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Brutal Gladiator's Earthshaker


The Brutal Gladiator's Earthshaker is the armor set for Enhancement Shamans. It is a linked, or mail armor usable only by Shamans and is usually matched with Guardian's Linked armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Frixee Brasstumbler in the Circle of Blood, Grikkin Copperspring in the Ring of Trials, Krixel Pinchwhistle in Area 52, and Evee Copperspring in Gadgetzan. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall.

Brutal Gladiator's Linked Gauntlets
The Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. Its bonus is the same as all other Shaman armor, an increase to the range of Shock spells. The gauntlets have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
694 Armor (+55)
+38 Strength (+5)
+58 Stamina (+7)
+37 Critical Strike (+5)
+22 Resilience (+0)
Improves the range of all Shock spells by 5 yards.
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: These gloves are low-cost and have no rating requirements, which is good. The gloves are a good purchase if only because of the accessibility and modest improvement over the previous season's gloves. The Shock range bonus helps Shamans who wants to get up close and personal with a well-placed Frost Shock.


Brutal Gladiator's Linked Leggings
The leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, which isn't too difficult to obtain, even for the underrepresented Enhancement Shaman. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The leggings have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
971 Armor (+77)
+43 Strength (+5)
+74 Stamina (+7)
+38 Intellect (+5)
+17 Hit (+5)
+41 Critical Strike (+5)
+31 Resilience (+0)
84 Armor Penetration (+0)
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: This armor piece is the one of the best for its spec, being the only Linked armor piece with +Intellect. The lack of sockets mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants, but it more than makes up for it with +Hit and Armor Penetration. At 1550 personal rating, Enhancement Shamans shouldn't have too much trouble obtaining it.


Brutal Gladiator's Linked Armor

With three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece. In the case of Enhancement Shamans, it is the third best piece to get after the gloves and leggings, despite the 1600 personal rating requirement. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The armor has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
1110 Armor (+88)
+32 Strength (+5)
+71 Stamina (+7)
+17 Hit (+5)
+35 Critical Strike (+5)
+31 Resilience (+0)
84 Armor Penetration (+0)
12 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)

Socket Bonus: +4 Critical Strike
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: Although a little harder to obtain because of the 1600 personal rating, the Linked Armor has everything an Enhancement Shaman needs. The +Hit and Armor Penetration all contribute to one of the best Brutal Gladiator purchases an Enhancement Shaman can buy in Season 4. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.


Brutal Gladiator's Linked Helm
The helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. The 1700 personal rating should be an achievable target for Enhancement Shamans. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The helm has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
902 Armor (+72)
+40 Strength (+6)
+74 Stamina (+7)
+18 Hit (+6)
+39 Critical Strike (+6)
+33 Resilience (+0)
84 Armor Penetration

Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience Rating
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: The helm is a decent improvement over Season 3's equivalent, if much less attractive. Players unable to obtain a 1700 rating need not fuss over it, as the old helm gives the same Armor Penetration bonus as well as a Meta Socket and a Red Socket.


Brutal Gladiator's Linked Spaulders

The 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms, particularly on the shoulders of an Enhancement Shaman. Although it is the cheapest item after the gloves, it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The spaulders have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
832 Armor (+66)
+30 Strength (+5)
+58 Stamina (+6)
+31 Critical Strike (+4)
+21 Resilience (+0)
8 Mana / 5 Secs (+1 / 5)

Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience Rating
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator shoulders are purely for show, although the Linked Spaulders in particular have an extra bonus that some other Linked pieces do not have -- mp5. It is one of the few Season 4 shoulder pieces with a little extra, like Druid shoulders, but still of marginal improvement over its predecessor.

Guardian's Linked Girdle
Because it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Earthshaker, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The girdle has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
624 Armor (+49)
+38 Strength (+4)
+55 Stamina (+6)
+28 Intellect (+5)
+37 Critical Strike (+4)
+21 Resilience (+0)
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: The Linked Guardian items have +Intellect, among the few sources Enhancement Shamans have to marginally enlarge their mana pool. At low Honor cost and no ratings requirements, the Linked Girdle is one of the best purchases in Season 4 among all the Enhancement gear available.


