[Terenas] Identification of KEY Kara upgrades

[Kevin]

Raid leaders are trying to identify very key upgrades available in Kara. I'm not talking stuff you're missing, I'm talking items that exist in Kara that are so well itemized for a particular class that they will not replace them until content we are likely to not see for a very long time (Late T5 --> T6)

I want to re-iterate that we don't want to include minor upgrades here. Ironstriders of Urgency would be an example. These are the only DPS warrior plate item in Kara, but crafted leather boots (Fel Leather boots) are comparable in DPS (minus stam) AND there is an upgrade mid of SSC. We are looking at the KEY upgrades, items that you have to think about before replacing with T5 level gear, and probably will last until T6.

I will compile a list based on bosses. Please list any item as:
Boss -- Item -- Class / spec -- Next upgrade available

Examples:
Maiden -- Shard of the Virtuous -- MP5 healer (pally / shaman) -- Black Temple

Illhoof -- Stranglestaff -- Feral Druid (DPS) -- No current upgrade anywhere in raid content

Netherspite -- Skulker's Greaves -- Rogue -- T6

Prince -- Nathrezim Mindblade -- non-sword caster DPS (shaman / priest) -- Doomwalker / Black Temple

Crafted (available next patch) -- Cloak of Darkness -- warrior (DPS) -- sidegrade from DL Kazzak otherwise Black Temple

Please add to the list and if worthy, I will add them so that our raid leaders can try to have someone who needs one of these key upgrades when we head in... if it is possible.

Kara has 2 potential ones for hunters.

Steelhawk (79.1 DPS) off of Attumen or the sniper rifle (79.1) from the BBW is a big upgrade, but not as big of one as Sunfury bow (83.3) off Prince. The Arena bow, Merciless Gladiator (88.2 DPS) is better than Sunfury but if you don't get it soon you'll have to deal with the changes to arena weapons needing like a 1900 rating (that was the number that was used at Blizzcon) to be able to purchase one and how many hunters are on teams with ratings that high? I'm hoping I get enough arena points with Marn to get mine before that patch.

Other ranged weapons that hunters would want. A'lar (in The Eye) has the Arcanite Steam Pistol (84.5 DPS). Lady Vashj in SSC has the Serpent Spine Longbow (89.2 DPS), Supremus in Black Temple drops the Legion killer (90.7 DPS), Archimonde drops the Brislteblitz Striker (95.8 DPS) and then there is Black Bow of the Betrayer (95.8 DPS) off Illidan.

It's pretty critical for hunter DPS to have at least one of the ranged weapons from Kara before really pushing in SSC or later content. Ideally you want Sunfuries on all the hunters but really they should be able to pull their weight with any of the 3. If you don't get one of those you are falling back on getting exalted with Thrallmar for the Marksman Bow (73.8 DPS) or hoping to get the Wrathtide Longbow (75.5 DPS). Otherwise you are likely using a Valanos' Longbow (66.4) that is a world drop (AH purchase for most) or the Telescopic Sharprifle (66.3) from Mechanaar. Kara ranged weapons are 6 DPS better on the weapon, which is generally about 30 DPS more for the hunter (it depends a lot on the AP levels, crit rating, spec etc but 5 real DPS per one ranged weapon DPS seems to be close enough in most cases). Marn picked up right around 80 DPS going from Valanos' to Steelhawk. And going from what I had before to Valanos was right around a 6 DPS per 1 DPS on the weapon increase as well.

I know I didn't list that the way you asked, but I as just laying it all out there since while Sunfury is still a big upgrade over the other ranged Kara weapons I would simply call just getting 1 of them critical and the Sunfury is good enough that not having a hunter around who needs it, when killing Prince seems like a bad idea if you are worried about gearing the raiding body.


For healing shaman though
Maiden --- Totem of Healing Rains --- Shaman --- Nothing else like it in game right now.