Gear, Progression, and Item Levels
Have you just dinged 80 and think you’re ready to start raiding? Here’s a handy guide to prepare yourself, gear-wise. This assumes, of course, that you are already well-versed with your talent specializations and spell rotations.
As you leveled up on your journey to 80, you may or may not have done a lot of dungeons. If you do mostly quests to get to max level, you may either find yourself in pieces of green gear or Karazhan epics from months past. The best way to upgrade your gear as you level is simply to do dungeons. The dungeon quests as well as the bosses will provide you with a plethora of quality blues. These blues will then help you get better blues. Your primary goal before getting ready to raid is to obtain as high level blue items as possible.
If you had lots of gear from Tier 6 raids, and the Sunwell, this probably does not apply of course. But for the rest of us, doing each Northrend dungeon at least once will provide you with most of the gear you need to start doing heroics. Heroics will then give you many of the item-level 200 blues you’ll want before you start raiding.
What’s in an Item Level?
Viewable with an add-on, or on a website such as Wow Heroes, an item level is a basic measure of the quality of a piece of gear, compared to gear of the same color. Green quest rewards from entry quests in Northrend have an item level of 138, for instance. For the most part, an item level 200 blue is better than an item level 187 blue, and an item level 200 purple is better than an item 200 blue – assuming the stats being compared are similar.
Blue item levels in Northrend can vary from 155 to 200. Blues with item level 155 to 187 are obtained from regular mode dungeons. Heroic 5 man dungeons drop item level 187 and 200 blues, and the last boss usually drops an item level 200 purple.
Item level 200 purples are your entry level raid gear at level 80. You can get these from crafting, exalted reputation rewards, and emblem of heroism rewards. You can also get them from Naxxramas, Archavon, Sartharion, and the last boss in each heroic dungeon. Tier 7 set items are of this level. Having item level 200 purples is good preparation for 25-man raids, and 10-man Eye of Eternity, where you will obtain the next level of gear.
Item level 213 purples are your next step up. These drop on 10 man mode from Kel’thuzad in Naxxramas, and from Malygos in the Eye of Eternity. Items of this level will drop in Ulduar when it is released. On 25 man mode, you can get 213′s from Naxxramas, Archavon, and Sartharion. Emblems of Valor can be redeemed for 213′s, which drop from 25 man raid bosses. Heroic tier 7 gear shares this item level. Being equipped fully in 213′s will help prepare you gear-wise for the toughest of encounters currently available in Wrath.
Item level 226 purples are currently the best in game. These drop off Kel’thuzad and Malygos on 25 man, and will appear in Ulduar on 25 man as well.