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March 23, 2008, 07:18 AM
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#1 (permalink) |
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Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems
*** Discussion thread for Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems ***
Currently putting together a guide that discusses gems and one thing I have come across a bit is the single stat vs combo stat gem debate. For example: 2 x Runed Living Ruby's which provides +18 Damage, vs the 2 x Glowing Nightseye which produces +10 Spell Damage with the added bonus of +12 Stamina. What's the better choice? Is sacrificing +8 Damage worth it for the stamina increase? Etc... So I thought I would open up a discussion thread on this topic to garner your thoughts and opinions. This thread will be linked to from the guide I am putting together so make sure you're answers are civil, polite and well written. Anything that's not runs the risk of deletion.
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March 23, 2008, 08:08 AM
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#2 (permalink) |
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Re: Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems
It works the same way that green gear did back when you were leveling up. A piece that gives two stats will give less, but usually more than half, of each stat vs a piece that gives only one stat. Overall you'll gained more intel/stam from stacking multiple of the eagle gear than you would have by getting a few high stam pieces and some intel only pieces. This, of course, only applies if the stats are valuable enough for your spec to want them. Personaly, if your just starting your raiding career, I would only use +8 hit gems in any and all yellow sockets, and quite frankly any blue and even some red sockets, especially if the set bonus isn't worth it. The hit rating is just that valuable and you don't get enough of it in gear. Once you start approaching the hit cap, then it depends on where your other stats lie and your spec. Affliction is straight up +spell damage gems in the red sockes and nightseyes in the blue. Usually the socket bonus is spell damage and will make up for the loss of the spell damage from using the blue gem. If your destro go with spell damage/crit gems, or if your not happy with your current crit rating and don't mind forgoing the socket bonus, just stick a yellow crit gem in there instead.
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I am Anij. Death is my art, you are my canvas and I'm here to paint my masterpiece. Prepare to surrender your soul. Last edited by Anij; March 23, 2008 at 05:52 PM.. |
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March 23, 2008, 08:11 AM
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#3 (permalink) |
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Re: Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems
PvE scenario only: First, considering stats like stamina and int should come from gear, the best source of dps increase we have is spell hit gems and/or spell damage (when capped on hit). That said, in case the socket bonus isn't a factor to consider, mixed gems are sometimes a little better than pure (on rare gems) and about the same on epic gems. Examples: 1 "+9 spell damage" and 1 "+8 spell hit" combo, is worse than 2 "+5 spell damage and +4 spell hit" (total of +10 spell damage and +8 spell hit) 1 "+12 spell damage" and 1 "+10 spell hit" combo, is the same as 2 "+6 spell damage and +5 spell hit" (total of +12 spell damage and +10 spell hit) Basically it all comes down to what you need at a certain time. Stamina should be added only to get socket bonus, pure gems are good to have in different sets (trash set and bosses set), mixed are better to have on a more balanced set that wont suffer as much if you have to replace an item, with another that doesn't have gems sockets. Finally the gems that should be taken under consideration are the ones that provide spell damage and spell hit. Anything outside those stats is only a loss that will be compensated with a socket bonus. EDIT: corrected an example. Thanks Majestrix Last edited by Malboro; March 23, 2008 at 01:36 PM.. |
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March 23, 2008, 12:39 PM
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#4 (permalink) | |
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Character Info
Majestrix 80 Human Warlock Kargath US PvE Guild: Keepers of the Old Ways Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 1/55/15 |
Re: Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems
Quote:
Maj
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Maj |
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April 04, 2008, 09:39 AM
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#5 (permalink) | |
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Re: Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems
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2x 5+spell/4+hit fill 2 slots as well, of the same colors even, red and yellow. if you have in your gear anywhere a single +9damage and a single +8 spell hit you should ideally replace them both with a pair of 5+damage/4+hit because the added total of the 2 slots comes up with the same +hit and 1 more +damage. This should be a cardinal rule to gem socketing: If you are thinking of buying a +9 spell damage (runed living ruby) and a +8 hit (great dawnstone), DONT!!!! Instead buy 2x(+5 spell damage/+4 spell hit) (veiled noble topaz) gems |
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April 04, 2008, 11:13 AM
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#6 (permalink) |
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Character Info
Panaceia 80 Blood Elf Priest Cho'gall US PvP Guild: Inebriated Raiding Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 14/57/0 |
Re: Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems
I think it is hard to have a concrete answer since it is so situational. I have generally gone with the 2 stat gems. For raid gear the hit/damage gems are better than the gems seperated, as has ben mentioned. As you get more hit on your gear though, I have found it more useful to use veiled gems for yellow sockets and runed for red sockets. Ditto with my shaman, I pumped her full of healing/regen gems and kind of boggled at people stacking healing who would go oom super fast. For pvp I usually use a 12 stam gem for a blue socket though. I guess the simplest answer is this (though this is still not a concrete rule): The lower level your gear and the more stats you need, the better two stat gems are for you. As you get gear that has more passive stats on it you can focus on gems that provide your main stat on its own (ie. stacking damage gems when your gear provides lots of hit). I hope that makes some sense 
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April 04, 2008, 11:37 AM
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#7 (permalink) | |
Character Info
Sindorella 70 Blood Elf Warlock Wildhammer Euro PvE Guild: Ressurection Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/21/40 |
Re: Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems
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 ) on the basis that although when it comes to spell damage it may work out better by a little - when it comes to regemming it might not.If you get a new item that carries more spell hit, for the sake of it lets say 16 extra spell hit, you would need to replace 4 gems if you are using combos to 9 spelldamage gems. Where as you would only have to replace two gems if you had been using single stat gems. Enless you have money leaking out of every orafice I would think carefully about which choice you make. 3-4 spell damage over your entire gear is not going to make much difference at all - especially the speed in which gear gets upgraded in the current wow world.