Guardian's Linked Bracers
The only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Coupled with the fact that bracers are visually insignificant, being hidden under gloves, the urgency to obtain them is very low. They also have a modest 1575 personal rating requirement, necessitating participation -- and moderate success -- in Arena play. The bracers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
471 (+39)
+28 Strength (+3)
+37 Stamina (+4)
+17 Intellect (+3)
+24 Critical Strike (+3)
+12 Resilience (+0)

Socket Bonus: +2 Resilience Rating
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: Although more difficult to obtain that the leggings, It's not much better than its Season 3 counterpart, but if you have the Honor to burn and reach the 1575 personal rating requirement, it's worth the upgrade.


Guardian's Linked Sabatons

The most visually important match of all Guardian items, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The sabatons have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
763 Armor (+61)
+38 Strength (+5)
+55 Stamina (+6)
+27 Intellect (+4)
+38 Critical Strike (+4)
+21 Resilience (+0)
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: Is a +4 Intellect improvement worth the grind to 1700? According to our readers more experienced with Enhancement Shamans, no. It looks good with the rest of the gear, though. Too bad it's covered up in a kilt. Still, the other primary stats make the boots a decent purchase.


Gallery: Season 4 Arms & Equipment

DruidHunter (Alliance)Hunter (Horde)Mage (Alliance)Mage (Horde)

Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.

Brutal Gladiator's Pursuit


The Brutal Gladiator's Pursuit is the armor set for Hunters. It is a chain, or mail armor set usable only by Hunters and is usually matched with Guardian's Chain armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Frixee Brasstumbler in the Circle of Blood, Grikkin Copperspring in the Ring of Trials, Krixel Pinchwhistle in Area 52, and Evee Copperspring in Gadgetzan. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall.

Brutal Gladiator's Chain Gauntlets
The Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. The gauntlets have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
694 Armor (+55)
+37 Agility (+4)
+56 Stamina (+4)
+19 Intellect (+4)
+23 Critical Strike (+4)
+21 Resilience (+0)
+48 Attack Power (+8)
Increases the damage done by Multi-Shot by 5%.
Classes: Hunter
WoW Insider says: Low arena point cost, no personal rating requirement, and an even-numbered improvement over last season's gloves? All check. One of the best gear purchases for Hunters to make in Season 4.


Brutal Gladiator's Chain Leggings
The leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, attainable even by underrepresented Hunters. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The leggings have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
971 Armor (+77)
+38 Agility
+70 Stamina (+7)
+23 Intellect (+5)
+17 Hit (+5)
+29 Critical Strike (+5)
+33 Resilience (+0)
+68 Attack Power
84 Armor Penetration (+0)
Classes: Hunter
WoW Insider says: Although the lack of sockets mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants, it has everything a Hunter needs from +Hit to Armor Penetration and is a perfectly good purchase for Season 4.


Brutal Gladiator's Chain Armor

With three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The armor has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
1110 Armor (+88)
+32 Agility (+5)
+70 Stamina (+7)
+25 Intellect (+4)
+16 Hit (+4)
+29 Critical Strike (+4)
+21 Resilience (+0)
+46 Attack Power (+8)
84 Armor Penetration (+0)

Socket Bonus: +4 Critical Strike
Classes: Hunter
WoW Insider says: Although a little harder to obtain because of the 1600 personal rating, the Chain Armor is one of the best gear purchases a Hunter can make because of the stats and sockets. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.


Brutal Gladiator's Chain Helm
The helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. Hunters should find the 1700 personal rating requirement to be a reachable target. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The helm has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
902 Armor (+72)
+37 Agility (+4)
+67 Stamina (+6)
+27 Intellect (+5)
+17 Hit (+5)
+30 Critical Strike (+4)
+22 Resilience (+0)
+66 Attack Power (+8)
84 Armor Penetration (+0)

Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience Rating
Classes: Hunter
WoW Insider says: Despite the complexity of Hunter itemization, the Brutal Gladiator's Chain Helm is a purchase worthy of the 1700 personal rating restriction, loaded with all the necessary Hunter goodness for PvP mayhem.


