First of all, thanks to all who those that gave me input yesterday on new alts for next expansion. I have (finally) made up my mind, and figured I would share. Of course, that does not mean I won’t change it. Simply that I have a place to start planning from.
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Normally this is the point where I would go into great detail about why I chose what I did. I won’t bore you with that today. I’ll make this quick.
Since I prefer classes that can use both ranged Dps and healing abilities I had really narrowed it down to three before I even got started. The Priest, Shaman, and Druid to be exact. Since I already have a Priest at the level cap I figured giving the other two a whirl seemed like my best choice.
On the choice of race, well for me that was an easy one. Horde side my preference for Trolls is well known amongst my friends. Alliance side, on the other hand, I really want to give the Worgen a shot. Everything I have seen of them so far is quite impressive. Since Worgen can’t be Shaman it just got real easy.
I will be rolling a Troll Shaman and a Worgen Druid.
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Then things got fun, I got to go shopping.
Remember all those Stone Keeper Shards I was sitting on?
You guessed it, they are pretty much gone now. Account wide I had over a thousand of the silly things. Now I have maybe 300 left across 3 level 80’s.
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Along with some of the heirlooms I have laying about from various other projects (most notably my failed attempt at leveling a Rogue) I think I have quite the package for these two. Granted there is a piece or two that may need to be mailed back and forth occasionally. Then again, I can only play one at a time anyhow.
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For our Shaman we have:
Shoulders
For the most part I will go with the Aged Pauldrons of the Five Thunders that I picked up for 200 Stone Keeper Shards. On the off chance I decide to go the melee route at some point I will switch over to the Stained Shadowcraft Spaulders that I have left over from the Rogue project. Less armor, but better stat allocation for the job.
Chest
If I am casting armor does not matter all that much I will use the Preened Ironfeather Breastplate even though it is leather. Once again if I decide later to do the melee thing I will slap on the Champions Deathdealer Breastplate that my Troll Hunter is using right now.
Weapons
For weapons I picked up a Blessed Hammer of Grace for another 250 Stone Keeper Shards. I plan to pick up another some time in the next few days, once again on the off chance that I decide to go melee.
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Our Druid benefitted quite a bit from the failed Rogue’s gear.
Shoulders
Depending on what he is doing at any given time He will be equipped with either the Lasting Feralheart Spaulders or the Stained Shadowcraft Spaulders. I already had the Shadowcraft ones laying about, so I just picked up the Fearalheart for another 200 Stone Keeper Shards.
Chest
Doing pretty good here too, since I already had the Stained Shadowcraft Tunic in the bank it was just a matter of picking up the Preened Ironfeather Breastplate using 40 assorted emblems that were sitting on my Death Knight. Now he is set for any occasion.
Weapons
With these I was really up in the air about simply using the Blessed Hammer of Grace here as well. In the end I figured I had the 325 Stone Keeper Shards to spare so I picked up a Grand Staff of Jordan. It may not be the best thing I could be running with, but it will do.
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Looking at all of what is available there is not really much left to buy with shards. I could (and likely will) pick up another Blessed Hammer of Grace at some point. I will probably grab up a Prized Beastmasters Mantle for the Shaman as well as the shards keep falling into my bags.
Are there other odds and ends I could pick up?
Most certainly.
When there comes time when I simply have no upgrades left to me from Emblems of Triumph I might look into them.
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Add all the heirlooms in with both of these new characters being issued four 16 slot bags and a couple gold to pay for food and training and I think they are more than ready.
If anything it’s too much.
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Filed under: World of Warcraft |
Dechion's Place 
Sounds fun! I agree that its definitely okay to wear leather on your leveling shaman especially while casting (in fact a lot of excellent resto gear at 80 is leather or cloth). The best benefit of the heirloom gear is the XP bonus anyway. I will admit to wearing Stained Shadowcraft Spaulders on my Paladin for awhile just to get the bonus, because I couldn’t afford plate ones (I have since purchased the PVP plate shoulder variety, since I figured tanking in leather as a non-druid was a bad idea).
My plan is for a Worgen Druid as well. I’ve watched a few videos and their casting animations are decent. I’m excited to see how the forms turn out!
I actually got a “OMGWTF are you out of your damn mind!” comment in Dalaran for wearing the leather dps shoulders on my DK as she leveled up. Apparently wearing the mail chest was fine though. =P
As for the Worgen Druid forms I am really hoping that we see a wolf instead of a cat as their Dps form. It would just make sense. (likley won’t happen though)
Enchant those weapons with int for the casters and you will find that they are awesome.
