Level 80 Stat Intro Guide

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NOTE:  This is currently incomplete.  Please post on the related forum thread any info you have, that you would like me to add.  Also, this article has a terrible name.  Please suggest a new one.

Death Knight | Druid | Hunter | Mage | Paladin | Priest | Rogue | Shaman | Warlock | Warrior

Death Knight

Incomplete: Please go to http://www.guildofawesomeness.com/forumbridge/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=170 and post any info you would like to add.

Druid

Incomplete: Please go to http://www.guildofawesomeness.com/forumbridge/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=170 and post any info you would like to add.

Hunter

Incomplete: Please go to http://www.guildofawesomeness.com/forumbridge/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=170 and post any info you would like to add.

Mage

Incomplete: Please go to http://www.guildofawesomeness.com/forumbridge/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=170 and post any info you would like to add.

Paladin

Holy paladins are healers, Protection paladins are tanks, and Retribution paladins are DPS.

• Holy
  • Primary Stats: Spell Power > Critical Strike > Intellect > Haste > Mana Per 5 Sec.
  • Beginning Raid Worthiness: 1500+ Healing Bonus, 15000-18000 Mana, 18-20% Spell Critical Chance, 125+ MP5, 520+ Intellect, 210+ Haste.
  • Healing Bonus:  1500+ Healing Bonus (without buffs), so you can efficiently heal the tank from hard hitting bosses.  Once you get around 2000 HB, focus on your mana pool (Int > Crit > SP > Haste > MP5).
  • Spell Rotation: Flash of Light spam (you can also use Holy Light if the tank is taking to much damage), while keeping up Sacred Shield to reduce damage and increase the chance of a crit, with the occasional Holy Shock for off healing. This now heals 2 targets at once if you keep your Beacon of Light up.  You should always practice this method with BoL on someone in the raid, preferably a tank. 
  • Through the fight you will Use Divine Illumination and Divine Plea to regain mana.  While using DP, it is a good practice to pop a trinket, Light’s Grace or Avenging Wrath to negate the -50% healing debuff that the spell gives you.
  • Use [Improved] Concentration Aura.
    
  • Suggested AddOns: Healbot or Grid (Raid Frames), Pitbull (Unit Frames), Parrot (Scrolling Combat Text), Clique (Click Casting), PallyPower (Blessing Assignments), ClassTimer (Spell Timers).
  • Elitist Jerks Post: The Holy Paladin Guide for WotLK
  • WoWHead Post: The New Holydin - Raid Battle Cleric Update 3.0.8
  • WoWWiki Post: Paladins as Healers
  • PaladinCraft Post: Level 80 Guide to Gearing a HEALadin for Raids
    
• Protection
  • Uncrittable: Maintain 540 Defense Skill (689 Defense Rating from gear) at all times, so that you are uncrittable.
  • Primary Stats: Avoidance (Defense, Dodge, Parry, Block), Strength, Stamina, Expertise
  • Spell Rotation: "96969", named after the cooldowns of the abilities.  You choose what order you want to do the rotation.  The 9 sec cooldown abilities are Holy Shield, Judgement, and Consecrate.  The 6 sec cooldown abilities are Hammer of the Righteous and Shield of Righteousness.
    Watch this short YouTube video: Protection Paladin TPS / DPS Attack Rotation
    
  • Use Seal of Vengeance.
  • Use [Improved] Devotion Aura, except where maximum threat generation is needed, then use Retribution Aura.
  • Talent Specs:
    The core PvE talents are: 0/50/6.
    The preferred PvE main-tank spec for Ulduar is: 2/61/8.
    The preferred PvE off-tank spec for Ulduar is: 0/53/18.
    A PvP talent spec looks more like: COMING SOON.
    
  • Maintankadin Post: Mantankadin 101 - Winchester
  • Maintankadin Post: 3.1 Frequently *Answered* Questions - Tankadin basics
  • Elitist Jerks Post: Protection Paladin Field Manual (WoW-3.0/WotLK)
• Retribution
  • Use 2H weapon, not 1H+Shield
  • Hit Cap: 262 Hit Skill (262 Hit Rating from gear).  Don't go over, since extra Hit is wasted.  (See info below, in Primary Stats.)
    
  • Expertise Cap: 26 Expertise Skill (214 Expertise Rating from gear).
  • Primary Stats: Hit (to cap), Strength, Expertise, Crit
    Do the following if not Hit capped:
    1. If over 16 Hit Rating away, enchant Precision to gloves.
    2. If still more than 16 below Hit cap, gem yellow sockets with +HIT gems (Rigid Autumn's Glow) until all yellow sockets are full, or you make Hit cap.  This is an attempt to keeep socket bonuses.
    3. If still below Hit cap, change head enchant from Arcanum of Torment to Arcanum of Ferocity.
    4. If still below Hit cap, put +HIT gems (Rigid Autumn's Glow) in blue sockets.
    5. If still below Hit cap, put +HIT gems (Rigid Autumn's Glow) in red sockets, and cry.
    
