Welcome to the guide to gearing up once level capped!

In this guide you will figure out to gear up the following ways :
  • Proffessions
  • Reputations
  • Dungeons
  • Questing



Note : This guide is really common sense, but not to the new player, which is something private servers see a lot.


Professions

If this is your first 85 (assuming it is) then you should pick a profession that would benefit you the most.

The following list is of professions that go best with each class.


If you're a Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, or Druid, you should take Skinning and Leatherworking.

If you're a Mage, Warlock, or Priest, you should Take Tailoring and a Gathering Profession.

If you're a Warrior, Paladin, or Death Knight, you should take Blacksmithing and Mining.

Please keep in mind that those profession are just SUGGESTED. You can be a Warrior with tailoring if you wanted to. But since this is your first 85, those are strongly recommended.



Gathering Proffesions :

Gathering professions are used to make money, or support your crafting profession.
Example; Mining is a gathering profession for Blacksmithing.
You can also use gathering professions to make money. Many end game gathering goods sell for a lot on the AH.
Example; Savage Leather (20) sells for almost 700g.
Gathering professions include : Skinning, Mining, and Herbalism.
note : Fishing and Archaeology are also gatherin profession's. However, Archaeology does not work.


Reputations

Reputations are great ways of getting gear by just questing or running dungeons.

The easiest way to gain reputation at Warmane is to equip a Reputation Tabard.

Once that tabard is equipped, you will earn reputation for that faction with it while killing mobs in dungeons.

Cataclysm reputations and Quartermasters :
format: Faction - Zone - Quartermaster - Faction

Ramkahen - Uldum - Quartermaster - Both

Guardians of Hyjal - Mount Hyjal - Quartermaster - Both

Dragonmaw Clan - Twilight Highlands - Quartermaster - Horde

The Earthen Ring - Vash'jr - Quartermaster - Both

Therazane - Deepholm - Quartermaster - Both

Wildhammer - Twilight Highlands - Quartermaster - Alliance

Baradin's Wardens - Tol Barad - Quartermaster - Alliance

Hellscream's Reach - Tol Barad - Quartermaster - Horde

Some repuations might already be friendly with you, if so, just buy the tabard and start going.

However, if you're neutral or hated, you'll have to quest to raise your rep. It shouldn't be hard since rates are 5x.


Dungeons

Dungeons can help gear you very fast, but they come with a challenge.
Your first dungeon will most likely be Blackrock Caverns where you can find some nice loot.

Once you're 85, it's time to think about ilvl. (Item Level)
If you played on the wrath servers, its the same as Gearscore almost. Its a way of being judged by your gear to see how you will perform in certain dungeons.

The common dungeon chain goes like so :

Normals until 333+ iLvl > spend points earned on 346 > Get 340 i lvl > Do heroics for 346 and points > earn 359 gear from VP vendor > start BWD/BH


Doing dungeons to gear up is MUCH better if you have a group of friends, or a guild to do them with.

Warmane has been scripting raids rapidly so if you want to get in the mix for " server firsts ", I would start now.

Although I wouldn't suggest it, you can buy some cheap BOE's on the AH to boost your iLvl if you're in need.


Questing

Once your done questing for experience, and you think you're done, you're wrong.

Questing in Tol Barad :
Questing in Tol Barad is very......interesting.
The best way to quest in Tol Barad is to find a group of friends(or guild) and just do ALL the dailies. Some dailies might not work, such as " Victory in Tol Barad "

Doing quests in Tol Barad gets you 3 things:
  • Money
  • Reputation
  • Honor (if in group)


Now, questing in Tol Barad can also be VERY aggrovating. If you're by yourself attempting to kill spiders next 5 allies ALSO trying to kill spiders, you will die.

By time you get about 30 commedations, you will be exalted.

The hard part is getting the commendations. Whether your doing it for the 359 trinket, 346 weapon, or just the awesome mount, it will take time.

Just be patient, find some friends, and enjoy the money you get from each quest. (153g!)


PVP

All though I don't suggest using PVP to gear up, it is possible and effective.

Entering battlegrounds with an item level below 325 is a bad idea. You will run into players that kill you in less than 7 seconds.

However, if you're a pvp heavy player, I'd suggest you buy or craft the Bloodied set.

The Bloodied set gives you resilience with an ilvl of 339 per item. They can be bought at an auction house for roughly 500g a piece.
The cheapest I've seen a piece is 80g, the highest is 3k. It just depends on your class and the demand of it.

Once you have a decent amount of resilience and a decent weapon, you can start earning Bloodthirsty gear.

Bloodthirsty is the gear earned only by honor. The prices of Bloodthirsty go as follows;

Head - 2200 Honor
Shoulders - 2200 Honor
Chest - 2200 Honor
Legs - 2200 Honor
Trinkets - 1650 Honor
Rings - 1250 Honor
Neck - 1250 Honor
Arcanums - 1000 Honor
Bracers - 1250 Honor
Belt - 1250 Honor
Cloak - 1250 Honor
Relics - 700 Honor


Once arena comes out, you can earn Viscious from conquest points, which is the next PVP tier.
You can also earn Viscious by winning your first battleground of the day. You only get 25 conquest points a day for your first win.


Thanks for reading this guide and I hope it helps many of you reading.
If you see a problem in the guide, or want to add something, just PM me, or post on this thread and I'll change it asap!