#0 - Dec. 22, 2008, 7:11 p.m.
I am also thankful that Death Knight tanking itemization has received a good deal of work and we appear to be gaining some Blacksmith created tanking 2handers. Good stuff Blizz, thanks.
However, DK DPS itemization needs help as well. Our Tier 7 DPS set especially needs the haste replaced with a more useful stat.
Let's compare a heroic blue, Bonegrinder's Breastplate, to the 10 man chest piece, Heroes' Scourgeborne Battleplate
Bonegrinder's Breastplate has 10 more Crit and I slot it with 2 Bold Scarlet and I gain 32 STR. However, if I were to slot it with a blue Stam gem to obtain the +6 Crit rating benefit, I would obtain 16 more STR and 16 more Crit
Scourgeborne Battleplate, when compared to the blue chest, offers me 4 more STR, 75 Armor and 72 Haste. That is it-- two useless DPS stats, and 4 more STR. (You can't even justify the armor bonus with Bladed armor, it just doesn't compare to the Crit potential on the blue). I would need to have a Inscribed Monarch Topaz to come close to matching the crit of the blue (which is an unreleased item if I'm not mistaken).
The legplates have a similar issue: Haste. It's cheaper and easier to just run UK and obtain Staggering Legplates.
Now, this is not to say the set is all bad. The gauntlets are good (the only thing comparable is Gauntlets of the Culling, a 78 obtainable item), the shoulder is good and the helm isn't awful. But with the exception of the gloves, you have to be able to raid in Naxx to get them.
The set bonus really isn't that special either, which is why it's not worth obtaining even for that. Sure, 5% more Crit chance on SS and Oblit is nice but the runic power generation......I really don't have trouble generating runic power. Within a rotation I have enough Runic power to pop my Garygoyle and maintain it for the whole duration.
I know the priority is to make Death knights good tanks because there is a tanking shortage on most servers. Unfortunately, there isn't much of one on my server, especially inside my guild. Some of us have to be DPS. It almost feels like the DPS set was nerfed to encourage us to be tanks, because it really is much easier to gear as a tank than as a DPS spec (because the itemization options are better, more readily available, and more obvious).
Isn't there something you guys can do to improve the itemization for DPS Death knights?
Feral Druids aren't the only ones relying on a few rare drops from heroics not many people want to do because it is easier to just run UK and Nexus to farm badges and rep. DPS Death knights can't really do that because we have few good options from badges and reputation rewards. Almost everything has stats like haste and armor penetration, which is great for every melee class EXCEPT Death Knights. Heck, I'm wearing the best reputation reward weapon, Argent Skeleton Crusher, and I can't make much use of the armor penetration bonus (I'm still surprised that the Ebon Blade "runeblade" 2hander is itemized for Hunters, not Death Knights. You would think our own faction would want to be be hooking us up.).
Would it be too much to ask that we get Hit to replace the Haste on our Tier 7 DPS set? Or Expertise? Or just something that will actually benefit us?
