmThe helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. Restoration Druids should conceivably have no trouble getting to 1700 for this helm, which costs the same as the chest and leg armor pieces. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The helm has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):447 Armor (+32)+65 Stamina (+7)+45 Intellect (+6) +29 Resilience (+0)+103 Healing / +35 Spell Damage (+13 / +5)11 Mana / 5 Secs (+3 / 5)Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience RatingClasses: DruidWoW Insider says: Over +100 Healing on a single armor piece is a great purchase for healers, no matter how you look at it. Coupled with 11mp5, this Kodohide Helm is works well for PvE if you don't raid the endgame. Brutal Gladiator's Kodohide Spaulders The 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms. It is quite likely that more than a few Restoration Druids will be sporting these through the season, however. It is the cheapest item after the gloves, but it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The spaulders have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):430 Armor (+30)+49 Stamina (+6) +29 Intellect (+5)+20 Resilience (+0)+66 Healing / +22 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)7 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience RatingClasses: DruidWoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator Shoulders are peacock gear. While it has the rare mp5 for shoulders, it is stat-wise a very modest upgrade from the previous season's shoulder piece which is a full 250 ratings easier to obtain. Fortunately, more than a few skilled Resto Druids will be able to obtain these. Guardian's Kodohide Belt Because it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Refuge, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The belt has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):322 Armor (+22)+49 Stamina (+6)+35 Intellect (+5) +26 Resilience (+0) +84 Healing / +28 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Classes: Rogue, DruidWoW Insider says: The belt has a low Honor cost and is ratings-free. It's not even a question. Even outside of PvP, this belt trumps most PvE healing belts outside of Sunwell Plateau, comparable to the Belt of Primal Majesty from Gurtogg Bloodboil in the Black Temple where haste takes the place of this belt's mp5. It's the best belt that casual players can get for this spec.Guardian's Kodohide BracersThe only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Coupled with the fact that bracers are visually insignificant, being hidden under gloves or robes, most players feel that there's little urgency to get them. A 1575 personal ratings requirement also requires decent performance in Arenas. The bracers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):253 (+17)+43 Stamina (+14)+25 Intellect (+3)+18 Resilience (+0) +46 Healing / +16 Spell Damage (+6 / +2)8 Mana / 5 Secs (+1 / 5)Socket Bonus: +2 Resilience RatingClasses: Rogue, DruidWoW Insider says: The mediocre +Healing makes this piece less viable for PvE than other pieces, but possesses a Red Socket as opposed to the typical Yellow Socket for bracers. It also has a massive +14 Stamina upgrade from the Vindicator version. Definitely worth the purchase if only for the Red Socket and mp5. Guardian's Kodohide BootsThe most visually important match of all Guardian items -- although it won't be seen on Tauren feet, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The slippers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):385 Armor (+28)+49 Stamina (+6)+35 Intellect (+5) +26 Resilience (+0) +84 Healing / +28 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Classes: Rogue, DruidWoW Insider says: Although 1700 is the highest personal ratings requirement outside of the weapons and shoulders, the boots are among the best healing boots before Sunwell Plateau gear. It is comparable to the Enchanted Leather Sandals from Kaz'rogal in Hyjal Summit and is a good option for those unable to raid the endgame. %Gallery-25440% Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.