  • Spell Rotation: "First Come First Serve" (Use what is off cooldown, prioritizing based on DPS of the ability) - Crusader Strike > Hammer of Wrath > Judgement > Divine Storm > Consecration > Exorcism > Holy Wrath
  • Suggested Addons: Serious Help In Timing, ...
  • Talent Specs + Glyphs:
    The core PvE DPS talents are: 0/5/54. 
    The preferred PvE spec for Ulduar is: 0/17/54. 
    A PvP talent spec looks more like: 0/19/52. 
  • Elitist Jerks Post: 3.1 Retribution Paladin Thread
  • MaxDPS Gear Lists: Retribution Paladin (Generic)
  • Ferraro's Blog Post: How-To: Retribution Raiding

Priest

Incomplete: Please go to http://www.guildofawesomeness.com/forumbridge/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=170 and post any info you would like to add.

Rogue

The three talent trees have different specializations, but Combat is the primary for Raid DPS, Assasination is an alternate Raid DPS, and Subtlety is usually for PvP DPS.

• Assassination
  • Expertise Cap: 26 Expertise (214 Expertise Rating from gear); Get as close to this as possible.
  • Hit Cap: Around 235 Hit Rating (This is the Poison Cap, NOT White Damage Cap).
  • Primary Stats: Expertise (to 26) > Agility > Attack Power > Critical Strike.  If Hit isn’t around 235, socket or enchant for +Hit.
  • Poisons: Main Hand weapon = Wound Poison, Off Hand weapon = Deadly Poison
  • Use Tricks of the Trade on the tank at the start of the fight, and then when needed.
  • Rotation:
    *Out of Combat, get 3 stacks of Hunger for Blood up.
    *Get 4 or 5 Combo Points and start Slice and Dice at the beginning of boss battles.
    1) Mutilate to 4+ Combo Points.
    2) Make sure Hunger for Blood isn’t going to drop soon. Refresh it, if it will.
    3) Is Rupture up? If yes, Envenom. Go to step 1.
    4) Does Slice and Dice have 12 seconds or more left? If not, Envenom.  Go to Step 1.
    5) Rupture.  Go to Step 1.
  • At the very lest 1300 DPS to Start Heroics
  • WoWHead Post: Pre-Heroics & Raid Gear Guide
  • ShadowPanther Website: Rogue info, guides, charts.
  • WoWWiki Post: Comprehensive Guide to Rogues in 3.0
  • Elitist Jerks Rogue forums: In-depth rogue info.
    
• Combat 
  • Expertise Cap: 16 Expertise Skill (132 Expertise Rating from gear).
  • Hit Cap: Around 235 Hit Rating (This is the Poison Cap, NOT White Damage Cap).
  • Primary Stats: Attack Power > Agility > Expertise > Hit.  If Hit isn’t around 235, socket or enchant for +Hit.
  • Poisons: Main Hand weapon = Wound Poison, Off Hand weapon = Deadly Poison
  • On boss fights, when Slice and Dice has less than 12 sec left, use Blades of Fury, followed by Adrenaline Rush, stack 5 compbo points, and then Eviscerate for 10 sec to maximize DPS.
  • Use Tricks of the Trade on the tank at the start of the fight, and then when needed.
  • Spell Rotation:
    1. Sinister Strike to 5 Combo Points.
    2. Slice and Dice.
    3. Sinister Strike to 5 Combo Points.
    4. Rupture.
    5. Sinister Strike to 5 Combo Points.
    6. Does Slice and Dice have 12 seconds left? If yes, Eviscerate. If no, Go to Step 2.
    7. Go to Step 1.
  • At the very lest 1300 DPS to Start Heroics
  • WoWHead Post: Pre-Heroics & Raid Gear Guide
  • ShadowPanther Website: Rogue info, guides, charts.
  • WoWWiki Post: Comprehensive Guide to Rogues in 3.0
  • Elitist Jerks Rogue forums: In-depth rogue info.
• Subtlety
  • Incomplete: Please go to http://www.guildofawesomeness.com/forumbridge/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=170 and post any info you would like to add.

Shaman

Elemental shaman are caster DPS, Enhancement shaman are melee DPS, and Restoration shaman are healers.

• Elemental
  • Hit Cap: 263 with a Balance Druid or Shadow Priest in your group. Without them it is 342.
  • Primary Stats:  Hit, Spellpower by far the second best stat to gem for after hit cap is reached, Haste, Critical Strike.  When Flameshock it up Lavaburst is a guaranteed Crit make crit our worst scaling talent.
  • Spell Rotation:
    1.) Flame shock
    2.) Lava Burst 
    3.) Lightning Bolt x4-5 (depending on Haste )
    4.) Lava Burst
    5.) Lightning Bolt x4, then repeat from step 1
  • It should be fairly easy to be hitting 1500 dps in mostly blues and crafted epics. I would expect in Best-in-Slot gear to top out at a max of 6k with that being a rare exception.
    
• Enhancement
  • Incomplete: Please go to http://www.guildofawesomeness.com/forumbridge/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=170 and post any info you would like to add.
• Restoration 
  • Incomplete: Please go to http://www.guildofawesomeness.com/forumbridge/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=170 and post any info you would like to add.

Warlock

Incomplete: Please go to http://www.guildofawesomeness.com/forumbridge/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=170 and post any info you would like to add.

Warrior

Incomplete: Please go to http://www.guildofawesomeness.com/forumbridge/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=170 and post any info you would like to add.