Brutal Gladiator's Chain Spaulders
The 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms, and even more rare on the underrepresented Hunters. Although it is the cheapest item after the gloves, it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The spaulders have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
832 Armor (+66)
+39 Agility (+4)
+53 Stamina (+4)
+16 Intellect (+4)
+20 Critical Strike (+4)
+21 Resilience (+0)
+38 Attack Power (+8)

Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience Rating
Classes: Hunter
WoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator shoulders are purely for show. Very few Hunters will obtain this armor piece, if current Arena trends extend into Season 4. With moderate improvements overall from the previous season, the item itself is mostly a cosmetic upgrade.

Guardian's Chain Girdle
Because it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Pursuit, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The girdle has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
624 Armor (+49)
+37 Agility (+4)
+52 Stamina (+4)
+27 Intellect (+4)
+22 Critical Strike (+4)
+21 Resilience (+0)
+46 Attack Power (+8)
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: The Guardian's Chain Girdle is the best belt available to Hunters for its level of accessibility. No Arena games required, and only 17,850 Honor. Pretty much the best gear purchase in Season 4 for Hunters, even for those who don't plan to do Arenas.


Guardian's Chain Bracers
The only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Coupled with the fact that bracers are visually insignificant, being hidden under gloves, the urgency to obtain them is very low. They also have a modest 1575 personal rating requirement, which means players must do comparatively well in Arenas. The bracers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
471 (+39)
+26 Agility (+3)
+36 Stamina (+3)
+15 Intellect (+2)
+14 Critical Strike (+3)
+13 Resilience (+0)
+30 Attack Power (+6)

Socket Bonus: +2 Resilience Rating
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: A good purchase for Hunters, who use so many stats. It is the cheapest Honor-bought item for Season 4 and is a marked upgrade over its Season 3 counterpart.


Guardian's Chain Sabatons

The most visually important match of all Guardian items, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The sabatons have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
763 Armor (+61)
+37 Agility (+4)
+52 Stamina (+4)
+27 Intellect (+4)
+22 Critical Strike (+4)
+21 Resilience (+0)
+46 Attack Power (+8)
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: 1700 personal rating is a modest goal for a pair of new shoes. Many Hunters should have no trouble getting to that point, and the purchase is worth it. It is also the most visually identifiable of all the Guardian items.


Gallery: Season 4 Arms & Equipment

DruidHunter (Alliance)Hunter (Horde)Mage (Alliance)Mage (Horde)

Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.

Brutal Gladiator's Thunderfist


The Brutal Gladiator's Thunderfist is the armor set for Elemental Shamans. It is a mail armor set usable only by Shamans and is usually matched with Guardian's Mail armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Frixee Brasstumbler in the Circle of Blood, Grikkin Copperspring in the Ring of Trials, Krixel Pinchwhistle in Area 52, and Evee Copperspring in Gadgetzan. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall.

Brutal Gladiator's Mail Gauntlets
The Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. Its bonus is the same as all other Shaman armor, an increase to the range of Shock spells. The gauntlets have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
694 Armor (+55)
+52 Stamina (+6)
+28 Intellect (+5)
+32 Spell Critical (+4)
+22 Resilience (+0)
+43 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)
Improves the range of all Shock spells by 5 yards.
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: As with all Season 4 gloves, the lack of a rating requirement essentially makes it a freebie. The improvement over its Season 3 equivalent is worth the upgrade, and an increase in Shock range is always good for the Shaman who would prefer to keep her opponents at bay.


Brutal Gladiator's Mail Leggings
The leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, which isn't too difficult to obtain, specially for the burst-heavy Elemental Shaman. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The leggings have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
971 Armor (+77)
+71 Stamina (+7)
+38 Intellect (+5)
+34 Spell Critical (+5)
+33 Resilience (+0)
+59 Spell Damage / Healing (+6)
11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: The lack of sockets on this armor piece mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants. That said, the overall stat gain from the previous season's leggings are substantial enough to warrant an eventual upgrade.