Brutal Gladiator's Thunderfist
The Brutal Gladiator's Thunderfist is the armor set for Elemental Shamans. It is a mail armor set usable only by Shamans and is usually matched with Guardian's Mail armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Big Zokk Torquewrench in Netherstorm and Ontokk Shatterhorn in Shattrath City. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall. Brutal Gladiator's Mail GauntletsThe Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. Its bonus is the same as all other Shaman armor, an increase to the range of Shock spells. The gauntlets have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent): 694 Armor (+55)+52 Stamina (+6)+28 Intellect (+5)+32 Spell Critical (+4) +22 Resilience (+0)+43 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)Improves the range of all Shock spells by 5 yards.Classes: Shaman WoW Insider says: As with all Season 4 gloves, the lack of a rating requirement essentially makes it a freebie. The improvement over its Season 3 equivalent is worth the upgrade, and an increase in Shock range is always good for the Shaman who would prefer to keep her opponents at bay.Brutal Gladiator's Mail LeggingsThe leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, which isn't too difficult to obtain, specially for the burst-heavy Elemental Shaman. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The leggings have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):971 Armor (+77)+71 Stamina (+7)+38 Intellect (+5)+34 Spell Critical (+5)+33 Resilience (+0)+59 Spell Damage / Healing (+6)11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Classes: ShamanWoW Insider says: The lack of sockets on this armor piece mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants. That said, the overall stat gain from the previous season's leggings are substantial enough to warrant an eventual upgrade. Brutal Gladiator's Mail ArmorWith three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece. It is also arguably the best Brutal Gladiator armor piece for Elemental Shamans. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The armor has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):1110 Armor (+88)+61 Stamina (+7)+33 Intellect (+5)+34 Spell Critical (+5)+28 Resilience (+0)+49 Spell Damage / Healing (+7)11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Socket Bonus: +4 Spell CriticalClasses: ShamanWoW Insider says: A 1600 personal rating should be relatively easy to achieve for Elemental Shamans, and the two Yellow Sockets contribute to more burst potential or faster casts. The chest piece is a one of the best purchases among the Brutal Gladiator armor gear outside of the gloves. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.Brutal Gladiator's Mail HelmThe helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. Many Elemental Shamans will obtain 1700 rather easily. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The helm has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):902 Armor (+72)+74 Stamina (+7)+29 Intellect (+6)+32 Spell Critical (+6)+32 Resilience (+0)+55 Spell Damage / Healing (+6)Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience RatingClasses: ShamanWoW Insider says: There's nothing particularly compelling about the Season 4 mail helm, although most Elemental Shamans would like to eke out every little drop of Spell Damage and Crit from their gear. Considering 1700 is a realistic target, specially for Elemental Shamans, it's a good upgrade.Brutal Gladiator's Mail SpauldersThe 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms. Some Elemental Shamans will be wearing these through the season. Although it is the cheapest item after the gloves, it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The spaulders have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):832 Armor (+66)+47 Stamina (+4)+26 Intellect (+4)+26 Spell Critical (+4)+21 Resilience (+0)+34 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)8 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience RatingClasses: ShamanWoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator shoulders are purely for show. The minimal improvement over the previous season's spaulders make it less compelling coupled with the fact that Season 3 shoulders look so much more badass. Guardian's Mail GirdleBecause it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Thunderfist, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The girdle has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):624 Armor (+49)+49 Stamina (+6)+34 Intellect (+4)+34 Spell Critical (+5)+27 Resilience (+0)+40 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)Classes: Hunter, ShamanWoW Insider says: Like most belt pieces in Season 4, the Guardian's Mail Girdle is one of the best purchases players can make. The low Honor cost and no personal ratings requirement make the piece a no-brainer.Guardian's Mail BracersThe only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Bracers are also not visually impacting, hidden away underneath gloves or robes, making them non-essential to a set. They also have a modest 1575 personal rating requirement, necessitating some success in Arenas. The bracers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):471 (+39)+33 Stamina (+4)+20 Intellect (+3)+24 Spell Critical (+3)+15 Resilience (+0)+30 Spell Damage / Healing (+3)Socket Bonus: +2 Resilience RatingClasses: Hunter, ShamanWoW Insider says: Because the Guardian items do not confer a set bonus, there's no real need to obtain the bracers. On the other hand, 1575 is extremely feasible for an Elemental Shaman, and the yellow socket contributes to more +Spell Crit or even +Haste.Guardian's Mail SabatonsThe most visually important match of all Guardian items, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The sabatons have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):763 Armor (+61)+49 Stamina (+6)+34 Intellect (+4)+34 Spell Critical (+5)+27 Resilience (+0)+40 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)Classes: Hunter, ShamanWoW Insider says: Even with a 1700 personal ratings requirement, the boots are a good purchase as its a good improvement overall from the last season. It is also, like the helm, the most attainable Season 4 item outside of the weapons and shoulders. %Gallery-25440% Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.