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I am the night that falls. I am the keeper of unspoken things. I am the fury of the shadow. I am a Warlock and I will be your end. |
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April 04, 2008, 11:56 AM
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#8 (permalink) |
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Character Info
Mazmorgul 70 Gnome Warlock Jaedenar Euro PvP Guild: The Answer Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 24/37/0 |
Re: Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems
It very much depends on your exisiting gear and what you intend to do with it. Many stats are only valuable up to a point (spell hit and resilience for example) whereas others have no cap. Your gear also needs a balance and it's wise to look at your gear as a single entity so as to avoid pushing one stat (spell damage for example) at the expense of another (say stamina). Build also plays a part with some stats favouring certain build types (spell crit). There's also the question of socket bonuses. Sometimes you're better off colour matching to get the bonus whereas at other times it might be worth skipping a bonus in order to stack a stat that you're lacking. So I will use a combination of single stat and combination gems, always with an eye on my overall goal. |
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April 04, 2008, 12:22 PM
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#9 (permalink) |
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Character Info
Cassiusray 70 Human Warlock Baelgun US PvE Guild: Genocidal Tendencies Talent Spec: 46/11/2 |
Re: Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems
Personally with the exception of +12 stam for blue sockets I always try to get "hybrid" gems. Not only do I like mixing up the stats, but because they fit more then one color of slot it gives me more flexibilty to still get the socket bonus. |
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April 04, 2008, 01:27 PM
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#10 (permalink) |
Status: Newly Registered User
Character Info
Warpy 80 Human Warlock Kul Tiras US PvE Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 53/0/18 |
Re: Single Stat Gems Vs Combo Stat Gems
I'd like to back up Maz, Morgan, Mal, and the other posters who emphasize the situational aspect of gems. Much of the value of gem sockets is the flexibility they add to gear. Yes, they are expensive, but there are times when regemming is a great idea and much simpler than replacing the whole piece of gear. In that case, pure vs. hybrid may be a minor consideration, depending on the stats involved and the socket bonus. Some socket bonuses are worthwhile in themselves, and that's one reason I like hybrid gems (sometime, they also help make meta-gems happy). Rather than counting up points of crit/hit/haste/spell damage and just adding 'em up like they were all the same, first calculate what each is worth relative to the others (Leulier's spreadsheet can help), then figure out how much DPS a given gem adds, be it "hybrid" or "pure". With my current gear, Leulier's says that the next point of spell damage adds 0.78 to my DPS, but the next point of spell haste will add 0.87. Goodbye, runed living ruby... But do I go quick dawnstone or reckless noble topaz? Runed living ruby gave me 9 spell damage = 7.02 dps Quick dawnstone adds 8 spell haste = 6.96 dps - Hey! >:( Reckess pyrestone adds 5 spell damage and 4 spell haste = 7.38 dps - Much better Times I've regemmed in a big way: When I finally got my belt of blasting and passed the spell cap: good-bye great dawnstone, hello veiled noble topaz!! Same with the acquisition of other big pieces of +spell hit gear. I needed pure spell hit early in my career, lots of it. When I was respeccing from affliction to destro, I needed about 4% spell crit and was willing to sacrifice some spell damage for it. At this point, it makes sense to replace runed living rubies in yellow sockets (pure spell damage) with potent noble topaz (hybrids). After patch 2.4, spell haste is even more wonderful and reckless pyrestones are available. Good thing I have all these daily quests I can do now! 
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Last edited by Warpy; April 04, 2008 at 01:48 PM.. Reason: Goofed-up numbers! >.< |
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