Brutal Gladiator's Mail Armor

With three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece. It is also arguably the best Brutal Gladiator armor piece for Elemental Shamans. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The armor has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
1110 Armor (+88)
+61 Stamina (+7)
+33 Intellect (+5)
+34 Spell Critical (+5)
+28 Resilience (+0)
+49 Spell Damage / Healing (+7)
11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)

Socket Bonus: +4 Spell Critical
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: A 1600 personal rating should be relatively easy to achieve for Elemental Shamans, and the two Yellow Sockets contribute to more burst potential or faster casts. The chest piece is a one of the best purchases among the Brutal Gladiator armor gear outside of the gloves. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.


Brutal Gladiator's Mail Helm
The helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. Many Elemental Shamans will obtain 1700 rather easily. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The helm has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
902 Armor (+72)
+74 Stamina (+7)
+29 Intellect (+6)
+32 Spell Critical (+6)
+32 Resilience (+0)
+55 Spell Damage / Healing (+6)

Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience Rating
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: There's nothing particularly compelling about the Season 4 mail helm, although most Elemental Shamans would like to eke out every little drop of Spell Damage and Crit from their gear. Considering 1700 is a realistic target, specially for Elemental Shamans, it's a good upgrade.


Brutal Gladiator's Mail Spaulders
The 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms. Some Elemental Shamans will be wearing these through the season. Although it is the cheapest item after the gloves, it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The spaulders have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
832 Armor (+66)
+47 Stamina (+4)
+26 Intellect (+4)
+26 Spell Critical (+4)
+21 Resilience (+0)
+34 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)
8 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)

Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience Rating
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator shoulders are purely for show. The minimal improvement over the previous season's spaulders make it less compelling coupled with the fact that Season 3 shoulders look so much more badass.

Guardian's Mail Girdle
Because it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Thunderfist, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The girdle has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
624 Armor (+49)
+49 Stamina (+6)
+34 Intellect (+4)
+34 Spell Critical (+5)
+27 Resilience (+0)
+40 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: Like most belt pieces in Season 4, the Guardian's Mail Girdle is one of the best purchases players can make. The low Honor cost and no personal ratings requirement make the piece a no-brainer.


Guardian's Mail Bracers
The only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Bracers are also not visually impacting, hidden away underneath gloves or robes, making them non-essential to a set. They also have a modest 1575 personal rating requirement, necessitating some success in Arenas. The bracers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
471 (+39)
+33 Stamina (+4)
+20 Intellect (+3)
+24 Spell Critical (+3)
+15 Resilience (+0)
+30 Spell Damage / Healing (+3)

Socket Bonus: +2 Resilience Rating
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: Because the Guardian items do not confer a set bonus, there's no real need to obtain the bracers. On the other hand, 1575 is extremely feasible for an Elemental Shaman, and the yellow socket contributes to more +Spell Crit or even +Haste.


Guardian's Mail Sabatons

The most visually important match of all Guardian items, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The sabatons have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
763 Armor (+61)
+49 Stamina (+6)
+34 Intellect (+4)
+34 Spell Critical (+5)
+27 Resilience (+0)
+40 Spell Damage / Healing (+5)
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: Even with a 1700 personal ratings requirement, the boots are a good purchase as its a good improvement overall from the last season. It is also, like the helm, the most attainable Season 4 item outside of the weapons and shoulders.


Gallery: Season 4 Arms & Equipment

DruidHunter (Alliance)Hunter (Horde)Mage (Alliance)Mage (Horde)

Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.

Brutal Gladiator's Wartide


The Brutal Gladiator's Wartide is the armor set for Restoration Shamans. It is a ringmail, or mail armor usable only by Shamans and is usually matched with Guardian's Ringmail armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Frixee Brasstumbler in the Circle of Blood, Grikkin Copperspring in the Ring of Trials, Krixel Pinchwhistle in Area 52, and Evee Copperspring in Gadgetzan. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall.