I was up in the air on wether to go with +22 Int or +30 Spellpower on the staff and the first mace.
The second mace for the Shaman will probably see Crusader for dual wield soloing.
The three chest pieces will likely all see the greater stats enchant. (+4 to all stats)
@Dechion – I’m not sure about the math behind which enchant is better for leveling, because I am lazy. I know that Jardal knows the +30 Spellpower enchant so that is what I used (they’re both pretty rare recipes).
Actually I am pretty up in the air on what to get as well. Mostly it will be what I can find.
I’m weird. I don’t like the concept of “PvP” heirlooms for leveling my toons. I HAVE to get the EoH/Champion Seal PvE heirlooms. I’m neurotic, I know… but to have a hunter with a +stam only chest. Nah, can’t do it. I want the +agil and +int, damnit! 🙂
Lol. They could come with nothing but the +10% to XP and I would still use them.
Then again, I am odd like that.
That + XP bonus is great. Again, the EoH/Seal heirlooms give you BOTH. Maybe I’m not neurotic, just greedy. 🙂
I used the Five Thunders shoulders while levelling my Shaman and love Elemental, it’s a lot of fun. I have a Priest and Shaman at level 80 and the next character on their way is a level 66 Druid funnily enough. Hybrids ftw…
Will you be getting trinkets? I have two of the melee trinkets on my rogue. That plus two swords, plus chest, plus shoulders means he has 6 slots of gear that probably will NEVER be upgraded.
Well, the trinkets might be once I get to Outland.
I also picked up the Bow for the Rogue, even though it is more of a stat stick. I’m planning on leveling an Undead Hunter in Cataclysm, so it certainly doesn’t hurt. 🙂
I will probably pick up both of the trinkets with badges later on, but for now all those are going towards purple shinies for my Priest. 🙂
I think you can’t enchant the weapons without making them soulbound.
I went on a shopping spree recently. The best setup for a melee shaman is two, slow one handers so I brought those as well as the mail melee shoulders and melee chest. The same items can be used to level a hunter once my shammy has finished with them (apart from the maces).
Ditto for the leather – it was used by my druid and can now be used for a future rogue (worgen I think).
I also have caster gear for my mage that never gets levelled. Taking advantage of the Horde-Alliance heirloom post I sent my cloth shoulders, cloth chest and my staff to a Blood Elf Priest! I’m on a PvP server and it will be really interesting to see what happens over on the other side.
I’m also placing bets on the first member of my guild who will gank this horde alt!
I can say for certain that enchanting does not make them soul bound. At least with the enchants I am using. It may if you tried to put (for instance) the higher level shoulder enchants on. That I have not tried, and I don’t think it would work anyway.
The restriction is that you can only use enchants that are good on a level one item, since that is what heirlooms reports as. So far I managed to get Crusader on one of my hammers and was able to send to to my alt no problem. I am still looking for someone that can do the +22 int and the +4 stats ones. I don’t feel like paying 300G+ for a single enchant in the auction house.
I can tell you for certain that the honored Scryer shoulder enchant does not make the shoulders soulbound. Presumably the same is true of Aldor. 🙂
However, it won’t be active unless the toon meets the level/rep requirements.
I have a suggestion for you about tricking out your nascent toons. Create your own heirloom pieces. Throw enchants on a white set of pants, boots, cloak, and gloves. They don’t become soulbound. It’s terribly fun to go blitzing through everything in the starter zone.
The white items should last you through the first 10-15 levels, then you can send them on to the next baby toons.
I know you have the heirloom chest piece, but for the first 5 levels you might consider the formal dangui or the royal dangui from Moonglade, both of which have a high enough item level for the Outlands +150 health enchant. The formal one will also take the +250 mana. The +10% xp is too huge for after level 5, but before that the extra health or mana really streamlines the process.
On a pure vanity note, its fun to have a lowbie toon who looks cool. The various white sets can make neat outfits.
good point on the lowbie white items. I distinctly remember blasting through the first 10 or 12 levels on my priest while weating an enchanted tuxedo =)
The Winter Boots look really sharp with the tuxedo pants. 🙂 And the Battered Jungle Hat adds a priceless pimp daddy look to any outfit.
Oh, and while I’m posting like mad… Did you know that winning the Kalu’ak Fishing Derby will earn you a Dread Pirate Ring? BoA ring – stam and 5% xp bonus.
Good point on the ring also. I managed to get frustrated with all the BS surrounding the old fishing tourney that I have not even bothered to try the new one.