Brutal Gladiator's Wartide
The Brutal Gladiator's Wartide is the armor set for Restoration Shamans. It is a ringmail, or mail armor usable only by Shamans and is usually matched with Guardian's Ringmail armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Big Zokk Torquewrench in Netherstorm and Ontokk Shatterhorn in Shattrath City. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall. Brutal Gladiator's Ringmail GauntletsThe Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. Its bonus is the same as all other Shaman armor, an increase to the range of Shock spells. The gauntlets have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent): 694 Armor (+55)+53 Stamina (+6)+28 Intellect (+5)+29 Spell Critical (+4) +22 Resilience (+0)+86 Healing / +29 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)Improves the range of all Shock spells by 5 yards.Classes: Shaman WoW Insider says: Because it's so easily attainable, with no personal ratings requirements, it's easy to see why the gauntlets are a good purchase. It is identical to the Mail Gauntlets with the exception of +Healing. The only drawback is that the Shock spell range bonus isn't particularly useful to Restoration Shamans.Brutal Gladiator's Ringmail LeggingsThe leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, a feasible target for Restoration Shamans. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The leggings have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):971 Armor (+77)+71 Stamina (+7)+38 Intellect (+5)+34 Spell Critical (+5)+33 Resilience (+0)+110 Healing / +37 Spell Damage / Healing (+11 / +4)11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Classes: ShamanWoW Insider says: The lack of sockets on this armor piece mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants. Overall, the improvements from its last season equivalent are moderate, with a lower +Heal upgrade than other healing sets, making the chest piece a better purchase for the same point cost.Brutal Gladiator's Ringmail ArmorWith three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The armor has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):1110 Armor (+88)+61 Stamina (+7)+36 Intellect (+6)+36 Spell Critical (+6)+26 Resilience (+0)+92 Healing / +31 Spell Damage (+13 / +4)11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Socket Bonus: +4 Spell CriticalClasses: ShamanWoW Insider says: Restoration Shamans should have no trouble attaining a modest 1600 personal rating to get this piece. The only drawback is two Yellow Sockets, which might have been better if they were Red. Yellow opens up possibilities for +Haste, however, and that's always a good thing. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.Brutal Gladiator's Ringmail HelmThe helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. 1700 is a fairly achievable goal for Restoration Shamans. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The helm has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):902 Armor (+72)+74 Stamina (+7)+34 Intellect (+6)+31 Spell Critical (+6)+33 Resilience (+0)+97 Healing / +33 Spell Damage (+13 / +5)Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience RatingClasses: ShamanWoW Insider says: The +13 Healing upgrade and overall improvement from the previous season's helm is a very good reason to try and achieve 1700 personal ratings. Healers can also use the Red Socket for more healing oomph.Brutal Gladiator's Ringmail SpauldersThe 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms. Although it is the cheapest item after the gloves, it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The spaulders have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):832 Armor (+66)+47 Stamina (+4)+27 Intellect (+4)+24 Spell Critical (+4)+21 Resilience (+0)+64 Healing / +22 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)8 Mana / 5 Secs (+1 / 5)Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience RatingClasses: ShamanWoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator shoulders are purely for show. The minimal improvement over the previous season's spaulders make it less compelling. The Vengeful Gladiator spaulders also look so much cooler. Guardian's Ringmail GirdleBecause it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Wartide, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The