Brutal Gladiator's Ringmail Gauntlets
The Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. Its bonus is the same as all other Shaman armor, an increase to the range of Shock spells. The gauntlets have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
694 Armor (+55)
+53 Stamina (+6)
+28 Intellect (+5)
+29 Spell Critical (+4)
+22 Resilience (+0)
+86 Healing / +29 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)
Improves the range of all Shock spells by 5 yards.
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: Because it's so easily attainable, with no personal ratings requirements, it's easy to see why the gauntlets are a good purchase. It is identical to the Mail Gauntlets with the exception of +Healing. The only drawback is that the Shock spell range bonus isn't particularly useful to Restoration Shamans.


Brutal Gladiator's Ringmail Leggings
The leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, a feasible target for Restoration Shamans. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The leggings have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
971 Armor (+77)
+71 Stamina (+7)
+38 Intellect (+5)
+34 Spell Critical (+5)
+33 Resilience (+0)
+110 Healing / +37 Spell Damage / Healing (+11 / +4)
11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: The lack of sockets on this armor piece mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants. Overall, the improvements from its last season equivalent are moderate, with a lower +Heal upgrade than other healing sets, making the chest piece a better purchase for the same point cost.


Brutal Gladiator's Ringmail Armor

With three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The armor has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
1110 Armor (+88)
+61 Stamina (+7)
+36 Intellect (+6)
+36 Spell Critical (+6)
+26 Resilience (+0)
+92 Healing / +31 Spell Damage (+13 / +4)
11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)

Socket Bonus: +4 Spell Critical
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: Restoration Shamans should have no trouble attaining a modest 1600 personal rating to get this piece. The only drawback is two Yellow Sockets, which might have been better if they were Red. Yellow opens up possibilities for +Haste, however, and that's always a good thing. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.


Brutal Gladiator's Ringmail Helm
The helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. 1700 is a fairly achievable goal for Restoration Shamans. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The helm has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
902 Armor (+72)
+74 Stamina (+7)
+34 Intellect (+6)
+31 Spell Critical (+6)
+33 Resilience (+0)
+97 Healing / +33 Spell Damage (+13 / +5)

Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience Rating
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: The +13 Healing upgrade and overall improvement from the previous season's helm is a very good reason to try and achieve 1700 personal ratings. Healers can also use the Red Socket for more healing oomph.


Brutal Gladiator's Ringmail Spaulders
The 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms. Although it is the cheapest item after the gloves, it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The spaulders have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
832 Armor (+66)
+47 Stamina (+4)
+27 Intellect (+4)
+24 Spell Critical (+4)
+21 Resilience (+0)
+64 Healing / +22 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)
8 Mana / 5 Secs (+1 / 5)

Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience Rating
Classes: Shaman
WoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator shoulders are purely for show. The minimal improvement over the previous season's spaulders make it less compelling. The Vengeful Gladiator spaulders also look so much cooler.

Guardian's Ringmail Girdle
Because it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Wartide, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The girdle has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
624 Armor (+49)
+49 Stamina (+6)
+34 Intellect (+4)
+34 Spell Critical (+5)
+27 Resilience (+0)
+75 Healing / +25 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: Like most belt pieces in Season 4, the Guardian's Ringmail Girdle is one of the best purchases players can make. The low Honor cost and no personal ratings requirement make the piece a no-brainer. It is identical to the Mail Girdle except for the higher +Healing.


Guardian's Ringmail Bracers
The only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Bracers are also not visually impacting, hidden away underneath gloves or robes, making them non-essential to a set. They also have a modest 1575 personal rating requirement, necessitating some success in Arenas. The bracers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
471 (+39)
+33 Stamina (+4)
+20 Intellect (+3)
+24 Spell Critical (+3)
+15 Resilience (+0)
+57 Healing / +19 Spell Damage (+6 / +2)

Socket Bonus: +2 Resilience Rating
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: A 1575 personal rating seems like a reasonable challenge to obtain another Yellow Socket, despite the minimal improvements from last season's gear. Although healers might prefer a Red Socket, the option to pursue Haste makes these bracers a good upgrade.


