Using T9 Ele or Resto sets for the opposite purpose (Temporarily)

Post by Onijitsu

Hi guys,

Please forgive my newbishness. My only other 80 toon is a Warlock, and he only has one set of gear at T9 and T10.

I'm only in my 30s as a Shaman, but I'm already trying to plan what I'll do when I get to 80. I figure I'll be trying to collect as many Emblems of Triumph before I hit 80. And, since Resto is currently planned to e my prime spec, collect the Conqueror's Thrall's Garb ASAP.

But I had an interesting question pop up in my head: Is it possible -- even, ever advisable? -- to utilize one set of gear for the other purpose. Or even, a couple of pieces of one set?

I might even imagine someone forgoing a full 5-piece Elemental set, to switch in one item from the Healing set and get some MP/5 regeneration going. (But again, I might be parading my ignorance)

Post by omenofd

I have been 80 for a while. More recently a guild I was in wanted more ranged DPS on Saurfang and I was a healer, we were 3 healing it, they had me change my offspec from enhance (my dps sucked anyways) to ele. I grabbed the triumph hit tokens and 1 or 2 t9 with hit on for my ele set. The rest of my ele set was restoration gear.
Still most of the gear in my elemental set is items i picked up as resto.

The only difference is the mp/5. Resto haste stackers need more mp/5 and as long as you only use CL with clearcasting, ele has infinite mana with very little mana regen.

I was the worst dps in the group until I grabbed some easy replacements to correctly enchant.

http://www.wowhead.com/?compare=50835:50836:50837:50838:50839;50841:50842:50843:50844:50845

Look at the t10 stats. The only difference is that in items with mp/5 for healing (gloves & skirt) takes the same ilevels to convert it to hit on the ele set.
The other 3 pieces are the same stats, just a different set, set bonus, and names.

Nobody is going to say anything, if they do, frost emblems are still hard to get and the items cost 60 or 95 emblem each.

Post by Onijitsu

Yeah, I've heard something about EleShammies using lightning bolts exclusively. (And ditching the fire, frost and other spells)... That so? If so, how come?

And, does MP/5 have any benefit at all for EleShammies? I hear it's pretty much a Healer stat, because Healers have to be able to have mana, in order to heal. I do note that the Heirloom caster gear for Shamans -- suggesting it be used for Resto OR Elemental leveling -- has MP/5, all over the place. Is that a waste, for the Elemental types?

I confess I've really not had to worry about my regeneration much before, having played a Warlock. (Given a good healer, a coven of Warlocks can keep dropping bombs indefinitely) If I had to stop, I would bandage. Or, Cannibalize my enemies. (As a Forsaken Warlock)

Post by MegaVolt

Yeah, I've heard something about EleShammies using lightning bolts exclusively. (And ditching the fire, frost and other spells)... That so? If so, how come?

This was so in TBC, simply because LvB wasn't available back then and only got added in WotLK.
Now you never ever want to dirch your fire spells. LvB is just way too good to pass it up, as is Flame Shock.
Keep Flame Shock up, use LvB on cooldown, spam LB otherwise. You can replace a LB with CL if you feel like it on single targets, as long as you are not at the GCD cap it's a small dps boost but nothing major, just keep in mind that it costs quite a bit more mana.

As for the gear set: You certainly won't top damage meters when dpsing in resto gear but the damage still is ok-ish. The triumph hit trinket is actually pretty nice for this since you will be lacking hit on your gear.

Post by tomgc

I'm tempted to go buy the Ele T9.25 helm since the Resto version has crit and mp5 (eww...)

Post by Onijitsu

Does MP/5 benefit a DPS caster at all?

It is mana regeneration, after all, right? I get that Elemental Shamans have talents which help them to regen mana. (Though I don't fully understand all of this yet...) And I get that you are possibly losing out on other stats which could up your DPS output. But, other than this, it's only a benign, lesser-benefit?

Thanks for all of your replies, thus far, guys. I don't really consider myself to "know" something until I know it well enough to teach at least some aspects of it, and to do so with reasonable accuracy. Plus, understanding the whys and wherefores allows me to make more intelligent decisions about my chosen avatar's gear, spec and such.

Post by Cambo

My shaman is MS ele, OS resto with full T9 ele gear.
He heals 5-mans in resto spec, T9 ele gear no problems at all.

The only difference in stats is mainly MP5, and the tier bonuses.

MP5 is okay on your gear if the main stats/benefits are SP or INT etc. As Ele, you should not be aiming for MP5 - it is a resto stat, explained in the stickies (I can't recall why, but I am convinced not to pick it).

Post by Haxzor

I'm raiding with ele as my main spec.

Last night we needed some more heals on Dreamwalker fight, so I switched my enh offspec to resto and picked up some glyphs. (http://www.wowhead.com/?profile=us.crushridge.haxzor)

Lets just say, I kept up the HPS with our MT healer resto shammy.