D-Day Version 3.0.8

Your realm may be abuzz with talk of what the latest WoW patch brings. Version 3.0.8 hit the Public Test Realm last week and brings about a number of discussed changes to the druid class. The patch notes can be found here.

The biggest change to look forward to (or fear, depending on how you still stand) is the armor change. It's been discussed to death from here to the end of the internet, but it will soon be final. No more bonus armor from trinkets, rings, and staves.

I've already been preparing for this change, while still maintaining gear that allows me to be beastly currently.

For starters, I've replaced Badge of Tenacity with Essence of Gossamer. I find that Gossamer is an excellent trinket pre-3.0.8 patch and post. The 111 Stamina is a hefty stat and should offset the loss in bonus armor from Tenacity. The only thing I miss is that I relied heavily upon Tenacity to make it easier on the healers' job during some Naxx fights. That and Gossamer seems like it never procs.

Though I still lug around Enraged Feral Staff (the armor bonus can't be beat), I've Staff of Trickery sitting in my bank. As discussed previously, the bonus armor makes this blue much more desirable than the Staff. Trickery drops from H VH and shouldn't be too difficult to acquire. You may want to get started on acquiring this, if needed, before the patch goes live. Though any Naxx staff will trump trickery.

I know I've been trying to mask my famous identity from this blog. For this purpose, though, I must subject myself to a league of paparazzi. More important than me discussing a few key changes I've made to my bear, it's more important to give a real world example of the kind of changes us bears can expect from the latest patch.

My WoW Armory profile is here, for gear reference.

I now currently have 29660 armor.

With the new armor changes I now have 32114.

Your mileage may vary, but Ghostcrawler was right. This is a mild buff. And when I say "mild," I mean "almost 3k armor for free?!" I'd say an 8.27% increase is more than a mild buff.

Until the next Faerie Fire pull...

-Lushious