Guardian's Ringmail Sabatons
The most visually important match of all Guardian items, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The sabatons have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
763 Armor (+61)
+49 Stamina (+6)
+34 Intellect (+4)
+34 Spell Critical (+5)
+27 Resilience (+0)
+75 Healing / +25 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)
Classes: Hunter, Shaman
WoW Insider says: Even with a 1700 personal ratings requirement, the boots are a good purchase as its a good improvement overall from the last season. It is also, like the helm, the most attainable Season 4 item outside of the weapons and shoulders.


Gallery: Season 4 Arms & Equipment

DruidHunter (Alliance)Hunter (Horde)Mage (Alliance)Mage (Horde)

Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.

The Care and Feeding of Warriors: To Gear A Fury


The Care and Feeding of Warriors takes a look at gear and the fury warrior this week. Matthew Rossi has been playing with fury on his tauren this week, when not forgetting to re-equip his shield on Kael'thas while playing his human. Sure, the Phaseshift Bulwark is nice, but if you leave the instance it goes away, which I really should have paid attention to. On the up side, it's hilarious to go down in two seconds to a trash mob because you forgot which button is your shield macro. Well, hilarious now. With distance. At the time it was less hilarious and more smashing my face into the keyboard.

Before we get rolling, you should take a look at this thread from the Elitist Jerks forums that gathers up a lot of information on warrior DPS specs and what to look for when gearing. One of the things to keep in mind is that it's not as straightforward as just piling on the stats that help you do damage... much like tanking, where you first stack defense until you reach the target (in the case of tanking you want 490 defense) when assembling fury gear you prioritize hit until you reach 9% chance to hit, and then start stacking crit, attack power and armor penetration.

So what's the hit cap? Well, in general a fury warrior with full precision should look to accumulate hit gear until roughly 96 hit rating, which should put you at about 9% actual bonus hit. Up until 9%, it's generally accepted that hit provides the greatest boost to your damage both from the damage that you actually do with your white hits and from the rage you generate by them, as well as reducing the chance of special attacks like Bloodthirst (not Bloodlust, you can tell I play my shammy too much) and Whirlwind to be missed, which is not only annoying but amazingly does not seem to hurt monsters. Not even their feelings.

Continue reading The Care and Feeding of Warriors: To Gear A Fury

Insider Trader: Leatherworking, the final stretch

Insider Trader is your inside line on making, selling, buying and using player-made products.

If you have ever rolled a druid, rogue, shaman or hunter, it is quite likely that you ended up choosing leatherworking as one of your professions. Because it can be a valuable source of gear for the leather and mail-wearers, it is a common choice. If this is the case, you are going to want to hit 375 skill in order to make your end-game epics.

If however, you chose leatherworking as a companion to skinning in order to make money, you will only need to reach about 325. Once there, you will be able to convert any type of skin into its available higher form in order to maximize your profits.

Still, leatherworking, like any profession, can be an extremely costly skill to cap. This week, Insider Trader will be taking an in-depth look at some of the best ways to reach 375 from 300. Hop through the break for tips and analysis.

Continue reading Insider Trader: Leatherworking, the final stretch

Gifts from the Patch 2.3 fairy


I, like so many others, eagerly logged in to the game last night to survey all the new goodies brought by the Patch 2.3 fairy. Many things were not a surprise, if only because we've been reporting so assiduously on what was coming here on Wow Insider, coupled with the fact that I spent a little time on the PTR myself nosing around. A few things though changed without any formal announcement, and it's these little gems that make patch day a true joy.

First I noticed the changes to the mail system. You can now attach up to seven items to a mail message, making my use of the CT Mail Mod obsolete. Also, when you hover over the mail icon now, it tells you who has sent you that letter waiting for you in the mailbox. I know the new hover icons with NPCs were already on the PTR, but their addition to the game makes navigating cities a delight. Each icon tells you instantly who has a quest, who can repair, and who just wants to chat.