girdle has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):624 Armor (+49)+49 Stamina (+6)+34 Intellect (+4)+34 Spell Critical (+5)+27 Resilience (+0)+75 Healing / +25 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)Classes: Hunter, ShamanWoW Insider says: Like most belt pieces in Season 4, the Guardian's Ringmail Girdle is one of the best purchases players can make. The low Honor cost and no personal ratings requirement make the piece a no-brainer. It is identical to the Mail Girdle except for the higher +Healing.Guardian's Ringmail BracersThe only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Bracers are also not visually impacting, hidden away underneath gloves or robes, making them non-essential to a set. They also have a modest 1575 personal rating requirement, necessitating some success in Arenas. The bracers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):471 (+39)+33 Stamina (+4)+20 Intellect (+3)+24 Spell Critical (+3)+15 Resilience (+0)+57 Healing / +19 Spell Damage (+6 / +2)Socket Bonus: +2 Resilience RatingClasses: Hunter, ShamanWoW Insider says: A 1575 personal rating seems like a reasonable challenge to obtain another Yellow Socket, despite the minimal improvements from last season's gear. Although healers might prefer a Red Socket, the option to pursue Haste makes these bracers a good upgrade.Guardian's Ringmail SabatonsThe most visually important match of all Guardian items, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The sabatons have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):763 Armor (+61)+49 Stamina (+6)+34 Intellect (+4)+34 Spell Critical (+5)+27 Resilience (+0)+75 Healing / +25 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)Classes: Hunter, ShamanWoW Insider says: Even with a 1700 personal ratings requirement, the boots are a good purchase as its a good improvement overall from the last season. It is also, like the helm, the most attainable Season 4 item outside of the weapons and shoulders. %Gallery-25440% Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.
Brutal Gladiator's Investiture
The Brutal Gladiator's Investiture is the armor set for Holy and Discipline, or healing Priests. It is a mooncloth, or cloth armor usable only by Priests and is usually matched with Guardian's Mooncloth armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Big Zokk Torquewrench in Netherstorm and Ontokk Shatterhorn in Shattrath City. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall. Brutal Gladiator's Mooncloth Gloves The Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. The bonus is the same for both Priest-specific sets, reducing the cooldown to Psychic Scream. The gloves have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent): 306 Armor (+13)+56 Stamina (+7)+28 Intellect (+5) +25 Resilience (+0) +77 Healing / +26 Spell Damage (+11 / +4)Reduces the cooldown of Psychic Scream by 3 secs.Classes: Priest WoW Insider says: These gloves are low-cost and have no rating requirements, and the high Stamina and good +Healing make it making it one of the best Season 4 purchases, specially for starting Arena players. Brutal Gladiator's Mooncloth LeggingsThe leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, which isn't too difficult to obtain, particularly for healing Priests. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The leggings have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):442 Armor (+18)+77 Stamina (+7)+34 Intellect (+6) +31 Resilience (+0) +95 Healing / +32 Spell Damage (+14 / +5)16 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)Classes: PriestWoW Insider says: The lack of sockets mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworkingenchants. The leggings are an excellent Brutal Gladiator piece, with a massive mp5 as an added bonus. Brutal Gladiator's Mooncloth RobeWith three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece, and is the next best purchase after the gloves. Furthermore, 1600 should be an easy goal for many experienced healers. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The robe has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):476 Armor (+22)+68 Stamina (+7)+33 Intellect (+6) +28 Resilience (+0)+73 Healing / +25 Spell Damage (+14 / +5)11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5) Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience Rating Classes: PriestWoW Insider says: The Mooncloth Robe has the lowest stamina compared to other cloth pieces, similar to the Mage's Silk Raiment. It has very good mp5 that comes in handy during long (or drain) matches. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.Brutal Gladiator's Mooncloth HoodThe helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. Discipline Priests, popular in Arenas, should have an easier time getting a 1700 personal rating to get this hood, which costs the same as the chest and leg armor pieces. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The hood has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):426 Armor (+17)+82 Stamina (+9)+30 Intellect (+7) +33 Resilience (+0)+86 Healing / +29 Spell DamageSocket Bonus: +4 Resilience RatingClasses: PriestWoW Insider says: One of the higher stamina Brutal Gladiator pieces for healing priests, the hood is worth the purchase. It is far superior to the other Priest Season 4 head piece, the Satin Hood, as well.Brutal Gladiator's Mooncloth Mantle The 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms. It is quite likely that more than a few Discipline Priests will be sporting these through the season, though. It is the cheapest item after the gloves, but it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The mantle has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):339 Armor (+16)+56 Stamina (+7) +26 Intellect (+5)+25 Resilience (+0)+68 Healing / +23 Spell Damage (+11 / +4)Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience RatingClasses: PriestWoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator Shoulders are peacock gear. There's nothing particularly special about the Season 4 shoulders, and is not such a big upgrade from Season 3. Players not able to reach 2200 personal rating -- and there should be plenty -- will do just fine with last season's gear, even if it does require 1950 personal rating. Guardian's Mooncloth Belt Because it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Investiture, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The belt has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):219 Armor (+11)+56 Stamina (+7)+36 Intellect (+5) +31 Resilience (+0) +88 Healing / +30 Spell Damage (+11 / +4)Classes: Priest, Mage, WarlockWoW Insider says: Hands down the best purchase for a healing Priest in Season 4, the low Honor cost and ratings-free belt is a no-brainer. Even outside of PvP, this belt trumps most PvE healing belts outside of Sunwell Plateau, with a higher +Healing and overall stats than even drops from the Illidari Council or Kaz'rogal. Guardian's Mooncloth CuffsThe only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Coupled with the fact that bracers are visually insignificant, being hidden under gloves or robes, most players feel that there's little urgency to get them. A 1575 personal ratings requirement also requires decent performance in Arenas. The cuffs have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):183 (+10)+38 Stamina (+4)+24 Intellect (+4)+17 Resilience (+0) +64 Healing / +22 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)Socket Bonus: +2 StaminaClasses: Priest, Mage, WarlockWoW Insider says: Despite the 1575 personal ratings requirement, the cuffs are a worthy purchase for healers as they are the best healing wrist armor outside of Sunwell Plateau. They are roughly as powerful as the Bracers of Martyrdom from Rage Winterchill in Mount Hyjal.Guardian's Mooncloth SlippersThe most visually important match of all Guardian items, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The slippers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):253 Armor (+15)+56 Stamina (+7)+36 Intellect (+5) +31 Resilience (+0) +88 Healing / +30 Spell DamageClasses: Priest, Mage, WarlockWoW Insider says: Although 1700 is the highest personal ratings requirement outside of the weapons and shoulders, even PvE healing Priests would do well to strive for it as the slippers are the best healing boots before Sunwell Plateau gear. It is better point-for-point than Archbishop's Slippers from Anatheron in Hyjal Summit. %Gallery-25440% Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.
