Regearing the druid tank for WOTLK (part 2)
Although it was hinted at, it wasn’t specifically articulated that I’m assuming you have access to Kara, but not necessarily to anything higher for these little guides.
I stopped in my last post I looked at necks, belts, bracers, and cloaks. This week I’ll look at other “non-core” items.
Rings:
In an environment where we don’t need defense rating, a lot of druids in who weren’t doing the big 25-man raids had to pass over the Ring of the Stalwart Defender for something with defense. Not anymore. It’s about the best tanking ring a Kara druid can obtain after 3.0.2 because it has dodge rating. On the other hand, most of the rings with high armor bonuses will still have defense on them. The Violet Signet of the Great Protector or any of the Violet Signets leading up to it all have defense. But they have a boatload of armor and stam too, which makes them worth keeping or pushing to get. Other useful rings: Band of Determination and Shermanar Great-Ring.
It should be no surprise that the best tanking trinkets for Druids will be Badge of Tenacity and Commendation of Kael’Thas. Moroes Lucky Pocket Watch will also remain very valuable. But you alchemist druids will want to drop your Guardian’s Alchemist Stone. Quite frankly, after the big three, right now you will want to focus on Stam on trinkets. Those of you who are close to getting a Darkmoon Faire card, should press to finish it. Engineers and jewelcrafters also have some good choices.
As far as I’m concerned, there was only one idol the Kara druid tank should have had before the patch, and only one after the patch: Idol of Terror. It doesn’t cost that many badges and it procs all the time, so it is invaluable to druids tanks (and kitties, for that matter).
The Kara level tank should also be looking to get his/her rep with Cenarion Expedition to exalted if it isn’t already. Earthwarden is likely the best tanking weapon you will find until you are well into the expansion. Staff of the Forest Lord has tons of stats on it, but at this point, if you aren’t completely decked out in badge gear for chest, legs, helm, hands, and shoulders, you probably need the armor more going into the expansion.
For core armor, you will find that T4 peices and badge pieces will still be what you are looking for as a non-25 man druid tank going into WOTLk. I fyou can get the 2 piece T4 bonus, it’s well worth keeping. (If you can somehow hitch along to Gruul’s with a larger guild or guild alliance, the 4 peice T4 bonus is well worth the effort).
