(Updated on 3/4/11 to reflect current trends towards maximizing mastery through gemming.)
I first did a gem flowchart last year, and then revised it later when epic gems came out. Cataclysm is a bit easier to decipher when it comes to what to gem and where, if only because the socket bonuses are much better and typically worth it. This is especially true until Cata epic gems come out, when skipping bonuses might become more worthwhile to push more stats out of the gems you can feasibly socket.
Moreover, gemming holistically will give us avoidance and mastery stats from the socket bonus that should be much more desirable this expansion pack, rather than the cram-stam ethos of Wrath.
Like I said, very straightforward: mastery/stam for blue, mastery for yellow, and parry/mastery for red. The dodge/stam gems are also yellow, but we’ll be getting more value out of mastery (until block capped), so stick with Puissants before Regals.
As for the meta, the Austere is much better than the Eternal Shadowspirit Diamond. This is because the latter only gives 1% more block value and (probably) won’t be a better source of damage reduction until you are reliably blockcapped.
Jewelcrafters want to use the mastery version of their exclusive gems, Fractured Chimera’s Eyes, in yellow sockets.
Lastly, for Engineers, you want to use a Fractured Cogwheel and then either the Subtle or Flashing Cogwheel–whichever avoidance stat is lower–to ward off diminishing returns as long as possible.
If Blizzard fix the Eternal Shadowspirit Diamond tomorrow, should that be preferred over the Austere?
At a guess – and right now it’s only a guess – the armor meta gem will be preferred until block cap, and the block value meta gem will be preferred after block cap, even “bugged” at 1% more BV. I’m guessing the 5% is a tooltip error, and 1% is intended.
That’s my suspicion too. 5% BV is way too powerful to be correct.
My guess is that the gem’s bonus is multiplicative, and not additive, because 5% of 30% is 1.5%, or, 1%. I could be wrong, however, but that was my assumption when I socketed one and looked at my block tooltip.
Well, if you look at the specific effect the meta gives you, it’ll only says 1%. My guess is tooltip error.
Thank you so much for all these awesome posts so I don’t feel completely clueless upon entering the Cataclysm raiding scene. :)
.-= Faid’s last blog ..Mission Accomplished! Also- Am I rich =-.
Awesome stat-links within the powerpoint flowchart. You should do this professionally!
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>.>
Thank you so much for the awesome flow chart. I tend to be a visual person and since most player guides are walls of text, this helps me immensely.
<3
If only I could flowchart more things! I agree, they are so much more handy than a block of text.
Again thanks for the list, pretty damn simple flowchart of a list. makes shopping easy.
.-= Ardent Defender’s last blog ..lvl 84 and onto Uldum =-.
is the Eternal Shadowspirit Diamond still broken?
Currently still only giving 1% block value, yes.