Continue reading Gifts from the Patch 2.3 fairy

Amazing updates to the UI in 2.3

Tons of amazing gems found in the patch 2.3 notes (Art from our /silly comic called this "the patch that keeps on giving). Here's just a few of the UI-slimming things Blizzard is implementing in the next patch:
  • Auction House categories have been cleaned up-- no more "Plate > Cloak" categories.
  • "Battle Map" is now available for all zones, not just PvP battlegrounds. Does that mean you can pull up the map and see where all players are at all times? Sounds like it to me.
  • Game objects that you can interact with now have a glow around them and their name over them. Wow! No more searching for twenty minutes just to find that little switch you have to click on.
  • We'll be able to send 12 items in a single mail message! Bye bye, CTMailMod.
  • Monsters that need to be looted by people in your party will now have the name of the would-be looter visible in the tooltip. Bye bye, "LOOT YOUR CORE HOUNDS!" Actually, that one I might miss.
  • And we've heard that there are big enhancements to the minimap-- bankers, auction house tellers, repair people, and quest givers can now be optionally tracked on the minimap.
  • Additionally, fishing anglers will be able to track fishing holes-- but only after obtaining a crate that contains a book from fishing.
Wild. The whole thing about interactive items glowing? It's like we're getting "WoW for preschoolers." Don't get me wrong, it'll be a huge help to everyone doing quests, I'm sure, but at what point are we getting a big arrow you can see from halfway across the zone that says "Kill This Mob to Finish Your Quest"?
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

RPers distraught to see saved letters soulbound


Here's a really interesting undocumented note from the latest patch: Angelhunter on LJ says letters (as in saved copies of mailed ingame letters) are now soulbound. And that's a huge deal, apparently, to roleplayers -- they used those little scraps of paper for everything from treasure hunts and "official" documents to invitations and tickets.

Now, I'm not quite sure exactly why this change would be made -- for what possible reason would you want to keep people from trading saved copies of in-game mail? It's not like it would stop anyone's communication -- anything goldsellers could say in these sheets of paper, they could say in in-game chat just as well. And I can't think of any possible way that these saved letters could be used to do something devious like pass secret letters or communicate across factions-- there's no reason to make them soulbound by default.

Of course, it may just be a bug -- that's what someone was told by a GM, so maybe Blizzard will put a fix in, and RPers can have their murder mysteries again. Unfortunately, I can't seeing it justifying a hotfix -- odds are that even if it is just a bug, RPers will be waiting quite a while until they can trade letters again.

Around Azeroth: Return to sender


Reader Nihil sends in this charming Orgrimmar shot, showing us the results with someone clearly dissatisfied with their postal service. Postal carriers of Azeroth, be warned -- this is the sort of thing that can happen to the bearers of bad news!

Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth.

Gallery: Around Azeroth

Mail system changes (ftw?)

In a change that didn't quite make the 2.1.3 patch notes, the behavior of in-game mail has been tweaked in order to help ensure that monetary transactions made via mail are legitimate. To give Blizzard more time to check mail-based money transfers, mail sent with coins attached will now take an hour to arrive (yep, just like all other mail). Now, before you get upset about this, let me add that transfers of both money and items between characters on the same account will remain/become instant. So you can shuffle things around between alts and bank characters faster than ever -- this change only applies if you're sending coin through the mail to other players.

Though I doubt this change will stop in-game gold-selling completely, it's good to see Blizzard continuing to be proactive about the issue.

Best practices for a banker alt

Lately, I've really been pushing hard to get the 5k gold for my epic riding skill-- as I said on Friday, that Netherwing mount is calling my name. And so, on the advice of a rich guildie, I've finally made it a point to get a fulltime auction house alt. I chose one of my younger, less-played alts, stuck him between an Auction House and a mailbox (it happened to be in Thunder Bluff, but it could have been in any capital city), and made it a point to start scanning the AH every day, posting auctions when I start playing, and sending items to the alt when I'm done playing. That way, the next day when I log in with my bank alt, all those items are sitting in the mailbox, waiting for me to put them on AH-- right after I scan it again.

That's what Amanna at Adventures in Azeroth does as well-- though she goes even farther and looks for deals on gear she has in mind to buy. It would be great to have that kind of know-how, and I'm sure it makes money, but I don't have time to know the approximate costs of every little thing-- I leave that to Auctioneer. (Auctioneer does come with a mod called Bottomscanner (used to be called Bottomfeeder) that is supposed to find deals on high-priced items for you, but I'm not sure that I can get it to work right-- I'm worried that I'll spend a bunch of money on an item I can't sell).