Brutal Gladiator's Dreadgear
The Brutal Gladiator's Dreadgear is the armor set for Affliction and Demonoloy-specced Warlocks. It is a dreadweave, or cloth armor usable only by Warlocks and is usually matched with Guardian's Dreadweave armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Big Zokk Torquewrench in Netherstorm and Ontokk Shatterhorn in Shattrath City. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall. Brutal Gladiator's Dreadweave GlovesThe Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. The bonus is the same for both Warlock-specific sets, giving a bonus against spell interruption when casting Fear. The gloves have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent): 306 Armor (+13)+58 Stamina (+7)+33 Intellect (+5)+21 Resilience (+0)+47 Spell Damage / Healing (+6)Gives 50% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting Fear.Classes: Warlock WoW Insider says: These gloves are low-cost and have no rating requirements, making it a good purchase specially for starting Arena players. These gloves have higher +Stamina than the Felweave Handguards at the expense of +Spell Crit. Brutal Gladiator's Dreadweave LeggingsThe leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, which isn't too difficult to obtain. Warlocks, specially in the popular SL/SL build, can outlast their way to that rating. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The leggings have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):442 Armor (+18)+85 Stamina (+9)+39 Intellect (+7)+33 Resilience (+0)+67 Spell Damage / Healing (+8)Classes: WarlockWoW Insider says: The lack of sockets mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants. As with past Dreadweave items, the leg armor is loaded with Stamina, even higher than that of Warrior Battlegear. A good purchase even in comparison to the chest piece, which costs the same Arena points.Brutal Gladiator's Dreadweave RobeWith three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece, and is the next best purchase after the gloves. 1600 should be a relatively achievable goal for Warlocks, who are popular in many Arena formats. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The robe has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):476 Armor (+22)+84 Stamina (+9)+28 Intellect (+7)+24 Resilience (+0)+57 Spell Damage / Healing (+7)Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience RatingClasses: WarlockWoW Insider says: Because of the sockets and massive Stamina which gives close to 1k Health, the chest piece is the best Brutal Gladiator armor purchase for most Warlocks. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.Brutal Gladiator's Dreadweave HoodThe helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. Warlocks should conceivably have an easier time obtaining a 1700 personal rating to get this hood, which costs the same as the chest and leg armor pieces. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The hood has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):426 Armor (+17)+82 Stamina (+9)+32 Intellect (+7)+33 Resilience (+0)+50 Spell Damage / Healing (+8)Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience RatingClasses: WarlockWoW Insider says: Clearly intended for survivability, the Dreadweave Hood even at 1700 personal rating, is a good target. +82 Stamina from a single item is substantial, even if it doesn't have the fancy demon wings. Brutal Gladiator's Dreadweave MantleThe 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms. Although it is the cheapest item after the gloves, it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The mantle has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):339 Armor (+16)+55 Stamina (+6)+18 Intellect (+5)+21 Resilience (+0)+20 Spell Hit (+4)+44 Spell Damage / Healing (+4)Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience RatingClasses: WarlockWoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator Shoulders are peacock gear. The Dreadweave Mantle has a low point-for-point improvement from its predecessor and it also uncharacteristically doesn't have higher Stamina than an equivalent Warrior piece. However, it is the only Dreadweave item with +Spell Hit and among the few PvP shoulders to have a Blue Socket. Guardian's Dreadweave BeltBecause it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Dreadgear, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The belt has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):219 Armor (+11)+56 Stamina (+7)+37 Intellect (+5)+31 Resilience (+0)+47 Spell Damage / Healing (+6)Classes: Priest, Mage, WarlockWoW Insider says: Usable by all cloth-wearing classes, the Guardian's Dreadweave Belt might be one of the most popular Season 4 pieces. It has substantial +Stamina for a cloth item and has no personal ratings requirement, making it a great PvP starter purchase.Guardian's Dreadweave CuffsThe only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Coupled with the fact that bracers are visually insignificant, being hidden under gloves or robes, there's little urgency to get them. A 1575 personal ratings requirement also requires decent performance in Arenas. The cuffs have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):183 (+10)+38 Stamina (+4)+24 Intellect (+4)+17 Resilience (+0)+34 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)Socket Bonus: +2 Spell DamageClasses: Priest, Mage, WarlockWoW Insider says: Although there are better purchases in Season 4, the Dreadweave Cuffs are the only pure +Spell Damage cloth bracers for all cloth wearers and is a good option for players who have no need for +Spell Crit.Guardian's Dreadweave StalkersThe most visually important match of all Guardian items, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The stalkers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):253 Armor (+15)+56 Stamina (+7)+37 Intellect (+5)+31 Resilience (+0)+47 Spell Damage / Healing (+6)Classes: Priest, Mage, WarlockWoW Insider says: These cloth boots have as much +Stamina as the Season 4 Warrior Plate, and stamina is always good. Although the visual impact of these boots is irrelevant considering most cloth classes wear robes that cover it, it is the best choice for pure spell damage boots this season. %Gallery-25440% Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.
