So, you've got your Mage to 85 - now what?

Post by lankybrit

Hi,

As I am currently running through this process, I thought I'd write a little guide for you all.

You've just finished the Cata zones, and are sitting with mostly iLvl 333 and 316 gear. Now you want to get better gear, and want to know where to start.

First, you should be running regular Cata Dungeons to get Rep wearing one of the Cata faction Tabards. You can also do dailies for Therazane in Deepholm, Ramkahen in Uldum, Wildhammer Clan/Dragonmaw Clan in Twilight Highlands, and Baradin's Wardens/Hellscream Reach in Tol Barad.

1. I recommend Therazane first in conjunction with the Therazane Dailies.

Once you're Revered with them, pick up this ring Diamant's Ring of Temperance - buy from D'lom the Collector

Then stop with Therazane (you don't need the top shoulder enchant yet).

2.Go get the Ramkahen Tabard and do the Ramkahen dailies.

Once you're Revered, pick up these Robes Robes of Orsis

Carry on to Exalted and get the sandals Desert Walker Sandals

Buy them from Blacksmith Abasi

3. Next, I would recommend getting The Earthen Ring rep up. There are no dailies, so just run more dungeons with the Tabard.

Once you're Revered, pick up this cloak Cloak of Ancient Wisdom

Carry on to Exalted and get these Gloves Flamebloom Gloves

Buy them from Provisioner Arok

4. Now it's on to Wildhammer Clan/Dragonmaw Clan. You should have been doing the dailies all along, but now it's time to put on the Tabard and get Dungeoning.

Once you're Revered, get Band of Singing Grass/Band of Lamentation

Carry on until Exalted and get Lightning Flash Pendant/Yellow Smoke Pendant

Buy them from Craw MacGraw/Grot Deathblow

A. All along, you should have been doing Tol Barad Dailies (no Tabard to grind rep).

Once you're revered, get this Staff Insidious Staff/Insidious Staff

And carry on until Exalted and get this Trinket Stump of Time/Stump of Time

Buy them from Quartermaster Brazie/Pogg

B. You only need to get Guardians of Hyjal to Revered to get the Head Enchant - Arcanum of Hyjal - Buy from Provisioner Whitecloud

Then go back and get Exalted with Therazane for the top Shoulder Enchant - Greater Inscription of Charged Lodestone

C. If you can afford them (or are a Tailor), pick up this Belt Dreamless Belt and one of these Leggings Breeches of Mended Nightmares/Flame-Ascended Pantaloons

For your Shoulders, use the JPs you've accumulated, and go get Meadow Mantle

That's pretty much it. I know there are several slots I haven't recommended things for. Just use 333 items in those slots until you're running Heroics and get upgrades.

LMK what you think. If I've missed stuff, I can update it.

Addendum: Read these EJ threads for more info about how to be the best Mage you can be for each spec.

EJ Frost
EJ Fire
EJ Arcane

4.2 Update

With 4.2 there are few more things you can do easily at level 85 to get really good gear.

1. Do the Hyjal Daily intro quest line

Start with The Call of the World-Shaman and do all the quests until Elemental Bonds: The Vow. You can then get Mantle of Desire as your reward.

2. Do the Hyjal Dailies

You start off in Sanctuary of Malorne and get some dailies to get you up to 20 Marks of the World Tree. Hand them in for the Quest and it will unlock the dailies in the Molten Front. Go through the portal for the Molten Front and see Zen'Vorka.

You can then buy Nightweaver's Amulet

3. Continue with the Hyjal Dailies

You will get two quests that will require 150 Marks each. Once you have completed both of these, you unlock three quests (each requiring 125 more Marks!) that then unlock 3 vendors for more gear.

see Varlan Highbough for Spirit Fragment Band

see Ayla Shadowstorm for Moonwell Chalice

see Damek Bloombeard for Widow's Clutches

4. Purchase Tier 11 Gear with JPs

You've probably got, or can probably easily get, lots of Justice Points. Use them to buy Firelord's Robes and Firelord's Leggings and Firelord's Gloves (if you haven't already got the crafted leggings or exalted Gloves or just want the set bonus). You can also pick up Soul Casket and Band of Secret Names for JPs now.

Cheers.

Post by 555017

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Post by lankybrit

Thanks. I've updated to include those. I didn't realize there were two really usable Leggings. I'm nearly at 525 Tailoring myself and will have to have a look as to which ones I really need.

Cheers.

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Post by canyoneagle

Great little guide. Thank you!

Post by Nathanyal

Thanks. I've updated to include those. I didn't realize there were two really usable Leggings. I'm nearly at 525 Tailoring myself and will have to have a look as to which ones I really need.

Cheers.

I suggest you stock up on all the Dreamcloth you can now then. It costs 6 pieces to make one pair and cost another piece to buy the pattern. Also costs a piece for the belt pattern and costs 4 pieces to make. Meaning it takes at least 2 weeks to make just one piece, unless you have a large amount of Chaos Orbs and/or an alchemist to transmute volatiles for you.

Post by Kokorazashi

All along, you should have been doing Tol Barad Dailies (no Tabard to grind rep).

Once you're revered, get this Staff Insidious Staff/Insidious Staff

And carry on until Exalted and get this Trinket Stump of Time/Stump of Time

Does it make me a casual if I prioritize the drake? :P

Meh, no. I'm going for the drake first. Who needs replaceable gear when you can get a drake? Hmm, now I don't want any gear but just mounts because they're permanent...?

Nice guide though, nice to see a nice simple item guide. We need to start making stat prio guides and stuff at 85 d00dz.

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Post by lankybrit

Oh my gosh, thanks for the sticky wowhead. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd have a sticky post.

Anyway. Any chance of getting this added to 'helpful threads'? I've noticed that most of the general stuff in there is really out of date.

Thanks.

Post by Arcie

Great guide. =) It gives a mage a baseline of gear for either spec.

Post by lankybrit

Updated with Quartermaster info.

Cheers.

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Post by vincistis

This guide is among the best I've seen. Its nice and simple, gets to the point, and helps a lot. Thank you =}

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Post by lankybrit

i suppose this is OK for warlocks too? it was posted there as well. awesome guide. i just posted the other day for help and this is what i was looking for!

Good point. Maybe I should have just called it 'You've got your Cloth Caster to 85 - now what?' and put it on the general forum :)

Cheers.

Post by Frox

Great guide. Its more or less just a Reputation, Crafted and Quartermaster's guide for cloth users though. Think you'll make a guide for heroic drops that are suitable for mages-and/or-cloth-users?

Some important slots to take into consideration.

Trinkets
Wand
Wrists
Back

These items are usually the hardest to get and will continue to help those mages that still need to get Cataclysmically Superior

Post by lankybrit

Great little guide. Might add in a section linking to threads/post regarding proper rotations for each spec (probably offsite links to EJ or something) now that they are 85. Then we could just delete the "Helpful threads" topic as I don't think any of it is very helpful.

Added the EJ links.

Cheers.

Post by lankybrit

Trinkets
Wand
Wrists
Back

These items are usually the hardest to get and will continue to help those mages that still need to get Cataclysmically Superior

When you see something drop in a dungeon, it'll easily show you if it's an upgrade or not.

Cheers.

So, you've got your Mage to 85 - now what?

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