But if nothing else, I do have to agree that the formula works-- check the AH with your alt when you log on, and mail items back to that alt when you're done playing for the night. It's a basic thing to do (and anyone who's been interested in making money before has probably already started doing it). But making money seemed like such a chore before (I'd rather be killing stuff or grouping up then worrying about prices and checking the mail), but it's actually become fun for me to log in every day and check what's sold and how much gold I've earned.

Stealthing while clinking: Rogues in chainmail

Way back when, I found a post on the forum that suggested that Shaman should get temporary, summoned pets to use, and when I said it'd be a great idea, you guys laughed at me. And yet, come the expansion, we get those fun little Elemental Totems to play around with. So while you might laugh at this suggestion at first, think about it for a second before you say I'm crazy: Let's give Rogues mail!

Guize on Skullcrusher has come up with what I think is a very interesting solution to the problem of endgame survivability for Rogues (we'll put PvP aside for a second and just talk about PvE for now). Currently, as players have said before, Rogues are a liability in most endgame raids-- yes, they can dish out damage, but considering how many endgame bosses pour out AoE, Rogues often end up to be more of a drain on the healers than anything else. I'm sure Cloak of Shadows has helped that a little bit (I haven't got too much experience with it yet, as my Rogue is only 61), but the fact is that while tanks can take it, Rogues take a beating more than any other class (ok, maybe healers take a worse beating, but that's only in a bad party).

Enter Guize's suggestion of a 31-point Combat talent that allows Rogues to wear mail armor (alternately, to avoid having to add tons of new agility mail gear, he says it could just be a talent that bumps up armor from items). That would let PvE Rogues not be so squishy when asked to be right up there on the front lines of melee, and it would help out healers a whole lot, especially on the 25 and even 40 man instances.

Now, in terms of PvP, I have to admit it seems a little unbalanced at first, considering that rogues are basically killing machines. But remember, too, that magic ignores armor-- Warlocks and Priests will still be able to DoT and fear just as much as they did before (and Cloak of Shadows is more of a problem for them anyway, and it's already in the game). There is, of course, the problem that it's really hard to be stealthy when all that mail armor would be clinking around, but if you want to finally give rogues a chance against the endgame AoE bosses, giving them the option to wear mail would definitely do it.

The Argent Dawn does not love you

Specifically, the Argent Dawn does not love you enough to send you a gift-wrapped item via in-game mail. This is an old scam, where an enterprising scumbag will roll a character named "Argentdwn" or something, gift-wrap any old arbitrary item (water, say), and send it via Cash on Delivery to anyone whose name they can get their hands on. Apparently this con has come back in a big way right now (though I haven't seen it on Shadow Council-A), so be on the look-out for it. You should probably not accept any CoD wrapped items, since you never know what's in them; and the Argent Dawn is certainly not going to be sending you any. Just delete the mails, but be sure to report the offending character's name via GM ticket (I write them up for verbal harassment); this'll get these things shut down faster.

Fortunately, it looks like we won't have to watch out for this too much longer. Tseric says:
  • Coming soon in a patch near you, we will be disabling the ability to send wrapped packages by C.O.D., which should stem this particular trend we've been seeing lately.
This is good news; I can't think of any legit reason why someone would want to CoD a wrapped item, since the only reason I can think of to use wrapping in the first place is if you're giving a gift.

Have you had any experiences with this or other scams? What should we be on guard for?

AddOn Spotlight: CT_MailMod

This is a venerable piece of code, having been around WoW at least as long as I have. In general, the sprawling CT universe of AddOns has been remarkably persistent in staying around and staying updated. CT_RaidAssist gets all the glory, but other CT mods can be really handy. I find it crucial to keep an alt to mail things off to, and it would be a huge pain without CT_MailMod. It allows me to send off multiple items with one click, as shown in the screenshot: enter the recipient's name, alt-click all the items you want to send, hit "send", and you're done.

Continue reading AddOn Spotlight: CT_MailMod