Withthenewraidingsystem(normalandheroicraids),tiergear,emblemgearandnon-affiliateddrops,there'salotofgeartotalkaboutintheraidgame.
Tobefair,weoftendo25mancontentwithlessthan25people,possiblybecauseit'sDecemeberandalotoffolksareawayfortheholidays,whichmaybeencouragingourraidswappingbehavior.Ormaybewe'rejusttryingtogetasmuchlootforpeopleaswecan.Lately,infact,I'venoticedthat10and25manraidingseemstoflowbackandforthintoeachother.IcanbeDPSina25manSarthrun,thentherunbreaksupintotwo10mansandI'maskedtotankinone,thenwerecombineforaVaultofArchavon25manandsplitupagainfortwo10mans.
Naxxramas
Idon'tknowwhy,butIspellNaxxramas"Naxxaramas"inmyhead.It'sverydistracting.Naxxisoneofthebestsourcesofgear(includingweapons,whichcanbeinshortsupplyforwarriorsintheotherraids,nowthatourDPSgoalshavegenerallyshiftedtotwohandweapons)-someofthebestpossibleoptionsforweaponsforawarriorcomefromNaxx.Asalways,usecommonsense:tryingtotakeabowoverahunterforwhoitwouldbeamuchbiggerupgrade,forinstance,isnotcool.
Weapondropsfrom10manNaxxtopayattentiontoincludetheAccursedBowoftheEliteandtheNerubianConquererforrangedslotstats.(RememberwhatIsaidaboutthehunters,butinmyraidstheseoftengetshardednowsoifthat'sthecaseandyoudon'thavebetterpickoneup.)Ifyou'relookingforatankingsword,theSlayeroftheLifelesswillserveyouwell.It'salsooneofthemostpopulartankingweaponswitheveryothertankingclassthatcanuseasword,sogoodluckfightingoverit.
For2hDPSweapons,Naxx10offerstheClaymoreofAncientPower,Demise,amdDeath'sBiteforarmsandfurywarriors,andarmswarriorscanmakeuseoftheWraithSpearalthoughit'snotthemostoptimalchoiceforthem(I'dpassittoahuntermyself).Thenagain,theWraithSpearhasalargerdamagerangeandthusmoretopenddamagethaneithertheClaymoreorDemise.Youguyshavefunarguingoverit,Iguess,consideritmybelatedChristmaspresenttoyou.
Naxxdoesn'tdisappointinheroic,either.TankswilldebateoverBrokenPromise(isittooslow?Lookatthosestats!Speedreallyonlymattersifyou'reworriedaboutmiss/dodge/parrystreaks,sothisweapondependsonhowgoodyourhitandexpertiseare)andLastLaugh(here,mostofthearguingwillprobablybeoverwhogetsit-goodluck,OrcWarriors,itdoesn'tgetbetterforyouuntilUlduarcomesout).OurrangedweaponslotswillcryoutforArrowsong,EnvoyofMortality,FinalVoyageandSpinningFateatleastforDPSwarriors.(TanksaregoingtogetArmorPlatedCombatShotguns,Iexpect,andnothinginNaxxmakesmethinkthey'dabandonthem.)Ipersonallypreferthrowingweapons,butthatArrowsongisprettyhot...tryandbenicetoyourhuntersfirst,though,imaginehowyou'dfeeliftheytookBetrayerofHumanityoveryou.
Speakingof2hweaponsforourarmsandfurywarriors,there'stheBetrayeroffofKel'Thuzad,andthenArmageddon,InevitableDefeat,theJawboneandCryptfiend'sBite,whichwouldreallyonlyinterestarmswarriors.
TheObsidianSanctum
AlsocalledSarthorSartharionforthebosswithin,thisraidissimilartoGruulorMagtheridon(orOnyxia,ifyou'vebeenraidingthatlong)inthatitisashortraidwithasinglebossencounter.(Technically,Gruul'shadtwo,HighKingMaulgarandhiscouncilandthenGruulhimself,butitwasstillashortraidalongtheselines.)Unlikethoseperviousraids,however,theObsidianSanctumhasabuilt-in%26#8216;hardmode'ofsorts,asthethreesub-bossdrakesShadron,TenebronandVesperoncanbekilledbeforeengagingSartharionhimselforleftaliveanddealtwithwhileengaginghimforbetterlootandachanceatamount.Thisalsoleadstooneofthehardestbossfightsinthecurrentgamebeing10manSartharionwiththreedrakesup.(I'veonlykilledhimonnormaldifficultywithonedrakeupandthatwasn'teasy,sowhenwegetaroundtoleavingallthreeupIexpecttogetthrashedfairlyoften.)
10manned,SartharionhasachancetodroptheGlovesoftheLostProtectorwhichanywarrior(andotherclasses,too)willbeinterestedin.HealsodropstheSignetoftheAccord,anicetankingringwithexpertiseonit(alwaysindemandfortanking)andTitan'sOutlook.WhileI'dratherthatarmorpenwasametasocketorsomeexpertise,it'sstillaverysolidDPShat.
Onheroic,SarthariondropstheGauntletsoftheLostProtector(forthe25manversionofT7)theDragonBroodLegguardsforasolidtankingpiecewithhighhit,theDragonstormBreastplateforyetmoretankinggoodness(andtwosockets,althoughneitherisblue,sadclownface)andFuryoftheFiveFlights,averyinterestingDPStrinket.SofarinmysearchesforwhatdropsonSarthwhendrakesareleftalive,I'vefoundtheObsidianGreathelmandtheBelaboredLegplates.Bothappeartobefromtwodrakesup.BothareastonishingDPSplate.AsIfindmoredropsfrom10and25manSarthwithdrakesupI'llmentionthem.